Quebec Trip 2025 Day 7 Sunday June 22 Quebec City to Montreal

 

This is the 7th of a series of posts dealing with my 2025 trip to Quebec Canada. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a year later or to add further clarification. These are indicated by “NOW”.

 

There were more fireworks last night. At least initially it was just one at a time, just as I was drifting off to sleep at Auberge Internationale. I finally did get to sleep but was woken up at 3:30 by rain. I eventually got up and tried to do stuff like pack to kill time. Eventually I got wanderlust and went outside, visiting the Fortifications and more of Old Quebec/Vieux Quebec. I returned to the hostel for breakfast though my body didn't want as much food as the day before. I wandered around Old Quebec some more, including the narrow area, which requires going down some steps to get to.

 

[NOW: The full name of the Fortifications is Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site / Lieu historique national des Fortifications-de-Québec. The narrow street is Rue Petit-Champlain]

 

I returned to the hostel and checked out and went to Terminus Gare du Palais. The Orleans Express bus to Montreal was half an hour late and thus arrived in Montreal half an hour late. In the second of the two stops in Quebec City, Gare d’autocars de Sainte-Foy, someone sat beside me.  My backpack on my lap thus felt a bit like a blanket and I kept fighting sleep until I got it on the floor between my legs. After I got off I went to a nearby Burger King for lunch. I took an Orange Line/Ligne Orange metro train to Station Jean-Talon and there switched to a Blue Line/Ligne Bleue train to Station Édouard-Montpetit. I walked to ZUM Residences. It felt a bit surreal to be checking into a place I had checked out of two days earlier. There are two towers with a section on the ground floor (7th) joining them. I was in a different tower this time, the one closest to the metro, and only two floors up on the 9th.

 

[NOW: The Orange Line is Line/Ligne 2 and the Blue Line is Line/Ligne 5. ZUM Residences are at the University of Montreal / Université de Montréal.]

 

I walked downtown on the east side this time. I took another spill, I think because the bottoms of my shoes have become more flat with all my walking, thus more slippery. I visited Cheap Thrills (music, books, a few DVDs). At a Jean Coutu on rue Ste-Catherine, Orange Crush was cheaper than other pop; worked for me.

 

I walked to Old Montreal/Vieux Montreal, including the waterfront, Marche Bonsecouers, and Place Jacques-Cartier. There was a Free Palestine march. I watched a bit of it and would have watched more if not for the fact that they're pretty common in Victoria too. I walked to rue Ste-Catherine and headed west. I got some francophone DVDs at Boutique Volume. Continuing on, I passed another protest, this one calling for war with Iran. and preaching a lack of forgiveness. I made it to the Burger King I ate at when I first arrived in Montreal, mainly because I really wanted lime Coke. I briefly passed the former location of Auberge Bishop again. While open, it had a really nice interior including stained glass art. Heading east then north I visited Renaud-Bray on rue St-Denis. It was at a different location from 2019 and no longer sells DVDs.

 

On av du Mont-Royal I got another drink at the same Jean Coutu I went to on that street a few days ago. I visited Librairie l'Échange, which sells books, music, DVDs. I usually find something but no luck this time. I did find DVDs at Bouquinerie du Plateau. I wandered the car free area again, though not as thoroughly as last time. I took an Orange Line train from Station Mont-Royal to Station Jean-Talon and a Blue line train from same to Station Édouard-Montpetit before returning to the dorm.

Quebec Trip 2025 Day 6 Saturday June 21 Quebec City

 

This is the 6th of a series of posts dealing with my 2025 trip to Quebec Canada. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a year later or to add further clarification. These are indicated by “NOW”.

 

 I'm trying typing in Notepad and then copying and pasting after to see if that solves the issue of the text moving.

 

I forgot to mention yesterday. I briefly visited a bookstore I stumbled upon at random after leaving Vidéo Centre-Ville but I can't recall its name. Also at McDonald's last night two small dogs waited outside without leash for their human to get food.

 

[NOW: The bookstore was Librairie Au Lieu du Livre.]

