au revoir
au
bo
bon nuit!
Our
final night in Québec involved a visit to the
focal point of the
carnival, Bonhomme's Ice Palace.
Situated in the heart of the City
opposite the Parliament building we found a colossal ice and
snow-sculptured castle. It's 35-foot high tower was filled with the
sound of traditional Québecois and carnival songs and the big blocks of
ice sparked like diamonds.
We followed passages that lead us an immense
snow igloo (Queenzy) which was 35 feet wide. The stroll through the igloo
accompanied by the sounds of Inuit chants.
A complete contrast awaited by the gate in the walls of the old capital where an up tempo and lively ice skating show called "Feu et Froid" was being held on the open air skating rink. Bundled up to keep warm we admired the artistry and dexterity of the artistes and we applauded with extra vigor when a scantily clad, long legged lass, ended her routine by doing the splits on the ice.
It had been a great visit and I was glad to have been one of the 240,000 people who brightened their winter by coming to see the parades.
The next afternoon I took a train ride through the snows to Montreal
to catch the plane home. We travelled in comfort through lonely vistas of white snow that turned
pink in the evening light and occasionally I heard the baleful wail of
the train's siren as we passed by homesteads with logs stacked against
the walls. If a scarlet clad Mountie had ridden over the hill singing
Rose Marie, he would have not seemed out of place.
It was a great ending
as the light faded on the final scene.
Join us on March 1st for the next edition of Worldrover.
QUEBEC LINKS
Fact file Destination Québec, 08705 561 705
www.Québecregion.com
Carnival information and music
www.carnaval.qc.ca/
Mont-Sainte-Anne 001 418 827 4561 www.mont-saint-anne.com
Adventure-Québec (Dog Sled) 001 418 826
0027
Village Vacances Valcartier Web Page
www.valcartier.com
Hilton
Québec 08705 515151 Web Page
www.hilton.com
