We had heard so much about Quebec City, Quebec that when Joe wanted to attend an air show there we decided to make it a long weekend vacation and help to celebrate Quebec City's 400th birthday. Joe rented a van and we booked the hotel and in the morning of Friday, June 13 we left home at 6am and began our 10 hour drive to Quebec City from Acton. Taking Highway 25 south to Highway 401 and at the end of the 401 we started on Quebec's Highway 20 and later onto Highway 40 into the City.

At the border of Ontario an Quebec we stopped at a Quebec Tourist information spot and got a lot of great information. Provincial borders in Canada just have signs welcoming you into the new province, no border guards or customs. Quebec City is located right along the St Lawrence River which runs into the Atlantic Ocean and is a couple of hours east of the City of Montreal.

After checking into our hotel - Quality Suites at 1600 Rue Bovier, we decide to check out Montmorency Falls which is just a short drive of about 15 minutes from the City. The falls are some 80 metres high and are higher than Niagara Falls. You can ride a cable car but we were too late for the cars and instead walked up the series of stairs and view points (you can also drive to the top). It only cost $9.25 to enter the park for a van full of people (cost of the cable car ride not included).

Montmorency Falls showing a portion of the suspended bridge which hangs right over the waters drop and the stairs on the left climbing up the steep canyon wall. A walkway brings you from the stairs, along the canyon edge, to a smaller bridge which then leads to the top of the falls.

After successfully climbing the amazing number of stairs and making it to the top of the falls alive we pose on the suspension bridge as the camera points toward the St Lawrence River and the Ile d'Orleans or Orleans Island.

Continuing our busy arrival day we decide to visit the old town of Quebec as the sun sets over the city. Parking in the old town at one lot was only $6, you could also find parking meters for street parking! The old part of town is walled and stands one side along the steep drop of a cliff looking over the St Lawrence River. There are a lot of canons in this part of Quebec and Kevin, Ann and Erin get up close to the guns.

The old town is charming and so European looking. Narrow streets and great shops are perfect for wandering through and much remained open well into the night. Many horse drawn carriages trotted along the streets with loads of tourists. The Chateau Frontenac looms large in the old city. The huge castle hotel built in 1893 brings back memories for Ann as she visited the city as part of a high school trip. The top of the hotel is seen in the top centre of the following picture.

We leave the restaurants, cafes and mimes to the cheerful crowds and go the to the hotel to get some rest.

Rising early on Saturday we journey to the Quebec Hydro parking lot to wait for a bus to the Quebec Air Show at the Jean-Lesage International Airport. With the lineups and the bus ride we arrive at the airport at 9:30am and the sky remains overcast - and threatens to rain. The list of acrobatic teams participating in this show is impressive - the US Navy Blue Angels, Red Arrows from United Kingdom, the US Air Force Thunderbirds and the Canadian Snowbirds. There are a number of other participating planes and a large lineup of static display aircraft from jet fighters to jet bombers and massive cargo planes.