Saturday, January 12, 2013

27. QUEBEC CITY CARRIAGE TOUR

Monday January 7, 2013 continued

Next, our horse drawn carriage ride called a Calèche.
And who do we have here? Why it's Mr Duplessis. Regarding the Duplessis Era, Wikipedia states the following;

From 1936 to 1959, Jehovah's Witnesses faced religious and civil opposition in Quebec. Historically, the Roman Catholic Church had been the dominant institution in the life of the province of Quebec and a major influence on French Canadian culture. It nurtured the young people of Quebec, in language and faith; and at the same time it endorsed the legitimacy of British rule and of the established economic order.
For generations, the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec worked with the government, schools, and the courts to maintain the values and attitudes that supported the Church. This encouraged people to vote for politicians who favoured the status quo, the existing political, economic and social order.
Under the premiership of Maurice Duplessis, politics and the Church were intertwined as the latter continued to maintain a firm and influential hold on the people of Quebec. Throughout his political career, Duplessis courted the support of the Church.
The clash between the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church became an issue of the competing ideas of freedom of speech and the freedom of religion. The Jehovah's Witnesses went to court to establish the right to distribute their literature on the streets of Quebec. They also became political dissenters because during the Duplessis era, a challenge to the Church was tantamount to challenging the government. Any limitation of the Church's authority would mean limiting Duplessis's authority.
Duplessis' efforts to rid the streets of Jehovah's Witnesses took the issue all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. The legal issues concerned freedom of speech as much as it concerned freedom of religion. The Supreme Court held that there can be no freedom of religion without freedom of speech.
After World War II, the Church came under attack by the Jehovah's Witnesses who challenged its doctrines. They were determined to seek Catholic converts. In response, the Duplessis regime mounted a campaign persecuting of Jehovah's witnesses and communists. The result was a legal struggle taking place here between the Duplessis regime and lawyers such as Frank Scott and Pierre Trudeau who argued in defence of the rights of minorities.

Say no more Mr Duplessis
A church for rent.
The gang half frozen to death.
And here is our driver and raconteurs extraordinaire, Vincent Gabriel Kirouac. An interesting chap to say the least.
Modern knight riding across Canada to promote chivalry
Under the metal helmet and billowing robe, he's a 22-year-old Quebec man who longs for the values of a bygone era. But to curious passersby, Kirouac introduces himself as a modern-day knight riding across Canada on horseback to promote chivalry.
Roughly two months ago, Kirouac and his trusty mare Coeur-de-Lion (Lionheart) left the city of Riviere-du-loup for unfamiliar stables and roads. Along the way, he's keen to share the details of his mission with strangers.
"I'm not raising money for anything. It's just about being good to people -- trying to bring back valour and honour, devotion and generosity," he says.
Of course, Kirouac goes about this dressed like a present-day Sir Lancelot. Except, instead of a rapier or gauntlet, he carries a horse-grooming kit and a cell phone.
Vanessa Greco, CTVNews.ca. Published Saturday, Jun. 2, 2012 11:11PM EDT

Rue Du Petit-Champlain

Lloydnalex

 

26. QUEBEC CITY CITADEL TOUR

Monday January 7, 2013 continued

Our Citadel guide gives us brief rundown on Quebec history. First the French stole the land from the aboriginal people. Then the British stole the land from the French then they all lived unhappily ever after united like oil and water as Canada, pending another bid at independence.
The beaver was to blame for all the problems. Well the fur trade anyway. You'll see a coat of arms on the bevers coat of fur...

Above the shield is the crown of her majesty, The Queen. The top section of the shield has the French Fleur-de-lis. A flower that also represents the 3 in 1 trinity. The next section represents the British lion period of history. And the lower section has the Canadian maple leaf.

And at the very bottom, the motto. Everybody needs a motto, no? "Je me souviens" means "I remember"... In other words, "We remember the past and its lessons, the past and its misfortunes, the past and its glories." Or in other other words, "we remember what the British did to us". Still, French Canada fights on the side of their British queen whenever they are asked....

One of the gates in the wall.

Lloydnalex

 

25. QUEBEC CITY WALKING TOUR

Monday January 7, 2013

Quebec is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. Quebec the capital city of Quebec, thats confusing... Quebec City is in Canada’s largest province also called Quebec, but you probably knew that. Its name comes from a native word which means “where the river narrows.”


We are staying in Old Quebec City which is a neighborhood within Quebec. Ok... Its first settlers were the Inuit, Algonquians and other natives. The Old city is surrounded by a wall made up of stones built by British and European Armies. It is the only city in Canada that is still protected by wall.

After breakfast we set out on a walking tour. As you will see in the photos, it's a clear blue sky and the sun is shining. What you will not be able to appreciate the temperature... Take a look and guess what it is.
Yes, there is snow on the ground.
Yes, there are icicles hanging from the roof. So, what do you think the temperature is? Well it started at a balmy -14C and dropped -17 as the day went on.

Dufferin Terrace. There is a timber boardwalk beneath the snow.

It was built in 1958 to commemorate the then 350 year anniversary of Quebec's history.
Linda and Mike
Up the 310 steps.
The ferry we will board later.
The Citadel fortification built by 'zoze nasty Britishers'...
The fortification walls not only face out to the river, they face back toward the city in anticipation of the French subjects rising up against their Red Coat subjugators.
Quebecers just cannot get enough of that white stuff.
The Plains of Abraham Battlefield. An ice building under construction in preparation for the Carnival.
To be continued
Lloydnalex

 

24. SOREL MEETING THEN TO QUEBEC CITY

Sunday January 6, 2013

Off to Sorel congregation with Tony

First Tony removes the snow

The hall

But of course, it's French. English congregations such as Grant and Wanda's are the foreign language.

Just a few of the very friendly friends

Tony with 2 of his sister

See how deep the snow is.

Tony, Linda and Mike

North to Alaska... Arrr, no, that should read, north to Quebec City, Quebec. but first we ferry west across the Saint Lawrence River.

Through the ice.

If not for the ice breakers and ferries, the river would be covered in ice already.

You can actually see the water congealing (for the want of a more scientifically accurate word) into ice.

And if not for the constant snow ploughs the roads would become unusable too.

This is the hotel that Mike and Linda have arranged for us to stay in for the next 2 nights in the Old Quebec.

The "otel" lobby. Notice the reproduction of a famous painting on the wall.

The painting, LA FÊTE-DIEU À QUÉBEC is a good reminder of the deeply Catholic history of this town

And our room...

Not exactly the $7 per night Vietnam standard we have become accustomed to but it will have to do.

Pub Saint Alexandre. Almost everything seems to have been beatified in this state.

Mike n Linda

Us

A meal fit for a saint.

And another.
An Eskimo I know

The neighborhood

Spiral stair in the hotel

Tomorrow is going to be a big day

Good night

Lloydnalex