No food like french food.......

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Quebec City .....



Driving to Quebec was wonderful. Once we hit the Vermont boarder we were the only ones on the road, or so it seemed. AAA directed us to the wrong address but we called the Inn and arrived in time for dinner. Dined at an old woodworking mill overlooking the pond. The food and service were excellent and and it was such a pleasant evening to eat outdoors. Our stay at the Inn was interesting. We were the only guests and that was a good thing as there was a shared bathroom. How that escaped my notice is a puzzle. Breakfast was good. Fresh squeezed OJ, fruit and crisp potato shreds with tomato and scallions topped with cheese and two fried eggs.



Never in my life have I eaten fried eggs but WTH. Actually they were pretty good. Joe was anxious to get on the road so we headed to the border. The crossing was quick and smooth and the roads were virtually empty until we got closer to Quebec City. Still the drive was pleasant and my bluebird averaged 42 MPG so I am happy.



We arrived at the Hotel Manoir d'Auteuil and our room was ready for us. It is a very large room with a king bed, dresser, desk, two leather chairs, a coffee table, ottoman and still looks open and airy.



Parked the car, unpacked, and headed out to explore. Quebec is a charming city that retains and preserves it's french heritage. Those who know say it is a little like Paris. We head to Rue St-Louis and decide on Il Bello for lunch. This turns out to be a really good Italian restaurant as we would have known had we concentrated on the name. We tried St. Ambroise stout and found it almost as good as Guinness in a Irish pub and better than the Guinness we can get in the states. Joe had a Margareta pizza and I had tagliatelle with mushrooms and basil and both were excellent.

We explored a bit more then returned to the Hotel for a nap. I don't do driving four or five hours straight as well as I used to. Dinner Monday was a disappointment for us. I had been dreaming of frogs legs and when they arrived they were overcooked and dry, totally flavorless. The restaurant, Parmesan, was packed and there was a large group of business people dining. At the four top next to us, three men and one very attractive women dined. No one addressed a single comment to the woman during the entire meal except the waiter. It was painful to watch as she maintained her composure against the rudeness and self-centeredness of the dolts. Anyway, the restaurant had an exceptional collection of liquor bottles, soldiers, animals, buildings, characters, every imaginable design including the space shuttle. There had to be a thousand of these around the rooms filling every inch of the shelves lining the walls.

Tuesday we had breakfast on the Grand Allee. This major road leads into the old city and was an easy walk from the hotel. When we were last hear, there were dozens of cafe's and bistros offering breakfast but few were open. Maybe it was because of the overcast and cool weather but we finally found one that was open and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. Joe had Bacon and eggs and I had crepes with apples, bananas prepared in maple syrup. It was Devine!

We have been blessed with wonderful touring weather. We waked atop the city walls from our hotel to the Citadel, then continued along the Governors' Promenade. The walkway runs along Cap Diamond high above the St. Lawrence and was virtually empty. There were some runners and a couple of groups of school kids but otherwise we had the Promenade to ourselves. The walkway leads to the Terrasse Dufferin that fronts the Chateau Frontenac, the iconic building that is the most photographed in the world. It was a great walk and the views of the city and the river were amazing.

Dinner tonight was at the Cafe de Paris. Again I tried the frogs legs, tenacious little devil that I am and here the choice was better but still not as good as I remembered. Still the escargot were good but still could have used a touch more garlic. The restaurant was charming and the host and waiters very friendly. We were treated to flaming Samboco to enjoy with our coffee.

Wednesdays breakfast was at L'Omelette on the Rue St. Louis. Had my favorite smoked salmon and Joe ate French toast. We stopped at Tourist Information and booked a sightseeing cruise on the St. Lawrence then headed down to the old city. There were a few restaurants sprinkled among the souvenir shops and boutiques. We did find one that served only rabbit, Le Lupin. The shops sold everything from the ticky tacky to art and high fashion and all in between. We can across a street musician with a large fluffy white dog. I wanted to bury myself in the fur. Poor puppy will not be happy when the hot weather arrives in ernest.



It was pleasant to be on the water, as always, and the commentary was interesting historically. The Frontenac, seen from the water, is a truly imposing site. We sailed by Montmorency Falls. One year we were so lucky to be in Quebec for the Fireworks Competition and it was held at the falls. Magical! In winter, the falls do not freeze but the mist thrown up does and adheres to the cliff face. It becomes one of the premier ice climbing locals in North America. Dinner on Wednesday was at Il Conti. I wasn't to hungry so I had the salmon tartar and a Cesare salad while Joe enjoyed veal medallions in lemon and white wine with a side of pasta.

The time here has flowed nicely by. Plenty of activity and down time and wonderful weather. And there's more to come.

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Photos

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Devine Creps

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Now that's bacon and eggs.

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On the city wall.

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The Frontenac from Governor's Way

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Lower town city scape.

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Is it a dog or a bear?