Sweet Willie

Wife and I have wanted to go to Montreal for quite sometime, ok, me more than her and me wishing for a wintertime trip rather than summer. For her most winter trips are to warm locales, after all “Happy Wife, Happy Life”.

After she asked where we were going for our self-proclaimed “Annual Canadian Summertime Trip” I suggested Montreal, she agreed.

We flew out on UA’s first flight in the morning and arrived slightly after 10am Montreal time. Flight was on time and boring, being a stinky CRJ. Flight time was about 2 hours.

Cab ride downtown is a flat rate of $28 C (Canadian). It took about 20 minutes for our carbide into the downtown area at that time in the morning. We were staying at the Hilton Bonaventure in the Bonaventure Place building on an award stay. The Hilton turned out to be a fine choice. A stay report is here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum57/HTML/008064.html

By the time we unpacked and got settled we were hungry. I suggested I go out for some sandwiches. Turns out there is a Premiere Moisson location just across the street from the Hilton. Premiere Moisson is a combination bakery, deli, pastry shop all in one. As with all places we dined in Montreal, the locations/descriptions are/will soon be, written in the Flyertalk Dining Forum. If one searches for “Montreal” in the Eastern Canada forum of FT Dining, you will find them. I brought back two sandwiches and some pate, all were delicious.

We then took the Metro to Old Montreal/Old Port area and walked around. Lots of fun, character, shopping and eating. It does feel like you are in Europe when surrounded on four sides by some of the beautiful buildings. Old Port feels like any other tourist pier(s) on the water front. Two churches not to miss are the Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours Chapel and the Basilique Notre Dame.

We were disappointed w/Marche Bonsecours. There was however a very neat item we saw there. While my wife was preoccupied in some store that did not interest me, I noticed some beautiful winter photographs. As I was drawn closer, I realized that the “photographs” were actually embroidered silk. Amazing stuff, very neat.

It was now 4 pmish and time for an afternoon snack. We split a lobster crepe and a salmon salad.

After some more shopping/sight seeing it was time for dinner. Chose a restaurant right off of Place Jacques-Cartier. After a wonderful dinner we were tired. We Metro'ed back to the Hilton and watched “About Schmidt” w/Jack Nicholson in it. It was under comedy, but it felt more of a tragedy. Although watching him rant to Nudugu was quite funny.

Woke up the next morning late, much later than I wanted to. Grabbed a diet coke and some pastries from the Exec lounge and hustled to the Clock Tower pier to book our ride w/ Sauté Moutons or the jet boat rapids ride. The 1200+ horsepower jet boat makes departures every two hours starting at 10am. One gets briefing, a wet wool ex-Canadian military wool sweater, life-jacket, rubber scuba booties and a poncho or jumpsuit. These items do not keep you dry; they just prevent getting overly chilled from the wind chill. Wear a bathing suit; in no way believe you will stay dry in the least. There is a storage shelf but no lockers. Much to my wife’s dismay upon returning, there is no bathroom either, closest one is up top before you descend to the Sauté Moutons ticket booth. There are changing rooms. Bring a towel. This was incredible, simply incredible. Wife and I sat in the front row of the boat. The boat whizzes along the St. Laurent at 40-60 M.P.H. until it reaches the rapids of Sauté Moutons. The boat then S’s through the rapids up stream, veering in-between the high waves, then it does this fishtail maneuver and is pointed downstream. The boat then is directed into the waves of the rapids. As we descended the boat hit its first wave, the bow went up and all I could see was the distant horizon, we hung there for what seemed like a minute then the bow crashes down and a meter high wall of water crashes over the bow into the boat. I was completely drenched and thrown around like a rag doll but loved every minute of it. The waves hit sometimes so hard that my wife had to secure her earrings. The boat plays in the rapids for about 20-25 minutes then whizzes back to the pier. Guy next to us had been white water rafting in many locations; he said this was as close as you can get to what white water rafting feels like. http://www.jetboatingmontreal.com/ Oh, and they give you unlimited free hot chocolate to warm you up if you are chilled. Water temp of the river was much warmer than I expected, but then I like swimming in Lake Superior, so it might be a little chilly to some.

