Welcome to Québec, musical travellers !
It's in Québec, the Region, and in Québec, the city, that these Ukuleles have landed to kick start their big Northern Adventure.
Technically, they landed a bit West of the capital of French speaking Canada, and then drove up a bit. But the more dramatic part of the arrival was the end of the flight itself: flying over the coast of Greenland.
Where mountains and rocks morph into a blanket of snow, South Greenland
A fitting introduction, considering the theme of this particular adventure (#goingNorth, remember?). Introductions taken care of, the heart of the stay in Québec for my two stringed companions, is taking part in the Uke Fest du Nord, the most Northern Ukulele festival of the globe!
Masterclasses, Open mics, Concerts... all Ukulele-d up for the pleasure of players of the region and various music lovers. To give you a sense of what went on, you can view one of the songs performed there, with a couple of Québecois, either side of a singing European backpacker:
It could seem unusual to have a French-English musician sing an original song about the charm of Ukrainian City Lviv's old walls in French-Canadian Québec. And it is unusual, actually. Good point. But it is also fitting.
Much of Québec's history is hidden inside of its historical city walls, high up in the "haute-ville". The only remaining city walls North of Mexico! And this you may know already, if you've had the pleasure if joining André and these ukes for the Québec Podcast!
Listen to the Ukulele Road Trips Québec Podcast
Guest André, who is, as you will hear, knowledgeable on all matters Québecoises, is the founder of the Ukulele club of Québec, of the Uke Fest du Nord, and also of the most Northern ukulele club of the known Universe, all the way up in Inuit land!
André learning "Inuktituk" while the kids learn Ukulele
Having been assigned many months in the most Northern reaches of the Québec region, he decided to import his passion for music&ukes up there too.
You can read more about that in the printed annual review-Magazine of the Iniuit villages. Only thing is, you have to fly up there to get your hands on one. Your best move is probably to just let André tell you about it in the Podcast.
So it's in and around Québec's old walls, music and ukuleles flying peacefully around, that the adventure does start.
Sound the beginning-of-Road-Trip trumpet!
So it's in and around the walls of this (relatively) old fortress that the adventure starts, as the notes and ukuleles float calmly around the Winter air.
We're Off ! Woooo! And you can get a postcard from uz on the go! True story. I doodle on them between writing songs and gazing at river banks.
While you ponder, a melody on beginning new adventures: