ce n'était pas un rêve
Aug. 31st, 2008 12:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcLast weekend ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
querrelle and I toddled off to Québec City and Montréal for a 4 day fin-de-semaine (weekend). To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec by Samuel de Champlain
Our flights on scAir Canada were uneventful. We suffered through their for-pay cuisine (really people, who buys a cheeseburger off the cart when it's probably been there a fortnight?), but otherwise passed the time easily. We had a longish connection in Montréal to our Québec City flight, and despite servicing a city of nearly 4 million Trudeau Airport remains meagre in its offering--though there were also renovations underway. Did you know Air Algerie flies to Montréal? Well...now you do.
We left YVR at 09h00 and arrived at YQB at 20h00; taking into account a 3 hour time difference, 7 hours gate-to-gate isn't bad. Our taxi had us at our hotel in about 20 minutes. We stayed at the Hotel Acadia, a 3 star hotel in Vieux Québec, but away from Rue St Jean and its noise. Our basic room was clean, quiet, and well appointed. Oh, and free wifi. Recommended for those who aren't princesses.
We wandered around, found our favourte steak-frites resto and had dinner, then wandered some more. We were last here together in winter and while the city's great anytime, the summer café culture vibe was pretty awesome. We didn't have too late a night, but we also decided to stay on YVR time, since we were only going to be away for 4 days.
The next day we scoped out the Plains of Abraham where Céline's free concert was to be held. The tourist office folks explained that it would be at the far end of the Plains, a good 3km from Vieux Québec. You needed a ticket to get in, but there was also to be areas for the great unwashed to (at least) hear the show. That sorted,querrelle led us on a long walking tour around the city. We adjourned to our hotel for a chill and then I kissed Himself goodbye: he's not a proper Céline Kween™ and is loathe to do the huge outdoor concert thing anyway.
An aside: I mentioned to Ma I was in Québec for a free Céline Dion concert and she sez "Ceeleeen Deeeawn, I love her!". When I mentioned Max didn't, she said "there's sumthin' wrawng with him. Tell him that--there's sumthin' wrawng with him!" So I did.
After being escorted to the entrance by my lovely husband, I wandered into the area. The crowd was big but very good natured and very quickly I found a spot for myself on a hill looking in to the concert, with views of the big screen monitors and where the sound was great. The concert only started about 10 minutes late and Céline launched into one of my favourite tracks--one which wasn't ever a single either--«Destin». *squee*
My view of Céline. Imagine that bright flash of light is, in fact, la p'tite québécoise (I had to slow the shutter speed a lot to get this photo at nightime)
Everything would have been perfect, except I was getting numb bum and both my feet went to sleep. So after painfully waking them, I waddled over to the fence, which was chest-high and comfortable to lean against. Céline launched into «Dans un autre monde» and most of us were singing along. I was grooving just fine, when a woman came up to me and said "would you like my ticket?"
"uh....sure, thanks!"
So I got in after all. Here's the view I had from my new spot:
It was better. No, really.
10 years ago I would've made my way up to the stage; now I know better. But I did wander a fair bit looking for a preferred sport. The concert was Céline and Friends, but it should've been called "Friends of Céline with the odd appearance of Céline". Of 31 songs, she sang 6 solo and perhaps another 6 in duet with her Friends. All of whom were very good, with Nanette Workman, Zachary Richard, Mes Aiëux and Garou standouts. But when Céline was singing the lovely «L'amour existe encore» and that greaseball Éric Lapointe waddled out to screetch along with her, I got a bit pissed off. But hey, she was singing again on Monday in Montréal--for people who paid to see her. Fair enough.
When my legs went numb I knew I'd better make my exit. Just as I left the secure area I heard the voice of Ginette Reno. Ginette Reno was the biggest star in Québec until Céline came along. I *almost* turned around, but just couldn't. And, it turns out that was the last song.
