Québec just celebrated the 400th anniversary of the settling of Québec.  400 years!  In the US, that’s pretty old too!  That’s nothing compared to places in France.  Notre Dame, for example, was built in the 1100s!  What do you think of that?  What is the oldest place that you know of in the US?

I don’t know who these people are with Bonhomme, but I thought it was a good picture showing what he really looks like.  I like Julie’s suggestion that he kind of looks like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.  I wonder if he giggles if you squeeze him

Bonhomme Carnavale.  The snowman that is the symbol of Québec’s carnavale festivities.  You see him everywhere.  As Bernard stated, with his floppy red hat and grinning face, he is a little creepy!  What do you think?

In the winter, there is a magical thing that happen in Québec City- Carnavale!  One of the major attractions is Les Plaines D’Abraham where there are tons of ice sculptures, and ice castle and lots of fun sledding.  This picture is the tobboggan (sledding) slide that we talked about in front of Le Chateau Frontenac, right on Terrasse Dufferin.

This is a view of the ski slopes of Mont Ste. Anne, the mountain that we catch views of just outside of Québec City.  I didn’t start skiing until I was about 25 and thought I would never like the idea of flying down a mountain with so little to stop me.  I actually really like it.  I love being outside and having on the right clothes so I don’t freeze.  I’m not a great skier but I can hold my own on green and sometimes blue trails.  It’s all over if there’s ice though….  And don’t even talk to me about black diamonds. 

I have never skied outside of the US but I would like to ski here at Mont Ste. Anne some day.  I hear the skiing is great with lots of options for mediocre skiers like myself.  Ms. Olander took her family there one winter and they said it was just fantastic.  The prices are quite reasonable too, from what I hear.  Especially when the dollar is in our favor(which it was back when she went!)  And she said the night skiing is really something.  We won’t get to ski while we’re in Québec this spring but I hope that you will return one day and take advantage of the skiing and winter fun that is so well known in Québec!

See the round thing at the top of this hotel?  That’s the restaurant we will have dinner in one of the nights we are in Quebec City.  It is really something!  Everyone sits at a window so there are no bad seats! Throughout the meal, the part of the restaurant where we sit slowly revolves like a merry-go-round and you get a spectacular view of the whole city.  If you don’t like motion, don’t worry, you hardly noticed you’re moving.  We also take a really neat glass elevator to get there.  It’s on the outside of the hotel!  This is such a special evening! 

After dinner, we go to the mall!  Galerie de la Capitale is just outside the city, and as we’ve described, it actually has a small amusement park inside it!  A roller coaster, climbing wall, one of those things you sit in and it falls to the ground then back up again, then down, etc(can you tell I don’t like these rides?) and other fun stuff.  There’s also a skating rink there and you can rent skates, so you don’t even need to bring any.  Last year, it was closed because there was an exhibit but maybe this year it will be open.  Not a fan of the amusement rides(I know I’m NOT!)?  There are 250+ stores inside to keep you busy!  Find out what “real” Quebecois are like when you shop and hear lots of French, see kids your age doing what you normally do at the mall and maybe buy a special souvenir.

Wow, c’est les vacances d’hiver!  Who doesn’t love some time off?  I look forward the February vacation so much because I can sleep a little later and do things at my own pace.  I have such a hard time dragging myself out of bed early when it’s so cold outside.  I never go away during February vacation.  What about you?  Are you vacationing away from the Cape?  Are you somewhere warm?  Are you skiing in Quebec where it’s not warm but the snow is perfect for skiing?  OOOh even better, are you skiing in the Alps?

Did you see the movie that came out about 2 years ago called Marie Antoinette?  I think Kirsten Dunst was the woman who played Marie Antoinette.  I want to know what you thought of this movie.

  Voici Les Chutes Montmorency.  This is a great picture of them in the winter when the splashes of water freeze and form an ice mountain.  When we go on the trip to Quebec City, we will see these but hopefully there won’t be any ice by then!  You will have the chance to walk on the bridge so you can feel the power of the waterfalls.  It’s quite something.

I just found a fantastic site with Quebec recipes.   Visit:  http://www.recettes.qc.ca/recettes/index.php?id=992

They are all in French but if you want to make one of these and you are having trouble with the instructions, ask me and I’ll help you out.  7th grade, you will get extra credit if you make one of the recipes for class.  Just please tell me ahead of time so I can be prepared!