Touring Montreal
Nov. 4th, 2009 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tvordljBonjour from la Belle Province! Am writing this from the hotel business centre but it's very limited as to what sites it will let you go on. No social networking ones! Facebook will have to wait!
My first day, Monday, not three blocks from the hotel on our first venture out? Face plant onto the sidewalk!!! You know sometimes you have trees in the sides of the sidewalk? (pavements in the UK) and there is a metal "plate" type thing around it for decoration... well this one metal plate had no tree, just a shallow dip/hole and sure enough, my foot found it. Poor Graham nearly had a heart attack but when i got up, i moved all the joints and bones and things seemed to be working ok. No twisted ankles, Back seemed to hold up though it is still a bit sore but no more than you'd expect, my knuckles on one hand were scraped and bruised and my knees are a bit as well but not too bad. Sheesh!
Onward and upward. We walked around Old Montreal that first afternoon, then had a really nice meal in Chinatown just a few blocks from the hotel. Tuesday we went to a museum in the morning and then shopped along St. Catherine street in the afternoon with a Starbucks wifi stop part way. The Musee des Beaux Arts was quite good, with lots of paintings and some artifacts from various eras. We didn't go the Canadian section as we were getting footsore already but they had a small exhibit of Napoleon Empire era items that was really, really interesting. Graham was impressed to see Boney's actual hat! I loved seeing the bust of Josephine and some of the miniatures of her and of him and of course there was a portrait of him in all his Empiric glory. There was some early 19th century silver and some lovely mantle clocks that i quite liked among other things.
My poor feet are of course feeling the pain lol We walked back to the hotel and ordered room service burgers which were pretty good. I just couldn't walk any more and we had to eat before the hockey game. Which, for me at least, was a real rush! Wow, hearing the National Anthem in the Canadiens' arena! Well it wasn't the old fellow, Roger Doucette that did it all those years in the 60s and 70s and it isn't the old Montreal Forum but it did well enough! In the end, Montreal lost the game and the third period was the best, as they were more energized and trying to catch up and win while the other team, aptly named in this case, the Thrashers, were trying to stay ahead or get ahead because the score was tied a couple of times. Lots of sound and music in between plays, a nice preshow video presentation. Graham wasn't impressed as he isn't a sporty person in the least but he tried to look interested out of politeness!
We had quite high seats but actually had a pretty good view. One aside.... You may remember i lost my cameral at the pool place on Sunday.... We stopped into a shop on St. Catherine's street and i found a nearly equal replacement, one model newer and it was on sale $50 off so i bought it and it performed very well at the game. We walked all the way back to the hotel as the Bell Centre is actually on the street that the hotel is on though it was a bit of a hike. The cold air felt good after being inside. We did have to get pointed in the right direction but once on the way, it took about 20 minutes on sore aching feet.
Today we took a bus tour of the city with a few photo stops and one stop to go into Notre Dame Basilica which is really beautiful inside, all glowing blue and gold in the darkness. Behind the altar is a newer chapel that is sunny and bright and altogether a different feel. The tour was about 3 hours with the photo stops. After that, we brought food back to the hotel suite (I had leftover Chinese food from the other night) and had a relaxing afternoon. We're in the business centre now as i said and we'll have a couple of free drinks at the Manager's Reception before going out to find somewhere for dinner. We're fancying a steak and saw a Keg in Old Montreal which might do the trick.
Tomorrow, an old friend of mine is driving over from Quebec and we'll have lunch with them and visit the Biodome and Olympic tower i think. Friday an internet friend of Graham's is going to make the trek over. I think we might see if they will like to go to the planetarium because that's something we did want to do. I got to chat to my aunt on the phone last night and she'll be leaving on Thursday but i will call my cousin tonight and we'll arrange getting together on Saturday before we fly home in the evening. We've got to try not to do so much in one day as our feet and legs get tired out, thus the easier day today. I like the city though Graham doesn't see the Wow factor. I guess, though, when you compare it to Brussels or Paris, which did have a Wow factor, it's not going to measure up in that way . Anyway, must get off and check some more emails. t'ra for now.
