Montreal...

This has been a long trip.

I flew to Montreal last Wednesday, the 15th of June. I was here on business, but I also wanted to try to work some leisure time into the trip, as well.

Mission, as they say, accomplished.

Montreal is a great town. If you've never been here, you're the poorer for it. In summer, there really are few places I enjoy more. The "Vieux Port" section is an amazing collection of restaurants, merchants, buskers and tourists and, on weekends, it's probably one of the most crowded locations in Canada. It's very, very French and, while I've never been to France, I have to imagine that walking the streets here isn't unlike walking the streets in some random neighborhood somewhere across the pond:

Rue St. Paul in Old Montreal

Rue St. Paul at night

If you like people-watching, this is the place to be. You never know what you're going to see, and some of it often defies any reasonable description. For instance, their are a lot of "balloon guys" in this area; those people who spend their days making hats and animals out of balloons for kids. These guys are usually a sight, wearing clothing that would likely never make it out of the closet if they were anything but a "balloon guy":

"Balloon Guys" in Place Jacques Cartier

Now, as comical as the official Balloon Guy uniform might be, it's actually relatively tame. I know, I can hear you now. "But, Steve, he's wearing polka-dots."

Completely understandable and, under normal circumstances, I would probably agree with you. Rare are the times when one can successfully pull off a polka-dot jumpsuit with a balloon hat. However, when you consider what else people are wearing, I think you'll see my point.

Case in point, I give you "Banjo-Canoe Guy:



Banjo-Canoe Guy along Rue St. Paul in Old Montreal



So you see my point.

Moving on...

Aside from the occasional hilarity of Place Jacques Cartier, there's far more in Montreal. On block up and about five blocks down is Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal. This is arguably the single most impressive building in all of Montreal. Whether you count yourself among the faithful or not, it's difficult to not be awed by the sheer grandeur of this place:



 The eastern tower, nicknamed La Tempérance (Temperance),
was completed in 1843 and houses a carillon of 10 bells



The High Altar

Visiting the Basilica used to be free. There's now a very nominal charge of $5.00 (CDN) to visit. It's well worth the money, and it's absolutely worth your time.

Another "must see" in Montreal is the site of the 1976 Olympic Summer Games, Parc Olympique. The Olympic stadium is a futuristic looking building which has the tallest inclined tower on the planet, known simply as Montreal Tower. Interestingly enough, the tower wasn't completed until 1987:

Montreal Tower

Parc Olympique

The view of downtown Montreal from the top of Montreal Tower

Standing in front of the Olympic pool at Parc Olympique in Montreal



Back down in Old Montreal, one other thing that cannot be overlooked is the shopping. It doesn't matter if it's Chinatown, one of the countless souvenir shops on Rue St. Paul, or one of the artists along the back alleys of Place Jacques Cartier, there's probably something for everyone. Take me, for example. I'm not normally a "hat guy" but, c'mon. I have to admit, I was tempted: 

I could totally rock this lid



Alejandro, a painter in Old Montreal



A fruit merchant in Chinatown

There are plenty of characters in and around Montreal. To be sure, there are plenty in the Old Port. But, sometimes, you're lucky enough to catch some people, who aren't hanging out or doing business in the Old Port, who absolutely defy description:

This guy was one snappy dresser

There are no words

As I said, Montreal is truly one of my favorite cities. From restaurants to shopping to sightseeing, there's more than enough here to satisfy even the most voracious travel-appetite, and it just never seem to get old.

Cheers!