August 23 - Quebec City, QC

Today was interesting, but not altogether successful. Our plan was to walk at the gardens at Ste. Croix. We started off in lots of time, but 4 km shy of our goal, we ran into a road detour sign, followed shortly thereafter by a bridge closure sign. We travelled along some pretty narrow and bumpy roads before finally giving up. This was the first walk in our planned itinerary that we have missed since starting our walks in B.C.

 

In Quebec City, we did have a few problems parking and so were ten minutes late for our start time. I had also allowed the battery on my Trekker Breeze to run low so although I was able to use the points of interest setting, we weren’t able to backtrack our route. Still, I had Lyle for a guide and we had a lovely afternoon.

I had been looking forward to using my cane over the cobblestones, and the experience was just as bumpy as I had anticipated. There were also numerous other surfaces to traverse. There was a gravel path by the river, smooth paving stones, cracked cement, and one area of tightly fitted brickwork. I think that the variety of surfaces was more of a distraction than an actual challenge. I found it more challenging negotiating my way through crowds of people.

Eventually, Lyle and I decided to sit at one of the little outdoor cafes where we enjoyed our evening meal. As the crowds thinned out for the evening, we took to wandering the old city once more and spent some time listening to a man playing a harp on one of the street corners. It was a relaxing way to finish the evening.

I am posting the picture of myself listening to the music of the harp.  This man has been playing in the same area for the past twenty-two years.  Lyle and I remembered him from a previous visit to Old Quebec around ten years ago.