Quebec, October 2009

When I was in Quebec the city was awash with autumn colours. It was also awash with tourists who flooded the streets from their cruise-ships.

‘Québec libre’ graffiti on a building in Quebec (the city). You’ll notice that the tagger has included the acute accent on the first ‘E’, which is strictly unnecessary on capital letters. This is the only significant indication of a desire for an independent Quebec which I saw during my week in the province.

(First in my unplanned series of the doors and windows of Quebec.)
Autumn Building City Door French Graffiti northamericatravel Quebec Quebec Independence Slogan Wall Window rhjf 20091003 0086
As I walked through Quebec on the afternoon I arrived, it was so cold and damp that I thought it felt like Christmas (in the northern hemisphere…). Just as I began to think this, I turned the corner and saw this ‘Boutique de Noël’ opposite the basilica.
Autumn Building Christmas Christmas Lights Christmas Tree City northamericatravel Rain Shop Street Umbrella rhjf 20091003 0087
It appears that French-Canadians use the phrase ‘cul-de-sac’ to mean ‘dead end’; we were always taught that it’s a nonsense phrase only used by the English.
Autumn Building City French northamericatravel Sign Street rhjf 20091004 0093
American football players from a local team along the sideline in their match against an Irish school (‘ethnically’ Irish, from elsewhere in Canada) at the southern end of the Plains of Abraham.
American Football Autumn Autumn Colours Ball City Irish northamericatravel Sport Trees rhjf 20091004 0103
Members of the St Pat’s American football team playing a Sunday-afternoon match against a Quebec school side.
American Football Autumn Autumn Colours Ball City Irish northamericatravel Sport Trees rhjf 20091004 0107
A house for sale by auction in the Montcalm neighbourhood of Quebec.
Autumn Autumn Colours Building City House northamericatravel Trees rhjf 20091004 0124
In the Montcalm neighbourhood of Quebec.
Autumn Bicycle City Leaves northamericatravel Rubbish rhjf 20091004 0126
Looking down the rue St-Jean towards the old town of Quebec, the only remaining walled city in North America, on an especially wet day.
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel Rain Street rhjf 20091005 0129
The redoubt in the Parc de l’Artillerie in Quebec has different rooms laid out in the different ways the building was used over the years, under French, British, and later Canadian occupation. At the top is this British officer’s drawing room from the 1930s.
Autumn City geotagged Museum northamericatravel rhjf 20091005 0132 stitch
In the basement of the redoubt of the Parc de l’Artillerie in Quebec the layout is that of French men’s quarters of the 18th century.
Autumn City geotagged Museum northamericatravel rhjf 20091005 0143
This scale model of the city of Quebec was originally put together in 1806–8, and was subsequently added to and later restored. It is now in the museum of the Parc de l’Artillerie in Quebec itself.
Autumn City Models Museum northamericatravel rhjf 20091005 0150
A street in Quebec.
Autumn City Flag geotagged northamericatravel Sign Street rhjf 20091005 0162
A street in Quebec.
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel Sign Street rhjf 20091005 0166
A campaign advertisement before the local council elections for a candidate for the Renouveau municpal de Québec (RMQ).
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel Political Sign Street rhjf 20091005 0168
Second in my unplanned series of the doors and windows of Quebec.
Autumn Bicycle City geotagged northamericatravel Street Wall Window rhjf 20091005 0169
Third in my unplanned series of the doors and windows of Quebec.
Autumn City Flowers geotagged northamericatravel Street Wall Window rhjf 20091005 0171
Fourth in my unplanned series of the doors and windows of Quebec.
Autumn City Door French geotagged northamericatravel Sign Street Wall rhjf 20091005 0174
Looking across an inlet of the St Lawrence river to some of Quebec’s heavy industry.
Autumn Autumn Colours City City Views Factory geotagged northamericatravel River St Lawrence Street Trees rhjf 20091005 0176
Houses in Lower Quebec.
Autumn Autumn Colours City geotagged House northamericatravel Street Trees rhjf 20091005 0178
Looking across Lower Quebec to the Norwegian Jewel cruise liner moored along the St Lawrence.
Autumn Boat Building City City Views Cruise Ship geotagged northamericatravel River St Lawrence rhjf 20091005 0187
Autumn leaves in Quebec.
Autumn Autumn Colours City geotagged Leaves northamericatravel Trees rhjf 20091005 0197
Shops and shoppers in Quebec.
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel People Shop Street rhjf 20091005 0198
Shops and shoppers in Quebec.
Autumn Building City City Views geotagged northamericatravel peo Street rhjf 20091005 0210
Statue of Jacques Cartier in Quebec. The inscribed quotation reads is remarkable in its vacuousness: ‘Dans un pays comme le nôtre, il faut que tous les droits soient sauvegardés, que toutes les convictions soient respectées.’
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel Statue rhjf 20091005 0216
Another campaign poster for a candidate in the forthcoming Quebec municipal elections.
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel Political River Sign St Lawrence rhjf 20091005 0218
A street in Quebec.
Autumn City geotagged Market northamericatravel Street rhjf 20091005 0223
Last year Quebec celebrated its 400th anniversary. I also took this photo because I was surprised to see an oversized cannister of 35mm film still being used to denote a camera shop.
Autumn City Flag geotagged northamericatravel Shop rhjf 20091005 0226
The sanctuary of Notre Dame des Victoires in Quebec. The inscription on the rear wall reads, ‘Deus Provideat Kebeka Liberata’ (‘May God produce a liberated Quebec’), which seems a rather contentious prayer.
Autumn Church City geotagged northamericatravel rhjf 20091005 0229
A restaurant in Quebec.
Autumn City geotagged northamericatravel rhjf 20091005 0233 blend
Looking up at the Château Frontenac hotel.
Autumn Autumn Colours Building City City Views geotagged northamericatravel Trees rhjf 20091005 0242
The Queen Victoria moored along the St Lawrence river at Quebec.
Autumn Boat City Cruise Ship geotagged Lettering northamericatravel River St Lawrence rhjf 20091005 0250
A helicopter of the Canadian coastguard at Quebec.
Autumn City geotagged Helicopter Lettering northamericatravel People River St Lawrence rhjf 20091005 0261
The northern end of the Plains of Abraham, which were named not (directly) for our father in faith but rather the original owner of the land, a farmer called Abraham Martin.
Autumn Building City Clouds Field geotagged northamericatravel rhjf 20091006 0270
A tank on display inside the Quebec Citadel, which is the base of the Royal 22è Régiment of the Canadian Army. It is the only entirely Francophone unit in the army (although all officers throughout the army must be bilingual in both official languages), which is why in 1928 George V approved the French name for the regiment.
Autumn City geotagged Military northamericatravel Tank rhjf 20091006 0281
One of two official residences of the Governor General of Canada, in the Quebec Citadel. The other is Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
Autumn Building City geotagged Government Building northamericatravel rhjf 20091006 0286
The Château de Frontenac, as seen from the Quebec Citadel.
Autumn City City Views geotagged northamericatravel rhjf 20091006 0290
The Canadian ice-breaker Pierre Radisson moored on the St Lawrence at Quebec.
Autumn Boat City geotagged Icebreaker northamericatravel River St Lawrence rhjf 20091006 0296