On a north east tip of land, eastward and south of the St. Lawrence river, lie a few small and interesting communities surrounded by majestic rocks and sea. The first stop would be Lévis, a small community resting on the south bank.
Image from Google Earth.
Starting at Quebec City, if you continue along the southern coast of the St. Lawrence, you'll encounter a variety of small and charming towns. You'll also pass Bic National Park as you extend further away from the metro areas and deeper into the rural communities to the east. This particular drive is varied and slow. A leisurely drive with blues, greens, and earthy browns and reds.
Muted pastels strike away the tired mist.
When we arrived at Lévis, it was early: 6 am. We had decided against getting lodging and just napped in the Buick until sunrise- we had driven through the night from Massachusetts. Our goal for the day was to make it to Gaspé, though taking into account the unknown things we may encounter, this goal was abstract and able to be changed.
After a light breakfast, we stopped at a small park overlooking the beautiful architecture of Quebec City, just across the river. The sun lazily rose from the trees and hills, illuminating the structures that were previously obscured. Sunlight filtered through the walls and pillars of the gazebos around us.
Clean and Dignified.
Something I've always found quite charming as an American in Canada is the beauty and simplicity of Canadian public infrastructure. Clean and beautiful; functional.
We stepped over into a few streets, exploring the small area around us. The streets were small and friendly. A light, cool breeze lightly slid past us. The sounds of lapping waves and the clink-clank of ships and maritime things floated gently through the otherwise silent morning.
Morning.
We took a side street, where a large cross overlooks the city. A cruise-liner slowly floated past us. Two benches, one obscured in shadow, sat facing the scene before us. I thought about all the different people who've sat here, the river sparkling and winking at them, and it felt calm.
Stark contemplation over the St. Lawrence
The morning was beautiful, but we had to move on. We returned to the car and continued on.
