There are two entrances at the top and bottom. From what I read, the bottom was recommended. However the GPS didn't recognise the address so we ended up at the top. I asked for directions to the bottom and we found our own way there without the GPS directing us.
We had to pay $12 to park which I thought was a bit steep and was double what the website had said. The entrance to the carpark is strategically placed so you pay before you can see the falls. By the time we parked, we could see the falls, and first impressions were disappointing.
No sooner had we parked the car, when Helen called me excitedly, pointing to a TransAm saying "that's that car off that TV show". Actually it was KITT from the show Knight Rider which was popular in the 1980's. We had a talk with the owner, the car was restored by him and made into a KITT replica with a lot of hard work. He acquired, or built, all the KITT specific stuff, including the special dashboard and steering wheel, and of course the red light on the front. Best of all, the car does have a computer on board which he programmed, and it talks and does other cool stuff. Everything on the dashboard works and displays information.
Later on I found some YouTube videos of this car being built, and also receiving signatures from David Hasselhoff.
Next we headed over a nearby bridge to Île d'Orléans (Orleans Island). This island is only 5km away from downtown Quebec, and is only 34 kilometres long and 8 kilometres wide. We drove around the entire island, taking in the different regions, each with its own village. The island has a very French character with all the farm houses and barns different to what we've seen in most of USA and Canada. The view across the river is also amazing especially when seeing large container ships cruising by.
The roads were very narrow, and few parking places, making photo opportunities very difficult until we reached the northern tip of the island. Here we found a very tall lookout made of wood, requiring some effort to climb up the stairs and enjoy the view.
The next day dawned wet, and we didn't have too much planned, so spent most of the day shopping, driving around various malls and stores. In particular, we went Galeries de la Capitale which is a huge mall. When we arrived, the carpark was full and there were queues of cars crawling around. We got incredibly lucky and a car pulled out of a park right near us, so grabbed their park right near a main entrance. Score!!!!
This mall has a ice skating rink inside, plus an indoor amusement park including ferris wheel, spinny things, a roller coaster, a thing that raises you up and drops you, etc. Hence there is a constant yet not overpowering sound of young girls screaming as the rides offer thrills (with no spills).
There is also a foodcourt here, with lots of variety, different to usual. Helen opts to have PFK for lunch. A challenge for the reader - any idea what this might be? Well click this link to find out. We guess it translates to something like "Poulet Frit Kentucky" in French.
After lunch we walked around the mall, for more retail therapy, and also visited another mall after that. Too much shopping for me. By mid afternoon we returned to the hotel for the usual rest & relaxation.
Tomorrow we pack up again, and head to Montreal, which is only a few hours drive away. We will also be returning the rental car tomorrow night and after that our options are bus, train and foot.
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