Around noon we have changed and are now STARVING due to not having breakfast. Wife wanted a sandwich, fine w/me. End up at a chicken joint in Old Montreal. I see chicken sausage on a baguette w/sautéed onions and peppers, I think great that will fit the bill. When the sausage comes I’m now let down. Stupid steaming or boiling of the sausage, I need my grill marks, some crispyness like a Maxwell street polish! Not a grey schwantz looking sandwich. Not good, skip the sausage sandwiches, but indulge in the frites w/garlic mayo, YUM.

We then took the Metro to the Pie-IX stop to see the Olympic Village, site of the ’76 Summer Olympics. I had forgotten what a mess these Olympics were: Unpleasantries aside, we toured the world’s largest inclined structure, the Olympic Tower. Views were great. http://english.montrealplus.ca/profile/558398/

Also toured the Biodome which is adjacent to the tower. One tip that we were lucky with. We went to the Tower first and bought a combination ticket good for the tower funicular and the Biodome. After the Tower, there was at least an hour long line to buy tickets for the Biodome, which of course we were able to skirt around and just enter the exhibits, dumb luck! Maybe that good karma I’ve been practicing is working.

It was getting late or else we would have toured the Botanic Gardens which are next to Olympic Park. http://english.montrealplus.ca/profile/558385/ We headed back to our hotel.

Another thing to do during the Summer on Sundays is go and see the Cirque du Soliel shows for free. see: http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/000069.html

We did have reservations at a supposedly good Portuguese seafood restaurant called Ferreira Cafe http://www.ferreiracafe.com/ but we were in a deli/beer mood so we scummed it to Schwartz’s Smoked Meat for some hearty deli food. The full name of Schwartz’s is Charcuterie Hébraďque de Montréal but I’ve only seen it called Schwartz’s. Let’s just say w/some beer and a viande fumee sandwich, I was in heaven. To get to Schwartz’s we took the Metro to the Sherbrooke stop, walked west through Square St. Louis w/a beautiful lit fountain and gorgeous greystone like homes/buildings.

We went out drinking at some various bars along St. Laurent afterwards. Quite the variety of bar venues.

We had planned on seeing the fireworks at the amusement park in Montreal called La Rhonde. I believe that they have multiple shows every year where various firework companies compete http://www.lemondialsaq.com/en/ As we were about to enter the Sherbrooke Metro stop; out of the corner of my eye I caught the fireworks. We ended up seeing about what I’m guessing was the final 1/3 of the show.

At the hotel bar in the Hilton we had some more nightcaps. There was a large Gay/Lesbian country dance competition going on so the people watching was a hoot in the bar.

Again, we wake up late, but this time I don’t really care as we are not on a time critical schedule today.

Being scuba divers, we had wanted to see an IMAX film called Coral Reef Adventure. It just so happened that it was playing at the Science Center down in the Old Port area. http://coralfilm.com/ Very beautiful film, but did not tie in the necessity to preserve the reefs enough for me, but again, beautiful shots.

Before the film started we had some time to kill, I suggested going to the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum (museum of Archeology & History) but it was not open yet.

So I felt like playing and as a fellow FT’er suggested in an email to me, I tried the electric stand up scooters one can rent called Zappy Scooters http://www.currietech.com.au/news/rentals.htm The first one did not have a full charge and died after about 5 minutes, I walked the scooter back to get another. My second scooter had a much better charge and I was zipping around the Old Port area, wind in my Ľ” length hair. This time the charge went out w/about 5 minutes left on my rental time, of course this is the time that I’m at the opposite end of Old Port from the rental tent. I walk all the way back and ask for some $ back due to the numerous problems. I did not get any $ back, so renter beware.

By this time it is almost time for our IMAX movie, so we see it. Oh, if you are scuba diver see the film, not only for the message and beautiful coral, but also for the drift dive scene, incredible, it looks as though they are flying.

Unfortunately we forget about the Pointe-a-Calliere Museum and proceed to find a yummy charcuterie to eat at in Old Montreal.

I love Folk Art, I like to see what people w/no art school/training create. There was a good exhibit at the McCord Museum http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/
The exhibit was great, gave me some ideas for projects I’ll build someday. There is also a nice ever changing exhibit on Montreal urban and rural history/artifacts. The First Nations also have an exhibit here.

We walk back to the hotel from here while poking into various stores to do some shopping.

