Extra.... Extra....

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It's official, I'm in possession of my very own press pass to write for a local English news paper. I will be covering Festival Quebec Mode (Fashion). Quebec City is highlighting and celebrating their fashion industry with weeks of fashion shows and expositions with local designers and stores.

Pinch me.... I might be dreaming.

Bibliothèque St-Jean-Baptiste...

  I've walked by this historical site countless times over the last four years.  On more than one occasion this looming Gothic structure has stopped me in my tracks. Other times  the persistence of everyday life pulled me past without a thought. While I could clearly read the sign stating that it is in fact a library I wasn't convinced. I've never actually seen anyone walk in or out.  Timidly I entered to find this...

Library St. John the Baptist is located in the former St. Matthew's Anglican Church, next to a city park formerly associated with the church. The origin of St. Matthew's Church dates back to 1822. It was then the gravedigger's house. In 1827, the house was transformed into a temple. However, during the great fire of 1845, the temple was destroyed and rebuilt in 1848 in a Gothic Revival style.    

(Information from Google.)

This is a very informative link...click here. 

 It was sensory overload.

 I wanted to race up and down the rows...but the idea of missing something 

stabilized my eagerness. I felt like my camera couldn't capture all the details and my words would not do it justice. In this case I think less is more.

I hope you enjoyed another piece of Quebec City.

My Change

My "Fear of Change" post received a lot of comments.  

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to share your thoughts.. 

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
Alexander Graham Bell

Last week I had one hand on the door. 
 This week with a firm grip I closed the door as an ESL teacher.  Just as that door closed
 with cautious steps, yet without regret,  I walked through the next door... 

 I am now working in one of the most sensational boulangeries/bakeries in Quebec.  

This is something I've been talking about doing... maybe even dreaming about it. 

All I know is even with my aching feet (standing all day) and tired mind

 (trying to speak and understand French all day long) I made a change. 

I know that my life is about the choices I make, the ego I choose to ignore and

 the ability to see myself for who I am.

And right now...

I am happy.

Change in all things is sweet. 

Aristotle

One fine day...

...on Grand Allee our eyes met. 

Have you captured a simple moment that can bring you back to that minute?

(A photo I took last year.)

Will Work For Food!

Almost everyday someone is standing on a corner asking for money and I do what I can when I can. 

I am always happy to see this guy and his dog. 

 This has to be the most photographed dog in Quebec City.

 Last weekend they had a crowd gathered around them every time I walked past.

 He just sits there...and smiles. (Well, sort of.) I moved to the side and watched as people

 caught sight of them...the smiles were priceless.

Sadly, I forgot their names...which is really bugging me. I'll ask him again this weekend.

Do you give money to people who are standing on the street?

My Walk Home....

Come on...get your boots on and take a walk with me.  I just finished teaching and I'm looking forward to going home.  Once I get off the bus it only takes me about 10 minutes to walk there.  Are you ready?

 Bundle up it's about 17 degrees outside today and the wind is whipping. 

 Place d'Youville- theaters, music, restaurants and pleasant accommodations

The Palais Montcalm concert hall (below)

 Throughout the winter months the city maintains numerous ice skating rinks for anyone to enjoy. At the Place d'Youville rink, skaters twirl and sway to Quebecois music under twinkling lights. They even provide rental skates for the tourist...of course all the locals have their own. (Wink)   

 18th century walls surround the heart of Quebec City, these walls that protected the original city are now a place where people live and work...like me. 

On another walk I'll show you some of my favorite places to eat and shop.

 We are in a bit of a hurry... it's too cold to stop.

 Quebec City is the only walled city in North America. Within the gates, the original old town (Vieux Quebec or Old Quebec) was established 400 years ago and remains as charming as ever.

 The drab winter day definitely robbed my jaunt of it's allurement.

 Perhaps in the spring we can do this again.

We're here...it was so nice having someone to talk to...in English. 

Thanks for the visit and have a wonderful day.

Bus 82

Feeling pretty good about my new bus skills I got online before heading to work this morning and decided to catch a different bus going to my 11:00 job. (The student has two choices...they can come to our office or with an extra cost we can go directly to their office.) Go figure, in the winter we do a lot of the traveling.

Well, I learned three things today. First, it's very important to read all of the directions before trying to get fancy by using a new bus route. Two, when you are lost you might want to get off the bus as soon as you realize it because (three) the bus often gets to the final destination and you HAVE to get off.  UNLESS, you beg the bus driver(in Franglish...a little English a little French) to let you stay on because you are so lost that you will never find your way back.

Time of departure: 10:15        

Start of Class 11:00    

 Time that I would normally arrive if I wasn't trying to act like I knew what I was doing 10:45    

Time that I begged the bus driver to let me stay on the bus 11:45

Time he dropped me off at a random bus stop in the middle of who knows where 11:55
Time class ended 1:00

Time I finally got off the bus and went home 1:15

All I could do was laugh...

What would you have done? 

Took place yesterday....1/30/12

Mush...

Dating back to 1894...Carnaval de Quebec has begun.

Crepes for breakfast.

Coffee for dessert.

Dogsled races for entertainment.

 To witness the eager dogs is compelling.
With each paw that makes contact with the snow I could feel the willingness to please and the desire to go.

This year, with the festivities only minutes from my front door, carnival is sure to be well documented.

Click here to read more about the Carnaval de Quebec

I was up with the roosters (the coq) again today.  

With both feet I jumped back into work teaching English as a Second Language. (ESL) I started teaching the first week we arrived in 2007, so I didn't need a lot of preparation just an alarm clock. Up around 6 on a bus by 7 is a new thing for me. Oddly enough getting up hasn't been difficult, but going out into the cold has.  The first few steps always leaves prominent prints in the snow as I stiffen to brace the cold.  Then about 5 minutes into the walk the top half of my body warms up.  I get a little sweaty (never a feminine thing to say) and after 10 minutes I'm peeling layers off. 

My city living adventure has changed the way I do things.  First things first, I set down the car keys and got myself a bus pass. The parking spots here are small and few. Parking was the only stressful thing about living in the Old City thus far, so I needed to come up with a solution, after consulting a rocket scientist, I've decided to walk  or take good old public transportation.  With temperatures anywhere from -4 to 3 degrees(f)...I'm usually bundled beyond recognition. The one day I tried to look cute, as in fashionable, leaving the house left me with numb fingers, borderline frosh bite, and a red nose. 

What are you doing to say warm?

How do you get to work? Have you ever changed your routine?

Photos from WeHeartIt.