The Old Montreal

Even today, there are still horse carriages rolling the streets of Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal) over the cobblestones houses from the 18th and 19th century. The historical and archaeological museum Pointe-à-Callière, which is next to the museum Marguerite-Bourgeoys is the best insight into the city’s history. The Museum shows artifact collections from the original nations of the area of Montreal that illustrate how many different cultures interacted and coexisted, and how the British and French regimes inclined the history of this country through the years. There you can find 350 years old relics. Very near is located the Notre-Dame Basilica in neo-Gothic style inspired by the rich features of its interior.

View of Montréal

Mont Royal provides an incomparable view over the city of Montréal with its magnificent park. At one side of the mountain stands the imposing dome of the Saint-Joseph Oratory, which attracts pilgrims from all over the world. The Olympic Tower provides a spectacular view! The inclined tower dominates the terrain on which the Summer Olympics were held in 1976th. In addition to the Olympic Stadium, here is located also the Montreal Biodome where are represented the flora and the fauna of four different ecosystems. There you can find also the second-largest botanical garden in the world which lies with its extensive collections of plants in the enchanting Chinese and Japanese gardens and the Montréal Insectarium.

The Old Port of Montreal

In the middle of the city the St. Lawrence River is the main port by sea, which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes. In the grand Old Port (Vieux Port) main attractions include Centre Des Sciences De Montréal -a large complex dedicated to science and technology. The Old Port also offers a wide range of boat trips. The two river island, located on Parc Jean-Drapeau is visited all year by families who use the various outdoor offers, or enjoy themselves in the popular La Ronde amusement park. In the Parc Jean-Drapeau you can find also the elegant Casino de Montréal.

What more can you experience?

Montreal’s exciting cultural scene is characterized by energetic creativity. There are many theaters and cinemas that show programs for every taste. You can also visit and experience the bustling life in the trendy bars, cafes and nightclubs. Even the diehard night owls can get out of breath. In addition, you can go to the shopper’s paradise – the fashion city of Montreal.
The art-loving city can offer around 30 museums. Among them are the Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts), the oldest museum in Canada, the Canadian Center for Architecture (Center Canadien d’architecture), known for its unique collections and fantastic exhibits, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal). The latter, by the way is the first of its kind in Canada. It was integrated into the building complex Art space (Place des Arts) where the big stars are performing on the stage of the arts for over forty years with honor. This is also the home of the Symphony Orchestra (l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal), the Opera (L’Opéra de Montréal), and the Ballet (Les Grands Ballets).

Montreal has the largest underground city, La Ville Souterraine, in the world. It covers more than 12 km², while the underground shopping malls exceed 32 km. It connects the major cultural centers and tourist attractions in Downtown Montreal. You can enter the underground city by several public access points, six metro stations, two train stations or via the bus terminal.

The city is known for its huge variety of theaters, orchestra, ballets and operas. The major center for performing arts is the Place de Artes. Not less than five different theaters are located here and the new concert hall for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra is planned to be opened next year. The majority of the theatres show their performances in French, while English theaters usually face more difficulties. The different orchestras in the city belong to the most important symphonic orchestras in the world.

The most important ballet of Canada, the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal was found in 1957. It show the classics of the 19th century and the modern works of the 20th century. Every season four new performances are shown. Some of the world most famous dancers started their career in this company. In addition, many international ballet companies perform their shows in Montreal.
Although the Montreal Opera is a relative young ensemble, it was founded in 1980 and belongs already to the 15 most important operas of Northern America. It shows a mixture of modern and classical opera masterpieces.

But Montreal is not only a center of classical music, it is also known for its famous International Jazz and Pop festivals. On the occasion of its 30th birthday, the Jazz festival featured in 2009 more than 500 concerts by more than 2000 musicians. More than two million visitors came to city to enjoy the outstanding music performances during the first twelve days in July. Some of the concerts were held in small pubs and in theatre halls all over the city, but almost every second concert was an open-air concert. Some of the concerts were seen by more than 200,000 music enthusiasts as visitors. It is certainly the most important Jazz festival in the world.

During the summer, another spectacle takes place in the city, the Montreal Fireworks Festival. It is a major international fireworks competition. During the competition, several pyrotechnical companies present their shows of 30 minutes length. During each show, approximately 6000 fireworks are set off. In total, more than 3 million visitors enjoyed the fascination of these shows. Maybe next year, you will be one of them.

