Nobody parks for free in Montreal! These bicycle pay station racks are all over the place. Before my bus tour, I had a couple of hours to walk around and explore the neighborhood.
My hotel, Le Chateau Champlain Marriott is on Place du Canada, in the downtown area. I first headed to the west, and found the planetarium, but not much else. The city slopes downward toward the St. Lawrence River, which is on three sides of the island.
As I walked back up towards the Hotel, and the downtown shopping district, I encountered some sort of picketing at the Fairmont Hotel.
I'm not sure why they were gathered. I don't think it was a protest, however, Some were loudly singing "Ole, Ole Ole Ole.....We are the Champions...Ole". I've heard that song sung during and after soccer matches. So maybe it has something to do with soccer.Anyway, after walking around Dominion Place for a while it was time for the Gray Line Tour.
If you've never taken one, I highly recommend it. It's always my first stop in a new city. The guides are always excellent. And Antonio did not disappoint. For three hours, he kept up an amusing and informative commentary about the city and its' history.
We drove to Vieux Montreal, the old part of the city.
First, we passed through Chinatown, which is pretty small, but was packed. It extends about ten blocks. The other side of the street was more crowded, but my fellow bus passengers were blocking the view. No cars are allowed in Chinatown.
A huge attraction in Old Montreal is the Notre Dame Cathedral. The outside is beautiful.
The inside is supposed to be even more incredible, but a wedding kept us on the outside.
Speaking of weddings, Antonio told us that Celine Dion and Rene Whateverhisnameis were married here.
The rest of Old Montreal is simply beautiful. It's neo-classical architecture and old-style French buildings. Lots of restaurants and shops, ivy-covered hotels, and very elegant.
Notice the authentic gas lamp on the right-hand side of the photo. They actually work!
I will definitely be returning to this neighborhood to spend several hours. 
5 comments:
You are such a GREAT tour-guide Lisa. I'm so glad you're seeing all this beautiful stuff.
The photos blow-up beautifully on your blog with a simple click.
I googled CSN+Montreal and then filtered for news and it sounds like what you saw was a walkout or strike or picket for a hotel worker's union.
Love the gas lamps and the brick streets. Such a magical looking place!!!!
Now I must go there. It looks beautiful! When will you try to barf fries?!?
Wow that looks so European, and so beautiful. Do people speak French or English? Some of those buildings remind me of what you'd find in Victoria. I'm so glad you are taking pictures and posting them on your blog!
To answer the questions, yes, people mostly speak French, although if you say " Bon Jour, do you speak English" Almost everyone says "Yes", with no accent!
But I love hearing the French. In fact my junior high school lessons have returned in my brain. I spent all day today (Sunday) with a native of France, giving me an excellent tour although she spoke almost no English. I'll post the photos and tell the stories soon.
And Colleen, Yes, I tried the "Barf Fries" on Saturday night. My reaction in a new blog post...just for you!
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