Travels - Last Day in Quebec City

Our busiest day in Quebec City was our last full day. Again, it was super hot and while we saw a lot and got over 22 000 steps, we went at a slow place,

Our first stop of the day was the Citadel. 

A very brief history. 

This point of the city was seen as having a strategic importance since the founding of the city in 1608. While there were defensive fortifications on this spot, the Citadel was built between 1820-1850, by the British to protect the city from an American attack. While the current fort has never been used as a defensive point, it is still an active military base and home of our only French speaking regiment, the 22nd, aka the Van Doos (22 in French is vingt-deux, which sounds a little like Van Doo to the English speaking world). 

While the Citadel itself was not part of a battle, the land just outside it, has important battle significance. This site was a pivotal battle point in the 7 year war between the British and the French. Named after the farmer whose land the battle took place on, the Plains of Abraham, the one hour battle lasted with a British victory, leading to the capture of Quebec City by the British. It is now a huge park, seen as important to Quebec City as Central Park is to New York. 

Looking towards the Plains of Abraham

We were lucky enough to arrive int he morning and get to enjoy a 30 minute show put on by the Royal 22nd Regiment's musicians. It has replaced the changing of the guard. 

The highlight for this for us was the mascot, a goat named Batisse. This is Batisse X. The offspring of the original Batisse given to the regiment in 1955 by Queen Elizabeth.

After the music, we joined a tour. We had a very unique guide who kept using her umbrella like a gun and saying if there had been an attack, this is what would have happened. In spite of this, it was nice to wander around.

The Citadel also has one of the 2 official residence for our Governor General when she is in Quebec. (Her other home is in Ottawa).  Being part of the commonwealth makes Canada's politics a little complicated. While we are a Constitutional Monarchy where we elect our Prime Minister, King Charles III is our head of state. His representative in Canada, who is appointed by the Prime Minister, is the Governor General. The GG generally holds this position for 3-7 years. In general the GG, manages parliament (prorogues, dissolves, summons), after an election, swears in the Prime Minister and ministers, gives royal ascent to bills to become law, fosters unity, hosts dignitaries, and is the commander in chief for the Armed Forces.  While it has never happened, a Governor General could dismiss the Prime Minister. 

Our current Governor General is Mary Simon. She is an Inuk leader for Nuavik Quebec and the first Indigenous person to hold this office. 

Looking from the Citadel into the old city.

Lady having a little fun! 

Come back next week and we will finish our visit to Quebec City. 

Wordless Wednesday - Tigris

 

Tuesdays with Tigris - The Huntress

 Dear reader,

First, Lady said I show show you me as a Muppet. So here I am with an adoring fan AI added. 

Now onto me being the best huntress in the world. 

Lady came home with a toy the other day. She didn't know that it would become my favourite thing. In fact, if Styxy goes to play with it, I go and sit on the butterfly so he can't.

It works like this. Lady pushes a button and then this butterfly flies around in a circle and I hunt it. I love to hunt it. Sometimes I even hunt it when the butterfly isn't moving. If the people are around and I want it on, I lay by it and meow and they will turn it on for me. 

Got it! 

I am a very good huntress. Lady says the real test will be in the fall or winter when we get mice. 

I must get back to practicing hunting.

Tigris, the Huntress

Mischief Monday - Begging - by Styx

 Hi pals, hi pals,

I have learned a great new trick. It is so good, it is a very yummy tick. 

You see, I like meat. I really like meat. Styxy thinks he should get all the meat.

So I have learned to sit on the table and be cute and my people will sometimes give me the meat.

The Man says it is a bad habit, but since I won't sit on Lady's lap, I only like Man's lap, she is trying to bribe me to like her more, by giving me meat at the table.

I am a very smart boy.

Now I get meat.

I don't care if my people call it begging.

your pal, the meat loving and getting Styxy

Nature Friday - Cat Days of Summer

 Hi friends, hi friends!

It is the middle of August. Summer is half way over and autumn is coming. I am excited to see the leaves fall so things can't hide in the bush from me as they do now. I will be able to see so much more.

Before we get into the nature, look, Lady Muppeted me on AI. Aren't I cute? Aren't I cute? I would be a great muppet. 

Lady and Man have been going to sit on something called a dock. After years of fighting to keep this, thanks to mean neighbours, they finally won and have a new dock. Here is the sunset one night.

Lady is feeling sad now that the field has been hayed. She is sad because she always looks forward to taking pictures of Lee and Phod with them, but they are angels now and she can't. I offered to go, I would look good on a hay bale, but Lady said no. She is truly cramping my style. 

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event. I would rather enjoy nature from inside than not enjoy it at all.

Your pal, Styxy, who would be an excellent Muppet

Travel - Quebec City - Outside the City

 Thanks again to Gris and Styxy for letting me write about our travels.

