From his quarantine cabin, Randy had this view as we came into Quebec City.

We had this view.  The rental that Cindy, Darrell and I were sharing for three nights was way up near the fancy hotel Fairmont La Chateau Frontenac at the top left.   Of course, the original plan was that the four of us would stay together for three days to explore the historic area of Quebec City.

Instead Randy was headed into quarantine for an additional six days at a hotel of Canada’s choosing.  I could not get reservations at the same hotel but had plans to move to the one next to him when the Airbnb reservation was over.  I had changed our plane reservations to correspond with Randy getting out of quarantine.

Cindy, Darrell and I gathered our bags and walked off the ship.  We started the hike up the hill pulling our bags behind us.

These are Randy’s notes:  

Cruise ended on 9-7. I was told to wait until an escort was sent to get me. They took us one at a time off the boat. They handed us a packet near the gangway and pointed at the buses, and said good luck. I used my cruise card to scan off the boat and was now Canada’s problem. The doctor did provide a letter indicating when my quarantine was over based on Canadian rules.

There were two buses and about 70 people split between two hotels. No security, we were to quarantine on the honor system.

What came apparent to Randy was that there were many couples going into quarantine.  Some had both tested positive, and others had one person choosing to go into quarantine with their partner.  We were never given that option but probably wouldn’t have done so anyway.

So many bags (and people) going into quarantine.

Randy’s room was number 527.

The room was fine but did not have a microwave – that would be problematic. Even getting things like plastic silverware and napkins was problematic.

Randy was supposed to be served meals from the hotel restaurant.  It became clear very quickly that they did not have the staff to provide meals for their COVID guests. The hotel was still trying to operate as a regular hotel and restaurant at the same time they had COVID floors.

COVID guests were given a short list menu, sometimes it did not have any hot options.  Sometimes he would get something he didn’t order – like two steak dinners.  Sometimes he would not get what he did order.

The hotel staff eventually suggested he use Uber Eats if he could.  The hotel provided a list of area restaurants where he could order, pay and then a driver would knock on his door and deliver his meal.  Mostly that worked except the  first meal he ordered was spaghetti with and breadsticks. 

He got two complete meals.  He didn’t have a microwave to be able to save it and warm it up another day.

(The rest of us were in a completely different part of Quebec City so couldn’t help.)

The hotel staff also couldn’t provide any staff to deliver ice so Randy would sneak out periodically to go down the hall to get ice.  He was aware that the woman next door snuck out to go for a walk each day. They were told that someone from the health department may be by at anytime to be sure they were there – but it never happened.   

One other couple just left quarantine and went to the airport.  In his limited conversations with the medical hierarchy in Canada, he was also told that if quarantined people are “caught” at the airport trying to leave then they will be required to start their quarantine all over again and there would be a $500 fine.

Given all that, except for his trips down the hall to the ice machine, Randy followed the rules.

And Cindy, Darrell and I went on with the plan…

When we made it to the top of the hill, our Airbnb wasn’t available yet so we got on a bus tour to orient us to the historic district.

You could pick your language!

Quebec means “where the river becomes narrow.” It is an Algonquin word, not French. The Algonquin were the First Peoples of the area.

French explorer, Samuel D. Champlain came to survey the area in 1608 and set the course for French colonization.

The French built buildings like there were in France and England.

There remains a combination of English and French architecture.

The copper roofs were shiny when first installed. They turned brown after a few years, then green after a few decades.

Quebec City is the only city in North America, north of Mexico, to be surrounded by fortification.  The Historic District of Old Quebec, where Cindy, Darrell and I were staying, was named a UNESCO world site in 1985.

The Quebec Armory has a medieval castle look.  The original was burned and then replaced. 

We drove by the oldest grocery store in Quebec City originating in 1871.

In 1863 Canada’s independence guaranteed linguistic rights of French speakers in Quebec. There are 800,000 people in Quebec City, and one million in the province. 

Next up: Cindy, Darrell and I explore Quebec City while Randy languishes in quarantine. We felt bad for him too!