Random moments in Quebec

I still can't figure out why there was a crystal ball on a small Satanic looking antique table in one of the suites of the Hilton Lac Leamy in Quebec? What do they get up to in these rooms? I might of won the award for the weirdest self portrait. It had to be done.

The east coast seems to have a thing about moose. I've seen moose sculptures, moose statues and of course I've had a few Moosehead's myself. Beers of course. I snapped this shot while my hotel contact in Montreal wasn't looking.

Jean Chretien walked right by me in a hotel hallway of the Hilton Bonaventure in Montreal and I didn't even notice. I was dialed in to the security dudes with the wired earpieces instead.

This is getting out of control!

My morning walk through the Plains of Abraham in Old Quebec City

Chez Quebec

Chez Quebec

I love this province! I had the good fortune to start my trip in the old part of Quebec City. To me it is a charmingly romantic area that feels like a cross between the stone buildings and greenery of Scotland and the dramatic cliff-top peninsula of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The food is soooooooooo good here. Yesterday I had three croissants so I went on the treadmill for a half hour. What have I had? Croissants. Poutine. Café au lait. Croissants. Quebec Unibrew beer. More poutine. A Montreal smoked meat sandwich. Blanche beer. Croissants. The best hotdog in my life, a sausage with Dijon mustard inside of an incredibly fresh mini baguette. Quebec wheat beer. A hot bagel right out of the oven in Montreal at Fairmount Bagel. Luckily their was a cheese shop across the street so I picked up a Quebec soft rind washed cheese called Saint Damase and had a picnic in my rental car. When I got back to the Loew’s Hotel Vogue, I had to pick up a bottle of red for dinner.

In Quebec City I went to Chez Ashton’s, twice, for the poutine which is the local favourite. L’inox in the old part of town is a microbrew pub where I had the local wheat beer and hotdog. I found another bar which was all arched brick and stone like the inside of a cave. They had a lot of the Quebec Unibrew beers on tap and it is where I had my life altering smoked meat sandwich.

I only know of one truly great bakery in Vancouver which is quite out of the way. The baker is French of course. But in Quebec you can’t walk five feet without having amazing bread.

How could I forget? Maple crepes. Fantastic! Tomorrow I get to drive to Quebec City. Next on my list are some local non-pasteurized cheeses and a waffle swimming in maple syrup.