Page 11 - quebec
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his historic city on the St Law-  which offers a savory taste of Europe  ence in the area. In the 17th and 18th
               rence River was our departure   without the jet lag and expense. Think of  centuries, several historic battles were
               port for a 14-day “leaf peeper”  it as France without the attitude. Friend- fought there among the French, British,
         T cruise on the RCCL Explorer of the   ly locals convey that sense of romance  Americans and native peoples. Rusted
          Seas cruise ship that would take us to   and Old World charm found across the  cannon balls still can be seen lodged in
          exciting eastern Canadian ports, down   Atlantic, making Quebec City a wonder- trees and buildings in the Old City.
          the New England coast, and winding   fully distinctive port of call on Canada/
          up in the city of Bayonne, New Jersey   New England cruises.          Although we timed our trip for the leg-
         – the antithesis of Quebec. This was our                               endary delight of the area’s colorful fall
          first experience in this Tres French City,  The city is framed to the north by the  foliage, cruise ships come to town spring,
                                             majestic  Lauren-                                summer and fall. In
                                             tian   Mountains                                 spring and summer,
                                             and to  the south                                Quebec City impresses
                                             by the Appalachian                               visitors with boughs
                                             foothills and moun-                              of green, remarkable
                                             tains leading to                                 light and a pleasant
                                             New England. The                                 climate (summer tem-
                                             St. Lawrence Riv-                                peratures average in
                                             er, flowing beneath                              the 70s). In the spring
                                             the  cliffs of  Upper                            and autumn, jackets
                                             Town dominated by                                are necessary and win-
                                             the regal Fairmont                               ter can be extremely
                                             Chateau Frontenac,                               frosty ... well, this is
                                             flows on into the                                Canada.
                                             Atlantic. To control
                                             the area of Quebec                               Our French is reduced
                                             City meant control                               to merci, bon jour and
                                             of the St. Lawrence                              a few other phrases
                                             River and naviga-                                that can get me a glass
                                             tion to the Great                                of wine or beer and di-
                                             Lakes.                             rections to the restrooms. But we didn’t
                                                                                have any issues at all here because,
                                             The  effort  to  control  this  strategic  lo- whereas French is the official language,
                                             cation has led to many battles and was  English is spoken at almost all visitor
                                             key to the colonization, or settlement,  destinations including restaurants and
                                             of Native Amerindians, the French, the  shops. The same goes for money: While
                                             British and finally, the Canadian Confed- Canadian  dollar  is  the  currency  of  the
                                             eration in 1867. It remains the home of
                                             the only walled city in North America.  Above: The old post office and the ticket booth for
                                                                                 the Old Quebec Funicular to get between the upper
                                             Quebec's  name  comes  from  an  Algon-  and lower sections of the core of the city. Bottom:
                                             quin word for “where the river narrows.”   A  street view of  our ship, The Explorer of the Seas,
                                             In 1608, explorer Samuel de Champlain   docked in the lower city.  Opposite: Busy street-side
                                             founded a trading post here marking the   dining on a beautiful day.
                                             beginning of a continual French pres-



























                                                                                   Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014  11
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