Can't compare it to anything else...

Montreal as a city has a flavour that I haven’t experienced anywhere else I have travelled. It seems like one of the most European-esque cities in Canada, probably even North America, but it also has that urban concrete jungle feel too it that is common in Canadian cities.


I’ve been to Montreal plenty of times, but usually in big groups with school or my dance group. This time it was just my sister, our cousin and I. Our cousin had come from Poland this summer and had been to Canada many times but never outside of Toronto. With Greyhound tickets so cheap and Montreal only 8 hours away we decided to spend a week in this festive city.
And festive it was. We lucked out on the Just for Laughs Festival and Montreal’s famous jazz festival, but there was still plenty more going on. It was Pride Festival that week, which included concerts and parades and photography exhibits. It was called Diver/cite. The concert park was one block away from the place we stayed at so at night we went and listened to Tina Turner covers and Eurythmatic’s beats.


When the concert finished people would pour onto the streets and into the city’s myriad of bars, cafes or clubs. Never once, I must admit, did I feel unsafe in this city. There are just so many people around and the streets come alive at night, unlike Toronto I feel. But it was obvious that security was beefed up for all these festivals.


Rue St Catherine we found to be the best for its nightlife and good for shopping in the day as well. Me being 18 I finally got to experience that freedom of just being able to go wherever you please - no shitty fake id needed. The place we frequented most was Foufant Electriques. It seems like one of those clubs that you can only find in a place like New York; a real gem. It is a concert venue, dance club, bar, art gallery and lots of other things rolled into one. The second night we went they put up a skate board ramp. The prices were fantastic as well $5 pitchers, $2 beer specials.


Another thing I really liked about this city was that its people seemed to gravitate to spending more time outdoors on the street or on patios then inside. Many people don’t even use cars with this city being the most bike-friendly I have seen. Ride your own or rent a Bixi for a mere $5. The nice weather probably had a part in it as well, but I feel like in other Canadian cities its a more indoor social life and everything is more spaced apart so a bike is less likely to be used.

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