Canada: Exploring Old Quebec City

To show my European guests a bit more of Eastern Canada, I had booked a 3-day / 2-night bus tour that included Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa and Kingston. On August 8, 2008 our bus headed off at 8 am, and our first stop was in Kingston, Ontario. Kingston is a beautiful town at the eastern end of Lake Ontario and is well-known for its historic limestone architecture. Kingston City Hall in particular is a particularly stunning example of this city’s architectural heritage. Kingston played an important role in Canada’s history due to its critical geographical location, and its fortifications were a base for the Great Lakes British naval fleet during the War of 1812. After the completion of the Rideau Canal in 1832, Kingston became Upper Canada’s most important military and economic centre and united Canada’s first capital from 1841 to 1844. Today Kingston’s economy is dominated by public sector institutions which include Queen’s University and the Royal Military College as well as correctional services which include the maximum security Kingston Penitentiary, often referred to as “Alcatraz North”. After a six hour bus ride through pouring rain we arrived in Quebec City at about 7:30 pm. We set up shop for the night in the beautiful Loew’s Le Concorde Hotel which is located just steps from downtown Old Quebec City. Quebec City, the capital of Quebec, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. The ramparts surrounding the city make it the only walled city in English-speaking North America. We took a stroll into the old area of town, past the Armory which was recently destroyed by fire. The streets of the city were hustling and bustling with visitors, and the historic French architecture provided a perfect ambience for an evening stroll. Various street performers were displaying their skills in different parts of the Vieux Québec, including Place d’Armes, the large central square that is crowned by the impressive Chateau Frontenac Hotel. ...