We also take in the Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde: http://www.patrimoine-religieux.qc.c...tl/cmmmtle.htm

We get back, take a dip in the pool and then have a few beers at the Exec Lounge of the Hilton. I then call the concierge to confirm our dinner reservation I had made earlier. Huge screwup! I was told we had reservations at Toque but the concierge had not called at all as Toque is closed on Sundays (& Mondays).

Man I’m PO’ed as I really wanted to eat at this restaurant. We decide to dress down a bit and just go find a place in Old Montreal. As we exit from the Place D’Armes Metro stop, the wafting smells of Chinatown reached our noses. From all I’ve read, the Asian restaurants are not supposed to be worth a darn in Montreal but w/the delicious smells filling our noses, it was clear we were not going to Old Montreal for dinner. Chinatown here we come.

We window shopped various menus, but one stood out to us. Our delicious dining experience led me to believe that perhaps the Montreal focus is on French inspired food maybe a bit too much.

After dinner we continued to stroll down Chinatown looking for what I assumed would be the ubiquitous tourist post card shop, but there were none that I saw. We did have a delicious little snack called Dragon’s Beard candy. There was an open storefront window where they were being made a sold from. Dragon’s Beard candy is spun sugar (the beard) folded around a chewy center of peanuts, sesame seeds and other nuts. Quite delicious.

I noticed a few Vietnamese places that had predominantly Asian diners in it, the Asian food in Montreal can’t be that bad could/can it?

Let’s go to the casino was our next thought, so we hopped into a cab and 8 minutes and $9 later we are at the Montreal Casino on Isle Notre Dame. The former site of the French Pavilion left over from the world’s fair of ’67.

We take the escalators to the top floor to see the restaurant Nuances, a five star restaurant. The menu did look good, but pricey. Pricey was the cost of the two glasses of champagne we shared at the Nuances bar as well.

We then wandered; they have a cool mechanical horse track on a table 10’ long. The horses actually enter the starting gates and then race around the track. Should always go w/your instincts, before the one complete race we watched, my wife chose the green horse, it did end up winning the race. Too bad our luck did not hold out on five minutes we played the dollar slot machines. It was back to the hotel bar for some more nightcaps. http://www.casino-de-montreal.com/langue_cm_fla.htm

It is now our last morning and I am not waiting for my princess to awake, I am on a mission, a mission of bagels. Montreal has the best bagels in the world, yes MUCH better than NYC. I am going to do a side by side taste test between the plain and sesame bagels of Fairmount Bagel Bakery and St. Viateur Bagel Bakery. The result………..????.......read for yourself in the Flyertalk Dining Forum, Eastern Canada.

I bring back the remaining bagels to my princess who devours them for energy as today is our walk to the top of Mount Royal. We left the hotel about 10:30am and made it to the top of Mount Royal around noon. This did include some dawdling at the Chalet on Mount Royal which has the best view of the city. One can hike up higher on Mount Royal to the steel cross, but there are really no views. The toughest hiking is the first ˝ of the climb; it is pretty easy after that.

We then walked down the Mount; it took 20 minutes to walk down and into the city centre. I had suggested that we shower up and go eat lunch at a “French” restaurant, but as we walked by Ben’s Smoked Meat, our deli cravings called out to us. Plus we were sweaty anyways. Again, if you want to see who does a better smoked meat, you’ll have to read the FT dining forum, Eastern Canada.

We get back to the hotel w/enough time to shower, pack and write postcards on the terrace by the Koi pond.

Traffic was a little slow and the cab ride took almost 35 minutes to the airport. Customs as expected was a breeze.
A slight delay in our flight getting off the ground but we were home, unpacked and in bed by 11pm.

A nice long weekend trip. We will be back to Montreal, I hope in the winter next time.


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[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 07-31-2003).]

stinger

Great trip report and glad to hear you had a good time with the exception of the scooter rental person. Don't worry though. The rest of us English Canadians are used to this king of treatment by some of the minority.

I am in Montreal in three weeks for a conference and can't wait. Did you rent bikes and ride through the National Park along the waterfront? There is a great paved trail that goes for miles if I remember correctly.

SST

I really enjoyed your trip report, with one exception. I think it's grossly unfair to label anything that doesn't measure up as French, and that's not right.

