Many of my adventures have been with a local ski club. They get group accommodations and tours at good rates. Many people like me sign up with no intention to ski. So Quebec City was designed as a ski trip but only half our group actually skied. We visited during Quebec City’s Winter Festival and stayed at the most luxurious hotel, the Frontenac, near the St. Lawrence River. Our hotel was centrally located so it was easy to get to the old port area of the city and cobblestone streets. Great shopping down there and the Musee de la Civilisation is not to be missed. We did little with the festival itself but hit upon the more fantastic tourist spots and landmarks in and around the area. I did meet the festival mascot, Bonhomme, and took a tour of his ice palace. One day I boarded the ferry and experienced something new – the sound of a large ship breaking up sheets of ice as it chugged across the river. As a group we took a taxi to the Hotel de Glace. It really is a building made entirely of ice. All the rooms had a theme with unique ice carved interiors. Couples have their honeymoons there. Unbelievable! That was fun until I took a spin on an inner tube that followed a curvey path cut out of the snow and fell out onto hard ice. I had severe bruising and couldn’t walk straight the rest of the trip. Damn! That did not keep me from going to the Montmorency Falls which were frozen solid or visiting an ice apple winery. All in all as memorable as anything was the Frontenac itself. It was like staying in a castle. I recall fond memories of sharing a wine and cheese plate with trip mate Elizabeth in their bar, dining in their high end restaurant one evening, and partaking of their spa facilities. Nothing lacking at the Frontenac. Bon temps!
