Incapacitated in QC (and not in a good way)

Hey all!

Still in Quebec City. On Monday morning (early, early, 6 AM) we leave by train and head back to Montreal.

Today was a bit of a bust, for me at least. I did something really bad to my right foot, and each step on it is pure pain for some reason. I don't think it's broken- but it is really sprained. Today I stayed at the hostel most of the day and slept, trying to let it get better. We went shopping a bit at the end of the day and went to get dinner, but otherwise I didn't do much. We did head to Mountain Equipment Cooperative. This is a bit like REI in the States, a huge outdoor sporting goods shop. Perhaps something most people don't know about me is that I'm really into outdoor goods. They're just built to last, plain and simple. They're also small, compact and heavy duty. I picked up a hat, from the same company as the hat I wore in Moorea (that hat was my dad's so it went back to him). This hat is pretty awesome. One of the best things about it is that it has a forever warranty. Not just a lifetime, but a FOREVER warranty. So I fully expect my great-great-great-great grandchildren to be wearing this hat. Camping gear rocks.

So anyways, a little bit about the concert we attended last night. It was located at the Baie du Beauport. To get there, we had to take two buses, which took about 40 minutes. Once we got there we walked for a little over a mile to get to the location. Apparently everyone in Quebec was also interested in attending- there were probably a couple hundred thousand people there. We saw this strange Cirque du Soleil like show, then two musical acts before we decided to leave. On the way back to the bus my foot was really killing me. I've never had such intense foot pain before, but it was really hell. The worst part was to come- there was a crowd of a couple hundred people waiting for one bus that would take us the the city. It took forever to fill a bus, then forever for a new bus to come. We must have waited through 5 buses before we finally got on one. The woman next to me exclaimed, "C'est terrible, terrible." I've never seen the rationale for people rioting before, but I could see people rioting there- and I would have freely joined in. In the end, it was a good story to tell later, but a bit of a miserable experience at the time.

Last day in Quebec City tomorrow. I really like Quebec City. It really doesn't compare to Paris, besides the fact that they speak French and it's old. There are not boulangeries and patisseries on every corner. Most people speak English perfectly (at least in service positions) with a Canadian accent. But it has a soul of its own, plently to see, and it's very safe. Just don't come expecting France-it's not the same.

More later,
Em