My Late Summer Cruise in New England: Part 2 Quebec City
9:50 PM
Hey everyone!
I hope you all had a relaxing, yet productive weekend! I sure had a busy and packed weekend myself. It's about times midterms are coming around again. Busy frantically studying for the exams, while still trying to make sure I don't fall behind in the classes that don't have exams yet. I also hung out with some of my best friends, which was really nice because we hadn't seen each other in ages. It was nice to catch up, as if time hadn't passed at all. We literally can laugh about anything and everything, and it's just so fun to be with people you can really be yourself around. People who really get you, know what I mean?
Sometimes I don’t know exactly how to start a blogpost. I know I’ve been doing this for awhile now (although not as long as others have but still for awhile), but there are times when I can’t figure out which words to start with. Especially when a post is a Part 2. It reminds me of TV shows where they say “Previously on…” (There I go referencing TV again). It’s not TV and I’m not a narrator. So should I start with a recap..? Hmm no, I’ll just let you guys go read Part 1. There we go. Problem solved. Less work for me to do hahaha
Moving on...
After my first day in Quebec, which was both eventful and not because of that flight experience, we went back to our hotel and recharged. We actually explored the city on the second and third day. Quebec city is really gorgeous. The architecture is in this older style, probably actually was built from back then and still standing. There were many little boutique shops, art galleries, and cafes to explore. We wove our way around the streets, taking a bunch of photos and basically basking in the different atmosphere.
The day we boarded the cruise ship and the first actual day of the cruise were both stationed in Quebec, meaning we didn’t depart until the second day of the cruise. This gave us plenty of time to see the city, and join a local tour. The tour we went on was a short one that basically took us to the old part of town, an area turned into a tourist attraction that is bustling with liveliness and culture. There were street musicians, a ton of small locally owned bakeries, independent artists, and so on and so forth.
Seeing all of the macarons beautifully displayed in the bakery windows made us salivate, and we just had to get some to try. We ended up buying these French macarons both days we spent in the city. They were so delicious, with a perfectly crisp exterior and a soft, melty interior. Flavor explosions really. My mom, my sister, and I all picked out a variety of flavors for a dozen because it's cheaper to get a dozen than individual ones. We took turns taking bites out of them to get a taste of all the flavors they had. My favorite ones were maple, coffee, and Bailey's. But, they were all really incredible!
We also strolled around and found a little coffeeshop nearby. I am a big fan of coffee, tea, and the likes. Walking past it, it didn’t seem like much. But, a local passing by saw how I was hesitating to go in, and she told me how this place had the best coffee. She greeted the baristas inside with familiarity, told me that I should really try their drinks, and then made her way down the street. I was already on the brink of entering, but her approval definitely pushed me to actually go inside and order something. I love going into small locally owned cafes because I feel like it is more authentic, rather than going to a chain restaurant that serves the same things everywhere. Although it can be really reassuring to go to any country and find a chain restaurant that is just like back home, I do like trying different things when I’m exploring a new place.
This coffeeshop was so adorable! I loved the small tables, and the cozy interior. The chairs were not super comfortable, but that’s probably because most people sat outside. Most the cafes we passed by had customers choosing to dine outside instead of inside, which is actually so different to me considering how back home in Seattle the weather rarely permits us to dine outside comfortably.
I quite often order the same things whenever I go out for a drink. My usual varies occasionally depending on my mood or the season, but lately it's become either a soy latte, soy mocha, or earl grey tea. I went with a soy mocha, and it was really delicious! The mismatched mugs definitely added to the charm. I really liked the dim interior with the mostly wooden furnishings, the handwritten chalkboard menu, and the assortment of coffee brewers and home espresso machines for sale arranged around the shop. Although it was very small inside, and most people obviously ordered to-go, it still had a nice welcoming feel that had us opting to sit inside rather than enjoying our drink outside in the sunny afternoon.
