Chapter Five - The Great Train Journey - Part II

Hi All

Welcome to the second part of chapter five of our train journey across eastern Canada. It takes up as we depart from Ottawa and start our train trip to Montreal, the city with the king's mountain for its name.

Arriving only 3 hours after our departure, we soon pull into Montreal Gare Centrale and grab a taxi to Le Cantlie Suites - our home for the next 2 nights. The suites were huge with a separate bedroom, lounge room and a fully equipped kitchen - all smack bang in the middle of Montreal.

We discover that we have arrived in the middle of the jazz festival week so we head out to check out the scene. Many of the gigs are outdoors and free so we enjoy a vin blanc and fromages whilst listening to the music.

The girls at one of the open air stages at the Jazz festival, Montreal

Today is Denise's birthday so we head out for a brilliant meal at an up-market music restaurant in the old town and had a fantastic evening.

Special dinner for Denise's birthday at Moudave Restaurant

Next day, we head off under inclement skies on the hop-on hop-off bus (part of our package) around the whole city. Montreal is understandably very much more French than the more western cities in Canada and the Gallic charm is pervasive.

The street with the rainbow coloured lights celebrating the LGBTI community

Street art during the festival

Outdoor art and a piano for anyone to play

Denise meets some tall lady in Montreal

Our street in Montreal with the Aussie flag flying (along with the other 190+ of the UN Nations)

Storm clouds gather over the Olympic Stadium

The monument to some famous person 

More street art

Notre Dame Cathedral, Montreal

Inside the Cathedral

Inside a chapel in the Cathedral

The visit to the Archaeological Museum put the historic aspect of the waterfront of the city into perspective as the city evolved through time.

Back on the train and we head off to Québec City - same province as Montreal but even more French in nature, manner and ambiance. Our accommodation is in the old town at the Clarendon Hotel and although fairly rustic, the rooms are charming and oh so European.

Looking back at our hotel (yellow building centre) - old town Quebec City

The Fairmont - Quebec City dominating the skyline

Our hotel - the Clarendon

City Hall

Typical building from the French period

View from the hotel - a rain delay!

Same view 20 minutes later

A typical street near our hotel

Québec City, like Ottawa, was a city that we had heard little about and had no real idea of what to expect. In both cases we were rapt in what we found. These two cities on their own are worth a trip to eastern Canada!

Our walking tour of Québec was led by Mike - a Québec local about our age and a guide with a vast wealth of knowledge about this fascinating city. We spent all our time in the old city and down around the dock area and Mike provided a rich and entertaining exposé of the history of the city.

Charming cottages on our walking tour

Three of us looking down on the old port below the walls

Down at port level in the old town

A fantastic wall mural

Plaza in the port level of the old town

Looking up a cobble-stone street to the furnicular

A gate through the wall into the old town

Looking back to the Chateau Fairmont and the old city of Quebec

The battlements from the British era

This week was also in the middle of the Festival d'été de Québec - the city's 10-day long summer festival and there were concerts and performances going on all over the old city.

The massive open-air stage on the
Plains of Abraham - the site of a huge British vs French battle of yesteryear

Of course Denise and Anne had to sneak out to see Los Lonely Boys one night but there were tons of other interesting things to do while we were there.

More sculptures in the town

Looking down towards the port

Part of the old Jesuit monastery - now part of the university

A breather on the climb to the citadel

Climbing the steps (all 440 of them) up to the citadel

Anne with the Saint Lawrence River in the background

However, the charm of the city lies in its French then English then Canadian history, its buildings and its people.

A city founder and government building in the background

The Chateau Fairmont from the boardwalk over the old city foundations with storm clouds brewing 

A very French Rue up to the old city gates

All too soon, our time in Québec City came to an end and with it our Great Train Journey across eastern Canada.

Our train journey had been absolutely brilliant - a fantastic way to travel and to visit four totally different and unique cities for the first time. We liked and enjoyed some cities more than others but all were worth visiting. My favourites were Ottawa and Québec City but that is just my personal preference - in fact all were fantastic in their own ways.

A train journey as a means of travel....yes to that! In business class, the only word to describe travelling this way in Canada is...brilliant.

Most of our hotels were only a few minutes from the central train station - it usually took us 10 minutes or less to check all our luggage in and to retire to the business class lounge for coffee, juice and a comfy chair to recline in to wait for our train which, when it arrives, takes us no time at all to board and to sink into our pretty luxurious recliner seats.

Waiting for a train in the business class lounge of Ottawa Central train station

Once the train pulls out our train attendant is soon delivering hot towels and snack packs, breakfast, tea, coffee and juice. On our sector from Toronto to Ottawa, we were even served a lunch which was like premium economy airline food and free drinks (bubbly, spirits, beer and wine etc). Definitely not too tardy!!

The trains seem to always run on time, service is first rate and with a travel speed of around 150 kph, the journeys are surprisingly quick, hassle-free and enjoyable.

As we say goodbye to Québec City, it is time to take to the skies and wing our way to the Big Apple - New York City and to experience life in a very much faster lane than the previous few weeks.