Ky only had a week left in Quebec (he was flying home a week earlier than the rest of us so he could go to a Brandon Sanderson convention) and we were heading out to show him the "mayonnaise sampler" at Chez Victor when it finally started to snow.
(yummm, all these different flavored mayonnaises for the fries)
We had all been waiting and hoping for snow for or several weeks, listening to everyone say, "Usually we have piles of snow by now! Sometimes it starts in October! Winter in Quebec is not usually so mild!" They seemed to very much want to assure us that they could endure much worse than this sissy-winter we were currently experiencing. We loved the mild days, of course, but we really wanted to see some snow too. It was the right time for it, and it would have felt wrong to leave Quebec without seeing any! There had been little flurries now and then, of course, but not REAL snow. We'd heard from the missionaries about how swift and efficient the snow removal was too, and wanted to see that for ourselves.
We watched the big flakes come down from our cozy little restaurant window, and then walked home to find the rest of the kids in a great state of excitement!
They did their usual afternoon ice skating in the snow!
We didn't have anything particular going on that evening, so I headed out alone for a walk in the snow! It was slippery, but so so beautiful and quiet and peaceful! Hardly anyone was out on the streets. I wore my huge puffy coat—(Oh. Have I mentioned my huge puffy coat? I don't know if I have a picture of it, but I should. I look like a full-grown grizzly bear in it. I came to Quebec without a winter coat because I have never really HAD a good winter coat, and I said to myself that I would buy one in Quebec if I found a good one. Then in October I found one a size too big on last-season clearance, rated for -30º or some such unthinkable temperature, and I tried it on and loved it. I wore it everywhere outside during the last few weeks before we went home, and I was never cold, not once, not even when we went dogsledding and it was 8º outside and the rest of the family was freezing to death. If anything I was warmer than I needed to be! So now whenever anyone is cold I can say smugly, "You should get a coat like mine. I got it in Quebec. They know how to make coats there.")
Anyway, I wore that, and my tuque, and I was completely comfortable!
Beautiful little narrow empty streets
Petit Séminaire
Château Frontenac from Parc Montmorency
Looking down the Escaliers Casse-Cou (breakneck stairs!) to Petit Champlain
Notre-Dame-des-victoires (approaching from the other side—I went down the hill on Côte de la Montagne instead of the stairs because it seemed less slippery at the moment. Someone has thoughtfully placed railings along the sidewalks of these steep hills, and I was very grateful for them this night!)
Place Royale
Back up the stairs
I love this view from the cemetery
Top of the Prescott Gate, looking across Côte de la Montagne toward the river
And the other stairs to the Château
Notre-Dame-de-Québec
Hôtel de Ville
Price Building (with the Christmas Market below)
Simons Department Store (it's been in this building since 1870!)
Down Côte de la Fabrique and back onto Rue Saint-Jean
Paillard is supposed to be a good bakery…but we weren't that impressed by it, sadly. Maybe we just didn't go when the bread and pastries were fresh enough?
Back toward Porte Saint-Jean
To l'église Saint-Matthew
Down the hill
And home!
I think I will remember this night and this walk forever.
Your photos never get old. It looks like you're in Europe! What lovely memories you'll always have of that magical place.
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