Quebec City - Saturday

Friday evening we rode the bus into the old city for one last group dinner, a long evening of conversation, red wine (or sparkling water) and rather loud jazz. Returning to the hotel after dinner, as I looked at my companions, tired and quiet in the back seats of the city bus, I began to get an odd sense of déjà vu, as if I knew these people from some other place and time in my past.

Gateway to the Old City of Quebec

Our room on the third floor of the Hotel Universel had a view of more ordinary city neighborhoods, or possibly suburban sprawl, but I never visited that part of the city, only the picturesque, historic area.

My roommate, Kelly, planned to meet a friend Saturday evening, then return to Montreal early the next day, while I meant to stay on in Quebec City for a couple of days, but we lost our room that morning. After a little tension, the lady at the front desk was finally able to move me to the bottom floor, below the lobby (and on my own tab). I had to squeeze between laundry carts with my bike and bags to get to the room, but it was handy to take my bike straight out to the back parking lot.

Changing of the Guard

Me, guarding the city wall

On Saturday morning people began drifting away, heading back home, or off to further adventures, but four of us caught the bus back to the old city for a walking tour of the historic Citadel. I started out wearing a light rain jacket, but summer heat and humidity had returned in the city, and I was sun-burned by lunch time.

In the afternoon we did more walking-touring, and checked out a very cheap auberge I thought I might want to move to. It had a perfect location on the wall of the old city, but there was a building under construction across the street. The place had a very disreputable feel that reminded me of a motel back in Bellingham that was recently condemned by the city because of criminal activity. I decided to stay on at the Universel, even though that would cut short the number of days I could afford to stay.

(Two views of the Chateau Frontenac.)

We also checked out the lobby of the magnificent Chateau Frontenac, though a room there would be far beyond my means. There was a ritzy wedding reception going on, and a window display of moldy, rindy hams, sausage, bacon and cured meats – regional charcuterie – made an odd contrast to the elegant surroundings.

Kelly and I had one last dinner with John, the last ones remaining from our group. Then she left to meet her friend while John and I walked around the Laval Université campus. As usual, there were buildings under construction, and the campus has a huge new athletic complex and sports fields. One of the women in the tour group had told me that the departments of art and architecture had been relocated to the old city, where they played a large role in revitalizing the city. She said many of the international students who come to Laval, especially from Africa, suffer from the cold winters and culture shock.

Cathédrale Holy Trinity

There was a sad feeling that the party was finally, really over when we said good-night in the lobby on Saturday evening. But when I went down to my basement room, where my bicycle leaned against the wall, it suddenly felt so normal to be alone in my room, on my own again.

The ferries from Lévis - we could have crossed this way
instead of using the bridge, but there was a big, steep hill climb,
and we couldn't find the landing anyway.
Or something.