Beautiful Quebec

Yesterday was a gorgeous day in Quebec City. The sun was shining, the temperature was in the mid-20's and there were lots of tourists wandering around behind the old walls.

Dylan and I walked around the old city and saw the excavation near the Chateau Frontenac were they have found very old fortifications. Last time I was here (3 years ago) the dig was not there. You can walk around in the excavation site and imagine how people lived back then. There are useful signs to tell you the use of the space you are walking through and when it was built, including a latrine from the 1700's. Funny, the wall did not look any different than the rest of the site - wonder how they knew it was a latrine?

There are concerts by military bands from different countries just next to the statue of Samuel de Champlain. We listened to a band from Belgium.

In front of the entrance to the Chateau there were TV cameras and lots of people waiting. We couldn't figure out what was going on. Later on the news I saw that Celine Dion had received an honourary doctorate from Laval and that she was staying at the Chateau. She is performing tonight in a free concert on the Pleins d'Abraham along with some other singers such as Ginette Reno. They are expecting close to 200,000 people for that concert.

Near the Chateau is the Quebec Ministry of Finance Building. What an incredible location...near the Rue du Tresor! Just walk out the door and you have the choice of incredible restaurants. I contrast this with the Ontario Ministry of Finance building - the closest food was the hot dog cart! Vive le Quebec!

Had an incredible meal with the Prez, his wife and past Prez at one of Quebec's best restaurants in the old city...le St Amour. It was out of this world...I tried something I have never had before - Cerf, which on the English menu is Red Deer. Wow! I picked up a copy of the menu that they served Paul McCartney when he dined there on July 19th. Needless to say, he did not have Cerf as he is a vegatarian!

And of course, worked in between the tourist meanderings at finalizing some speeches, dealing with last minute conference details and all that office stuff.

It looks like another beautiful day today...the sun is shining on the old town. Stay tuned - I hope to do a video blog in the next couple of days.