We woke to brilliant blue skies which was sure to put a spring into our step.

Steve was keen to walk the Plains of Abraham after yesterday’s history lesson. I wasn’t as keen to walk through the snow! My Frankie4 boots are good but I didn’t want to slip and slide as the snow is hard and slippery.

I decided to visit the Morrin Library and the city public Bibliotheca. I’d also spotted a good book shop I wanted to browse. It had a magnificent glass ceiling.

So Steve headed off on his adventures and I on mine. Sometimes when travelling together we follow our own interests and when we meet up have lots to share.

I walked back along some of the streets we discovered yesterday. But with the blue skies and no wind it felt completely different.

I arrived at Morrin House – the site of the first jail, to find it didn’t open until midday.

That left me time to explore the Bibliotheca nearby , the bookstore, Simons, a department store and have coffee laced with clover flower essence. Delicious.

Steve, the explorer, met me for an early lunch time at a crepe restaurant. Then we took the funicular down to the port. It’s lovely there – quite touristy near the funicular but then interesting to walk further afield around the streets of the port. Lots of little galleries and antique shops.

We finished by walking back up the steep winding road and headed for the Morrin House. No tours but we went into the Library and the lovely man there – a volunteer, gave us quite a good overview of the history of the house. http://www.morrin.org/en/

It’s a centre for historical and cultural purposes and has a large beautiful library – an English speaking Library. All the books are in English. The language here in Quebec is absolutely French. Quebec city is a place where the French and English languages and cultures live together.

I noticed a sign saying ‘ the weather is cold and snowy, stay and curl up with a book’ What great advice and if I lived in Quebec this is where you’d find me!

I noticed a cutting from a Writers Festival they had there a few years ago. Louise Penny, a local , wrote a book set in this very library. So I just had to buy it. Has anyone read it? Will keep you posted.

They had a good children’s section

We spent some time chatting before heading off in the beautiful afternoon light stopping for a drink at the red roofed hotel near the Chateau.

We rested up and packed before a sit in the cocktail bar watching the afternoon light play on the tin roofs across the river.

A walk through the town to admire the lights before a delicious dinner at Boulay. A really lovely restaurant.

It was a pity out lovely day was finished by involuntarily listening to the American couple in the room next door arguing – shouting insults at each other at 11pm isn’t good for anyone.

I was tempted to knock on the adjoining wall but thought perhaps I might cop a mouthful for my trouble.

Hopefully we don’t wake them when we get up early to get to the station for an early train to Montreal.