edwards block

I’ve long heard nothing but good things about Quebec City, and certainly, I can understand the basis for the enthusiasm, to some extent. Physically it is very appealing; it is the only walled city north of Mexico, as all the brochures will tell you; the upper town is generally well preserved; and there are opportunities to learn more about Canadian history and the colonisation of northern North America.

However, it has its drawbacks too, and as is usual for me, the main one is the presence of modern humanity. This might sound strange, as if it weren’t for humanity, the city would not be here, nor would I. There’s just too damn many of them (us), dawdling about in a stupor, shopping for crap. As is typical elsewhere as well, it just frequently seems as if at some point the city was sold to Walt Disney and turned into a theme park. Welcome to QuebecLand! Bienvenue a Terre de Quebec!. Salute the $13 hamburger! Travelling alone has long served me well, but perhaps it is time for me to start sharing the experience. Or, just give up travelling to cities.

As previously mentioned, my French is not particularly good, despite my schooling. Given the opportunity (and enough time) I can often think of the correct words – or at least close enough to the correct words – to express myself. But beyond ‘bonjour’ and ‘merci’, I don’t really understand anything anyone says to me. A waitress yesterday started chatting away to me in French, to which I am forced to confess to my linguistic deficiency with “Mon française est très mal”. She laughed and said that I look very French, whatever that means. Perhaps my countenance of general disdain camouflages my origin. In the short time I have been here, however, I have been aware of how much my French improves as a result of immersion. Just walking around and reading signs I am remembering many things from school that had otherwise been forgotten. Perhaps a few months in France would do me some good.

The most difficult thing, though, is getting a cup of tea when I want it. A café is not just a café in Quebec, and I can never tell whether it is a place where I am expected to order food, or if it is acceptable to simply order a cup of tea. For the first time ever, I am – almost – rueing the absence of Starbucks and Second Cup, neither of which appear to be present in the old town. This seems strange given the presence of McDonald’s and Subway.