On our second day in Quebec City, we hoped in the car and took a short drive east of the city. Our first stop was Montmorency Fall. The falls is known for it's height at 83 meters (272 feet). For comparison Niagara Falls is only 51 meters (167 feet) tall.

We were excited that as Quebec residents we got to pay less to visit. 

Meet Bonhomme Carnaval - the official mascot of Quebec City's winter carnival since 1955. Bonhomme means good man. He is a 7 foot tall, 400 pound snowman dressed like a voyager and he represents the pride and joy of Quebec. 

Because it was hot and we needed to conserve steps, we took the cable car to the top of the falls and then back down. (I would love to go back and climb it). 

View looking down - that bridge is 4 km in length (about 2.64 miles)

We walked the suspension bridge over the falls

\

Side view

Looking down

This shows one of the ways to hike down from the falls. 

After our visit to the falls, we got back in the car and drove across the long bridge, pictured above, to the Ile D'Orleans (or Orleans Island).

The island is 34 km long (21.1 m) and 8 km wide (5 mi). It has a population of just over 7000 people and is divided into 6 different parishes. It is an agriculture paradise due to the soil and the climate.It has been used as a place for agriculture for Europeans since about 1661. Before that it was inhabited by the Huron peoples. The road around the island was completed in 1744. It remains a charming little set of communities that don't have the big box stores or other worldwide recognized brands.

We drove around the island, clockwise and here are a few pictures from this adventure. 

Berry bushes

The Man doesn't eat berries, but I very much enjoyed these fresh ones!

At one stop we got to pet a goat

Looking towards the mainland

One of the six parish churches

A different view of the St. Lawrence 

I am not a big drinker, but I do like to try new things, so we stopped at one cidrerie (place that makes cider) for some samples. As Man was driving, he had only the tiniest taste. We came home with 2 of these. 

We also stopped at a vineyard for a little taste. They were ok, and none were purchased.

It was a lovely day of fresh produce and fresh air. We still managed close to 10 000 steps getting in and out of the car and exploring.

Next week, we will be back in the city, and learn a bit about Quebec City's military history. 

Wordless Wednesday - What The . . . .

 

Tuesdays with Tigris - We Can Be Bestest Girls

 Dear reader,

The longer I live with the Man and the Lady, the more I can become the Lady's bestest girl. 

For the first time, while she was lounging on the settee, I crawled on her and we had a good snuggle. 

It made her happy and because she was pinned down, she couldn't put a hat on my head.

Tigris - aka Miss Gris

Mischief Monday - Stupid Ideas from The Internet - by Styxy

 hi friends, hi friends,

Besides hats, I think people should be banned from looking at stupid things on the internet.

Lady was scrolling along waiting for Man to make dinner and she came across videos of people setting a cucumber behind their cats and seeing the reaction. The cats were freaking out. 

So she made our dinner, and when we weren't looking she put a cucumber behind us.

Then we ate and she waited and waited and made so much video of us eating. 

Finally, I finished first and saw the cucumber. I did not freak out, but I very, very slowly walked around it and checked it out.

Here is a screen shot from that.

2 minutes later Grissie finished and she just walked right up to it and checked it out. She thought it was stupid and walked away.

We didn't have the reaction of other cats, but apparently it still amused our Lady (who clearly needs a life).

your pal Styxy the cautious

Nature Friday - Veggies and a Cave - with Styx

Hi friends, hi friends!

I am going to show you some things that the Lady did without me, because I am nice like that and will share this blog with her. This may get me treats and to not have to wear a hat.

First the Lady would like to brag about this.

The Man thought it was a nice looking tomato

She grew a tomato. This is the first one off the vine. She is very excited about it. I am not because it is not food. If she was growing a chicken, I might be excited.

Second, after the people got back from Quebec City, our human cousin Troy came for a couple days. One of the things they did while he was there was to go to the Lafleche caves. These caves, about 15 minutes from our house, are the largest on the Canadian Shield and were discovered in the 1800s by a bear hunter who fell and found the enterance.

While a lot of excavation has occurred over the last century, there has been no important findings. It is just cool, both figuratively and literally (it stays between 4-7C/40-44F all year). I think I would have liked to go and climb and have all the fun. I had to stay here and be alone and bored.

From the pond outside the cave

That goose hissed at my people, I would have chased it away

Many of the paths are crawl only, so the people didn't go in them. 

It is summer so the bats aren't living inside

In the waiting room at the top of a huge ladder before turning off the lights and sitting in the pitch dark

The natural entrance

I think this looks like a good place to explore and I wish I could have gone. I would have had a great time doing all the tunnels. I am little and fast. Lady says some of the crawl through tunnels were full of water, I may not have liked those as much.

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny for hosting this event and letting me share nature.

your pal Styx