QUEBEC CITY - "Je me souviens"

Marilyn Cahill

In case you don't speak French, "Je me souviens" means "I remember."  It's on the Quebec license plates. At the end of October 2003 we decided to take a long weekend drive up to Quebec City.  We all felt the need to practice our French a little, and Paris was way out of the budget.  So, I redeemed some of my American Express points for some free nights at the Quebec City Hilton, and off we went.  Quebec City is old and quaint and beautiful, but the old part of the city is not wheelchair accessible at all.  You have to be really creative (not to mention strong) to get a disabled person around.

The Premier Building

We did not bring Victoria's full-size wheelchair, but rather a special fold-up stroller designed for handicapped children.  The particular one I have, called a Cruiser, costs about $2,500 but it was given to me several years ago by the Astrologo family, in memory of their daughter Morgan who used to use it. I am desperately in need of a comparable item now, as it is quite worn out from use, held together by coat hangers and such, but I have found another one called MetroTransit which is much less expensive (around $850).  I will probably get one by this fall, because it can go places a regular wheelchair can't. For example, we took a tour of the city in a "Caleche" or horse-drawn carriage.  We were able to fold up the stroller and just lift it into the carriage with us.  You couldn't just leave a wheelchair on the side of the road while you ride in a carriage!

Another place we went is the Cavour restaurant on St. Louis.  It is small, and has narrow brick steps to enter.  Two of us easily lifted Victoria and her stroller right into the restaurant.  While we ate our escargots in garlic butter and steak-frites, we enjoyed live strolling guitarists singing in Spanish, French, and English.

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Kathleen and Victoria on St. Louis

My nephew Matthew Gorgas getting kicked off the ice "Je ne parle pas français"