 

After turning in last night at Auberge Internationale, there were fireworks intermittently somewhere nearby. However after that maybe because the fan is fairly quiet I slept really well. I got up and visited the Fortifications. I should describe them more. They're basically a wall you can go up on and then separate Old Quebec (Vieux Quebec) from the area immediately to the west; some graffiti unfortunately. I briefly returned to the hostel to get extra batteries. I returned to the narrow road with shops. I forgot to mention that one shop's exterior has a model pig looking in. I also noticed that there was a shop called F--- la Monde, only without the hyphens. I wandered Old Quebec some more and then had breakfast at the hostel.

 

[NOW: The full name of the Fortifications is Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site / Lieu historique national des Fortifications-de-Québec. The narrow street is Rue Petit-Champlain]

 

After a long hike west (turning south once I reached cemeteries on both sides of the road, which I didn't want to photograph), I got a French trade version of Young Avengers at Archambault at Place Ste-Foy. By the way Archambault and Renaud-Bray's selection varies from store to store, but they tend to have videos and books including comic trades. Next to Place Ste-Foy was Place de la Cité, where I visited Librairie La Maison Anglaise (English bookstore) and got a drink at Dollarama. The mall next to that was Laurier, where I visited Renaud-Bray and Boutique Imaginaire (roughly similar to Archambault and Renaud-Bray though fewer non-books); this branch had a large Iron Man model figure (maybe slightly larger than human sized).

 

[NOW: All of the above and the first store below are in the Ste-Foy area of Quebec City. The full name of Laurier is Laurier Québec, though it’s commonly referred to by its earlier name of Place Laurier.]

 

At Librairie de la Liberté I bought a new though 2019 Montreal map book as my old book is falling apart. The new one is larger size which is nice. I returned to the Plains of Abraham including a statue of Joan of Arc. I went to the same McDonald's before for lunch. By this time I had decided to skip Levis. I didn't want to pay $4.15 for he ferry both sides and did want to spend extra time in Old Quebec/The Plains. I think I made a good trade. I revisited Librairie Pantoute (books; I believe Premiere Issue is the only comic shop in the area). I got a comic trade at Comptoir du Livre, the bookstore with videos whose name I blanked on last night. I got more DVDs at CD Mélomanie.

 

I dropped off stuff at the hostel. I visited Librairie Jean-Baptiste (antique books; open this time) and Libraire LaForce. I got a 1.5L bottle of water at Jean Coutu and explored Old Quebec further; also the Plains of Abraham. I figured out from signage that I had made it to the east side of the Plains in 2019 after all. I considered exploring the Citadelle of Quebec but you needed a guided tour. Free I think but I was in full self-guided mode. The Governor's Walk involves 310 steps with a good view of the St. Lawrence River. With one exception the flights are all up going west and down going east. I gradually returned to the Fortifications and then revisited Librairie Premiere Issue. Low ceiling to I hit myself on the head going in (both directions yesterday). dropped things off at the hostel again.

 

[NOW: What I called the Governor’s Walk is actually La Promenade des Gouverneurs (Governors' Promenade).]

 

I had dinner at the usual McDonald's but this time I remembered there was upstairs seating. However I fell as I got close to the bottom heading out. My high adventure trips probably won't end right away, but my legs have been feeling noticeably older this year. Right now my body is just telling me to be extra careful. However, there likely will come a time when my body calls it a day for these types of trips. Once it gives notice I'll listen and stop. However I'll have a few more years left of these even if I have to pace myself more.

 

I returned to the Governor's Walk this time only doing west to east. A françophone guy asked me in English if the view was worth it so I described it. He lamented the lack of elevator. To sure Old Quebec is even worse then Old Montreal for people with mobility issues, at least in certain areas. I returned to the hostel and started laundry. The Notepad trick isn't perfect but the text moves far less often so I'll continue to use Notepad first. This was the first report this trip where I felt I could have a bit of fun writing it out.

Quebec Trip 2025 Day 5 Friday June 20 Montreal to Quebec City

 

This is the 5th of a series of posts dealing with my 2025 trip to Quebec Canada. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a year later or to add further clarification. These are indicated by “NOW”.

