2025 NE Cruise - Québec City, Twin Silver Steeples

Many of these first posts from Québec were captured from the ship's Lido deck the first morning we docked there.

It was then that I met a woman talking into her phone shooting a travel video.  Travels and vlogs about it to make a living that she very much enjoys.  Must be nice in your older age to do such a thing...

2025 NE Cruise - Québec City, Two Cityscapes

Our final stop on this 10-day cruise was Québec City.  With a population of more than a half million (800k+ in the metro area), the opportunities for the Bigger Cahoona were vastly superior compared to the small towns visited thus far.  The above is a 2-shot panoramic cityscape captured as soon as we docked.  We stayed there for two nights, so was able to grab another cityscape the first morning with the iPhone 15 Pro Max just as the sun rose to highlight the buildings.  If you ask me, the pic below is the better one, and much less work to prepare for the blog:

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, 2-shot Panorama of Drained Shoreline

Just a couple more items of interest about the town of Saguenay - one is the presence of school buses, which were sequestered for use in transporting tourists from the ship to the various excursions out and about.  The other is the absence of water beyond the levees, where the family is walking (better seen when clicking the photo on a larger screen).  When Chenjean  and I got back from our walk through town, the tide had come in and the area was entirely covered with water.  We saw something similar in Alaska...the difference between low and high tides seems to be much greater in the northern latitudes.

..and this'll do it for posts from Saguenay.  Our next and final stop will be the much more photographically productive visit to Québec City.

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Helicopter

Always a huge fan of aviation, we stopped and watched whenever this guy was taking off or coming in for a landing.  After seeing my interest, Chenjean shocked me by asking if I wanted to go up for a ride.  Always enamored with watching helicopters, but never being comfortable in one, I declined.  Besides, the cropped-in portion of this image below reveals a cramped cabin which would not guarantee that I would get a front seat for the best views:

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Radiant Flowers with Yellow Rings

Unlike what is seen in this recent post, the other flowers and leaves in the background here have been desaturated of their color.  Original wider view below:

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Little Pink Florettes

 

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Peek-a-Boo Steeple Shot

Lots of trees, so lots of peek-a-boo shots.  There was a cross at the top of this steeple, but it didn't look just right so was removed.

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Purple and White Flower

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Black Flower Petals

It's interesting to observe that there are leaves - as seen in this post from earlier in the cruise - and flower petals that are black.  I'm not a botanist, but think it's safe to assume that this is to enable the plants to absorb more heat in the colder climes of Canada.  Photographically they're more of a challenge to capture with the Bigger Cahoona's middling lens, but think this one turned out all right.

Emerging bud of similar (though not black) species below:

2025 NE Cruise - Saguenay, Gossiping Girls

Some younger folks in place to enhance the immersive experience.  They were minding the store in the background.  The sign's in French, but think it must have something to do with blueberries.

Speaking of French, suppose that's what the girls are speaking since French is considered a first language in Québec and English a second...