carnaval: day 2 • 10 comments • Day two at the Carnival in Quebec happened to be the last day of the festivities for everyone, so they put on some shows around the ice palace, including a parade with a mascot that is kind of a cross between the Michellin Man and the Pillsbury Dough Boy. We weren't decked out in fur, so we warmed our hands by a fire, took a break to have beaver tails, and went sledding down an ice slide. - Mina
tire d'érable • 11 comments • Tire d'erable, or "maple taffy"is one of the attractions at the Quebec Carnival. To escape the cold for a few moments, we went inside the sugar shack and shared a little container of the syrup, which is more than enough because it is ridiculously sweet. Outside, you could have it poured onto the snow for a cold treat. There seems to be a trick to getting the snow to stick - after pouring the syrup it has to sit for a few moments to cool. If you aren't patient, the snow won't adhere to it and then you're just eating warm maple goo that's falling off the stick - which is probably good too.
carnaval de québec • 20 comments • The Quebec Winter Carnival started in 1894 and since 1955 it has been held every single year. We each picked up a "bonhomme" effigy which you need for admission and we used it to get in on both Saturday and Sunday*. There were snow sculptures, arctic spas, and lots of exciting, wintery fun. Despite the cold and snow, there was certainly a joie-de-vivre in the air - it might have been the booze in the ice shot glasses. *LOTS more pictures from the carnival and Quebec City to come.
