Bonhomme Carnaval, my guide to Quebec City

When I visited the city during my summer work exchange, we stayed here for a weekend while we visited ValCartier waterpark.

In the summer months, the university opens its residence to student travelers and short-term visitors. I did note, however, that there were no families - they were mainly students looking for low-cost rooms.

The great thing about Laval is that they will book large groups for low cost. I'm not sure exactly how much we paid, but we had a group of about 150 people.

The rooms fit on average from 2-6 people, depending on where you were.

The university is on the bus route and is in the downtown area. It is minutes from the mall, and from Old Quebec. It is also only about 20 minutes from ValCartier Summer Park, and 45 minutes from Granby Zoo.

L'Extreme was… well, extreme! The restaurant itself is fairly tiny, but its biggest feature is the pasta buffet. What you can do is purchase the buffet, and you make up your own pasta dish as you go. The chefs are serving the pasta behind glass windows and they have pretty much every kind of noodle known to man!

For those who aren't really into the pasta, this excellent Italian restaurant also offers pizza on their menu. It is a thin-crust pizza, but they are equal on their sauce/cheese ratio.

I was brought here on my birthday for a birthday dinner, and found the atmosphere to be relatively quiet and relaxed. Everyone there was very friendly (something you find everywhere in Quebec City) and helpful. They even sang Happy Birthday to me in English!!

Oh, and the dessert menu is to die for.

During my stay in Quebec, I visited the Carnaval three different times. The very first day it opened, my host family and I bundled up very warmly (you are walking outside and temperatures average around -25C without the wind chill) and went down to explore. There is a nominal fee to get into the main site, and when you pay that you receive a small "bonhomme" that you place on your jacket zipper. If this is not visible to security, you will be thrown out! As a caution, the majority of the security guards do not speak English and you may have difficulty. Bilingual staff wear a bilingual pin on their jacket lapels at all times.

Going in, you are greeted with Bonhomme's Ice Castle. Do not confuse this with the ice hotel - this is simply a castle that you can walk through that also features the ice stage, where various musical presentations take place during the day.

There are also multiple ice sculptures that national artists create on the site - the first few days you are even able to chat with them (they come from across Canada, the majority are English) as they build their creations, and some will even allow you to experience hands-on activity.

For the children, Mr.Christie has a children’s sliding park; however, for the snow hills you may want to bring your own sled, as the rental units are limited and often there is a long wait. When I was there, there was also an ice-fishing setup, and a maple taffy pull. The carnival is normally set up across the street from the Parliament buildings, and on the first few days, the crowds are so large that you can stand on the steps of Parliament and never see the end of the crowd. Be careful not to get separated - a cellphone in your pocket, or walkie-talkies, are a good plan.

Wow. That's all I can say. If you have never been to a big city and seen a major parade, Mr. Christie's parade will definitely render you speechless.

The whole thing must take weeks to set up and organize. Throughout the whole thing, I felt like I was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, except that I was standing on a street corner.

The streets were blocked off by metal gating, and policemen were patrolling the area. The floats are massive and huge, and you don't really get any of the small-town walkers… most are really involved with their floats.

The crowds are massive; that is the only issue I had with the parade. Getting there was easy, but getting back was harder. It's very easy to get lost, and if you are bringing children, lawn chairs or defining a specific area is a good plan.

Also important to note is that many of the locals use this parade as a kickoff to the carnival, and it is tradition to drink "boisson carnival" from the Bonhomme tube. This means that by the end, many locals are stumbling home, and may be frightening or insulting to some people. The crowds in the streets after the parade are phenomenal, and it is very easy to lose your group.

All in all, the parade is definitely worth seeing, but try and find a place to watch where there is not much traffic, and where you are close to your vehicle or hotel.

So you have a compulsive shopper in your midst, and an empty, rainy day with nothing to do? Here's your solution! Providing you still have some vacation money left in the bank, you definitely want to spend some time at Place Laurier.

It is a HUGE shopping center. Actually, it's more like three shopping centers all next door to each other, and they're all linked by sidewalks, so it takes less than 2 seconds to get to each.

It took me about 4 hours to get all the way through these malls. They each have two floors minimum; one has three.

They also feature major designer names, as well as the normal little ones that I have back home. Here you can find places like Aldo Shoes/Accessories (Best Shoe Store EVER!) and Archambault (a big music/bookstore that sells every style of music you've ever heard of). They also have a big assortment of little stores that are unique to Quebec.

One of the coolest things about this mall is that it has a chapel RIGHT IN THE MALL! I didn't notice it till about my third visit, but I was walking and looking at the signs and it said "chapelle," and there was actually a service going on. This chapel is open most of the mall hours.

In the main mall there is always some kind of main activity going on in the center. In January, Bonhomme has been known to hang out here. As well, I have seen dance competitions (ballet, jazz and breakdance), karaoke contests, and career fairs being held in the middle.

Of course, all this shopping will make you hungry. Each mall has its own eatery section, with its own selection of restaurants. Choose from Greek, Canadian, vegetarian, and Thai. Anything, they most likely have it!

The only things I feel I should warn you about this attraction is this:
-Bring your credit cards!
-Wear good walking shoes!

One of my favourite activities while in Quebec City is to spend an afternoon strolling through the old city. Be sure to bring a good pair of sneakers-- these roads have never been paved and feature the same cobblestones that our ancestors walked over 200 years ago!

You will know how to find the old part of the city by its most prominent building, the Chateau Frontenac. Although many believe that it was built as a residence, it was actually built for the purpose of being a hotel, which at five-stars is quite impressive. Frontenac is probably the most photographed building in the city, and its peaks and turrets are visible from almost any part of the city.

Scattered under the Chateau are many little buildings that are home to many little stores and boutiques. From antiques and tourist souvenirs to drugstores and even McDonalds, Old Quebec has everything.

If walking tires you out, catch a ride on one of the rickshaws, a human-drawn carriage. These boys are usually only available in the spring/summer months, and are usually university students who make this their summer job! I found that they knew alot about the old town, and were almost more knowledgeable than the hired tour guides!

There is a really awesome restaurant in the old part of the city called the 37th Parallel, which is supposedly right on the parallel line. Stop for a photo opportunity at their road sign which will tell you exactly how many miles away you are from Beijing, or Antarctica.

The old city has four different entrances, called "ports" and they are made of stone. The main entrance is called Port St Jean, because it opens onto Rue St Jean. If there is any kind of parade, be it a holiday or just a simple protest, you can be sure to view it by standing on this road. Rue St Jean is also the best road to find all your tourist shops, although beware of street beggars.

One more thing before I end this. At the very entrance to Port St Jean on the right, you will find a pavilion. In the winter, this transforms into a skating rink, with skate rentals and everything. There are also bleacher style benches to relax and watch the busy comings and goings. In the summer, these bleachers and pavilions are filled with street musicians playing bongoes and African drums. If you are looking for culture, don't pass by the pavilion!

Old Quebec is the oldest, and my most favourite part of the city. I don't think I would feel complete going to Quebec without stopping here.