The Accidental Tourist

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Geo: 51.0451, -114.063

So of course the nicest day of the trip ... has to be the day we leave. So what can you do? Enjoy every last minute, that's what! With an evening flight, there was plenty of time to head down to Old Montreal and the port for a stroll, catch some rays, and have some fine French cuisine at L'Arrivage, located atop the Museum of Archeology.

Highly recommended by Anne, the owner of the B&B, it didn't disappoint - not only was the rooftop patio the perfect spot for a hot sunny day like today, especially with a beautiful view of the port, but the food ... as fine as anything you can get in France and at a very reasonable price. $20 for a three-course meal with coffee or tea? You can't beat that!

Montreal has been tres cool, definitely worthy of a return trip, especially if it would involve actually seeing a complete F1 race. It's actually been quite fun to play tourist in my own country - it's something I've never actually done before, at least not to the extent of the walking-around-wearing-a-backpack-with-a-guidebook-in-hand-and-a-camera-in-the-other type of tourist I was in Montreal. It wasn't really the intent, but more of an accident.

It's a shame, in a way - Canada has so much to offer, but the call of distant lands is inevitably louder. Funny how so many of us see so much of the rest of the world before we really even see our own little piece of it all. But of course, my justification is always that while I'm still able to, I'll backpack to faraway lands by bus and train, saving Canada for when I'm old and grey, and can see it via RV!

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Photos

Place Jacques Cartier ...
... super touristy but fun pedestrian street in the old town.

Vegetable Remoulade ...
... with chorizo, green apple, leek, and hazelnut oil. A bit spicy and not too heavy ... like a really good coleslaw.

Beet gazpacho ...
... light, refreshing, and delicious!

Wild Bass and Gargantuan Shrimps ...
... what's up with the shrimps in Montreal? Huge like last night's shrimp ceviche! Nice mix of vegetables - asparagus, roasted pepper, eggplant, fennel, along with some chickpeas and an interesting curry yam puree.

Pistachio-Encrusted Pork ...
... in a chorizo sauce with fingerling potatoes, asparagus, a vegetable medley with carrot and zucchini, and what might have been a parsnip puree. The asparagus is interesting ... it looks like they've skinned the bottom half of the stalk. The pork was delicious, perfectly cooked and juicy, and bursting with flavour.

Duo of Desserts ...
... an eggy spongy cake topped with passion fruit sorbet and filled with a rich nutty cream. Even better was lemon and strawberry mousses, topped with cookie crumbs. A nice light end to the meal.

Montreal's Port ...
... some touristy vendors and a Cirque du Soleil tent in the background for its latest production, Totem.

The South American Slash ...
... where's the rest of Guns 'n Roses???

Airport Meal ...
... Montreal bagel with lox, cream cheese, cherry tomatoes, and something a little different - what I think was pickled okra. Pretty average, the highlight was the dill creme fraiche served with the bagel. Not only was the three-bean salad unenjoyable for me, but it was also unenjoyable for all the passengers on the subsequent flight, if you know what I mean ...

Salad With Lox ...
... even more unenjoyable than my bagel.

The Official Religion of Montreal ...
... foodism, since it's definitely a city where it's impossible to go hungry - food of all types for all budgets.

Boo on Montreal's Public Transport ...
... their day passes are stupid - they can't be used like a normal metro ticket, you have to show it to an attendant who manually lets you through the turnstile. A pain ... especially at the smaller stations, where there often isn't an attendant at each entrance.