Montreal
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Our first trip to this glorious city took place many years ago, but the memories are as clear as if we had just returned home from a vacation there. Montreal is Canada's second largest
city. It is famous for its sky line of glass and concrete buildings, which rise above churches, and monuments built in European styles. This is also the second largest French-speaking city
outside France, but only two-thirds of the population are of French extraction, the others comprise other Europeans, Far Easterners, South Americans and West Indians. Here in the States
over the years we have read a great deal about the tension between the French speaking and English speaking populations, as well as between the French and the rest of Canada, and the move
toward independence. At times there has been Anglo flight toward Toronto, loss of federal subsidies, economic uncertainty, and the remote but undiscountable possibility of civil war. All of
this having been said, everywhere you look there are signs of civic pride and prosperity. Old houses have been converted into lively restaurants and shops, abandoned warehouses into condos
and Vieux-Port into a summer playground with state-of-the-art exhibitions in the old warehouses. In the historic quarter of Vieux-Montréal on the banks of the Saint Lawrence where you
can sightsee in a romantic horse drawn carriage, the streets and gracious squares are flanked by well cared for buildings, from the mammoth Basilique de Notre-Dame to the steepled Chapelle
de Notre-Dame-de- Bonsecours.
Today, after 100,000 English speaking citizens left, 60% of the workforce is controlled by the French. The "language police" often go to extraordinary lengths to make sure that French is the dominant language. I can still remember trying to go to a very French restaurant that is quite famous, only to have to wait while, even with reservations, French speaking people were seated. We have not been to Montreal in the last year, but all my information is that the city is alive and welcoming of guests from the States and from around the world. This is a city for people who are on an expense account, even though the Canadian dollar is a bargain. We have spent time in 3 luxury hotels in the city and each was more wonderful than the one before. The hotels are run with European charm and class. If you like to be pampered, you can select from the Ritz, Four Seasons, Omni, Lowes Vogue, Raddison and many more. Food is a pleasure with varied cuisines in this bustling city. Those of us who read Gourmet have read about Toqué, the French restaurant par excellence. Chez Schwartz Charcuterie, which is a deli, has been featured on national TV shows. Because of the variety of ethnic groups that live in this area, you can find food from all over the world, from the most expensive to the most affordable. Now for some ideas about what to see and do when you want to discover this lovely island. The first place to visit may be Basilique Notre-Dame which is a neo-Gothic church in the style of the great churches of Europe. It boasts a gilt and sky blue interior, Limoges stained glass and hand carved wooden prophets. The church so moved its architect O'Donnel in 1824 that he converted to Catholicism. The main altar was carved from linden wood, the work of Victor Bourgeau. Behind it is the Chapelle Sacré-Coeur, much of which was destroyed by an arsonist in 1978, but rebuilt and rededicated in 1982. It is such a popular place for weddings that it must be booked 18 months in advance. A tour of this church is well worth your while. The Main (AKA Boulevard St-Laurant) is worth an afternoon walk. It's the home to the city's ethnic communities and has a wonderful array of restaurants, second hand shops, trendy boutiques and European-style food stores. Traditionally it divided the British in the west from the French in the east of the city. Main remains a cultural mix where neither of the two official languages dominates. Not far from the Boulevard is the beautiful Square St. Louis, the city's finest. It was designed in 1876 and was originally the domain of rich corporate Montrélers, but the magnificent houses are now occupied by artists, poets and writers. During the winter the square's pathways are converted into skating rinks. Want more bohemian? Go east to St. Denis where you will find lots of cafés, bars and clubs. My third selection has already been mentioned and that is Schwatz's Montreal Delicatessen. Here you can feel right at home if your home is a large American city. You can have a smoked meat sandwich, which comes lean, medium or extra fatty. Try a side order of poutine, a soupy combination of French fries, gravy and cheese curds, a Montreal original that can get anyone through the winter. Fourth site is Mont Royal. The city's name is derived from Mont Royal, which is a wooded mountain in the middle of it all. This is where you go to jog, mountain bike, hike, and