I quite often order the same things whenever I go out for a drink. My usual varies occasionally depending on my mood or the season, but lately it's become either a soy latte, soy mocha, or earl grey tea. I went with a soy mocha, and it was really delicious! The mismatched mugs definitely added to the charm. I really liked the dim interior with the mostly wooden furnishings, the handwritten chalkboard menu, and the assortment of coffee brewers and home espresso machines for sale arranged around the shop. Although it was very small inside, and most people obviously ordered to-go, it still had a nice welcoming feel that had us opting to sit inside rather than enjoying our drink outside in the sunny afternoon.
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| A huge painted mural on the wall that featured parts of the actual town. Many people posed next to wall as if they were stepping into the scene like an optical illusion. |
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| From one of the many art galleries I passed by. |
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| We also walked through a glass blowing studio, where an artist was creating her work behind a large glass wall that allowed onlookers to watch. It was really fascinating to see her hold the glass in the fire and stretch and shape the glass. |
There is so much to see in Quebec City, and we only explored a small section of it. The beauty, the energy, the history and culture, and overall vibe of this city just was so much to take in. I really enjoyed going here. I can definitely see myself coming back to stay for longer. Perhaps we had chosen a good time to visit, which is why we enjoyed it so much. Who knows?
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| My outfit from Day 2. After the first night on the cruise ship. This is the same outfit I wore from the Fashion Mia review post. |
The cruise itself wasn’t much the first couple days, mainly because the focus was exploring Quebec. Also, the majority of our fellow passengers were older people because the time we went was mid September. By then, most kids were in school and it was after the time people usually went on vacations. This was sort of nice because sometimes vacations with too many rowdy kids around can get annoying and crowded. Although, I did wonder if the other passengers though I was some kind of high school or college dropout, considering how a lot of colleges also start by mid September. UW is the weird oddball that starts later.
We had purchased this drink package on the cruise ship that allowed us unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. This meant that we basically tried out a whole bunch of different drinks that we normally wouldn't go for. I'm really new to the alcohol world (as in REALLLLLY new), and so we ordered a bunch of drinks based on the description to try. Having a drink package like this made it actually feel so much more like a vacation, rather than having to pay individually for each drink, which can total up to a lot. I've found a new love for mojitos and pina coladas. My sister frequently ordered the Moscow Mule, my dad really enjoyed the Long Island iced tea, and my mother preferred strawberry daiquiris. As you can tell, our tastes aren't super refined, but whatever. We had fun with it.
After a long couple days exploring Quebec, my sister and I sat in a lounge and enjoyed a drink (or two) while reading. I always bring a bunch of books with me whenever I go on trips, whether it be electronically on my tablet or physical books. One great thing about technology these days is that there is a library app that I use to borrow books from the library as an electronic version to have on my tablet. It reduces luggage weight by so much! But I do enjoy physical books more. Here, I'm reading If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews. Yes, it's from the Flowers in the Attic series, and yes it's about incest. BUT it's also an incredibly enticing book! The language here, and her writing style is spectacular. I definitely recommend this series! Even if it's kind of weird... Have you read this series? What books do you guys read when on vacation?
We spent an absurd amount of time just sitting in the library on the cruise ship. It was a nice quite place to read (or take a nap in). There were several evenings where my sister and I wandered in there and just read for a couple hours because we didn't want to go to sleep yet, but we also didn't want to watch any of the shows. Sometimes on cruises, I feel obligated to have to watch every show or do every event, but they can get overwhelming. I feel like it's nice to take some time to just relax and read. I hardly have time to read in my normal busy life, so it was great to just sit there and read for a long time. Yes, I did a lot of reading that vacation. A lot. Especially that night when I was stuck at the airport.
