A city rich in history, celebrating their 400th anniversary this year.  The French influence is heavy here.

 

03/26/2009

In the old part of the city, we found many buildings with plaques showing they date from the 1600's.  The oldest we found was 1608.  A most impressive city to walk thru.  Below a few pictures of the old city.

 

This is just one example, as we found several buildings this way.  In this far north city (cold, icy, snow, winter winds), many buildings have no openings such as doors & windows on their north sides.  To keep that blank side of the building from looking so "dull", many are painted as this is.  Note that all people, doors, windows and other 3 dimensional appearance is part of the painting, not the building itself.

Just down the road is the Basilica of Sainte Anne-de-Beuapre.  A very impressive structure, but the craftsmanship of the work inside is breathtaking.  The columns, ceilings, doors, floors and so on were completed by many different artistic craftsmen and women over a span of 50 years.  Mosaics everywhere.

 

While in Quebec, we went on a whale watching expedition.  A bus picked us up and drove about 100 miles east on the St. Lawrence River.  At the point where the Saguenay River dumps into the St. Lawrence MANY whale species come to feed.  We rode in a large Zodiac boat with 20 other people about an hour out and saw fin backs and humpbacks.  We missed seeing a beluga, but were told they were in there too. 

Here you can see they didn't want us too cold or too wet

This little seal was out by himself

A sailboat looking for whales too

This guy has taken 3 breaths and is ready to dive

There he goes

 

 

   

 

© 2009 Don & Donna Beck. All Rights Reserved.                                            

 

   This site was last updated 03/26/09