Date: Monday, September 21, 2026 (Number of Steps according to Apple Health – 7,214)
Note: Only marginal proof reading so likely lots of errors. Janet has taken of the role of proof reader so I’ll have them fixed eventually.
I keep thinking each day on this Road Trip is as good as it gets and then the next day happens and it is on-par or better. That is what Day 12 in Québec City proved to be.
Like the start to every day, I was up around 4:30 am, made poached eggs without waking Drew, ate, worked on completing the weekend blog, and went back to sleep. I think we were both up around 10:00 am and ready to head out and explore the old part of Québec City. I’d like to show what the area looks like. Number 52 is the outside entrance and there are a few steps to navigate but well worth the climb.
Drew went for a walk last night and discovered there are Cafés and several Restaurants just steps away from our location. Before heading to the Café, we sauntered down the street to check on where we parked the car the night before. We wanted to make sure is was in a safe place. As it turned out, it was not. In fact we parked right under a “No Parking” sign and hadn’t noticed last night. There is free parking on this street provided you have a zone pass so I guess it is for permanent residents. We don’t have one of those or is there any indication how one goes about getting one. We clearly dodged a bullet parking in this location. The car was still there; not towed and no boot. We drove to a nearby street where there was both daily and nightly parking fee. It was a little pricy but we knew the car will be there Tuesday morning when we retrieve it and start our journey home to Nova Scotia.
We picked Café de Paris as a breakfast destination. It has a huge menu including a number of Crêpe options. Clearly we’re back on track with the common thread thread through the Road Trip; another Food fest.
I think the trigger that tipped the scales to pick this location is the sandwich board out front promoting a two Mimosas special for $10. Frankly, I didn’t know that a Mimosas is a delicious combination of sparkling wine, and orange juice. Drew did and highly recommended it was a good start to our day. If you can’t trust your son, who can you trust? I’m in!
Drew had a huge breakfast which include poached eggs, baked beans, toast, a crêpe with maple sugar, and sausage. Clearly he was hungry as he wolfed it down and even finished the little bit left on my plate. It reminded me of watching a feeding frenzy on Shark Week or the supper table in the O’Hara household when the children were young and fighting to get their share of food to survive. Ha Ha.
My Crêpe was blueberries and strawberries loaded with vanilla ice cream. Wow was it good! I could eat this anytime.
It was three Crêpes layered to overlap on each other and left as open-faced with the berries and ice cream exposed. My job was to fold over the Crêpe from the outside to the inside as I saw fit and then lift a forkful to pass my lips. I savored each and every bite. If this was sound, I’d call it a cacophony just because I really like the way that word sounds. I can’t think of a comparable noun to describe the elegance of bringing all the sweet and pleasing flavours into my mouth and teasing my taste buds to be cast into a culinary dance.
Although not planned, I can’t think of a better theme for a Road Trip than a Food fest. We push back from the table after consuming a wonderful meal in a terrific restaurant with an inviting vibe. As an aside, I asked each of our servers to repeat every English-spoken question or comment en français so I could attempt to mimic and remember a few words.
By the way, back in the day it was normal to use Mademoiselle for a single woman and Madame for a married woman. Today it is more appropriate to address all women as Madame.
Is your mouth watering? If not, it should be. Both our breakfast choices were a source of culinary joy!
The walk from our AirBnB to the restaurant was about five minutes. To my surprise, when we stepped out onto the street and looked left, the red brick building in the background of the picture to the right is the Chateau Frontenac. I picked the Loft AirBnB because I knew it was close but I had no idea it was a stone-through away.
We wandered in the direction of the Frontenac and found ourselves in an open plaza in front of the hotel with the Saint Lawrence Seaway behind.
There was a vocalist serenading passerby’s with an amp, recorded instrumentals, and a handheld mic. The vocals were superior so my guess is the performer was professionally trained. We decided we needed to get to an ATM or bank to get some cash in order to reward any street musician we encountered as we explored the Old City. That proved to be a challenge. We didn’t find one or did Google Search indicate there were any nearby. I will have to do better in the future to have a pocket full of tonnies or five dollar bills.
It was beautiful in front of the hotel and the plaza was spotless. Kudos to whoever cleans these spaces. They are earning their keep.
There is a Tram that runs from the Plaza down to the Old City below. Oddly when we asked a guide how to get down, the response was you can take the steps. Okay it is down steps but I am so fearful of turning an ankle leading to a fall that I am cautious on even a few steps both down and up. This conversation took place in front of the Tram station so perhaps our question was misunderstood. My preference is to give the guide the benefit of a doubt. With that said, there are moments when I’m clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer so lets go with the response as a “language” anomaly.
The Tram is a smooth ride and only takes moments to make the descent. It is the best way to travel between the Plaza and the streets of Old Québec City below.
