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The third week of July was spent along the shores of the St Lawrence River where it's so wide and salty, it's the sea. The region is The Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec Province. Called "the mitten" for its shape, it has five distinctive areas --- the valley, the coast, the bay, the haute-gaspesie and land's end (where the northernmost mainland portion of the Appalachians end). From Quebec City, I drove through the Bas-Saint-Laurent region and stayed coastal in Sainte-Felicite (population 1,175). In 1534, Jacques Cartier arrived in Gaspé Bay and claimed the land for King Francis I of France. This marked the beginning of the French presence in North America. I was brought to this beautiful place as my maternal grandparents were born and married here. My week was spent touring, seeing the areas where my family emigrated from, and attempting to find some long, lost relatives (dead or alive). I really enjoyed the villages, the people, and the relaxed atmosphere! Unfortunately, after a few days of searching, I did not find a family connection. However, thanks to Claudine, owner of the auberge where I stayed, I have found a cousin in Quebec City, and perhaps a few relatives in Rimouski, an area I initially drove through enroute. This chapter continues, and suffice to stay, I definitely need to improve my French!
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Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Quebec City is the "cradle of French civilization" in North America. It's also the only walled urban area north of Mexico. While I spent five of my 8 days within Vieux Quebec, I also ventured out by bike to the Falls, to Wendake (a 17th century Huron Nation region), and along the St. Lawrence River. It was my third visit to Quebec City, but my first in more than 30 years! While I am astounded at the city's ability to maintain its culture and architecture, I'm also nervous about the extent of tourism. I should couch this by saying that I did visit in July, and that besides good weather, it's the time of Quebec's well-known "Summer Festival" of music. In addition to the large number of visitors (4.7 million in 2012), I also don't recall seeing so many tour buses, tour groups, shops and restaurants in old town. Yes, I know, it's been decades! I haven't actually touched upon every stop I made, but the photos will hopefully take you there! When I caught myself looking at condo prices in Ottawa, I realized how much I was in love with this city! Of course, the reality also hit that I'm not a Canadian citizen, and that I'd have to snowbird to Florida for 4 months every year. Anyone have a job connection at the U.S. Embassy? My $22/night AirBnB room was 8 miles west of downtown with a bike path in the back yard that led to the larger Ottawa River path. Trust me, the car never moved! I was also a 15 minute walk to the nearest sandy beach along the River which had live music and a cafe. This is living! Ottawa is wonderful, and offers a lifestyle of city spectacles combined with rivers and green space galore. While I did tour my "must see" spots, I could have spent another week here cycling, people watching at cafes, visiting the National Gallery of Art or The Royal Canadian Mint (no pennies in Canada). I completely understand the pride and joy that Ottawans feel (and show) for their city. In 2017, Canada celebrates 150 years as a nation, and Ottawa will be ready. I took more than 250 photos but here's the Cliff Note version of my Ottawa experiences! |
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December 2025
AuthorCyclist, writer, teacher, avid reader, bike/ped advocate, nomad, pie lover Categories |
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