Je ne parles pas francais.

Dayven and I had a fabulous weekend get-a-way in Montreal, or "mon ree-alll" as the locals say. He had some business in town and I've always wanted to see the city so we took advantage of my folks being here and headed east.

I had to keep reminding myself we were still in Canada (even though québécoise prefer to pretend they're not). It felt very European, with slim, stylish looking people, many of whom smoked (which you rarely see anymore). The only overweight people I saw were the tourists. French is the first language and most people greet you with "Bonjour" or "Bonsoir", depending on the time of day. I made the mistake of first answering Bonjour back to them. They assumed I spoke French and began rattling away. I gave them a blank smile and nodded politely like my 91-year-old grandma does when you're talking to her. After that, I just said hello so they know I was an Anglophone (English speaking person). Although most people speak English, they do it with a very thick accent and occasionally stumble over words letting you know it's not their first language. It's all part of the charm.

We spent Saturday checking out the Old Port. It's a charming area of town, with cobblestone streets and buildings hundreds of years old. There were people walking, running and biking along the waterfront. We strolled along the streets, checking out the shops, local artists painting on easels and street performers. We had lunch at a cute little sidewalk cafe like something you'd see in Europe. We toured the Notre Dame Cathedral, a replica of the one in Paris. Built in 1656, it's Montreal's oldest Catholic church and one of the oldest religious structures in North America. It has massive stained glass windows chronicling the history of the city, gold-guilded ceilings and mahogany woodwork. The details were unbelievable and the beauty of it took my breath away when I walked in. We also checked out the Seminary and the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, dating back to 1675. We climbed the winding staircase to the very top tower for a great view of the Old Port and surrounding area. We laughed that it reminded us of Europe so much in that everything is old and not up to "code" or the standards we hold in the US where everyone is so terrified of lawsuits. The streets are uneven, the thresholds are tall enough to make you trip, and there are plenty of small doorways and low ceilings that caused Dayven to duck. You definitely have to look out for yourself when strolling around the Old Port!  Saturday evening, we had dinner at Modavie, a quaint little French restaurant in the Old Port.

Sunday, we walked through the university campus to the Parc Mont Royal. It's basically a huge hill right in the center of the city, with waterfalls, paths and beautiful greenery. We "hiked" to the top - it's mostly staircases, but they're steep and there are a lot of them. We were winded and sweaty by the time we reached the top, but the views of the city were amazing and worth it.

Sunday afternoon Dayven was tied up with work so I went exploring on my own. It's very easy to get around the city. There's a great Metro system that's well marked and takes you almost everywhere. They also have the Bixi, a bicycle taxi. There are stations all over the city. You just swipe your credit card, select a bike and away you go. You just re-dock the bike at the station nearest your destination and it automatically locks and registers it as returned. It's fabulous. So, while Dayven was working, I headed over to the Parc Jean Dupreau, on a separate island just across from the Old Port. I rented a Bixi and cruised all over the island. When I was done, I took the Metro back across and went down to check out the Farmer's Market. Is there anything better than homemade yummies, fresh fruits and veggies and the smell of fresh cut flowers?

Rue St. Catherine, the street our hotel was on, is loaded with every chain store imaginable, and almost reminded me of a mini version of Michigan Avenue in Chicago. While I did check it out, I didn't do much shopping. I figured a Banana Republic is a Banana Republic, regardless of where you are. I'd rather explore the city and find the interesting things that make it unique. Dayven had a cocktail reception that evening with customers and I met up with him afterward for a nice dinner with some of the dealer personnel and their wives.

I hoofed it all over that city and I have the blisters to prove it. Monday, Dayven was tied up in meetings all day, so I took the Metro again (I was a pro by this point) to Mont Royal Plateau, or "Mile End", as it's referred to. It's a fun area loaded with Vegan restaurants, bohemian shops, funky boutiques, sidewalk cafes, a surprising amount of Hare Krishnas and even a three-legged-dog. I walked and walked, people watching and ducking in the occasional shop. I was on a mission for this bagel shop I'd heard about that had the best bagels in the city. I was on the right street, but since all the signs were in French, I got confused. I stopped in what I thought was it and ordered a bagel, then not half a block later I saw the one I was actually looking for. I decided it wasn't worth wasting a bagel over so I ate the original one. How different can a bagel really be? I can't tell you how far I walked, but my dogs were barking by the end. I hopped the Metro back my hotel so I could change shoes. At least the blisters could wear in different spots.

I loved exploring the city on my own. At home with two small kids, there's always someone chattering, singing, whining, requesting something or announcing some small fact. Not that I'm complaining, but it's really nice to have silence one in a while and not have to talk to anyone. I spent the remainder of my afternoon sitting on the hotel terrace, sipping a smoothie and reading my book. Heavenly! 


That evening, we had the awards gala and dinner with dealers and customers. Tuesday morning I hopped an early flight home and left Dayven for the remainder of the conference. What a fun city and a great get-a-way. I must admit I missed my kiddos dearly and was so glad to see them. They seemed to be surviving just fine without me. Hadley called me "Nana", the entire first day I was home so I guess I'm easily replaced. It almost became comical. She seems to have remembered my name now. We're really enjoying our time with Nana and Poppy for the remainder of their visit. 

Want to view the entire trip album? Check out my pictures on Snapfish.  

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