Monday, 11 October 2010

Canada Trip Day 15: Fairmont Le Chauteau Frontenac in Old Quebec

27 June 2010 - We retraced our way back to Rue du Tresor and was walking along Rue Saint Anne that goes in a triangle around a garden where the World Heritage Symbol of Quebec was erected. Behind stood in fairytale regal was an enormous castle-looking hotel named Fairmont Le Chauteau Frontenac. It was noted as the most photographed hotel in the world in the Guinness World Record. As it stood towering majestically on a cape at the waterfront of Saint Lawrence River, it is little wonder that the French Renaissance architecture of this scale would claim the title.There must be thousands of windows in this building!

By the side of the hotel along the waterfront, there was a gazebos or two. One for getting on the Funiculaire ride and the other for viewing Levis, which is located on the other side of Saint Lawrence River. The Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec (Old Quebec Funicular) is an inclined railway that brings passengers to the lower part of Old Quebec.

Right next to the Funiculaire is a square which had been turned into a mini theatre for The One Man Band. The audience sat in metal tiered benches, cheering in enjoyment to the popular songs performed by the band. I was thoroughly entertained by the crowd's enthusiasm and the band's fun charisma and lovely song list.

Remnants of Old Quebec in stone wall ruins were located next to the square. We strolled along Terrasse Dufferin, which is a 671 metre board walk, absorbing the spectacular view of Chauteau Frontenac and Levis over Saint Lawrence River.

There is a lot of history around this area and it has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage District.

Street performance, fairytale castle-like hotel, skyline across a river, boardwalk, ice cream and a real summer day all put in together scored Quebec City another point for being one of my most favourite cities of Canada.





View Larger Map

Tour buses parked in single file at the front of Chauteau Frontenac

View of Chauteau Frontenac from Rue Saint-Anne

World Heritage Symbolic Monument of Quebec and the World

Explanation of the monument where Quebec is in the form of a prism

Tourists enjoying a good show by the One Man Band

One Man Band on the drums, guitar and harmonica

The crowd that gathered to watch the One Man Band show. There is the Statue of Samuel de Champlain overlooking the Parliament Building

Statue of an angel blowing a trumpet at the square

Chauteau Frontenac with building edges that turned into turrets

Stone wall ruins of Old Quebec

Stairs leading from the boardwalk to the stone wall ruins

View of Old Quebec, Saint Lawrence River and Levis from Terrasse Dufferin

View of Chauteau Frontenac from Terrasse Dufferin

Chauteau Frontenac and Terrasse Dufferin. It was a wonderful feeling to be lying on the grass and taking this atmosphere in.

Road signs

View of Terrasse Dufferin, Saint Lawrence River and Levis

Jardins des Gouverneurs with a 50 foot obelisk standing in memory of Generals Wolfe (English) and Montcalm (French)

Edifice building, one of the oldest skyscrapers in Canada

View of Chauteau Frontenac from Rue Saint Louis

Lone tree and horse carriage along Rue Saint Louis

Porte Saint Louis Souvenirs

Maison Cremazie Souvenirs and other hanging signboards along Rue Saint Louis

United Church of Canada, Chalmers Wesley

 A sculpture, located in front of the Ursulines Museum, depicts a woman's hand holding a pen and open: it honors the nuns who have dedicated their lives to education. The Ursulines Convent is the oldest learning institution in North America. I had so wanted to visit the museum and learn about the Ursulines Convent, since I have never been to one but this was already closed.

Old city walled buildings of Quebec

Fleur-de-lis, symbol of Quebec

A park with statue standing over a church-like monument along Rue Saint Anne

Statue standing on a church-like monument floating on the fountain pool

Musee du Port

We had dinner at Wong's Restaurant at Rue de Buade

The back of Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral

Metal figurines in an alley

Hilly Quebec City




No comments: