Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Day 4 - Quebec City (July 26, 2010)

The weather was a bit cloudy as we prepared for day 4 and our early morning journey from Rimouski to Quebec City...about a 315km ride. We only stopped for coffee, fuel and a few pics on the direct ride to Quebec City.



We were very fortunate to have Zal as part of our ride! Zal, used to truck long haul, so he was very familiar with Quebec City..definite bonus! We made a quick stop at a Canadian Tire Store in Levis, QC prior to entering Quebec City ...Zal wanted to purchase a brake lock for his FJR 1300. We found accommodations in Sainte-Foy (a suburb of Quebec City) and unloaded our bikes. We decided that we were going to be tourists for the day; the bikes would stay at the hotel and we would take a taxi to the downtown area...great idea, no worries about parking, traffic, etc.

Old Quebec City dates back 400 years and has a very rich history. The old city is completely fortified and has played an important strategic role in the defense of the city. The architecture has been restored to an immaculate condition and the military history is visible through the fortress walls and the cannons placed to defend the city from attack. Here is one of two entrances to Old Quebec!



We stopped at St. Patrick's Irish Pub for a bite to eat prior to touring the rest of the city.



After lunch, we enjoyed a walk through the streets of Old Quebec. I think the pictures speak for themselves.













After touring the streets of Old Quebec, we moved to the Citadelle of Quebec. The fortress was constructed by the British in 1820 mainly as a source of defense against a possible American invasion. The Americans had tried on two different occasions to invade, 1775 and 1812, each time without success. Today, the Citadelle of Quebec is still active as it is the home of the Royal 22e RĂ©giment of the Canadian Armed Forces...a very distinguished Regiment of the Canadian Military.









After our tour, we met up with Zal's cousin and her partner. We joined them for a very nice evening dinner and then went on an evening walk to the Quebec Parliament and the nightclub district of Quebec City. On the way to meet Zal's cousin, we came across a couple of cool Moto Guzzi's...



An evening view of the Quebec Parliament...



It was getting rather late in the evening, so we bid our good-byes to Zal's cousin and her partner (great people BTW) and caught a cab back to the hotel. What a great day in Quebec City...a must visit if you are in the area!

Next, day 5 and the ride home.

3 comments:

  1. Your pictures of Old Quebec...gorgeous! Truely makes me want to visit it!!

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  2. St. Patrick is my patron saint :) If I ever make it to Quebec, I must stop in at that pub!
    I would love to spend a day walking through that city! How beautiful!

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  3. Great photos! I may have to find a way to add Quebec city back to the list.

    @EverydayRiding

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