Montreal is an island and a city. The Metro is well situated and all 68 stations are beautifully presented with art work in them all. The Metro was completed in 1966 in time for Expo 67 and the centenary of Canadian Confederation.
The Olympic site from 1976 is still as breathtaking as ever. The Velodrome has been turned into a Biosphere where you can see and smell penguins ... among other things.
In the downtown area can be found a quarter sized replica of Notre Dame. I have only visited this once ...way back when I started to come to Montreal as a teenager.
These days I come to Montreal on the same weekend every year to visit my friend. We drink martinis, buy a Christams tree, cook up a storm, read magazines, go to Ogilvey's for lunch and at times have tried on every hat in the store.
I missed the November weekend in 2007 because I was on my BIG adventure. We are catching up this last week in February.
When I come to Montreal I always visit the same places ... the Botanical Gardens, the Insectarium, The Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Musee des Beaux Artes,
Atwater Market, Westmount Library, Hoggs Hardware, Sherbrooke Street and now the shops on Monkland.
I had to go shopping! Nine months in the same clothes was just about enough. I bought jeans and black turtlenecks. Next ... perfume at Crabtree and Evelyn.
The Cuban exhibit at the Musee des Beaux Artes was worth the visit. Across the street a collection from private collections was being exhibited. I only coveted two pieces. In the Cuban exhibit one painting of the cane cutters was the most powerful of the 400 pieces on display.
At the Canadian Centre for Architecture the presentation of 'sorry no gas' displayed alternatives to petroleum. In one corridor gifts sent for Phillis Lambert's 80th Birthday hung on walls and were behind glass.
Most of the time was spent catching up to stories and hanging out with friends.
Oscar night was a hoot ... we went to The Salvation Army and bought gowns. We dressed up to watch the Oscars and had our own red carpet presentation. A nice dinner with brandy as dessert and knitting as an activity, made the evening pass quickly. We had only seen one movie each. No titanic movies
or glorious musicals were nominated. All the gowns were acceptable ... nothing hideous or halebarry.
On the last day we went to our most favourite woolshop. Moulineux has moved a few houses down from the old address into larger quarters.
Cathedral SquareA futuristic shopping and office area built behind the old church.
Lambert HouseThe decorative finish of the old house can be seen thru the iron works of the garden room.
Taste of WinterAs it rained every day in Rio, it snowed every dayin Montrea.
More WeedsThe hot house at the Westmount Library is always a pleasure to experience. Poinsettas were still much in evidence.
Boot High SnowThe snow fell in one night on top of all that was already on hte grownd.