cross country ski. Our fifth place to go is Square St. Louis which is on the eastern end of Avenue Prince Arthur. This is a good spot to picnic in the spring and to people watch, as it is usually filled with guitar-playing high schoolers and graying hippies. This is their outside living room and you are welcome. Although the Vieux-Port is touristy, the waterfront does have some unique sights, such as a massive flea market, a life-size labyrinth, and the circus troupe Cirque du Soleil whose stunts make getting shot out of a cannon look like child's play. If you are a vegetarian, go to Café Satropol,a coffeehouse, which serves generous portions of hearty soups and innovative vegetarian food. Le Cheval Blanc is a bar that is small but brews its own beer. It sports an original forties decor and is the place to be seen whether you are blue collar or a college grad. A first visit to Montreal should begin with a visit to Vieux-Montréal or Old Montreal, built on the very site where the original colony was established in 1642. Here you can see the modern Museum of Archaeology and History, which engages anyone who enters. Go first to the 16-minute multimedia show in the auditorium that actually stands above exposed ruins of the earlier city. Images pop up, drop down and slide out on rolling screens accompanied by music and bilingual narration that keeps the history slick and utterly painless. Even the youngest of your children will find it enthralling. Don't stop there, walk the streets, peek into shops and restaurants and enjoy the ambiance of this part of the city. The Biôdome de Montreal is near the Botanical Garden and next to the Olympic Stadium, possibly the only museum of its kind. It was originally built as the velodrome for the 1976 Olympics and has been refitted to house replications of four distinct ecosystems: a Laurentian forest, the St. Lawrence marine system, a tropical rain forest, and a replication of a polar environment-complete with appropriate temperatures, flora, fauna, and changing seasons. All of the four re-creations are allowed a measure of freedom to grow and shift so they are never static. With 6,200 creatures of 210 species and 4,00 trees and plants, the Biodôme incorporates exhibits gathered from the old aquarium and the modest zoos at the Angrigron and LaFonaone parks. Included are threatened and endangered species. There is also a game room for children, a shop, a restaurant and a cafeteria. The Ste-Catherine area includes Rue Ste-Catherine, which is the city's main commercial thoroughfare with the main shopping centers: Eaton, La Bake, Les Cours Mont Royal and Ogilvy. Here you will also find exclusive boutiques, but do watch out for the more seedy sections of this area. The most prestigious of the universities of the area is McGill University on McGill College Ave. It was founded in 1813 from the bequest of James McGill, a Glaswegian immigrant fur trader, and is famous for its medical and engineering schools. The campus has ornate limestone buildings, sculpture and a green campus that will knock your socks off. Finally, in Montreal is the famous Botanical Gardens, which is across the street from the Olympic sports complex. It comprises 180 acres and was begun in 1931. It currently includes 21,000 varieties of plants in 31 specialized segments ensuring something beautiful and fragrant for you as a visitor year-round. Ten large conservatory greenhouses shelter tropical and desert plants, and bonsai and penjings, from the Canadian winter. One greenhouse, called the Wizard of Oz, is especially fun for children. Roses bloom here from mid-June to the first frost. There is a 6-acre Chinese Garden, which is a joint venture of Montreal and Shanghai, and is the largest of its kind ever built outside of Asia. If you are a birder, bring along your binoculars on summer visits as more than 130 species of birds spend at least part of the year in the garden. This is a garden to enjoy for hours and hours like the other famous gardens of the world. What if you have time to see the countryside around Montreal? My favorite place to go is the Laurentian Mountains, north of the city. The lower Laurentians have historical settlements and the Upper Laurentians have ski resorts and are wonderful for hiking. These mountains don't have jagged peaks as five million years of erosion have molded them down to what you see today. Finally, if you are heading for Québec City, consider breaking your trip in the small town of Tris-Rivières, an excellent jumping off point when visiting the Mauricie Valley. Montreal is a European city just north of the US that makes you feel young, adventuresome and more romantic than you can imagine. You don't have to worry about medical care as you will be in a country that will take care of you. The scenery, the people, the gardens, the boulevards, the food and ambiance, make this a city one to visit again and again. You'll understand Bien Venue as you step off of the plane. BSP |