Early on, the duo performed on various stages across the city to test their compositions. The attention to acoustic guitars, powerful melodies and the haunting voice of Esther immediately seduced the audience.

Based on this experience, they included additional musicians who further enriches their music.

For a wise mix of intimate moods and pure energy look for their live shows in the city. And in the meantime … the band just released its first EP which is now available online (Amazon, Facebook, Spotify, Record Union …).

For more information on this band take a look at their myspace profile http://www.myspace.com/brightseptember

Enjoy the music!

With all my suitcases duly packed I went off for one more urban adventure. Fortunately checkout wasn’t until noon, so I was able to leave my luggage at the hotel and just head off with my camera and my backpack. I started walking west on Rue De La Gauchetière Ouest which starts off as a fairly small street surrounded by five or six story high older buildings. The first major sight I came across was St. Patrick’s Basilica.

St. Patrick’s Basilica

This gothic revival building, a designated Canadian heritage site, is one of the most magnificent examples of this style in all of Canada. The massive arrival of Irish immigrants in the early 1800s created the need for more houses of worship and construction of St. Patrick’s was started in 1843 with the first mass being celebrated in 1847. The interior of this church features 150 oil paintings of saints and is known for the “St. Patrick’s Chimes”, a chime system composed of ten bells, the oldest of which dates back to 1774.

I continued west past increasingly modern buildings until I happened across a major urban square: Dorchester Square, formerly known as Dominion Square. This wide open public space is a former cemetery which held the victims of the 1832 cholera epidemic. Today it holds several statues, including a monument commemorating the victims of the Boers War, a statue of Robert Burns – a Scottish poet, and another statue of Sir Wilfried Laurier, a former Canadian prime minister.

The south side of the square is called Place du Canada, which is the setting for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony which honours Canadians that were killed in the First and Second World Wars as well as the Korean War. Dorchester Square is surrounded by several magnificent buildings. The north end holds the Dominion Square Building which is also the location of the Centre Infotouriste, Montreal Tourism’s headquarters.

Centre Infotouriste – Dominion Square Building

The east side of Dorchester Square is adorned by one of Montreal’s most astounding buildings: Mary Queen of the World Cathedral. This impressive church is one of two surviving local churches from the era before 1875. It illustrates the power that the church wielded before the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. One of Montreal’s catholic bishops, Ignace Bourget, devised a grandiose plan to outshine the Notre Dame Basilica.

Mary Queen of the World

He decided to commission a church that would be a replica of Rome’s St. Peter’s Cathedral with a location right in the middle of a Protestant neighbourhood. Construction lasted from 1870 to 1894 and the copper statues of thirteen patron saints of Montreal’s parishes were installed in 1900. The church underwent extensive modernization in the 1950s. In recent years there has been significant reconstruction and the statue of Bishop Ignace Bourget outside the cathedral was restored in 2005. Mary Queen of the World was named a National Historic Site of Canada on May 14, 2006.

Interior of Mary Queen of the World

Further north on Place du Canada is the Sun Life Building which was finished in 1931 after three stages of construction. It was built exclusively for the Sun Life Assurance Company and measures 122 meters in height and counts 24 stories. Although the new head office of the Royal Bank of Canada at 360 Saint Jacques Street in Montreal was taller by several floors, the Sun Life Building was at the time the largest building in terms of square footage anywhere in the British Empire. The Sun Life Building has historic significance: during World War II the basement vaults of the Sun Life Building were the secret hiding place of the Crown Jewels of England and the gold bullion of the Bank of England. Today it stands as Montreal’s 17th highest building.

Sun Life Building, Place du Canada

On the West side of Place du Canada are also several historic buildings, starting with St. George’s Anglican Church, a Gothic Revival-style church, which was opened for worship in October of 1870. Its main features include the magnificent double hammer-beam roof, one of the largest of its type in the world. The unique column-free interior combines elements of both English and French Gothic plans, and the church features magnificent wood carvings in the chancel.

