May 27, 2015
Day 1 – Random thoughts from Wednesday in Quebec City:
Quebec City is built on a cliff and is very hilly. It reminds me quite a bit of Montmartre in terms of terrain. The only flat streets are in Quartier Petit Champlain which is the district along the docks and outside the walls of the old city. Good thing I brought Converse and wedges.
Main food groups: meat, cream, beer. Don’t worry we’ll include a small side salad so you get some vegetables. Wine counts as fruit. Would you like some more?
Coffee sizes are normal here (unlike Starbucks and most American shops). Small is 8 ounces, medium is 12 ounces, and large is 16 ounces. This does not apply to beer or ice cream/gelato/sorbet.
At the Anglican Church the tour guide told me that I was sitting in Queen Elizabeth’s pew. I didn’t really hear anything else he said after that as I started wondering what color suit she wore and what her hat and matching handbag looked like.
Everyone is really polite but not in a “I work in a tourist area so my boss makes me kind of way” – in a “I’m a genuinely nice person, let me smile while I help you” ..and maybe “I’ll crack a joke about your bad French but I’m not being mean” kind of way. This does not extend to driving (see below).
Curbs are only a suggestion. They might be seven inches high but, really, you can feel free to drive over the curb and on to the sidewalk because you don’t want to wait for the car in front of you to move. Pedestrians? They can move out of your way.
