Ottawa — Quebec City

Ottawa deserves a morning, I decided. Naturally I headed for the ByWard Market in the morning.

Ah fruitland.

I stocked up on apples here.

Château Laurier, a famous hotel.

The riverways and canals are charming. Ottawa has lots of greenery and walking trails by the rivers and canals and is a jogger's dream come true. Three rivers and the Rideau Canal meet at Ottawa. I had never seen water this blue. It must be the northern latitude. It must be a wonderful city for cyclists and joggers. But I would miss nightlife.

Quebec City was within striking distance. I decided to leave Montreal for the tail end of the trip. Got to have some urban landscape to look forward to.  I made the mistake of driving through the Montreal Metropolitan at 4 pm in the afternoon. That will teach me not to read every blue line on the map as a freeway.

Parking was a problem in Quebec City too. I ended up just outside the old city walls. The walls were a pleasant surprise. It was the first time I had seen anything like it in a North American city. It felt like I was in Europe again. Indeed, the street entertainers, the artistes and the lights of the restaurants preserve that impression.

Quebecers are mostly Francophones. My French served me well enough. It was late, I hadn't had dinner so I ended up eating McNuggets with D and P, two other hostellers. Later we sipped beer while listening to a two man jazz band that played like Jean-Luc Ponty. There were many pretty young lasses hanging around the local disco. I couldn't place my finger on it. Perhaps the French know how to dress.