On Monday, Grade 8 students departed for Québec City. We made excellent time, and the students were fantastic respecting timings, cleaning up after lunch and on the bus. We stopped for lunch in Fredericton, had supper in Edmundston, and enjoyed a lovely, quiet evening at the hotel.
On Tuesday, we arrived in Québec City, and we could not have been prouder of the students’ attention to the schedule and participation in the activities planned. Tuesday was a full day, starting with three hours at the
École de cirque de Québec. This circus school is located in a large old church that was purchased and renovated yet has maintained many of its old architectural features.
After lunch in Old Québec, students participated in reenactments of the 1759 battle between the British and French on the Plains of Abraham. This was followed by a guided tour of Old Québec and then on to
Érablière Du Cap Sugar Shack, where we learned the process of making maple syrup and how to furiously beat syrup into maple butter.
Wednesday took us to the beautiful Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. The Basilica is only a 30-minute drive from the city and brings us to the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. We visited Montmorency Falls (which are higher than Niagara Falls), and the Canyon Sainte-Anne – crossing the canyon on suspension bridges. Later, we participated in a theatrical storytelling of traditional Québecois legends.
After some free time back in Old Québec, we had a delicious supper followed by an amazingly performed and orchestrated ghost walk, which resulted in more than a few squeals!
Our final day in Québec was perfect with a visit to the
Aquarium du Québec, which is a very special place. The aquarium features a great balance of unique marine mammals, fish, sea life, and aquatic life from the St. Lawrence River. After the aquarium there was some time for shopping at the mall,
Les Galeries de la Capitale and then on to Edmundston for the night. The trip is never complete without pool time to burn off even more energy. It was a fantastic trip overall!
Karen Jones
Director, Arts