It's not easy to surprise your husband with a 50th birthday trip.
Heck, I could barely click "purchase now" for the airline tickets without asking his opinion on the prices and flight times.
Quebec City has been on our "maybe someday" list of places to visit every since my cousin and her husband (remember their engagement cookies?) honeymooned there.
(Also, they just had a baby girl yesterday...named Bridget. I cried. Hi, baby Bridget!!!)
I remember seeing the pictures and thinking that Quebec City looked magical. It is.
So many people have asked, "why Quebec City?" Since I was sold on it through pictures, that's what I'll share with you, too. Mainly pictures and a few tidbits. (No, this is not a sponsored post. Yes, Quebec City...consider this an open letter. We're available for relocation. ;))
I could talk all day about these yellow shutters...
Utterly charming.
{Yes, that is a water fountain for horses. I TOLD you...QC is SO cute!!!}
Quebec City likes its statues...
The food. Oh my gosh. This is from a bakery called Le Croquembouche. Mr. E ordered an ice cream. Kiddo ordered a sandwich. My order is below:
That little pastry with the heart is chocolate mousse with a praline crust covered in dark chocolate. I'll remember that forever.
Before the trip, I tried to learn a little French on the sly. My French app really seemed to understand me.
Also, every time I spoke French to someone, they answered me in English. Hey, I tried.
No trip out of the country is complete without a parking ticket. Just ask my dad who has a 20-year-old outstanding parking ticket in Ireland. (PS: we paid this one.)
There are lots of cool things to see outside of the city, too. Like Montmorency Falls. Not as wide as Niagara Falls, but taller.
Y'all. We rode a cable car to the top...walked across a bridge over the top of the falls, and walked down about a million steps to get back down. It was cool.
The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Beautiful.
Let me tell you about the hotel where we stayed:
Le Chateau Frontenac.
It's easy to see why it's the most photographed hotel in the world. I could NOT stop taking pictures of it...from every angle. (It's in the first picture of this post and a few of the collages, too.)
{Again, this is not a sponsored post...but if you visit, think about staying here, or at least have a drink in the bar.}
Lobby.
Gorgeous bar.
I knew we had breakfast included with our stay, but let's be honest, hotel breakfast are usually a let down, right? Not this one. I contemplated staying there all day. Four (4) kinds of croissants, fresh crepes, eggs, CHOCOLATES (!!!), and a million other goodies, PLUS juice in the cutest glass bottles. There was even a big bowl of Nutella! It was dreamy.
{Yes, the longest paragraph of this post is about a breakfast buffet.}
We were totally smitten with Le Chateau Frontenac...and so glad that my cousin & her husband recommended it.
There are SO many things to see, and do, and EAT. The museums, Ile d'Orleans, etc., etc. If you go, will you take me with you?
PS...Mr. E was totally surprised with the trip! Maybe we'll go back for his 51st. ;)