My first day, Monday, not three blocks from the hotel on our first venture out? Face plant onto the sidewalk!!! You know sometimes you have trees in the sides of the sidewalk? (pavements in the UK) and there is a metal "plate" type thing around it for decoration... well this one metal plate had no tree, just a shallow dip/hole and sure enough, my foot found it. Poor Graham nearly had a heart attack but when i got up, i moved all the joints and bones and things seemed to be working ok. No twisted ankles, Back seemed to hold up though it is still a bit sore but no more than you'd expect, my knuckles on one hand were scraped and bruised and my knees are a bit as well but not too bad. Sheesh!
Onward and upward. We walked around Old Montreal that first afternoon, then had a really nice meal in Chinatown just a few blocks from the hotel. Tuesday we went to a museum in the morning and then shopped along St. Catherine street in the afternoon with a Starbucks wifi stop part way. The Musee des Beaux Arts was quite good, with lots of paintings and some artifacts from various eras. We didn't go the Canadian section as we were getting footsore already but they had a small exhibit of Napoleon Empire era items that was really, really interesting. Graham was impressed to see Boney's actual hat! I loved seeing the bust of Josephine and some of the miniatures of her and of him and of course there was a portrait of him in all his Empiric glory. There was some early 19th century silver and some lovely mantle clocks that i quite liked among other things.
My poor feet are of course feeling the pain lol We walked back to the hotel and ordered room service burgers which were pretty good. I just couldn't walk any more and we had to eat before the hockey game. Which, for me at least, was a real rush! Wow, hearing the National Anthem in the Canadiens' arena! Well it wasn't the old fellow, Roger Doucette that did it all those years in the 60s and 70s and it isn't the old Montreal Forum but it did well enough! In the end, Montreal lost the game and the third period was the best, as they were more energized and trying to catch up and win while the other team, aptly named in this case, the Thrashers, were trying to stay ahead or get ahead because the score was tied a couple of times. Lots of sound and music in between plays, a nice preshow video presentation. Graham wasn't impressed as he isn't a sporty person in the least but he tried to look interested out of politeness!
We had quite high seats but actually had a pretty good view. One aside.... You may remember i lost my cameral at the pool place on Sunday.... We stopped into a shop on St. Catherine's street and i found a nearly equal replacement, one model newer and it was on sale $50 off so i bought it and it performed very well at the game. We walked all the way back to the hotel as the Bell Centre is actually on the street that the hotel is on though it was a bit of a hike. The cold air felt good after being inside. We did have to get pointed in the right direction but once on the way, it took about 20 minutes on sore aching feet.
Today we took a bus tour of the city with a few photo stops and one stop to go into Notre Dame Basilica which is really beautiful inside, all glowing blue and gold in the darkness. Behind the altar is a newer chapel that is sunny and bright and altogether a different feel. The tour was about 3 hours with the photo stops. After that, we brought food back to the hotel suite (I had leftover Chinese food from the other night) and had a relaxing afternoon. We're in the business centre now as i said and we'll have a couple of free drinks at the Manager's Reception before going out to find somewhere for dinner. We're fancying a steak and saw a Keg in Old Montreal which might do the trick.
Tomorrow, an old friend of mine is driving over from Quebec and we'll have lunch with them and visit the Biodome and Olympic tower i think. Friday an internet friend of Graham's is going to make the trek over. I think we might see if they will like to go to the planetarium because that's something we did want to do. I got to chat to my aunt on the phone last night and she'll be leaving on Thursday but i will call my cousin tonight and we'll arrange getting together on Saturday before we fly home in the evening. We've got to try not to do so much in one day as our feet and legs get tired out, thus the easier day today. I like the city though Graham doesn't see the Wow factor. I guess, though, when you compare it to Brussels or Paris, which did have a Wow factor, it's not going to measure up in that way . Anyway, must get off and check some more emails. t'ra for now.
