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| EXPERIENCING FOR A WHILE THE HISTORY OF QUÉBEC ~ By Habeeb Salloum |
| WAVE Journey.com Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
I had visited Quebec City, the cradle of
French civilization in North America, a
number of times but this was the first
time I had come to take part in the
SAQ New France Festival - for 13 years
an annual extravaganza. A
celebration of the first Europeans to
arrive in North America, it is an exciting
event that is worth attending. It
takes a visitor back to the time when
Quebec had its beginnings - that is if
one forgets the indigenous inhabitants
of that French Canadian province.
French civilization in North America, a
number of times but this was the first
time I had come to take part in the
SAQ New France Festival - for 13 years
an annual extravaganza. A
celebration of the first Europeans to
arrive in North America, it is an exciting
event that is worth attending. It
takes a visitor back to the time when
Quebec had its beginnings - that is if
one forgets the indigenous inhabitants
of that French Canadian province.
Quebec City was where the French Empire began in North America. The city became the
centre of New France but had only 5,000 inhabitants when the British occupied it, in
1759. Today, the French heritage in this city is the heart of where the Francophone
culture in North America has been preserved. Quebec City’s European atmosphere and
friendly people have made the city and, in fact, the whole of the province of Quebec a
tourist destination for both Canadian and international travellers.
centre of New France but had only 5,000 inhabitants when the British occupied it, in
1759. Today, the French heritage in this city is the heart of where the Francophone
culture in North America has been preserved. Quebec City’s European atmosphere and
friendly people have made the city and, in fact, the whole of the province of Quebec a
tourist destination for both Canadian and international travellers.
The New France Festival is a fine
occasion for the locals and visitors to
discover and at the same time, relive
the epoch of Quebec City’s beginnings
in 1608. As well, they can experience
the local cuisine and visit some of the
many historical sites.
occasion for the locals and visitors to
discover and at the same time, relive
the epoch of Quebec City’s beginnings
in 1608. As well, they can experience
the local cuisine and visit some of the
many historical sites.
To celebrate this era, there are
activities galore in the first part of
August, of every year. Costumed
actors dressed like the early colonial
French settlers fill the streets
entertaining people with historic
activities galore in the first part of
August, of every year. Costumed
actors dressed like the early colonial
French settlers fill the streets
entertaining people with historic
anecdotes, concerts, spectacular shows and parades held at the 13th sites set out for
Entertainment - During the 5-day festival over 1,000 artistic events are featured. But
best of all, visitors can rent costumes and participate in the festival, along with some
30,000 other festival lovers. It is a world of colour, as well as excitement and historical
romance taking one back to the first French presence in North America. In the words of a
costumed participant, “It’s not often that one can live in the past amid such a colourful
atmosphere - and I am enjoying it.”
Entertainment - During the 5-day festival over 1,000 artistic events are featured. But
best of all, visitors can rent costumes and participate in the festival, along with some
30,000 other festival lovers. It is a world of colour, as well as excitement and historical
romance taking one back to the first French presence in North America. In the words of a
costumed participant, “It’s not often that one can live in the past amid such a colourful
atmosphere - and I am enjoying it.”
Donning our 17th century costumes,
we left our hotel to join in the
festivities and experience a little of
how life was during the 17th and 18th
centuries. We walked the narrow
streets of Basse-Ville or Lower Town,
next to the river, whose streets were
crammed with humanity - many
appearing from the storybooks of the
Middle Ages. This, the oldest quarter
in the city, is filled with coffee shops,
boutiques, souvenir shops,
cobble-stoned streets and impressive
renovated old medieval buildings from
the 17th and 18th centuries. Because
we left our hotel to join in the
festivities and experience a little of
how life was during the 17th and 18th
centuries. We walked the narrow
streets of Basse-Ville or Lower Town,
next to the river, whose streets were
crammed with humanity - many
appearing from the storybooks of the
Middle Ages. This, the oldest quarter
in the city, is filled with coffee shops,
boutiques, souvenir shops,
cobble-stoned streets and impressive
renovated old medieval buildings from
the 17th and 18th centuries. Because
of its unique architecture and historic sites, it has been named a World Heritage Treasure.
Upon entering the festivities, we were
joined by thousands of other
costumed men and women, stick-men
and women, pirates and moving giants
parading up and down the streets and
alleyways while the remainder were
window-shopping or marching in the
streets. Others were standing around
craftsmen who were practising their
trades on sidewalks, or in recesses in
the walls of buildings, working on
authentic crafts practised in New
France some 400 years ago. As I
gazed upon a skilled artisan producing
wooden figures, my colleague
remarked, “It seems like medieval
history is coming alive in a colourful
way during the 21st century!”
joined by thousands of other
costumed men and women, stick-men
and women, pirates and moving giants
parading up and down the streets and
alleyways while the remainder were
window-shopping or marching in the
streets. Others were standing around
craftsmen who were practising their
trades on sidewalks, or in recesses in
the walls of buildings, working on
authentic crafts practised in New
France some 400 years ago. As I
gazed upon a skilled artisan producing
wooden figures, my colleague
remarked, “It seems like medieval
history is coming alive in a colourful
way during the 21st century!”
