On Being Quebecois

To be Quebecois, to live in Quebec, takes grit. Grit to handle the weather - the cold, the wind, the long winters, the rain. The faces of the people we meet and pass all show the evidence of weathering this land. And yet, they more than just weather it. They have done so well! They keep fit by walking, biking and cross-country skiing in the winter. They garden...constantly! Everyone makes sure their yards are leaf-free, nicely mown, and planted with trees and perennials. I only wish the season to see those perennials bloom were here now, but winter is holding on for it's last week it seems. I do see them poking through the ground, and an occasional rare early appearance of a bloom here and there. Give this area one week of good weather and I can only imagine the landscape transforming into a green paradise burgeoning with color from blossoms.

We rode through riverside communities that are an artists dream, evidenced by the numerous art shops and sculpture studios. Quebecois have also mastered using the local produce and food products to an art within their cooking. Today, we stopped for lunch at a great little cafe, where we tasted Quebec fish and vegetable soup...just the ticket for a couple of cold wind-blown cyclists stopping in!

Our route so far

As we journey further north along the St. Lawrence away from the larger ciities of Montreal and Quebec City, the number of people who speak English is diminishing. This is when one wishes they had the language mastered enough to converse, but alas, French is not my forte. It is limited to merci beaucoup (thank you so much), se vous plait (please), and bonjour (good morning.) If I could, I would say to the people of Quebec: "Thank you for welcoming us into your province so openly and giving us a glimpse of your wonderful culture and the natural beauty of your land."