Québec

Today Mika promised me he would get up early – I really wanted to take a little walk through the forest before we head on to the next big city. And indeed: He kept his word, and we were on our way by early morning. Unfortunately, the walk wasn't as idyllic as hoped – annoying flies, like in Australia, either dove straight into our eyes or buzzed stubbornly around our heads. So the walk was shorter than planned.

One last breakfast at the sugar cabin – and then we were off. The drive was quite sluggish this time, a lot of traffic, and despite the audiobook and nice music, it was rather tedious.

Upon arriving in Québec, we briefly wondered what we were going to do here for three nights. But I think it was mainly because our hotel is quite far from the city – you can't really see it at all. At least it has a nice location, right next to a shopping center.

So Plan B: first shopping, then eating – and then into the city. Even during the drive, it was clear: The old town of Québec is located on top of a hill. And it seems to attract everyone – unbelievable traffic, crowds of people, even police officers regulating the flow of traffic. But even from the car, you could feel: A completely different vibe is in the air. Everything feels incredibly French, almost Mediterranean. So beautiful. Even Mika said, at least there’s something happening here – I found that really nice.

However, finding a parking spot was a real test of patience. But we found one – and thanks to our French skills, we even knew how to pay for the parking fee.

Then we quickly realized: Something is going on here. Everyone was walking around in cowboy hats – there was a festival! A summer fest, somehow for the 40th anniversary… I have no idea exactly, but it was delightful. A live band played French music, people were everywhere, a great atmosphere, and we wandered through the old town. Mika finally got his long-desired cap.

I absolutely love Québec. It really has southern vibes – and you almost feel like you’re in France. Quite different from Toronto: Here there are small, charming shops, even a Christmas store, many nice restaurants, and just this special flair. I’m glad we decided to come. Let’s see what we’ll do tomorrow.

Insight of the day: My French is enough for parking machines, festivals, and croissants – that’s enough, right?