The cruise was pretty great those first couple days. There was SO much food! So many drinks to choose from! A ton of shows to watch! We ate at the buffet for breakfast and lunch, but enjoyed dinner downstairs in the restaurants. They were surprisingly very accommodating with my gluten-free diet, and they made sure I had some options to choose from in the restaurant. At first, I was worried that there would only be steaks and pastas and that kind of meal, but I was able to special order things as well. In fact, one night they specially made me a gluten-free pad Thai. Usually pad Thai is already gluten-free as are most Thai foods, but for some reason on the ship, they didn't originally plan to use rice noodles. But, after my inquiring, the chef purposely put together a gluten-free pad Thai for me. That was seriously such a great moment to find that people can be very welcoming and understanding about food intolerances and diet specifications. Have you ever experienced something like this at a restaurant if you have dietary needs?
I’ve definitely got more to say bout this vacation! I’ll keep posting more about it. At the pace I’m at, watch me finish posting about it by Thanksgiving hahaha although considering how I don’t travel too often, I have every right to drag it out. So bear with me.
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| View of the Quebec skyline from the cruise at night. |
Have you ever traveled to Quebec before? What did you think of it? What is your typical go-to drink at coffeeshops?
Thanks for stopping by to read some more of my recounting of the vacation! I wish you all a wonderful week!
Til next time,
~A
50 comments
Wow this place is more than amazing and you look adorable!
ReplyDeletexx
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Aww thank you! It was definitely a beautiful place and I am so glad I went :)
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You look gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThanks Naimah!
DeleteWow amazing places *_* <3
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Thanks!
DeleteUghhh such gorgeous places to be! I really really wish I had the funds to travel more - especially by myself. I love the idea of exploring on my own, on my own time. Those macarons look delicious and those coffees/lattes look amazing!! I'm so jealous!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it's about that time in the semester for me as well when I have to really get down to business and prep for final exams and term projects >_< Hope you're having a lovely week!!
thesixthdisneyprincess.blogspot.com
I actually traveled with my family! I want to try traveling by myself, but I feel like it would be a bit scary. Plus it's more fun with someone. Though, I do agree with you that exploring on my own is fun. I can do things at my own speed and not have to take into account of someone else.
DeleteGood luck on your exams!! :) Thanks Jasmine!
interesting post :)
ReplyDeletenice photos :)
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Thank you!
DeleteLooks beautiful! I love the look of those macaroons especially!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about never knowing how to actually start a post off, it often takes me just as long to think of that as it does to write the rest of the post!!
Farah x
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Those macarons were soo incredible! I've really taken a liking for macarons lately because the crispy yet chewy texture is just so delicious! Right? It's easy to know what I want to say for the body of the post, but actually starting out can be sort of awkward. Intros in general are just awkward.
DeleteBeautiful photo! wonderful city!
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Thank you! I will check out your blog :)
DeleteReally nice post!
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ReplyDeleteI've never been to Quebec before but it sounds great! I particularly love the bit about the coffee shop with the mismatched mugs, it sounds so adorable. Definitely something I'd want to try out. I think I'm more of a tea person, but I don't have a specific drink (especially with hot teas), although I love me some chamomile. Also, the drink package sounds so cool. I love trying out new drinks, and UNLIMITED? Haha, so awesome. Love these travel posts :)
ReplyDeleteSam | My Beauty Cloud
Ever since I've watched Friends or Gilmore Girls, I started finding these sorts of coffee shops so charming. Chamomile is definitely a great tea to drink whenever I need to wind down for the night! It's so soothing. Hahaha who ever came up with this unlimited drinks idea was sooo smart!
Deleteyou look so beautiful in this outfit <3
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Thank you Suvarna!
Delete"Please do not feed the pig" Lol!! It looks so lovely! X
ReplyDelete♡ itsjessiejane ♡
Hahaha that sign cracked me up too! The glass blown art was so beyond beautiful in person!
DeleteThis sounds like a great trip, I'd love to do it myself :)
ReplyDeleteRosy | Sparkles of Light Blog
Thank you! It was really fun, I definitely recommend going!
DeleteLove this post Andrea! Looks like you had so much fun <3
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Thank you! :) It was an amazing vacation! I definitely had a ton of fun!
