Faux Europe

As Watoosa has reported, we spent last weekend in Quebec City. It was a fantastic trip. I'd been to Canada before, and loved it, but Quebec is something altogether different. It really feels like you've driven to Europe. The Old City has narrow streets that twist around and split off in every direction, it is still surrounded by an imposing wall, everything is in French (and French alone, unlike the rest of Canada), and there was even the occasional example of Quebec separatist graffiti. It was so easy to forget that we were just a couple hours' drive from the U. S. A.

The city itself is beautiful. It overlooks the St. Lawrence river from its position atop a large cliff. In the distance we could see rolling hills covered with colored autumn leaves. Many of the buildings are quite old, and their architecture embodies the influence of French culture.

We peeked into beautiful churches, toured the imposing Citadel and the magnificent Chateau Frontenac, walked along the old fortifications, and generally just wandered around soaking the whole place in. It was great. If you're looking for an imitation-brand version of France, without the hassle of intercontinental travel, Quebec should be at the top of your list.