At the capital of the "province"...Québec

Chateau Frontenac

I have to tell you, I loved Québec. I think it is a superb city with all the charm a city can have, not only for tourists, but also, for the people who live there. We had very little time to be there (because we had a problem with the car we had rented and had to change it), but I think we made the most of it!!

I'm going to show you some photos of sites I liked at the centre of the city which you can walk in a small space of time. Where shall I start??

• The photo you see on top is at the top of the city, it is called the Chateau Frontenac and it is a magnificent hotel which started to be built at the end of the 19th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway,  just like the best hotel in Ottawa , and was finished just 30 years ago. It's an impressive building, with its towers and its roofs, don't you think it could also be in France? If you come, do not miss the opportunity to go inside, there is a Starbucks Café and some other nice boutiques at the "rez-de-chaussée". In front of it, street artists make their shows which adds even more glam & charm to the castle.
• Many horse-run chariots can be seen around the city, so there are fountains especially for them, this also adds a romantic touch and also a "mauvais" smell!!

ph. by Ana García

• We wanted to see the Changing of the Guard Ceremony, but it was so early (at 10 am) and the parking lot was full, that we missed it, but we saw the Citadelle (fortress) and the Plains of Abraham where the battle which decided that Quebec was under British rule took place. It only lasted 25 minutes but it decided the political system of one of the biggest countries in the world.  It is a huge park nowadays for citizens to enjoy. 
• We did get in time to a guided tour of the Hôtel du Parlement (which houses the National Assembly) in Spanish- for the first time!! here everything is in English and French, the two official languages of Canada, so I am all day long translating!! We loved our personal guide, "Pepe", he explained everything so well and did it just to an audience of 4, my family!! (apparently there were no more Spanish-speaking people fot the only tour in Spanish of the day!!) He explained how, just as in Ottawa's Parliament, it is the house of the people of Quebec and how they are all represented through symbols ( Lions for the British, "fleur de lys" for the French and the maple's leaf for the Canadians). He also explained to us how they had eliminated the Senate and formed comissions from the 125 people chosen (we could copy that in Spain!) You can eat at the restaurant inside the building.

• I also really liked the oldest part of the city, next to the port, near it, there is a funicular which is working since 1879 and takes people up and down from here to Chateau Frontenac. On the downtown part, is the "Rue du Petit-Champlain" which has been reserved to show the artists' talent.

• Once in Quebec, everybody has to go and see Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré which is a very nice church; but it was so late and, as you know, we are travelling with children, so we decided to see the Montmorency Falls (or "chute" in French). As you can see in the photo, it is magnificent, it has 30 more metres in depth than the Niagara Falls. We stepped down 1000 steps or so and then, back up again, but it was worth it!

Montmorency Falls,
 by Ana García

There is much more to it, Quebec is very nice to walk around, we loved it!!! What do you think of it? Leave your comments!! I love them too!!