Quebec City: Frozen Fingers & Phantom Accordions
okay, so quebec city. it’s…a lot. i arrived with the numbers 6325494 and 1124823933 swirling in my head (don’t ask, it’s a long story involving a lost bet and a very specific sequence generator) and immediately walked into a wind that felt personally offended by my existence. i just checked and it's currently trying to turn exposed skin into tiny ice sculptures, hope you're prepared for that. The weather report said -7.8°C, but honestly, the "feels like" of -14.77°C is a more accurate representation of my soul right now.
i’m a vintage clothes picker, which means i’m basically a professional rummager. and quebec city? it’s a rummager’s dream. the old town is ridiculously charming, all cobblestone streets and buildings that look like they’ve stepped out of a fairytale. but it’s also…expensive. like, seriously expensive. i spent half my budget on a ridiculously oversized fur hat just to survive the walk from my Airbnb to the first thrift store.
someone told me that the best vintage finds are hidden in the Saint-Roch neighborhood, but you have to go early before the real collectors swoop in. Apparently, there’s a woman named Madame Dubois who knows everything about antique lace.
Speaking of neighborhoods, if you get bored, Montreal and even Boston are just a quick train ride away. It's a good base if you want to explore more of eastern Canada. I overheard someone complaining about the parking situation near the *Château Frontenac - apparently, it’s a nightmare. They said you’re better off just walking, which, honestly, is probably a good idea anyway. It’s a small city, and you’ll see way more that way.
I’ve been trying to find a decent poutine place. I heard that Chez Ashton is a local institution (https://www.chezaston.com/en/), but another guy at the hostel (a very intense marathon runner, more on that later) swore that Le Chic Shack (https://lechicshack.ca/en/) has the best fries. Honestly, I’m starting to think everyone just has their own deeply held poutine opinions. It's a whole thing.
And the neighbors… they’re…eccentric. I keep hearing accordion music drifting from somewhere, even at 2 am. It’s not unpleasant, exactly, but it’s definitely unsettling. I think someone is practicing for a polka competition. Or maybe they’re just a phantom accordion player. This city has that vibe.
Here's a quick rundown of what I've been hauling around:
*Camera: My trusty Canon AE-1. Gotta capture those vintage vibes.
*Gloves: Seriously, invest in good gloves. Your fingers will thank you.
*Scarf: A ridiculously large, hand-knitted scarf. It’s my lifeline.
*Notebook: For jotting down thrift store finds and phantom accordion sightings.
*Portable Charger:* Because my phone dies faster than my enthusiasm in this weather.
I also overheard a couple arguing about the best way to get to Montmorency Falls (https://www.sepaq.com/ct/parc-montmorency/). One was advocating for the bus, the other was convinced that Uber was the only civilized option. It was…heated. I’m leaning towards the bus, mostly because I’m broke.
And that marathon runner? He’s running a “recovery run” every morning, even in this weather. He told me the pressure is 1005 hPa, humidity is 69%, and the ground level is 990m, as if that explains anything. He also warned me about the wind chill. He’s…intense. You can find more info about running routes here: https://www.alltrails.com/canada/quebec/quebec-city.
Anyway, I’m going to go find more vintage treasures and try to avoid frostbite. Wish me luck. And if you see a phantom accordion player, tell them I said hi.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/snapshots-of-grit-where-portauprince-kids-burn-energy-after-the-bell-rings
- https://topiclo.com/post/lost-in-the-heat-chasing-the-beat
- https://topiclo.com/post/pasig-city-where-the-rents-not-crazy-and-the-cafs-have-personality
- https://topiclo.com/post/studying-in-kabinda-top-universities-and-student-life-dont-ask-me-how-i-got-here
- https://topiclo.com/post/lisbon-after-hours-369004-and-the-seas-sigh