Montreal, Quebec

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The theme of this vacation seems to be relaxing--not so fast paced--sleeping late--I have to accept that we aren't going to get to see everything! Our ViaRail train from Toronto to Montreal was very comfortable (especially compared to airplane seats!) After the six hour train ride, we still had time to explore Old Montreal and eat at one of the many restaurants with sidewalk patios. We thought we were eating at a French restaurant, but found out it was Portuguese-La Sauvagine. The cuisine here is a combination of Canadian, French, British, and there are many other ethnic cuisines in the big cities. Wild game, such as wild boar, pheasant, "woodcock" (quail), etc. are seen on many menus. And of course the Canada specialty--poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy on top)--even McDonald's here carries it. Haven't got to try it yet. I'm glad I learned a little French before we came--all the signs here are in French. Even the Mexican restaurant menus are a combination of Spanish and French. Like Parker said, though, most all the French-speaking Montreal natives speak English also, as their second language--thank goodness!

Tuesday and Wednesday, we took the sightseeing bus to a few sights. We got off at Mt. Royal and walked the trails through the woods to the bottom to explore that neighorhood. We went through the Biodome, Botanical Gardens, and went up in the Olympic tower funicular today. Stopped in Little Italy for lunch, where we were surrounded by Italia fans cheering on Italy's soccer team against Ireland. The nearby Jean-Talon market took up an entire block or two with venders of fresh and prepared foods. I wish I would have taken pictures of the beautiful and colorful macaroons (The strawberry one I tried was delicious!), the other lovely pastries, and the most perfect looking fruits and flowers that we have ever seen! There are various shops with Quebec products, especially maple flavored items. We didn't really feel like we were in a foreign country in Ontario except for the different currency. Steve already knew somewhat how to talk like a Canadian, eh?. . . But here in Quebec, it does seem like a different country.. There are a lot of pretty and historical buildings--some from the 1600's or 1700's. I wasn't able to get a lot of good pictures--everything here seems to be under construction. Next year is Montreal's 375th anniversary, so they are busy restoring everything.

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