Quartier Petit Champlain, Quebec

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I have to confess....I have a little bit of a sweet tooth...and I discovered this little shop just after I had finished lunch and I was walking ( what else is new ).

I think what caught me eye was a stand tat the proprietor had set up containing what looked like snow....and there were dollops of Maple Taffy poured onto the snow ready to be eaten...

I decided that this was to be desert and I soon was snacking on this little treat!!

When I finished the first little taste... ( ok so maybe it wasn't so little ) I decided on a second helping...and soon I was talking with the man...his name is Mario...and I told him about how it was prepared in my family when I was a child..and how my father would collect snow in any container we could find...often an old wash basin....and the Winter ritual would begin...

The Maple syrup would be boiled in a pot until it reached a certain temperature and then lightly poured onto the snow in the containers....we would use forks to roll it up into a ball and we would eat it from the fork...

This little exercise is not strictly a Quebecoise tradition but I believe the origins go back to The Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

Certainly there is a long history of Quebec's production and consumption of Maple Syrup but in general it is I would think relative to Eastern Canada...

What to buy: Any Maple products you would like...My preference is the syrup for the occasional breakfast of pancakes or as Ive just described...the maple Taffy on snow... : O ]

Mario told me that all of the products here originate in a forest that he maintains and taps....and that his forest is 40,000 trees large!!

For more information about the Maple industry I would take a peek at the Web site his store maintains...the link is provided here just below!

The second picture shows you the servings of Maple Taffy.. : O ]

What to pay: Generally Maple products are not cheap...and my little treats cost me I think I paid $ 5.00 for two servings...

If you are looking for fine art by Quebec Artist the Galerie D'Art Laroche, Denis looked very nice to me.

Here is a picture of the store from outside.

Notice one of the peices is placed on an ice sculpture in celebration of the Winter Carnaval!

There are many other Art Galleries as well in this area of Quebec!

I found the La Chasse Galerie just off the Petit Champlain street but in the district I guess you would say.

I was lured in by a coat that was hanging outside and inside it was a beautiful store with lots of fashionable clothing and crafts from the native people of the Quebec Province.

What to buy: I purchased a drum as you can see in the picture.

I think you will enjoy this store!

The only shop in Quebec City specializing in wood sculptures. Over 3000 sculptures in stock: semi-figurative, figurative, expressive, traditional, folkloric, theatrical, modern, bas-relief, haut-relief and 3-dimensional. Wide selection of animals, statues and figurines.

I enjoyed walking around this store and I bought a few things but it was a treat when I ventured upstairs and got this picture of the guy doing his work!!

No made in China stuff here :-)

Coined as the oldest shopping mall in North America, I walked about here passing a small church in front of an encircled statue of Louis XVIth.

There are a lot of interesting shops for souvenoirs, wine, cheese, Indian items (such as mocassins, and scarfs), fashionable clothing stores, and lots of restaurants.

I recall shopping in one store when I heard Sarah McClachlan's "I love you." That's how I feel about Quebec City.

What to buy: See above.

What to pay: Have at least $CAN200-300 and splurge.

This well-touristed but quaint little street in vieux Quebec is filled with little arts and crafts shops. If you're looking for unique gifts, there are plenty here, but the prices are a bit inflated.

In early November, stores were already decorated for Christmas. . .this photo doesn't quite capture it, but it was a lovely scene.

In the low part of the city, it's plenty of shops.

The purpose of this picture is to show you how to get to the parliament building and the boardwalk which has a stunning view of the St. Lawrence River.