Montreal...A City Where Old and New Collide

Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde

One of the first impressions I had when entering Montreal (bus from Boston), was how the architecture was a juxtaposition from 17th to 21st century.

Right in the middle of this 19th century Cathedral mirrored after Saint John's Cathedral in Rome, are skyscrapers of metal and glass.

Montreal is a great walking city and easy to navigate either by foot or on the Metro. I purchased a three day pass for 18 CAD or you can get a one day pass for 10 CAD, either way it is well worth the money. Tired of walking, just hop on the Metro and take a rest.

See the brown stones right next to the skyscraper

The Musée des Beaux-Arts is a few blocks up from the Cathedral and was promoting a Chagall exhibition. The museum is actually on two opposite blocks of the street with an underground passage. What I loved most about the Chagall exhibition was rooms and rooms of his costume designs from the many plays and ballets. As you walk through the various rooms there was a trio playing Jewish music. 

On the Friday I arrived, the Montreal Canadiens were playing the New York Rangers, the streets were filled with revelers. I stopped for dinner at a local pub and have to say I got caught up in the game and cheers. Since I usually travel alone, sitting at the bar in restaurants is a great way to be a part of the atmosphere without feeling too awkward about eating alone.

Basilique Notre-Dame

On Saturday, I took the Metro from my really awful hotel (A2K), to the Basilique Notre-Dame, the most notable landmark in Montreal. Built between 184-1829, it is still a thriving medieval-style Catholic church. It also has celebrity status with many stars saying their I do's including Celine Dion in 1994.

In addition to the exquisite stain-glass windows, the vaulted-ceiling is 24 carat gold and is accompanied by one of the largest Casavant organs.

Vieux Port

From Norte-Dame it is a short walk to the Vieux-Montreal and Vieux Port. This beautiful seaport was established in 1642. It is filled with ancient churches filled with romance and culture.

Montreal is known as one of the main water ports with cruise ships and merchant mega-freighters as a gateway to the Great Lakes.

The area is filled with shops and restaurants plus a small white sand beach.

Museum of Science 

Right across from the port is the Marché Bonsecours, a neo-classical museum that used to house the Canadian Parliament. One of the greatest interests is this was a venue for Charles Dickens theatre days.

One block up from the port is Chinatown. Great places for food and shopping. It is under construction so be prepared to move through debris. 













That evening I ate in the Le Village at Cafe Cherrier. It was terrific and Jacques is a wonderful waiter. 









Sunday, my last day in this magical city I decided to see the parks. Unfortunately it was raining pretty  hard but I did get some nice shots of the city.

Parc du Mont-Royal

Yes, I decided to take the 300 stairs to the Oratoire St-Joseph. It was Easter Sunday so there was quite a crowd at the church. As with most of Montreal, the neo-classical architecture of the dome is quite significant. In addition to being an active church, it is the home of a saint, Brother Andre. His tome is beneath the church. Saint Brother Andre is a fairly new saint, canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Rainy view from Oratoire St-Joseph

Parc Olympique

After a two-hour walk about the park, I decided to take the Metro to Parc Olympique. One of Montreal's greatest attractions is the Olympique park created for the 1976 Olympic Games. Although the Stade Olympique was not finished by the time of the games (the top still doesn't open and close) it is quite impressive.

Across from the park is the Jardin Botanique. Unfortunately with the rain and time of the year, it wasn't worth taking photos. I will definitely want to come back again to see the lush gardens.

Best of the Rest

Chapel on McGill University Campus

Clock Tower at the Port