On our first night in the picturesque city of Quebec, Marc and I wandered around just to get a feel of the place.  This is what we found.

Being a Christmas geek, I can't help but imagine Quebec in the winter particularly at Christmastime.  It must be magical especially when it's covered feet deep in snow.

Speaking of our hotel, we couldn't have chosen a more centrally located one in Quebec.  For days prior to the trip to Canada, we checked and checked Expedia, Travelocity, and Tripadvisor for the best fares and the best hotels to stay in.  "They needn't necessarily be the most luxurious" we thought, but, luckily for us that's exactly what we got on this leg of our trip.

Although the Fairmont's Chateau Frontenac was without a doubt the biggest and most opulent hotel in Old Town Quebec, The Clarendon, was the city's very first and most historic. We were very pleased about our choice and were we totally surprised to see that it was also THE most centrally located hotel in the entire city.

The en suite bathroom in our hotel room was equally superb.  Had I started blogging and reviewing hotels and attractions of places we visited back then, I would have taken tons of pictures for this, my own travel blog.  At any rate, this hotel comes very highly recommended and more.

Quebec's sights and sounds were right at our doorstep. The City Hall or Hotel de Ville was right in front.  Funny how years ago when a few friends, a college classmate from Ateneo, and I were on a driving tour of Northern Europe.  While in Belgium we were desperately looking for a decent place to stay in one night   It was late and we were all tired.  We thought of checking in at one grand looking building with the sign "Hotel de Ville" we passed by until someone told us that it was actually City hall.  What sticks in the hick we were back then.  I have traveled extensively around the world since then but that experience continues to make me smile.

From this museum, the Old Seminary of Quebec was right next door.  The seminary must have also been the site of a college because there was a sign on its gates for the Universite Laval.

.It was very interesting to see the replica of a ship hanging from the ceiling

The frescoes were painted by Jean-Marie Tardivel in 1888.  One frescoe shows the event in 1690 when Admiral William Phipps was put was put to flight by Governor Frontenac in front of the city and the other in 1711 depicts the sinking of the fleet of Admiral Walker as he sailed towards Quebec to seize the town.

Tourists were everywhere in Quebec when we were there.  I can imagine everyone flocking to Quebec in the summertime since it is way too cold to enjoy the city in the wintertime.

The Centre d'interpretation is a place where the story of the Place-Royale is told.  There are exhibitions, a 3D film on Samuel de Champlain, and a magnificent scale model showing the city of Quebec as it was in 1635.

Old Quebec just looked so much like a province in France.  The locals spoke French and their accent every time they spoke English was oh so thick.

A number of very colorful and interesting murals dot the city of Quebec.  The one below is by far the most famous and most visited.  A close look at the mural reveals characters from both the past and the present.   At first glance, I thought it was a period piece.   Then upon closer scrutiny, I saw a young man with a laptop by a window, children in present day clothes playing hockey on the sidewalk, nuns watching people pass by from their third floor apartment window, plus men from the 19th century dressed in hats and tails.

Art, art everywhere.  On the walls, on the windows...