Quebec City, Day 2

Andreas Paepcke
Jul 27, 2017 · 5 min read

This was the most difficult day to describe in some interesting
fashion. Lots of under-the-table cash transactions. The framing is
that my Garmin GPS went on strike, playing dumb. I would punch in “Rue
des Jardins,” the device would go through all the right motions: a
promising series of “Calculating route 10%…20%…etc.” The green Go
button. All normal. Then the only writing the useless weight produced
no matter which road I rode on was “Continue to Rue des Jardins”. We
agreed on that course of action, yes, but details were not
forthcoming. I’d struggled with this issue riding into town on my
piece of heavy artillery, which is what my bike is like fully loaded
at slow speed on streets that are decidedly not a grid.

In short, I need Google maps. Which means the flow of data from Google
into my pocket, and from there via Bluetooth into my helmet. AT&T
offers the what-a-deal International Day Pass at $10 every day you use
any data at all. Or a share in the appreciation of your house if you
turn on data roaming instead.

I’m not willing to submit to highway robbery. So: an Uber ride to a
shopping center 20 minutes away to get a Canadian Telus SIM
card. Driver waiting outside. Back to the hotel to discover I was wrong
in believing that my iPhone had been unlocked. ATT promises to unlock
upon online request, with up to a week of processing delay…Oh, did I
mention the International Day Pass? They sure did when I entered the
unlocking request.

That request runs into a wall, because ATT refuses to unlock on account of my
still being under contract. Verizon phones are unlocked from the
start, I believe, even with contract.

Now I *definitely* won’t do the ATT International Day Pass
deal-what-a-steal option. I already have the SIM card, so Uber I go
again heading back to the same shopping center to Walmart to buy a
Telus branded, unlocked phone. The SIM card-supplying Telus store had pointed me to that destination.

My Uber driver slowly quizzes me partly in French, partly in English.

“So, why Walmart? There are Telus stores nearby.”
“Well, one Telus store told me Walmart was the place to go.”
“OK, but why a Telus phone? There are stores closer than the shopping
center that sell unlocked used and new phones. Want to try one
of those? Your choice, of course; I’ll drive you anywhere.”

So he takes me to a couple of stores. We are fast becoming friends. I
end up buying my first Android phone. Not the fastest,
middling. But anything to withhold money from ATT. I’m on a mission
now. I’d spend any amount of money towards that goal. In this case, $110 Canadian.

Now it’s 2pm and I make a deal with my driver: take me out to the
Wendake First Nations museum 20 minute away. I’ll visit the museum,
then text him, and he picks me up. Trouble is that Uber is not allowed
on the reservation. OK, then, I suggest he pick me up as a friend. Buying
a Canadian phone together makes you friends for life! It’s a deal. He
drops me off, then Ubers some more.

Some photos from the museum with comments below. Very different from
Plains Indians. I’ll keep it to two observations: this set of clans
held territory between the Mohawks and French trading posts. The
Mohawks didn’t like the tolls, or whatever inconvenience arose from
having to travel through Wendake territory. So they procured firearms
from the British and began attacking the Wendakes.

The French, and the associated Catholic Church made their own little
deal: any Wendake could obtain firearms to protect against the
Mohawks…if they turned Christian. So the whole tribe did…had
to. The shamelessness of the Church is almost admirable. You can see
the missionary reports home: “100% conversion. It’s a miracle!”

On the other hand, one of the tribal chiefs in the 19th C. got an
education in the US, returned, and founded a school. The miraculously
complete conversion to Christianity of the clans in the Quebec area,
plus that school, saved the clans from the governmental kidnapping of
their children. The current population — -they believe in part due to
this advantage — -has 97% employment and very few mental health
issues. Much better than typical plains tribes. (Maybe universal
health care plays a role here as well?…)

My friend picks me up. Back to the hotel, this time using the much
more convenient cash economy that likely implies freedom from taxation
as part of the convenience. Given that I lost so much time to
communications equipment, I decided to stay a day longer.

A rendez-vous with the landlady turns this intention into
reality. Cash — -so much more convenient — -and an earful about Quebec
province and city taxation.

I felt painfully empathic with this woman, though. She asked whether I
liked the loft/apartment. I truthfully told her that I love it. I
do. At which point she told me she had just read a horrible review of
her apartments from someone whom she had refused a late departure of
5pm. I agree with her that 5pm is unreasonable, given that checkin for
the next people is 4pm, and the place needs to be cleaned.

Apparently the review trashed every aspect. She explained that she had
renovated everything, had just opened July 15th with enormous amounts
of work. Everything brand new. She had picked every piece of
furniture, lighting, kitchen content herself. So she felt genuinely
hurt by this review. I’ll make up for it.

I’m now dual-phoned with a Quebec phone number and a pre-paid plan
that has almost no usable voice, but 1GB of data for $30 Canadian, on
top of the $10 basic plan with its 500 local-only minutes. After the
1GB of data has been burned by Google maps, the service stops, and I
can top off the account with another $30 or such. God, do I love
control. Of course. Now I have yet another piece of electronics to
charge each night. But I almost feel Canadian already.

The Wendake (formerly called Hurons) lived in longhouses, some 300ft long, with elaborate interior all-wood sleeping and storage platforms. Three families in one house, each with its own fire. The fires had to be kept burning. If they didn’t, the house was dead, and everyone moved out to build a new one. One guy in each family was responsible for keeping their fire going. I wouldn’t want that job! “Hey, Marv, the fire is out. WTF? Rebuild and move *again*! Thanks a lot, Marv!” And three families under one roof. Can you imagine?
Outside view of the longhouse, plus palisades against animals and enemies.
Gangways halfway up to patrol and shoot arrows. Or is it casements? Ramparts?
A Wendake woman who made miracles. See the melding of religions with the halo?
The altar; typical European gilded objects. Plus furs, snowshoes, a drum. Now we are really melding!

Great times.

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