Quebec City - Part One

Sean and I just returned from our 4-day getaway to Quebec City. Sean has been several times now for work-related purposes and returns home each time expressing his love for this Canadian city. We've been hoping that I might have the chance to join him on one of these trips. The opportunity did arise in May, but we decided to postpone at the last minute. When we arrived at the airport, we discovered that our flight out of Greensboro had been cancelled. We had already been feeling torn because Sean's grandfather had just passed away and we needed to be back in the United States for the funeral. Adjusting our return flight to an earlier date was proving to be a costly problem, and we both knew our hearts would be staying home anyway.

Just a couple of weeks after Sean’s grandfather’s death, my own grandfather passed away during our visit to see him. It was an upsetting few weeks, to say the least. I felt emotionally wrecked and exhausted in every way. I’m still not sure I've processed that experience or properly grieved the death of these two extraordinary men.The past few months have been such a whirlwind for us.

When Sean was able to re-schedule our trip for a weekend that his mom was also available to stay with the kids, I was thrilled. I’m not sure we've ever been more in need of a getaway.

Quebec City, specifically Old Quebec, is just the most charming place. Fine dining, bistros, coffee houses – there is an abundance of delicious food to be tasted. Sean and I discussed that you could easily eat at a different place for every single meal, for an entire week, and still miss many of the hidden gems tucked away within the city. We were able to enjoy meals at a few of Sean’s favorite restaurants, places that he’s talked about and been looking forward to sharing with me in person. I left each one feeling very full, but never disappointed. There are also plenty of shopping opportunities up and down the streets of Quebec City. I found that the tiny boutiques, gift shops, and art galleries were a pleasure to walk through.

This city is home to many exceptional artists that have captured the beauty of this unique place in ways that my camera never could. During an evening of exploring, Sean and I came across a small side street lined top to bottom with incredible art work, displayed by the artists themselves. It was absolutely stunning to see. The display itself was a true work of art. I was also pleasantly surprised to see and hear so many musicians sharing their instrumental talents in an effort to sell their albums and receive tips as tourists walked the cobblestone streets around them.

One of the most interesting aspects of Quebec City is the rich history found here. It is one of the oldest cities in North America, and the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico.The buildings and churches have been standing for hundreds of years, and the architecture is so beautiful to see! We made it a point to walk many of the stone walls and through the Artillery Park.

We arrived on Friday afternoon and spent a couple of hours exploring our surroundings, enjoying lunch, and taking pictures. For dinner, we walked to the quaint Le Lapin Sauté (The Jumping Rabbit) where Sean and I both ordered the Maple Pork Chops. As you can imagine, Canada specializes in anything with maple syrup as an ingredient!

Paillard - our lunch location.

After dinner, we sat on a bench overlooking the St. Lawrence River, with the magnificent Chateau Frontenac in the background.

I could literally go on and on attempting to describe this place. We spent hours soaking in the European-charm of Quebec City during our visit. It was quite an adventure for me! It was intimidating at first, knowing I would be speaking a different language than these French-Canadians, but the people here were SO friendly, patient, and helpful. I quickly realized they are very used to American tourists and seemed to happily go out of their way to assist us.

Overlooking the St. Lawrence River

Following our first evening in Quebec, we watched the sun set over this gorgeous mountainous backdrop. It was a fitting close to our day.