The next afternoon we flew to Montréal and did what we could to preserve national unity. Sunday evening we flew back home. It was a lovely break. And here's some more eye candy: I came across this hawt stud among the fortifications of Vieux Québec:
Pour t'aimer une fois pour toute...
querrelle and I toddled off to Québec City and Montréal for a 4 day fin-de-semaine (weekend). To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec by Samuel de ChamplainOur flights on scAir Canada were uneventful. We suffered through their for-pay cuisine (really people, who buys a cheeseburger off the cart when it's probably been there a fortnight?), but otherwise passed the time easily. We had a longish connection in Montréal to our Québec City flight, and despite servicing a city of nearly 4 million Trudeau Airport remains meagre in its offering--though there were also renovations underway. Did you know Air Algerie flies to Montréal? Well...now you do.
We left YVR at 09h00 and arrived at YQB at 20h00; taking into account a 3 hour time difference, 7 hours gate-to-gate isn't bad. Our taxi had us at our hotel in about 20 minutes. We stayed at the Hotel Acadia, a 3 star hotel in Vieux Québec, but away from Rue St Jean and its noise. Our basic room was clean, quiet, and well appointed. Oh, and free wifi. Recommended for those who aren't princesses.
We wandered around, found our favourte steak-frites resto and had dinner, then wandered some more. We were last here together in winter and while the city's great anytime, the summer café culture vibe was pretty awesome. We didn't have too late a night, but we also decided to stay on YVR time, since we were only going to be away for 4 days.
The next day we scoped out the Plains of Abraham where Céline's free concert was to be held. The tourist office folks explained that it would be at the far end of the Plains, a good 3km from Vieux Québec. You needed a ticket to get in, but there was also to be areas for the great unwashed to (at least) hear the show. That sorted,
querrelle led us on a long walking tour around the city. We adjourned to our hotel for a chill and then I kissed Himself goodbye: he's not a proper Céline Kween™ and is loathe to do the huge outdoor concert thing anyway.An aside: I mentioned to Ma I was in Québec for a free Céline Dion concert and she sez "Ceeleeen Deeeawn, I love her!". When I mentioned Max didn't, she said "there's sumthin' wrawng with him. Tell him that--there's sumthin' wrawng with him!" So I did.
After being escorted to the entrance by my lovely husband, I wandered into the area. The crowd was big but very good natured and very quickly I found a spot for myself on a hill looking in to the concert, with views of the big screen monitors and where the sound was great. The concert only started about 10 minutes late and Céline launched into one of my favourite tracks--one which wasn't ever a single either--«Destin». *squee*
My view of Céline. Imagine that bright flash of light is, in fact, la p'tite québécoise (I had to slow the shutter speed a lot to get this photo at nightime)
Everything would have been perfect, except I was getting numb bum and both my feet went to sleep. So after painfully waking them, I waddled over to the fence, which was chest-high and comfortable to lean against. Céline launched into «Dans un autre monde» and most of us were singing along. I was grooving just fine, when a woman came up to me and said "would you like my ticket?"
"uh....sure, thanks!"
So I got in after all. Here's the view I had from my new spot:
It was better. No, really.
10 years ago I would've made my way up to the stage; now I know better. But I did wander a fair bit looking for a preferred sport. The concert was Céline and Friends, but it should've been called "Friends of Céline with the odd appearance of Céline". Of 31 songs, she sang 6 solo and perhaps another 6 in duet with her Friends. All of whom were very good, with Nanette Workman, Zachary Richard, Mes Aiëux and Garou standouts. But when Céline was singing the lovely «L'amour existe encore» and that greaseball Éric Lapointe waddled out to screetch along with her, I got a bit pissed off. But hey, she was singing again on Monday in Montréal--for people who paid to see her. Fair enough.
When my legs went numb I knew I'd better make my exit. Just as I left the secure area I heard the voice of Ginette Reno. Ginette Reno was the biggest star in Québec until Céline came along. I *almost* turned around, but just couldn't. And, it turns out that was the last song.
The next afternoon we flew to Montréal and did what we could to preserve national unity. Sunday evening we flew back home. It was a lovely break. And here's some more eye candy: I came across this hawt stud among the fortifications of Vieux Québec:
Pour t'aimer une fois pour toute...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-08-31 07:27 pm (UTC)I might win this weekend.
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Date: 2008-08-31 11:01 pm (UTC)http://www.thestar.com/article/484113
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Date: 2008-08-31 11:08 pm (UTC)I might win this weekend ... but no English contests.
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Date: 2008-08-31 11:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-02 12:10 pm (UTC)You make up for it, however, with that awesome first photograph of Querelle.