Quebec City: Day One and Two 

Do you know how long a six-hour Train trip to Quebec City can be? Yes, six hours plus delays! But what about when you experience motion sickness all the way? It felt like being pregnant but with no prospect of a baby at the end. SOooo many hours!

After a sleepless night in our hotel in Ottawa having been awoken by couple fighting in an adjoining room at 4am… (Marc had to bang on the wall to get them to stop!), we caught the Via Canada train to Quebec City. Somehow, even though I had already experienced four days straight of train travel from west to east coast Canada, and a further 4.5 hours from Toronto to Ottawa, this trip was horrible. The train lurched, rolled, and pitched so badly. The train was warm and comfortable, but the motion was dreadful. Even the train attendant told me I looked quite pale (as he served us breakfast and lunch – none of which I could not eat at all) and Marc informed me there was a time I was quite green. Marc ate his meals, but I could not bear the thought of anything. I am not good on boats and that is why I stay away from them…but this was so unusual! As a child, when I suffered from car sickness, my mother would tell me- go to sleep- and I would. It got to the point that every time I got in the car as I got older, I went to sleep! So , listening to my mother’s words again, I went to sleep. Yes, it helped. Not entirely but by the time we arrived at Quebec City, I was not so pale, and I felt a little better. The fresh freezing air of Quebec City definitely made my normal disposition return at our arrival at the Chateau Frontenac!

How do I describe this place?

A hotel that sits on top of the highest part of the city, a chateau that is absolutely stunning. Built by Canadian Pacific beginning in 1892, the Château Frontenac is an excellent example of the series of gorgeous opulent château-style hotels developed by the Canadian Pacific Railway company to promote rail travel as a luxurious pastime. This magnificent hotel opened its doors in 1893 and frankly, from an external standpoint, it is the most eye-catching of the series that we have seen so far. The others we have seen are in Victoria (Vancouver Island), Toronto, Ottawa, and my favourite, Banff, that one being particularly spectacular and grandeur inside and out.

Our prestigious hotel in Quebec City takes its name from Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac, who was a key figure in New France’s history. Frontenac was the governor of the colony from 1672 to 1682, and again from 1689 to 1698 and recognized for having defended the colony against British and Iroquois attacks. Well, whoever he was and his most prominent place in Canadian French history, this hotel named after him is nothing short of spectacular! Our travel agent had booked this for us, and it is a truly amazing surprise! So happy we are staying here.

Today’s walk took us first to the tourist information centre where a highly informative man drew on a map what would be an effective way to circumnavigate old Quebec picking up most of the sights. We walk everywhere in our visits, so this was all deemed doable. Almost as an aside, he pointed out that we could visit the Citadelle. Early in our promenade, we came upon the driveway up to the Citadel and since it was approaching the top of the hour (the tours ran on the hour), we on the spur of the moment hurriedly diverted up (note ‘up’ – we did an awful lot of ups today that seemed to outnumber the downs but that is another story) the driveway just in time to join the 11am tour. Tours can be boring or entertaining but here, our guide enthralled us with the history of the Canadian 22^nd regiment, its headquarters within the Citadel and its part in French Canadian History both in the past and present.

What was so amazing about our visit to the citadel was what it revealed to us about how little Canadian military history we knew. The military exploits of many countries are well known to most, especially those of England and the United States since they themselves keep reminding the world of how great their empires were and how great their country is(was) respectively. We ourselves our proud of our ANZAC tradition and history and how, as a pair of little nations, we have punched above our weight. But really, what does the average Australian know of Canada’s military history?

We missed the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa since it was the New Year holiday otherwise, we might have known a little more. But today, in the space of a one-hour tour and another hour spent wandering through the museum at The Citadel we learned so much! Do you know that until 1932 England still controlled Canada’s international policies and dealings? This meant that when England went to war in WW1, Canadian troops were deployed as English soldiers.

We found out that the English-speaking Canadians were eager to sign up for ‘The War’ just like the Aussie young men had been. But the French speaking men from Quebec held back … the obstacles were 1) the language … who wants to be under fire scared of losing your life whilst being shouted orders in a language you did not understand … and 2) religion. English speaking Canadians at that time were almost all protestants and the French-speaking Canadian’s were all catholic. If you were shot in battle, would you want your last rites given by a minister not from your religion? Would you even have a chance of getting to heaven? I had not realised that their religion meant so much to them!

The solution, a French speaking doctor put up the money to create a totally French speaking battalion. This became the 22^nd Canadian Battalion and went on to prove its mettle, like the ANZACs had, earning honours well above their weight in WW1. Unfortunately, 2/3s of their number did not return. This was a battalion of ‘silent achievers’ that we as the basic Australian and the world in general have never heard about. So, a first to us as Aussies visiting this city.

After the war, the battalion was disbanded and then reformed in 1920 as the 22^nd regiment – the Vendoo’s (anglicised way of saying ‘Ving-deux’ -22). The regiment went on to distinguish itself in many subsequent wars including Afghanistan earning themselves forty battle-honours. But, outside Canada, who has heard of them? This is what we learnt today and were so impressed, that although this read as a lesson in history, I felt it had to be said.

Today’s walk also took us up and down an elevation of 25 flights of stairs. Many a time I had to stop and get my breath as nothing is built on flat…it is all UP or Down, and if you go Down, you must go UP….and yes it was Up to the hotel to go home. Puffing panting Lyndell….as Marc raced up the stairs trying to prove his masculinity and fitness?? Or stupidity? Probably both!

But to end my “history travel blog of Day one”, walking across a grassy slope, the ground was very icy and slippery. I am quite terrified of slipping on the ice, imagining broken ankles, wrists etc… and so I mentioned to Marc that I did not want to fall or slide or slip. As I stated that very word ‘slide’…immediately Marc slid! An unplanned slide and down on one knee on the icy ground. He stubbornly denied any injury other than having soiled his knee (and hurt his ego)! The ‘down on one knee’ to me, in a strange quirky old Quebec City I have to admit was rather romantic, but I had already been proposed to before. I must admit, this was unexpected and so, so funny and the timing was perfect as it was aligned with the word ‘slide”. If he had tried, he could not have planned it any better!

What did I do?

I simply couldn’t stop laughing.

Well…. wouldn’t you?