 

I need to kill time without getting too sweaty (heading to Quebec City in a few hours) hence this morning report. Forgot to mention: one of the straps of my camera bag started detaching around Station Place-d'Armes. Then as I was returning to Station Lucien-L'Allier I saw a constable police car. After I entered the metro I almost caught up to them but they were headed to the waiting area for trains going the other direction.

 

When I opened up my laptop last night I saw an alert about a possible tornado and the winds did howl enough to wake me up, though I eventually went back to sleep. I think I might be through the worst of the storm but the forecast is worse for Quebec City than Montreal.  I took some inside shots. I also walked outside but it was raining and when I went to get my umbrella the wind kept turning it inside out. Otherwise would have tried to figure out the best route now that I have heavier luggage than I started. Will head out soon even if it means a longer wait than usual at the Gare d'autocars. Even as I typed this I heard the rain increase in intensity so I  might have to forego some  photos at least until I reach the metro station.

 

[NOW: The above was written in the morning at ZUM Residences, University of Montreal / Université de Montréal. The rest was written in the evening.]

 

It was rainy as I found a road that I could use to get my luggage to Station Edouard-Monpetit. I took a Blue line train (both trains today STM/STM/Société de transport de Montréal) from there to Station Jean-Talon, realizing too late that I left my umbrella on the  train. I switched to an Orange Line train to Station Berri-UQAM. I ate breakfast at a nearby McDonald's. Normally I keep in in a pants pocket with a zipper but it kept triggering buttons even on the oyuter side of pocket so I switched it to my raincoat where it still did it but the sound was more muffled. I found an umbrella at Le Gare d'autocars de Montreal. However after using the washroom I noticed my cell was gone. I tried using a payphone in case the phone was nearby which cost me $12 but I didn't hear it and there was no time to search very far.

 

[NOW: The Blue Line is Line/Ligne 5 and the Orange Line is Line/Ligne 2.]

 

I took an Orleans Express Coach to Gare du Palais, Quebec City and walked to Old Quebec. I ate lunch at McDonald's and then dropped off luggage at Auberge Internationale. I visited Librairie Pantoute, and Librairie Premiere Issue. Sorry I know the latter is comics but I'm so stressed that I don't recall which of the others are bookstores and which are comic shops. Leaving Old Quebec I bought DVDs from a store I remember from last year but can't recall the name of. I visited Librairie Laforce. I think Librairie  Saint-Jean Baptiste now requires buzzing in and might be appointment only; that one was a bookstore. I visited Librarie Nelligan. I bought a DVD at CD Mélomane. Bouquinerie 4 Saisons is bookstore tinier than an office cubicle.  On that street it and another bookstore I visited, Libraire du Quartier were on, Cartier, were lights(s) with giant lampshades. Someone around there I lost one copy of my itinerary and list of places to visit.

 

[NOW: Other than Librairie Premiere Issue, all stores with Librairie in the name above are bookstores. The store I forgot the name of was Comptoir du Livre. Librairie  Saint-Jean Baptiste was open the next day.]

 

I returned to the hostel and got my other copy. My next route took me from the biggest construction area for a street that I had ever seen; by the time I reached the construction the rain had stopped. Vidéo Eclair turned out to be a convenience store so I'll skip the other one on my itinerary for tomorrow. I bought some DVDs at Vidéo Centre-Ville, which had lifesized figures of Leatherface and Michael Myers. I walked to the Plains of Abraham. I had dinner at the same McDonald's as earlier. I explored a bit more randomly, though I included a few favourites from last time like the narrow street Montague and Artillery Park/the Fortifications.

 

[NOW: The narrow street is actually Petit-Champlain. The full name of the Fortifications is Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site / Lieu historique national des Fortifications-de-Québec.]

 

I checked in at the hostel. Unfortunately I couldn't charge my batteries in my room because both plug outlets were spoken for, one by the person above me, one by the room's fan. So I had to go downstairs. Luckily I have extra batteries in the event of an emergency. Downstairs was noisy when I arrived but quieted down. My laptop moving text around as I tried to type added more time again.