Three things surprised me about Quebec City on a visit to this charming Canadian city.   First….yikes….the cruise ships. We headed to this charming French Canadian walled city the first weekend in October, thinking it might be a quiet time.  Wrong.

It was the busiest week of the year for CRUISE Ships. What a surprise! Six huge vessels were docked there one day, including the Queen Mary 2, a truly elegant vessel. I would have enjoyed touring her to see if she is as elegant on the inside as the outside.

The other ships, not so much. Several  blocked the water view and released thousands of tourists, making the charming cobble stone streets and historic sights a big mash up of camera toting visitors.

Another surprise—a happy one—was all the abundance of outdoor and interesting art work. Evidently every year they are changed, to be enjoyed by all who live and visit there. It reminded me a bit of ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. Here are some of the eye catching  installations and creativity.

The third and more subtle surprise is how the city used the pavement as a way of highlighting the city’s history. These lines indicate where the river once flowed. The circle marks the main well of this old town. This made history real.

Obviously one needs to look in all directions when meandering the quaint streets of Old Quebec.