You know, I've got to say it: your perception of what the French-Canadian clerk could rudely have been thinking and attributing it to "Frenchness" is more than a little silly, and borders on what we good old Americans might actually classify as bigotry, were we to draw an analogy: think about it in terms of if the clerk was black.

I don't want to get in some argument with you, but I find it helps in other countries to just go with the flow and assume that an unempowered, pretty shiftless employee with an attitude problem at a ripoff tourist establishment (you never did get a fully charged vehicle, did you?) is just a first class slouch REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, CULTURAL ORIGIN, etc.

You don't have to be happy about shabby treatment, but don't start imagining it has something to do with speaking French at home, and tar a whole city (because let's face it, Montreal is 80% French).

I've met countless charming and wonderful service people in Montreal, and been amazed and awed by the fact that (unlike nearly every American and most English Canadians), they seem to make a huge effort to speak with a visitor in a second language (English), and they do their best. I'm sometimes absolutely appalled by the treatment that foreigners get even in a touristed city like San Francisco or New York by low level employees who make literally NO effort to understand foreigners.

Montreal is a different society, in a different country, and I just think it's a little unfair to paint such a picture. On the whole, do you think you were treated well by people? Did you have a good time, and would you go back?

[This message has been edited by SST (edited 07-31-2003).]

Sweet Willie

SST,

if you knew me you would clearly understand that what I wrote is meant in jest, but I can understand how one might get the wrong impression. It is a case of my humor/thoughts not translating well to the written word, nothing more.

I'll go back and see if I can't reword the humor. skip that, I'll just remove the remark.

Willie


[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 07-31-2003).]

SST

OK, no offense taken; in my book you've got a pretty good record as a writer here on FlyerTalk.

So did you have as good a time as your review suggests?

I *always* have a good time in Montreal. Just returned on Monday, myself, as a matter of fact. The Francofolies de Montreal was the festival du jour (for those of you who don't know, Montreal always seems to have at least a couple of street events going). It's a celebration of French language and culture; ie: good food on the street, 5 or 6 stage venues out in the open (for free!) with a varied and eclectic set of bands and theatre who perform pretty much nonstop from 4pm to 2am, every day. It was a gas to wander around. This is the second time we've been there for this, the last being about 5 years ago.

Also had my obligatory smoked meat lunch at Schwartz's, (Sweet Willie is absolutely right on his choice of Schwartz's over Ben's). Missed out on both Toque and L'Express this time, but had a superb tartare at Bistro Boris on McGill St., on the terasse. It was lovely, the meal was sublime.

A nice dinner, too (although relatively expensive for Montréal) at CUBE, in the St. Paul Hotel. This is worth checking out on your next trip.

Finally, we went to an unmarked tapas bar at the corner of Sherbrooke and St.-Laurent. (You'll know it; it's the only restaurant there!). Wonderful little innovative tapas made a fine meal for about $35 US, including wine. Dessert was a letdown. Tapas were excellent.

And to anyone who's looking at this prior to about October: two things I wouldn't miss----
1) The Edouard Vuillard exhibition at the Musee des Beaux Arts is a superb collection of about 300+ works by this impressionist master. It's the most complete show either my wife or I had ever seen by the fellow, and it's well worth an hour or two.

2) The Mosaicultures International, which is a several-acres large garden exhibition of sculpted scenes (topiaries)using all greenery and flowers, living. It's unique, and won't be back, I hear. It is at the foot of McGill St., at the river's old locks. I'm not a big garden fan, but my wife talked me into it, and it's well worth seeing-- it's stupendous.

With that, I second just about all Sweet Willie wrote!

Sweet Willie

bumped for a bud

bseller

With numerous thanks from the "bud"!!!

Best ,Dave

cawhite

After our discussion at dinner on Sunday.... I'm glad you bumped this up for said "bud" because I enjoyed reading it as well & I'm picturing the wind blowing through your hair! Willie -- I always enjoy reading trip reports, but yours are probably my favorite of all -- please keep them coming!

doc

Thank you very much Willie for the super report!

I always enjoy Montreal as well, and we also had a super FT gathering there a few years ago that Rick did an absolutely fantastic job organizing! Among many others, Randy can confirm that it was great fun!

Thank again.

Mark