Arriving in Montreal I immediately noticed how beautiful it was. Not only the city, but the people that live there too! There must be something in the water because apart from being good looking, they were also really friendly – It’s definitely somewhere I could live.
The first thing on the agenda was the obligatory look around the city. It’s like most North American metropolis’, albeit with a bit of a European twist. The architecture is fusion of the contemporary and that typical of the late 1800’s to mid 1900’s, and interestingly, Montreal is actually built on an island.
Showing me around town was Ruby Roy. She’s a true Montrealer, proud and passionate about her fantastic city and a wealth of knowledge too. Ruby took me to one of the cities markets where all the locals come to buy their fresh weekly produce. There was every type of fruit and vegetable of the season, as well as fresh baked goods, meats and preserves. You could think of it as being the ultimate farmers market.
Next stop was a drive up Mount Royal, the mountain from which the city takes its name. This is one of the many green spaces in the city and incidentally was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park. Mount Royal is a great place to relax for an afternoon and take in the views of downtown Montreal. There’s also a small man-made lake atop the mountain, along with café’s, an interpretive center, sculpture gardens and two major cemeteries.
The day continued with a visit to the Notre-Dame Basilica. Located in the historic district of Old Montreal, next to the Saint-Sulpice Seminary and facing the Place d’Armes square, this magnificent building is a site to behold. The church’s Gothic Revival architecture is among the most dramatic in the world. The interior is grand and colourful, the ceiling is coloured deep blue and decorated with golden stars, and the rest of the sanctuary is a polychrome of blues, azures, reds, purples, silver, and gold. The basilica is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and several religious statues. Unusual for a church, the stained glass windows along the walls don’t depict biblical scenes, but rather scenes from the religious history of Montreal. It also has a Casavant Frères pipe organ, which comprises four keyboards, 97 stops, over 9000 individual pipes and a pedal board.
The day ended with dinner at Garde-Manger, one of the most popular local restaurants found in Old Montreal. The food was exquisite and the atmosphere electric, it’s definitely a must if you’re ever in Montreal. Even though I was tired I still managed to muster up enough energy for a couple of drinks at my hotel bar. The place I was staying at is called Hotel St Paul. It’s a beautifully appointed hotel with plenty of luxury, modern styling and great service. It’s also a popular haunt for a few after work drinks.
The following morning I made my way to the St Lawrence River on the edge of the city. It’s a fast flowing river that connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. While it’s a nice place for a picnic or swim, I was here for something a little more active – and unusual – surfing! Who would have thought you could surf in Montreal? Well, in my case I didn’t so much surf as I did paddle around and fall off my board a few times. Even with expert tuition from Darren, local river surfing guru and operator of Imagine Surfboards, it took me half a dozen attempts before I finally managed to stand up. It was a lot of fun and a really unique experience.
The surfing was the perfect start to the day, because the last stop on my whirlwind trip to Montreal was to have lunch at Schwartz’s. This place is an iconic Montreal establishment. The restaurant opened on St Laurent Boulevard in 1928 and has since welcomed guests and celebrities from all over the world as they stop in for one of the legendary smoked meat sandwiches. Following Reuben Schwartz’s original recipe, nothing but the freshest meat is marinated in an elaborate mixture of fine herbs and spices, to create the tastiest of cured meat sandwiches.
I gorged myself on two of the massive sandwiches before heading to the airport to fly back home. After nearly three weeks travelling through Canada I can honestly say, it’s one of the most picturesque, friendly, fun and interesting countries I have ever been to…I can’t wait to come back again!
Hotel St Paul: www.hotelstpaul.com
Schwartz’s Restaurant: www.schwartzsdeli.com
Information about Mount Royal: www.lemontroyal.qc.ca
Surfing on the St Lawrence River: www.imaginesurfboards.com
More information about Montreal: www.tourisme-montreal.org