DeleteI'm the same as you, hun, I often don't know how to start my posts! Introductions are the most difficult thing to write, I find - I often leave them right until the end, which is weird but it kinda works for me! :) Both this and the first part of your Quebec travels have been some of my favourite posts on your lovely blog, truly! It sounds like you had an absolutely wonderful time, and thank you so much for sharing all these gorgeous photos! I have to say, your outfits are absolutely stunning in these pics, you put them together so beautifully! Soy mocha is one of my favourite drinks as well, and it sounds like it ended up being a pretty good choice for you. :) Seems like the cruise was pretty fun too, I've never been on a cruise before but would definitely love to go one day! <3 Sorry it took me so long to catch up with your blog, hun, I've been away for a few days! x Really looking forward to more awesome posts about Quebec. :) <3 x x
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That's the way I go about writing an essay, saving the thesis and intro for last! Thank you Kay! I'm happy to hear you are enjoying these posts :) Soy mocha is one of my favorite drinks because chocolate and coffee are the best combination ever and soy really adds that flavor kick. Definitely consider going on a cruise because it really takes away a lot of the traveling anxiety we all get from having to plan out everything. (except for that flight issue I had but that doesn't happen often haha) Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful week :))
DeleteI'm so glad you've done another blog post on your cruise - it's a lot of fun to read about! The view by night from the ship is utterly dreamy and I like your outfit for wandering through the city :)
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The cafe culture there looks really nice. I'd love to travel there one day.
DeleteThank you Gabrielle! I'm so glad you like it! :) The night view was soo incredible. The skyline really looked beautiful with the puffy clouds and shimmering water.
DeleteThank you Chelsey! I couldn't believe all the pastries that were there and the variety of choices in coffees and drinks overall. You should definitely go to Quebec one day :)
DeleteHaving friends like that is amazing. I recently reconnected with an old friend who we allowed one another to drift apart from. It's been amazing to get our friendship back to where we left off. It's just so nice to be able to connect with someone without effort, judgment and plenty of love and support.
ReplyDeleteI had to do a double take on that wall murual. At first glance I thought that was actual people hahaha! I've never been on a cruise, it's never really appealed to me because I've always presumed they were for golden oldies hehehehe! I have friends who've gone on them over the years and say they're amazing. I should expand my horizons more and be more open minded to it. Because it would be an azmazing experience.
Sxx
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That's the best feeling ever. I love when you can reconnect with old friends as if no time has passed at all. It's so rare to find people to connect with that well, that just gets you like that. Definitely the type to hold on to.
DeleteHahaha it surprised me too! One guy actually posed next to the wall as if he was stepping into the mural and it was quite funny. Too bad I missed that photo op! Although the cruise I went on was definitely filled with a lot of older people haha cruises in general do have younger people too! Just don't take a cruise in early spring or early fall because that's when they are mostly filled with older people.
I love your casual chic outfit and it sounds like you had a fabulous time,the places are beautiful! I am also back from my mini vacay, its good to be back to work/blogging ;) xx
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Thank you! It was such a great vacation! I wish I can just travel all the time and not have to work or anything haha too bad
DeleteI hope you had a great mini vacation too :)
OMG the last pics is so picturesque! *-*
ReplyDeleteQuebec City should be an interesting great city to visit! I like the little bakeries and cafès scattered here and there! ^-^
Have a lovely begin of November!
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I couldn't resist taking a photo of that gorgeous scene! Looking at the town from the cruise ship is definitely the best view! The sky and waters meeting at the horizon.
DeleteThere were so many bakeries and cafes and small little boutiques to wander through, that short time I spent there was not enough!
Thank you Roberta!
Wow it looks amazing there! Love your photos. Gemma x
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Thank you Gemma! :)
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DeleteWhat a lovely post with great photos! Thank you so much for sharing your holiday with us !! xx
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Thank you!! :)
DeleteAmazing photos!
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Thanks Sarah!
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