GARY MUSICK PRODUCTIONS

CONSTELLATION IN CANADA

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sailing on the Celebrity CONSTELLATION for its trip into New England and the Canada. We over-nighted in Quebec City and had a chance to get off the ship for a stroll through the historic streets of the French inspired capital of the Province of Quebec. It was like stepping into Europe for the day! In fact, Quebec City is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. Almost everyone there speaks French as their first language, and English as a very distant second. The food in the city's many cafes was amazing, and the architecture was completely different than anything you would see in the US. The ship docks in a port adjacent to the downtown shopping and arts district, so walking was the preferred method of sightseeing. It was pretty chilly, so we did not stay out as long as we would have liked. After an evening in Quebec City, I disembarked and headed home. The ship continued its cruise to Price Edward Island and a few other stops before returning to Port Liberty in Newark. Its a great itinerary for anyone interested in a beautiful fall cruise to a part of the world that's not normally considered a top cruise destination. Just be sure to bring a coat!

Here's the Constellation in port in Quebec City. The St. Lawrence River flows through the heart of the city.

Quebec City's European architecture makes the downtown feel like a stroll through one of Europe's capitals.

This is the restaurant where we had brunch one morning. Delicious!

The streets of Quebec City are lined with hundreds of quaint townhouses and apartments.

This is the main shopping street in lower Quebec City. Trendy clothing stores, art galleries, gift shops and restaurants make this street a popular destination for tourists and locals.

We spent a couple of hours roaming the streets of the downtown district. You might need to bring an oxygen tank when you start exploring the city...the streets are STEEP and its easy to get winded after climbing the hills leading to the main business district.