By the Saguenay Fjord

The brisk wind that has been blowing since we landed at Chicoutimi / St. Honore airport yesterday lunchtime has finally calmed down and the water of the great, wide Saguenay River just visible from the balcony of our hotel room is silky, now. Earlier this evening, at low tide, it was choppy with breaking waves and the municiple flags were flapping wildly on their long poles. At La Baie des Ha! Ha! (a place name I must research forthwith) paragliders were having an exhilerating ride on the waves, sometimes flying into the air on surfboards that had integral boots.

La Route du Fjord

I don't know how long the fjord is, but in the last day and a half we must have seen some 100 km of its scenery; Chris says we've driven 360 km in the car we rented from the downtown "National". Yesterday afternoon, after the flight here from Ottawa over exciting terrain, we only drove as far as La Baie. I love the curves in the country roads and roadside cottage roofs of eastern Quebec. We had the thrill of seeing a flock of brilliant-white, migrating snow geese land in a field beside the Route du Fjord, and I spotted them again this afternoon.

La Baie Éternité

Today we explored as far as the Baie d'Eternite and the Anse St. Jean, following a hiking trail at our first stop that took us along the shore of the inlet and half way up one of the massive cliffs that line the fjord. There is an 8 metre high Virgin at the top, but we didn't have time to climb far enough to see her.  We did see masses of trout lilies and a porcupine (porc-épic, in French) chewing leaves.

Porc-épic

The region is very different from Ontario, very Catholic, with a plethora of huge churches, especiallly in Chicoutimi itself. More tomorrow, after our homeward cross country flight. I have a great deal more to say!