The temperature may have been in the teens, but the cold air was no match for the warm winter vibe pouring out of Quebec City's European streets and the friendly smiles of the French Canadians. 

I've heard of cultures embracing the seasons, yet I don't believe I've seen a city go crazy for winter quite like Quebec. Between the largest outdoor winter carnival in the world, a cross-country ski trail downtown by the river, and small shops serving up hot chocolate, it became hard to imagine the place without a few inches of snow on the ground. 

I snowshoed, slept at the Ice Hotel, and watched grown men and women canoe through an ice-infested river (see photo). Factor in that French is the number one language in an otherwise English-speaking country, and a trip to Quebec City becomes far more than a trip to Canada. 

Photos:

Streets of Old Quebec.

 

Aerial view of Old Quebec and the St. Lawrence River.

 

Ski and walking trails on the Plains of Abraham. 

 

Cross-country skiing on the Plains of Abraham.

 

Ice skating and cross-country skiing on the Plains of Abraham.

 

Ice canoe races at the Winter Carnival. 

 

Sorry I've been so distant in terms of a lack of words - time constraints have made photos essays the go-to thing to post lately. 

It's somewhat annoying: As a writer, it's hard to support the notion that a photo says more than I could with a thousand words, but these sure come close, and I refuse to rush my words if I simply don't have the time. 

It only took a half second to push the button on my camera and capture these moments, yet the feelings pour out of the images, as if I had spent half the day trying to express myself. I stare into that glowing orb and can't look away - something that's not possible in reality, even with the best of sunglasses shielding my eyes.

Even though the moment is special, sometimes the true beauty doesn't come out until after the fact, when we have a chance to sit back and appreciate it.

Man, if that ain't life...

Tucancun Sunset

 

Barcelo Maya Sunset

 

Barcelo Maya Sunset

 

Barcelo Maya Sunset