Saguenay

Maiden port! The town came out in force - more than 10,000 from a town of 22,000!  Secondary school closed. Primary and kindergarten brought kids on buses to see the ship and activities. Regional governor came by helo to greet Captain Oprey and Queen Mary 2. The Canadian Air Force even sent two jets to do a flyover as the captain accepted a gift from the city. 

 

 

 I wish I could convey the startling contrast between this teeny town and this glorious ocean liner. She dominates the entire wharf and towers over every structure in the village! (This evening a genrtleman told me the dock was built 10 years ago specifically to fit this ship. I wonder why it has taken so long for her to get here?) So why come here? Partly for the fjord and partly for the internationally known gannet colony on Perce Rock. 

This small town set at the tip a gorgeous fjord is so much like a miniature Maine village, I felt at home immediately. Lots of rocks and color! 

 I met and chatted with Jeanette while having a tea in town. She seems typical of the locals who are so proud of their town and heritage. 

 There are flowers everywhere! When I asked, it's a reaction to the long cold winters! Color abounds here in plants and in houses!

 

I totally forgot to ask about the origins of these girls on stilts in swaying dresses but there were a couple of them involved in the welcoming events! 

As we sailed out of Saguenay, the townspeople were still there, gathering in the later afternoon to send this ship off in style. 

 This enthusiasm for the Queen Mary 2's visit was echoed as the ship steamed back down the fjord to the St. Lawrence. Small towns like Petit Saguenay set off fireworks as Her Highness went by. 

 

The ship went by Our Lady of Lac Bouchet, a statue of the Virgin Mary installed in this cliff face by a man who survived an ice-out on the fjord! I knownits an awful picture, but the story is great and you can always Google it yourself!

 

I even took a great shot of the fireworks framed by a spotlight hanging off the observation deck:

We are now doing 25 knots on the St. Lawrence, heading for a morning port of call in Gaspe, Nova Scotia! I feel a bit guilty that I am enjoying this voyage while friends and neighbors are weathering Hurricane Matthew. I passed up Cherries Jubilee tonight so I'd feel less bad!!

Adieu, Quebec

Breakfasted with Margaret and Bob from Yorkshire. Caught up on what we've been doing while in Quebec. About 10, I headed out to get Denis' Sortilege as it was unavailable at the maple products tourist shops on Petit de Champlain. I got directions to the state liquor store from two different sources (one tour guide and one security guy), it is across from the main train station, about 6 blocks from the pier. I found the station with no problem, but not the liquor store. I walked around and around but either it wasn't open before lunch or I messed up directions. 

While I was walking through the terminal, I heard my name called - too weird - so I ignored it until it was shouted, I turned around and found Lis and Merril behind me, setting out for a morning in town. We're meeting in Sir Samuel's at 3.

I came home via a lovely park with a great fountain.

 Across the street from the park is a wonderful hedge of flowers with a light, airy aroma.

 

 I strolled the Promenade by the St. Lawrence, even walked over this rainbow bridge, though it didn't lead me to Asgard or Thor! It did take me to Farmer's Market where I indulged in a raspberry, oatmeal and white chocolate cookie!

I stumbled across Cafe du Monde, good coffee, alas, no beignets! I neglected to ask if this one was older than the "real" one in New Orleans!

 Back aboard, I shared an hour with Mary and John from Kent about what we'd been doing since that first night aboard. Then lunched very late with Roseanne from Virginia as we talked about this new and wonderful dining option here in Carinthia Lounge and about Hurricane Matthew. (Letreze has pulled my patio stuff and loose plants into the garage. I hoped Bill helped her.) Now there's nothing I can do but enjoy my time at sea! 

Met Lis and Merril. We talked for nearly 2 hours! Topics ranged from pets to gardens to gays in the military to snack choices and drink preferences. Karen from West Palm joined us briefly, but didn't stay long. I enjoy these women and hope we will keep in contact. Like most Aussies I have wncountered, they travel a lot!!

I overheard a great Quebec historical anecdote: When Louis XIV wanted to populate the area, he was told they needed women to do so. He sent the trappers and fishermen 800 King's Daughters, not whores but widows or spinsters of median families. He gave each woman a dowry equalivent to a year's wage and told them they had 60 days from landing to choose a husband or become a nun! Yikes!!!

Topic of MUCH. Discussion among crew and passengers is Hurricane Matthew!!

Quebec Day 2

Grrrrr! I just spent 40 minutes on today's blog, got interrupted and forgot to save it! I am too used to 24/7 internet access that it never occurred to me what I wrote would not last because I was not online! Sigh!!!!

A correction to yesterday's post: poutin does not have any mashed potato, instead it combines white cheese with French Fries and gravy! Even less appetizing than what I originally thought! 

While wandering the ship this morning, I found a painting in the art gallery that captures the essence of the kind of life I would have like to live:

 The carefree, joi de vivre of this scene appeals to me immensely! Plus the hats are just fabulous!

Sharon, today's tour guide was good, but lacked Danielle's enthusiasm for the job. Efficient but seemed to reciting a script. Perhaps that's a difference between a walking tour guide and bus tour one? Walking puts you closer together with the clients.

Our first stop was Montmorency Falls, higher than Niagara but not nearly as wide. 

 I love a good waterfall, but, realio-trulio, after exploring Iguazu for hours, it's all just water over a dam! Sharon seemed to believe the catwalk over the falls was something great, and, I guess, for most it would be but...I was more taken by the rivulet falls off to the side of the spillway.

 

I did enjoy the walk along the river edge, spotting a great birch tree, a few formal garden areas and a whimsical paean to Halloween and Autumn.

 

 

From Montmorency Falls, we went to Sainte Anne de Beaupre basilica. 

