Aug 8

Aug 8 Day 4 Trois-Rivières, Quebec

In front of the Ampitheater in Trois-Rivières

As I begin my morning work on Viking Polaris, I take a moment to step outside to get a photo of Viking Polaris as she docks in Trois-Rivières, ahead of schedule.

Viking Polaris Docking in Trois-Rivières

My morning routine involves setting up a temporary “office” in World Cafe. I arrive very early, so the restaurant is empty and I find a perfect table, aft, right across from a coffee machine.

A four-top table becomes my desk next to a large window with a perfect view of the ocean or, in the case of this morning, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, as the Captain begins docking procedures.

On Viking Polaris, I utilize the complimentary WiFi to its fullest extent by uploading photos, videos and blog posts. So far, the WiFi and Internet have been reasonably fast and very reliable.

This morning, we attend a lecture conducted by Joe Rottman about Antarctica and his extensive South Pole experience. The topic was the Viking identical twin Expedition ships, Polaris and Octantis and how they were purpose-built for Antarctica and Great Lakes itineraries. These two ships were purposely sized to be able to fit through the numerous locks on the Great Lakes.

After our lecture, Elmer offers another team trivia contest in The Living Room. We team up with another couple, but did not do so well this morning.

It is another visit to World Cafe for lunch today. We are keeping things very light today treating ourselves to Thai Beef Salad and charcuterie. We are saving room for our dinner this evening at Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant.

After lunch, there is a break in the rain, so we decide to disembark and just walk around town on our own.

Rickee Disembarks Viking Polaris In Trois-Rivières

As we walk down the pier, I stop to take this photo of Viking Polaris.

We walked through the Old Town district of Trois-Rivières and were amazed at the beautiful architecture and lush landscape.

This evening in the Aula, Marc Jansen, Expedition Leader, conducted our daily briefing for tomorrow.

Rickee visited Guest Services to clarify a shore excursion booking before dinner this evening. Viking has a very unique and relaxed way of meeting with Guest Services. And, they were very helpful.

We arrived at Manfredi’s for our first specialty dining meal. I really like the “open kitchen” concept where you can watch the chefs prepare your dishes.

Our dinner at Manfredi’s was excellent and, afterward, we attended an operatic performance by two local sopranos. This was a real treat and everyone loved the show.