I remember looking
at this famous painting on the back of the Shredded Wheat box when I was a
little girl. It depicts the death of General Wolfe in 1759 at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, a pivotal
battle in the Seven Years’ War. I kept
thinking about Shredded Wheat, and Wolfe and Montcalm as my daughter Julia and I
wandered through the streets of Old Quebec, ambled across The Plains of Abraham, cruised the St. Lawrence River.
The Death of General Wolfe by Benjamin West
When I got
home and set to work on my blog, I searched and searched online for a picture
of that Shredded Wheat box from my youth.
I never found it! Could it be a
False Childhood Memory? Perhaps it was
in The Red Rose Tea box? Or another kind of cereal? I explored several
possibilities to no avail. Is there
anyone out there of my vintage who remembers Montcalm and Wolfe being on their
kitchen table in the 1960s?
Shredded Wheat Box circa 1960s
Despite my false childhood memory and deteriorating facility with the French language, we had a wonderful weekend.
The weather was perfect, the restaurants were fantastic, the city was
clean, the hotel was ideal, and Julia didn’t walk too fast.
Relais Charles-Alexandre: Hotel
Julia and I
were tourists. We bought a two-day pass for the hop on- hop off bus tour which included a 90 minute cruise on the St.Lawrence River and a
trip to Montmorency Falls.
Hop on-Hop off Bus Tour
Cruise and Montmorency Falls
Old Quebec, an historic neighbourhood of Quebec City, is the only remaining walled city in North America. A Unesco World Heritage Site, the ramparts surrounding Old Quebec are about 4.6 kilometres in distance with four gates of entry.
Porte St. Louis
Old Quebec: Lower Town
Le Chateau Frontenac dominates the old city while caleches, cobblestone streets, and
flowers enhance its romantic atmosphere.
Le Chateau Frontenac
Caleche
Cobblestone Streets
Les Fleurs
My cousin
Judy was in Quebec City that weekend as a supervisor of 100 middle school
students. We texted back and forth but
did not make physical contact. Two
things kept running through my mind on that subject.
NUMBER ONE:
What a fantastic trip for those students. Although not too many hours from Hampton NB, Quebec
City is a whole new world. It offers another
language, a rich history, a beautiful setting.
As cliched as this sounds, it is so European!!
Old Quebec: Upper Town
NUMBER TWO: God bless the adults who take 100 kids on a trip. Think about it. The energy of 100 thirteen
year olds, the responsibility for other people’s children, the generosity of
giving your time to others. What a huge
gift to those children and parents.
Judy and an Admirer!
I highly recommend Quebec City as a vacation destination!
Quebec City at Night
........Until Next Time.......