The current bullding is the replacement for the one that burned in the early 1920's. An Italian artist asked to be allowed to decorate the interior and spent the ensuing 54 years doing so. I wish I could have met this man who must have had a truly gilded tongue as he talked the Catholic priesthood into accepting so many untraditional images: a complete Zodiac on the ceiling of the foyer, a mosaic encouraging penitents to "Dance together. Life is too short to sit by the wall." and a series murals portraying saints with Native American faces! He adorned each pew row with mosaics of North American birds and plants, not one was repeated in the entire basilica.

 

 

Ste. Anne was Mary's mother. Until today, I never though of Christ having grandparents. I just can not wrap my head around a young Jesus crying, "Grammy Anne, help me." This church has a reputation for miracle cures, as evidenced by the myriad crutches, canes, splints, wraps and other things displayed because they are no longer needed.

 Today, your word is not enough to proclaim you cured, you have to submit a licensed physician's affidavit attesting to your pre and post basilica visit's difference before you can claim a cure. Even so, the priests acknowledge several miracles each year! 

 Ste. Anne's is so much about hope and power of prayer that if you buy anything at the gift shop, a priest will bless it for you. Since I have an elderly friend in Astoria who actually visited Ste. Anne's when she was a girl, I had the priest bless the token I bought her. Then took a selfie, my first ever photo with a  Catholic priest! 

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the serenity of this place. Its aura is one of quiet contemplation of Nature's wonders and diversity, helped I am certain by the glorious foliage outside!

 

 

I am not alone in my adoration for this House of God. Pope Paul II knelt here to pray, after walking through the great brass doors. 

 

An excellent day! 

Tonight at dinner, I had a wafer thin crisp that grabbed my attention, so I asked the waiter what it was and if it was purchasable in a grocery store. He assured me it was common in the Foreign Foods section of his store in NYC, then appeared at the table with a package so I could get details. Also he gave me cooking directions. Soon Middleburg will be offering pappadoms often! I wish I could have shared these little delights with Mom.

 One final pondersble for today: I realized this evening that though more than 2000 passengers are on this liner with me, I have yet to see two women wearing the same thing! What does that suggest about the fashion industry? Human individuality?? Too deep for me tonight! 

"En avant, Quebec"

Today began with a bang -really. When the ship docked at Quebec port terminal, her horn blew in salute and in return, for the first time in 171 years, a cannon fired from the Citadel in acknowledgment! Awesome way to start a day!  

I called Letreze to chat after I had breakfast!! I left messages for Jean and Sheila - two very busy women. I am actually on the St. Lawrence River!!!! With the Isle of Orleans in the distance. 

 

My post breakfast walk around deck 7 (3 laps = 1 mile) gave a me a great view of the Chateau Frontenac right across the street. I learned it was built as a hotel for the Canadian RR to entice wealthy Americans to come visit. 650 rooms!! Then I just had to get artistic and shoot the Chateau between the radar pylon and spare propeller blades that adorn aft deck 7 of QM2. And later in the day, I got much closer to Frontenac!

 

 

"Let's go see Quebec" was how Danielle the tour guide for Old Quebec Walking Tour started us off as we left the Port Terminal. A charming group of about 20 which I stayed up with very comfortably...any angst I had about a repeat of the embarrassment of last year's Guernsey Cliff Walk disappeared by the second set of steps. My walks with Letreze really have paid off in improved movement.

Danielle was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and humorous. She tooks us behind the normal walks street so we could experience one of the unique to Quebec places in the city. The buildings are too close to the city escarpment for cars so these little bridges were created so the building residents could reach their storage sheds built on the cliff edge.  

This city reminds me of chilly New Orleans, yes, I know that's not surprising, but still... 

One stop we made was the see the sculpture that commemorates where in 1608 when the city was founded, the St. Lawrence flowed. The pavement surrounding the sculpture is wavy to signify where the St. Lawrence met the St. Charles!! (The lower right corner shadow is me, a kimd of selfie?!)

 

We rode the funicular to the Upper City. I got such a cool shot of QM2 that the ship's photographer who was with us, took her own version. It never occurred to her to squat down for a different point of view! 

These paper canoes are part of an Inuit celebration. Are they not awesome!?

 

We visited lots of churches and Danielle took us through The Holy Door which the Pope gave to Quebec in 2014 when 2 of its early citizens were cannonized. The door is one of only 7 in the world. You walk through, touch Christ's out-stretched hand and say a small prayer. You are not permitted to go out a Holy Door, only in one to enter the worship house. I didn't think it appropriate to stop for a photo! 

In the rear of the church is a small paddock with chickens, a donkey and a goat - the animals and their predecessors have been associated with this church for hundreds of years, so the tradition continues. 

 I am too short to see over the wall for the goat and chickens!

Street art abounds in the city. This flying man has only been on his rooftop for 3 years, but the Fresco of Quebec is my favorite. The 3-D effect is so good, it is startling!

 

 

 

I met Veronica and Tim in the terminal and we kind of shadowed each other all through the tour.

 I FINALLY found some Fall Trees!!! 

 

As the tour concluded, Danielle suggested we try a "real Quebecoi food staple." Poutin (prounounced like Russia's president) is French Fries, mashed potatoes and gravy! Yikes!!!!! I declined.

Back on board, I chatted with Frances and William while having a drink and listening to but not playing trivia. Then on to dinner (excellent lamb shank, almost better than last night's lobster), where it was Kevin and me again. His last name is Cassidy, which is the name of his brother's pub in Belfast! 

Off to bed early, i have to be in the terminal by 7:45 for my bus tour in the morning. And I have to find Denis' Sortilege, which according to Danielle is an ice wine so I have to find a real liquor store! 

The good times continue!