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All things considered, Mlle. Hudon's was a satisfactory place and we were happy to be there instead of a commercial hotel like the Mount Royal.
After getting settled, we set out to explore the immediate vicinity, which happened to be the most interesting area of the upper town. We walked down to the Chateau and gave it a quick onceover. There was a large medical convention in progress there so it was jammed. We admired the magnificent view from the Chateau out over the lower town and the river. We strolled around Dufferin Terrace, which is the big boardwalk outside the Chateau (see photos). There were crowds everywhere. And all you heard was French, French, French. A loudspeaker on the Terrace was delivering a speech in French by a public official and it was a pleasure to listen to this beautifully enunciated French compared to the staccato variety we heard most places and was nearly unintelligible except for an occasional word. We were delighted with the slower pace of things in Quebec like the many horses on the streets hauling carriages and wagons and carts. And there were street cars although in 1934 they were still around some at home. I have a note-- "Chien d'Or"-- which I think may be the place we had a bite of supper. Also, there's a note--"night life"--but I don't know what it consisted of. I have a feeling that we were all pretty tired and returned early to "Scutt's" to hit the sack.
Thus we got set in Quebec to enjoy a week of vacation. Our first full day there was a Monday and again we were favored by good weather. However, before proceeding with our sightseeing, we made reservations for a two-day cruise up the Saguenay, leaving the following day, and it was a wise decision because it provided us with a memorable experience. I found Quebec an eminently satisfactory place to be, from the viewpoint of someone affected strongly by historical contemplations. I'll review a few examples of this as far as I was concerned:
On Dufferin Terrace a short distance east of the Chateau is a large bronze statue of Samuel de Champlain, the great French explorer who was called "The Father of New France." In 1608 he sailed from France for the fourth time and as lieutenant governor of New France, had on July 3rd founded the first European settlement on the site of the present city of Quebec. The statue is imposing, the figure commanding, standing there above the heads of the crowd of people so many of whom suffer incredibly by contrast with such a dominating personality. All I could do was stand there and gaze upon this mighty figure and reflect that here was the place where he founded this great city of individuality and charm. Just to read the single word CHAMPLAIN carved on the marble base was more than enough to send chills rippling up and down my spine. I would survey the scene-- the Chateau, the river, the town--and then return my gaze to CHAMPLAIN to thrill again.