Clear Clouds Lightly Rippling — Summer in Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City

Six years ago, I had never been abroad, not even to Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand), and Canada was even more out of reach. Unexpectedly, in the following years, thanks to my daughter studying abroad, I set foot on the North American continent. So I have visited places like Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and more. This second-largest country in the world is indeed vast, with pleasant scenery and captivating beauty in all four seasons. Especially Canada's summer is short but beautiful, with cool and comfortable weather. Whether you're in the city or enjoying nature, the scenery is picturesque and refreshing.

This year, staying home felt slow, and I often recall the free summers of the past. In August 2017, I drove from Vancouver to Banff National Park with a family of seven. In July 2018, I was in Ottawa during Canada Day and experienced the French flair of Montreal and Quebec City. Many scenes are still vivid in my mind, unforgettable. This article first writes about the wonderful memories of these three eastern Canadian cities.

On June 30, 2018, I flew from Beijing to Ottawa via Toronto. The next day was Canada Day. As the capital, there were many celebrations. My daughter excitedly took me, still jet-lagged, to experience Canada's grandest National Day. Usually, the streets near Parliament Hill have only a few tourists, but on July 1, it was packed with people. It felt like all of Ottawa had come out, with people of all ages, families, and everyone wearing red and white, with Canadian flags everywhere. I had never seen such a scene before.

On Parliament Hill, there was a large outdoor concert featuring famous Canadian singers and artists. The crowd was so huge that we couldn't get close, so we watched on a big screen for a while. As night fell amidst the joyous atmosphere, people gathered on the streets in front of the Fairmont Hotel, waiting for the highlight of the celebration: the fireworks show! We secured a prime viewing spot. Giant, colorful fireworks of various shapes burst continuously in the sky above us. I hadn't heard firecrackers in Beijing for many years, so this was a real treat. Besides, it was my first time watching fireworks live, which is completely different from watching on TV—I was super excited! There's a video below!

Because my daughter studies in Ottawa, I've gotten to know this charming city well. Ottawa is far less famous than Toronto or Vancouver. As the capital and political center of Canada, it is always low-key. This garden city with a population of one million is rich in culture and art, attracting over two million tourists annually. Its beautiful natural environment, combined with the advanced facilities of a big city, exudes a comfortable, easygoing, and grand urban character. Even though I've been to Ottawa several times, there are still many places I haven't explored. Each season has its charm. If you visit as a tourist and only arrange one or two days, it's really not enough. Many online guides suggest a quick tour of Ottawa, which I think is a bit of a misunderstanding.

After happily celebrating Canada Day with my daughter in Ottawa, how could I let such a beautiful summer go to waste? So we rented a car, and my daughter drove me to the famous Montreal and Quebec City! I don't know why, but the word "Quebec" sounds very appealing. Our route was from far to near: first go to Quebec City, and on the way back, stop in Montreal for a short stay.

The distance from Ottawa to Quebec City is 450 kilometers, and we expected a 5-hour drive. We had a meal on the way and actually arrived in Quebec City after about 6 hours. The hotel we booked was a resort a bit away from the city center, nestled between mountains and water. The scenery was beautiful and very quiet. After driving all the way, it was pleasant to stroll around the courtyard to relax. In the evening, we drove into the city to see the night view and have dinner. A big mistake: we didn't bring enough clothes. The temperature dropped sharply at night, and we could only walk around the city center briefly in thin windbreakers, freezing. We learned firsthand about the temperature difference between day and night in Canadian summer.

The drive back to the hotel was quite thrilling. Cars zoomed past us, as if "bullying" us for being unfamiliar with the area. But the real thrill came later! After leaving the city, there was no light along the road except for our car headlights. It was pitch black everywhere. For the first time in my life, I drove such a night road, gripping the steering wheel tightly, staring at the road lit by the headlights. My heart raced and my palms sweated. We were the only car on the road, and the more I drove, the more panicked I became. Luckily, my daughter kept comforting and encouraging me. I regretted why I had booked a hotel so far away!

Driving at 30 km/h on the dark road for over 10 minutes, I almost started hallucinating. Finally, we saw some lights. When we parked at the resort, I was almost collapsing. That drive was terrifying! Just as we were recovering from the shock, we looked up, and oh my god, the sky was filled with bright, dense twinkling stars. Because the resort was far from the city with no light pollution, we were lucky to see such a pure starry sky. Truly, you lose something but gain something! My daughter is a hardcore star lover, so she couldn't let this opportunity pass. We put on all the clothes we brought, still shivering, and quietly watched the night sky. Suddenly, a long meteor streaked across, and before we could exclaim, another meteor followed. It was my daughter's first time seeing a meteor, and she was extremely excited and quickly made a wish. Even today, recalling that night's experience still stirs my emotions. That night sky and those stars are truly unforgettable...

The next day was clear and sunny, with bright sunlight and blue lake water, a stark contrast to the previous day. Unfortunately, we could only briefly enjoy the beautiful resort scenery before heading to Old Quebec!

Summer is a season of celebration. On that day, Quebec City was holding a large event. The streets were crowded with tourists, and many roads were under traffic control. Unfamiliar with the roads, we almost entered a bus-only lane several times. While looking for a parking lot on the map, we accidentally drove into a temporarily blocked area. A handsome police officer on a motorcycle caught up and told us we couldn't park there. It was quite embarrassing. Even more embarrassing, the road was a steep slope with no place to turn around, so we had to reverse uphill! Fortunately, the officer directed pedestrians to make way for us. Quebec City has many uphill and downhill streets, which is troublesome whether driving or walking.

After finally finding a parking lot, our enthusiasm for sightseeing had diminished. Fortunately, my daughter had been to Quebec several times and knew the way. She took me on a one-day tour of Quebec City.

Understanding the history of Quebec City's founding explains its French character. Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer and geographer, discovered this land in 1608 and established a colony there, beginning French colonial rule in Canada. Thus, Quebec City is a historically and culturally famous city with a strong French flavor, the oldest city in North America, with 95% of residents speaking French.

We planned to arrive in Montreal by evening, a 250+ kilometer drive taking about 3 hours. So our tour of Quebec City was just a quick glimpse. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to return when the maple leaves turn red and spend two days savoring it.

Like Quebec City, Montreal is in the province of Quebec and speaks French, but it is more modern. As Canada's second-largest city, the name "Montreal" comes from the French "Mont Royal," meaning "Royal Mountain," named after the landmark Mount Royal in the city center. With a population of 4.2 million, Montreal is one of Canada's most important economic centers and the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris.

Montreal feels more cosmopolitan than Toronto, with a certain French flair. Its commerce is highly developed, but we didn't come for shopping; our targets were two grand cathedrals. The first is the majestic St. Joseph's Oratory, with a dome 97 meters high, the second-largest domed church in the world after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The other is the Notre-Dame Basilica, often called "the Notre Dame of Paris," where Celine Dion held her wedding—a breathtakingly beautiful cathedral.

The Notre-Dame Basilica regularly has light shows, but unfortunately, there wasn't one on the day we visited. However, the later light show on Ottawa's Parliament Hill compensated for that regret. After visiting these two awe-inspiring cathedrals, I just wanted to clear my mind. Our next destination was Mount Royal Park, said to be the highest point in Montreal, offering a panoramic view of the city.

We returned to Ottawa from Montreal in about two hours. This wonderful trip to Quebec remains unforgettable to this day. I'll end this travelogue with the traditional light show at Ottawa's Parliament Hill.

The breeze refreshes the heart, the emotion enters the dream.