Rainy Day Stroll
by guest blogger, Elmer Prather
It's been raining a lot today in Victoria, BC, which is about as far west as one can get from Montreal, QC. There are several rainy days forecasted, which made us think of Mr. Prather and his write up for Rainy Day Stroll. We hope you enjoy it!
My latest puzzle is a 1000-piece titled Rainy Day Stroll by John O’Brien. Before I spend the time putting a puzzle together, I must have a connection to it. My connection to this puzzle is the visual similarities in the puzzle picture of two cities, Paris France, and a city I have visited several times, Quebec City, Canada.
In the puzzle picture the focal point is the distant view of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. It also includes a small group of old storefronts where flowers, bread, fruits, and other products are sold. There are also two sidewalk cafes.
The picture reminds me of Quebec City, Canada, which was founded by Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer, in 1608.
Most of the people in Quebec speak French as their first language. Only 5% of people living there do not. This sometimes causes challenges when tourists like me, who do not speak French, have questions for merchants when trying to purchase items in their stores.
There are 85 Roman Catholic parishes in the Quebec City area. On one of my visits to Quebec I toured the Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica which ranks as the oldest church in Canada.
As a side note, Quebec produces more than eleven million gallons of maple syrup annually. This is 72% of the world’s maple syrup production.
As I have stated before, the focal point of the puzzle picture is the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It was initially built to serve as the entrance gateway to the International Exposition of 1889 as well as a testament to the French industrial ingenuity. The Eiffel Tower's initial height was 985 feet, which from 1889 to 1930 made it the tallest building in the world. It has since come to represent the distinct character of the city of Paris. It has over 1,700 steps to the top and its elevators travel 64,000 miles a year. I understand that the view from the top is breathtaking.
I have visited Quebec City several times on cruises that made a stop there on the way to other Canadian provinces. The cobblestone walking paths in the puzzle remind me of the cobblestone streets and sidewalks in Quebec City which I have had the pleasure of walking as I viewed the beauty of the city. On one of my walking tours of Quebec City I had my first experience using a “unisex” public restroom. It was quite an experience.
Elmer Prather
Canton, GA USA
