| Despite the fact that Montreal is one of the | | | | wonderful dinner at Galiano's right in the heart of |
| closest and most easily accessible cities from | | | | Old Montreal, and the owner gave me a first-hand |
| Toronto, I had really only been there once, for a | | | | overview of this popular and historic restaurant. |
| couple of days ten years ago. We also did stop in | | | | The streets of Montreal were just absolutely |
| a couple of times for lunch in Montreal on our | | | | packed with revelers. The Old Port of Montreal |
| way home from our ski trips in the Eastern | | | | was buzzing with activity which included concerts, |
| Townships, Vermont or New Hampshire. But I | | | | street performers, a huge entertainment area for |
| knew Montreal deserved a much longer visit. So I | | | | children, even acrobatics on skis. The highlight of |
| set off to plan a four-day extended weekend | | | | the evening was a concert that featured a |
| over the Canada Day festivities to explore this | | | | variety of performers, from flamenco, to Cuban |
| city. Both Tourisme Montreal and Tourism Quebec | | | | rhythms to Brazilian percussion and other world |
| were extremely helpful in making suggestions as | | | | music. Finally the star of the show appeared: |
| to what to see and do and I really started to look | | | | Gregory Charles, a multi-talented singer, |
| forward to my urban explorations. On June 29, | | | | piano-player, actor and media personality. The |
| 2006 I headed off in the comfort of a first-class | | | | crowd simply went nuts and thousands of people |
| Via Rail train - no traffic, no stress, just an | | | | kept streaming into Old Montreal even at 11 pm |
| opportunity to relax. Following a bucolic ride | | | | at night. This city knows how to party!!! My third |
| through the green countryside of Ontario we | | | | day in Montreal was a little quieter. I started off |
| entered Quebec and shortly after I arrived at | | | | with an exploration of the Olympic Stadium and |
| Montreal's Gare Central. Following the check-in at | | | | took the funicular to the top of the world's |
| my extremely centrally located hotel I set off on | | | | highest inclined tower. Then I explored the critters |
| my first personal encounter with Montreal: a | | | | at the Insectarium and a variety of flowers, |
| driving tour of the city with a personal guide | | | | plants and trees at the Montreal Botanical |
| which gave me a great idea of the lay of the | | | | Gardens. In the mid-afternoon I took a quick |
| land. We visited all the key sights of Montreal and | | | | jaunt to the Jean Talon Market in Montreal's Italian |
| had a delicious lunch in a well-known French Bistro. | | | | neighbourhood and followed it up with a delicious |
| After several more hours of exploration I had a | | | | late lunch at Mañana, a Mexican restaurant |
| comprehensive overview of the city and was | | | | just across from beautiful Square St. Louis. In my |
| ready for a stroll through Old Montreal. On my | | | | chat with the owner I heard a heart-warming, |
| first evening I also enjoyed a memorable dinner | | | | inspiring immigrant story that has seen a simple |
| with jazz music in the background at Modavie, a | | | | man from Peru who came to Canada with hardly |
| historic restaurant in Vieux Montreal. My | | | | any French or English language skills, become a |
| knowledge of Old Montreal and insight into the | | | | restaurant owner in one of Montreal's most |
| early French settlers got even better as a result | | | | popular entertainment districts. I then had a bit of |
| of taking the Old Montreal Ghost Tour which | | | | extra time to relax in the park where I made a |
| brought me up close to some interesting | | | | connection with other out-of-town travelers and |
| characters from Montreal's history. Day Two | | | | explored the beautiful neighbourhood around |
| introduced me to the architectural jewels of Old | | | | historic Square St. Louis. My evening program was |
| Montreal and our local walking tour guide Louis | | | | also packed: I got to explore the Casino de |
| impressed our group with his knowledge of social | | | | Montreal, located on an island in the St. Lawrence |
| history and architecture (that extended way | | | | River. My personalized two-hour tour educated |
| beyond Montreal). Stimulated by this educational | | | | me about casino operations and brought me up |
| outing I then had a delicious lunch at the | | | | close to one of Montreal's big attractions. This |
| Café du Château and just as a major | | | | special evening continued with a gourmet meal at |
| thunderstorm unleashed its fury I decided to | | | | Nuances, the Casino's fine-dining restaurant, which |
| explore the Chateau du Ramezay, a museum | | | | offers the most amazing view across the river of |
| featuring diverse artifacts from more than 350 | | | | downtown Montreal. The crowning touch was the |
| years of Montreal's history. In the evening I took | | | | international fireworks competition at La Ronde, |
| a relaxing stroll through the beautiful Latin Quarter | | | | which featured a team of Argentinian |
| and finally settled for an extremely satisfying | | | | pyrotechnical experts who combined music and |
| dinner at La Iguana, one of Montreal's premier | | | | fireworks in a breathtakingly choreographed |
| Mexican restaurants, where I had a chance to | | | | performance. Unfortunately my extended |
| chat with the owner and find out what this | | | | weekend was rapidly coming to an end. On July 3 |
| restaurant is all about. A packed day of | | | | my train was scheduled to leave shortly before |
| exploration was capped off by a walk along St. | | | | noon, but I managed to squeeze in a few more |
| Catharines Street to get a glimpse of Montreal's | | | | hours of exploration. I went on a walk downtown |
| Jazz Festival - the largest festival of its kind in the | | | | and got a chance to admire some of Montreal's |
| world, attracting hundreds of thousands of | | | | architectural jewels, including several stunning |
| revelers every year. July 1 - Canada Day: The | | | | churches and cathedrals, an Art Deco skyscraper, |
| festivities were unbelievable. I got an early start | | | | a historic department store and a Richardsonian |
| and explored Vieux Montreal before I participated | | | | Romanesque train station that has today been |
| in the Official Montreal bicycle tour where a | | | | converted into a hotel and office complex. I was |
| certified tourist guide took our entire group | | | | in awe of the architectural richness that I saw in |
| through various neighbourhoods of Montreal. Bruno | | | | such a small area. Montreal truly enchanted me |
| introduced us to the major sights as well as to | | | | with its European flair, the gorgeous and diverse |
| the beautiful and unique living areas of this diverse | | | | residential areas, and the stunning sights in Old |
| city. As an avid bicyclist I was delighted when I | | | | Montreal and Downtown. I connected with some |
| was able to keep the bike after our tour finished | | | | interesting people in Montreal: expert tour guides, |
| and I continued on my own on the extensive | | | | hospitality entrepreneurs and travellers from other |
| bicycle trail network along the Lachine Canal. I | | | | places. Having had the chance to explore Montreal |
| enjoyed a re-energizing lunch at the historic | | | | by car, on foot and by bike was a phenomenal |
| Marché Atwater and had a nice chat with a | | | | introduction to this unique city and I can't wait to |
| local. After I returned my bike I sat down and | | | | get back to take in more of Montreal's special |
| talked with the owner of the Ça Roule | | | | charm. |
| bicycle shop about his business and about bicycling | | | | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal |
| opportunities in Montreal. All this physical exercise | | | | for unconventional travel & cross-cultural |
| had stimulated my appetite and I enjoyed a | | | | connections. |