The streets are packed with a variety of interesting and eclectic stores featuring products of Québec. All the building had flower boxes hanging from windows which were clearly cared for as I didn’t see a single wilted flower. The streets were spotless and I didn’t see as much as a single paint chip on the outside of the buildings.
I was keen to have a cappuccino and a pastry and was willing to wait for an outside table at an engaging Café. The one in the central courtyard is called Café Maison Smith and although there were plenty of seats inside the was a wait for a table outside. It was well worth the wait. There was a performer on a keyboard playing popular tunes. People streamed by continuously and who doesn’t enjoy people watching? Eventually we got a table and spent a while having a nice break.
Can’t you just tell I am focused, and taking a moment to realize that I am focused on something other than myself? Can’t you see I’m having a Zen moment?
Drew and I always find lots to talk about and that was the case at this café. We stayed about a half hour. Taking short breaks like this guarantee I will have plenty of energy to continue to wander.
We passed by a shop filled to the brim with prints and picked out two that reflected the vibe of Old Québec City. Later we picked up some gifts for our wives and something for Jacob.
It was a good day so far and time passed quickly. All of a sudden we found ourselves in the middle of the afternoon.h We decided to head back to the AirBnB for some rest before heading to dinner at an Italian restaurant.
This is the lobby of the Chateau Frontenac. According to Drew, I have repeatedly commented on how wonderful the view is from the room my family occupied over fifty years ago. He decided to share that with the Concierge and the fact I had cancer and we were on this Road Trip so I could visit places and put checks on my bucket list. He asked if we might be allowed to one of the higher floors so I could relive this moment from my past.
The Concierge headed to the main desk to see if he could find someone to cover his duties so he could take us to the fourteenth floor, They call this their Gold Floor where VIP guests are whisked up to the expensive rooms where there is a dedicated check-in for the rich and famous. Behind the station is a common space used for early morning meals and other amenities available for the VIP guests.
We really didn’t expect to be taken to this floor which requires FOB access. I guess that this just proves if you are thinking about asking a question and don’t, obviously the answer in no, If you ask it might be no but it also might be yes. What follows is the view from the Gold Floor and the Concierge Phillippe who took us up.
After a rest in our Loft AirBnB we have lots of energy for one final great culinary episode at an Italian restaurant called Restaurant Parmesan which we passed earlier in the day.
It is about a block south of Chateau Frontenac on rue Saint-Louis. Drew checked online to make 6:00 pm reservations and discovered there were none available. He then phoned the restaurant and had no problem getting a booking. We also learned the chairs are not cushioned so we took our own to ensure my derriere was protected.
We arrived just before our appointed time to a short line where everyone had reservations. It moved quickly and we were seated on time. Almost instantly a server was at the table lighting a candle and ready to take a drink order. We decided to have cocktails and I’m not sure what we had but it was comparable to a tasty red lemonade.
Antipasto is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Typical ingredients of a traditional antipasto include cured meats, olives, peperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses (such as provolone or mozzarella), pickled meats, and vegetables in oil or vinegar. I think what we were served had everything on that list.
It was a good starter. I took a lot of time eating in order to avoid becoming too full for the main course. Many of the tastes were new to me but quite enjoyable. On completion, Drew and I chatted and waited a long time before considering a main. Our server was aware we wished to drag out the meal.
By the way, as with many meals on this Road Trip we asked for advice from the server in regards to what we should select. That has not disappointed even once and that record stands after this Hors d’oeuvre.
For our main, we selected from the Plats Gratinés section of the menu. Gratin is a culinary technique in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or butter. The dish we selected and planned to share is called Cannelloni à la viande et épiards which is baked large macaroni filled with meat. It was another delicious selection.
On the way to our table earlier, we passed this dessert tray. With our careful consumption of the meal spread over almost three hours, we had room and made a few selections. I neglected to make a note but both were quite light. I was good for a few bites and Drew made sure none went to waste.
I didn’t mention it earlier but there was live music throughout the night from an accordion player. He continuously roamed around the restaurant with a long playlist of popular tunes which spanned the generations.
Allow me to finish with a collection of pictures showing you the artifacts which populated shelves up high in every nook and cranny throughout the restaurant. Note the bobblehead facing backwards. They are notorious characters; for example, one is Hitler.
As I normally finish a post, let me start with a shoutout to my wonderful wife. This may be the longest time we’ve ever been separated. This is the final day of the Road Trip. I look forward to seeing my other offspring and their spouses soon; Meredith, Adam, Chris (Becca), (Jade), Melanie (Marissa). Both Drew and I have more stories to share that didn’t make it into the blogs. I value the ongoing good wishes from all my friends and acquaintances from around the planet. Next week I start on a drug called Vinorelbine. My Oncologist reports some success with about 5% of his patients so I am hopeful it will extend my life but only time will tell. I will need all my support pillars as much as ever.
And finally I fully recognize that my faith s not for everyone. I believe God is with me all the time and provides me with the courage I need to keep up the battle.
Peace, Love, and Laughter
Phil XOXO