My Hometown
As mentioned in my profile, I spent my childhood travelling from one place to another, which is the plight of all “Army Brats” (children of military families), so I can’t really tell you about my “home” town because I wouldn’t know which one it is. Therefore, I’ve decided to tell you about Quebec City, which is where my parents eventually settled after my father retired. It also happens to be the city which is closest to most of my relatives so I suppose it is my hometown.
Quebec City is the capital of the province of Quebec (I know, not very original, is it?), which is the French part of Canada. The city is on the Saint-Lawrence river, and in fact, the word “kebek” means “where the river narrows” in the language of the Algonquians, one of the native tribes of Canada. Quebec is one of the oldest cities in the country and its architectural style, which is very European, is an oddity in a country where cities are usually very modern. This makes it a great touristic attraction and its charming narrow streets and alleys are visited by thousands of people every year, despite the cold winters.In fact, the city has taken
advantage of its reputation for cold temperature by hosting the biggest winter carnival in the world. The Quebec Winter Carnival, which is over 50 years old, takes place in the first two weeks of February. Although this is when the city is usually at its coldest, the event still attracts hundreds of thousands of brave carnival goers every year. People walk and dance along the snowy streets, drinking a local mixture called “caribou” to keep warm. The carnival features all sorts of winter competitions such as a snowshoe race, the crossing of the partially
frozen Saint-Lawrence river in huge canoes and a snow sculpture competition which attracts teams from all over the world. The event ends with a bang with fireworks and a fantastic parade of dozens of colourful floats and clowns as well as marching bands from around the world.
Quebec is also a very clean city where people can go for walks and hikes in the many parks and green areas as well as along the many quaint little streets full of interesting boutiques and inviting cafes. It is a truly multicultural city with restaurants and galleries from around the world and a friendly population which is among the most hospitable I have ever met. Although Quebecers are mostly French speaking, most of them speak at least a little English and, just like Indonesians, they are usually eager to practice it with visiting tourists from around the world.
