Québec, Québec

Did you know they don't call it "Quebec City" here? It's just Quebec. Like New York, New York. Or so I was informed by eavesdropping on a woman on the street.

Fireworks

    We booked a very nice hotel in Lévis, Quebec. Lévis is on the southern bank of the river, across from the old Quebec City, so you can get the ferry over instead of fighting traffic. Elsa and I wanted to stay in the hotel room and like two hermit crabs who have found their forever home, we dug right in. Josh is always wanting to do things though. He tricked us into leaving by saying we would just get ice cream at the festival being held by the water. 

The festival, I still don't know it was for, had huge fountains that kids were screaming in. If there's water, then there is also screaming kids. It also had food trucks and a stage with a band. We lined up for ice cream and churros, found a seat and listened to the band. They spoke French for their between-song patter but all the music was in English. I've found that across Quebec. They are really neglecting their Québécois artists.

Despite loud complaints from "The Complainers", although Elsa was mostly working as a solo artist that night, Josh got chairs out of the van and we sat in a school yard and waiting for the fireworks to start. They didn't start until 10 pm! They had some tester ones prior to the big show, just loud bangs. Josh said this was going to be a 'sound only' fireworks show. Ha! Can you imagine if they took the worst part of fireworks and put it at the forefront. You would just have jump scares left. Eventually they got everything together and we enjoyed a beautiful (and loud) show with Le Fleuve Saint-laurent and Le Château Frontenac as a backdrop.

The Old Town

The next day we took the ferry to Le Vieux-Québec. You get a great view of it as you travel in by Ferry, no need for a river cruise! We walked around in the hot sun, touring the cobblestone streets and going up the Funicular to the Dufferin Boardwalk. Eventually we found ourselves up at the Citadelle and the Plains of Abraham. Elsa remembered her seventh grade social studies and informed us that the battle of Abraham only lasted about 15 minutes! I wonder if it was a hot day, I know I was ready to pack it in and head back.

What do we do when we get hot? Jump in water! Québec City has an area near the dock called "L'Oasis". We swam in the deep river surrounded by docks, it was the least crowded place we had been. Kids under 14 have to do a swim test or wear a lifejacket. Elsa chose the life jacket. As we lazily floated around we watched the test takers jump in and swim the length of the pool and then tread water for 10 seconds. I'm glad I didn't have to take it! I love paddling around but I'm a terrible swimmer.

Josh and I wanted to go biking but the breakout artist from "The Complainers" was being a bit loud about that. We compromised by getting a tandem bike so Josh could do all the work. Turns out she still had to move her legs, as she made sure to inform us. It was so hot we went and jumped in L'Oasis again.

The only thing Elsa wanted to do was go to the "Iris Gallerie". We walked there and we saw a sign that said you could get a free scan! I was all for that, but the gallery attendant said you could just look at it. Elsa chickened out in the end. 

Elsa with someone's eyeball

We made our way back to our luxurious hotel room (because it has a door), Elsa and I dug in fiercely to our cozy shell and there was no getting us out that evening.

Birds n' Mammals

- Saw a Great Egret in the canal we biked along

- Elsa noted spiders everywhere we went, she's obsessed with bugs! Perhaps a future in entomology is in the cards?