Chicoutimi, Chicouti-you!

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Cast of Characters:

Kate - me!
Krista - tiny, feisty red-head, in love with Quebec
Sara - hockey-loving blonde, first time in Canada

March 10-11, 2009

Kate: Krista is going to call this blasphemy, but let's keep in mind I only speak the truth. So we took the bus to Chicoutimi, and let me just say that it really is like the West Virginia of French Canada. The ride was 2 1/2 hours, two of which were on a highway traveling through nowhere. The one gas station I did see was closed...and there were signs saying "Danger: Risk of Moose Collision."

Krista: Oh, Kate, you silly girl. It's too bad that you dont appreciate the great, white North. I was so excited to come back to Chicoutimi. Our hotel is right next to the bus station . This afternoon we had poutine at La Bonne Patate and then went to see Ste. Anne's Cross. It was quite a trek up the hill, but it was worth it in the end. Frolicking in the snow with French Canadians beats doing nothing in Ohio any day. We walked around rue Racine a bit and now we are relaxing in our room. Mountain climbing can really wear you out!

Sara: I'm going to have to agree with Krista here, Chicoutimi is adorable. I would take climbing mountains with French-Canadians over spending time in Ohio. Maybe I'll wear shoes that are broken in next time because my feet were bleeding (unbeknownst to me...I swear I do pay attention!) But it's all good. I feel kind of weird being so far up north because it's so far from everything I'm used to. Here, there are little gangsters who have friends working at Subway named Jean-David. I was unaware that it's necessary to have two names if you're French Canadian.

Kate: Krista did not lead us on a walk up a hill...she made us hike up a mountain! It was above freezing, so water from the eight feet of melting snow were running down the hill towards us. Krista then made the brilliant decision to turn down Rue Ste. Elizabeth instead of waiting for signs to direct us to this cross of (oh, brilliant thought) going down Rue de la Croix (Cross Street). So, we had to backtrack, then we fell through the snow, got snow in our boots/pants/bags/etc. and looked at the white plastic cross. Thank God we climbed that mountain to see it! At least we got to work off our daily serving of poutine.

[Editor's note: For those of you who have not had the chance to eat the deliciousness that is poutine, it is French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds. It sounds and looks awful, but it is the tastiest thing ever. At fine establishments serving this dish, you often can get a hot dog with poutine and a Coke. Why has this idea not caught on in America?? It's fries topped with fat and more fat, served with a hot dog and Coke! Perhaps we shall open our own poutine shack here in Pittsburgh. I'm sure the drunk college kids would love it.]

Krista: Au revoir to ma belle Chicoutimi! 😞 This afternoon, we went to UQAC (University of Quebec at Chicoutimi) and Walmart. Classy. Apparently they do not salt/sand the sidewalks in Chicoutimi. I'm pretty sure we were walking on six inches of ice. On the way home, it started to snow...on the one highway...where moose collisions happen. Thanks to the grace of the Quebecois gods, we made it back in one piece...

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Photos

Flat Stanley with his bus ticket to Chicoutimi
The InterCar bus lines in Quebec are a MILLION times nicer than Greyhound

La Bonne Patate
fine dining in Chicoutimi

Fail.
The sign says "No snow here"