St. George’s Anglican Church

The original bells of the church had to be sent out to a country church since the sound of the 13 bells was considered too loud for a city church. A new set of 10 bells of a lower tone was installed in 1901 and the new sound was deemed to be beautiful. The original architect considered to include a clock in the clock tower but was concerned about a clock spoiling the appearance. In addition, with the church facing Windsor Station, the architect was afraid of the wrath of railway passengers in the event that the clock was going to be inaccurate. Nevertheless, the clock was installed, only losing 6 seconds a year. A public clock was extremely important to people at the time since wrist watches had not been invented yet and pocket watches were difficult to access under thick winter apparel.

St. George’s Anglican Church with its delicately sculpted sandstone exterior.

Right across the Street from St. George’s is Windsor Station - one of Montreal’s historic railway stations. Cornelius Van Horne, the famous chairman of Canadian Pacific, asked well-known architect Bruce Price to draw up plans for a modern railway station in 1887 to serve Canada’s transcontinental railroad. Price had already gained lots of experience from constructing skyscrapers in Manhattan, he had also built the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, the Banff Springs Hotel and other chateau-style buildings across Canada and was the prime candidate to build this project. The railway station opened in 1889 and was enlarged in 1916 with a 15-story main tower. Windsor Station, built in a solid Richardson Romanesque revival style, witnessed a big expansion in rail travel in the early 20th century. In 1979 Windsor Station was abandoned in favour of Montreal’s Gare Centrale for transcontinental passenger traffic, but continued to house local commuter trains until 1993. Today it holds a hotel, a variety of stores and offices and the beautifully preserved central concourse still features the original arrivals and departure board and is used as a venue for major events. A major beer festival is also held at the Station annually. In recognition of its historic and architectural significance Windsor Station was named the first heritage train station in Canada in 1990.

Windsor Station

After my explorations on Dorchester Square I strolled to the north-east end of this grand public space to enter one of Montreal’s most popular streets: Rue St-Catharines. This street stretches for a length of 15 km and is Montreal’s main commercial artery. Hundreds of stores and fashion retailers are located along this busy street and it also is the main location of the Montreal Jazz Festival. Since the 1960s several shopping centres have sprouted up and replaced some of the older townhouses that used to flank this historical thoroughfare. Montreal’s Eaton Centre is the most recent addition to the shopping centres on St. Catharines.

Christ Church Cathedral

This street also features a wealth of historic buildings including Christ Church Cathedral. This impressive Neo-Gothic church was built in 1858 and consecrated in 1867 in the growing Gold Square Mile area. The architect Frank Mills used the cathedral of Salisbury, his home town, as a model for this building. The church features a beautiful stained glass window and surprisingly, the church itself rests on the roofs of an underground mall. Prior to the construction of the mall, the church was actually sinking into the soft ground. Indeed the original steeple had to be removed in 1927 due to its heavy weight and a much lighter steeple made of aluminum was constructed in 1940. Today the underground shopping centre, whose 1987 excavation required the church to be supported by concrete beams in mid-air, provides adequate structural support for the church. The 34-story office tower behind the church is topped by a crown of thorns and makes for a popular photo motif.

Phillips Square

I continued to walk east on St. Catherines and happened upon Phillips Square, a beautiful urban space where the retail trade began in Montreal. Rue St. Catharines had formerly been a purely residential area. Henry Morgan, a Scottish immigrant with excellent connections in the dry goods retail trade in Glasgow, had moved a retail store to a new location at St. Catharines and Phillips Square after the old city , location of most of the retailers warehouses, had suffered a devastating flood in 1886. This store, built in the solid Richardson Romanesque style, later became “The Bay”, for the “Hudson’s Bay Company”, which is a chain of about 100 fashion department stores operating throughout Canada whose origins date back to the fur traders of the 1600s. The centre of Phillips Square is home to a monument of King Edward VII, and a Birks jewellery store, located in an attractive sandstone building, flanks the square on the west side.

The Bay Department Store

It was getting close to departure time so I speeded up my walk back to the hotel. There was one more major architectural attraction on my way: St. James United Church. Completed in 1889, the present St. James Church is the fourth home of the St. James congregation and due to its impressive size it used to be known as the Cathedral Church of Methodism. The two towers anchored around a central large rose window are reminiscent of great French Gothic cathedrals. As a matter of fact, St. James United Church was hidden by commercial storefronts from 1926 onwards in order to raise revenue. The church remained concealed for more than 78 years and after the demolition of the commercial buildings it was finally uncovered again in 2005 and is currently undergoing some exterior renovations.

St. James United Church

On my way back to the hotel I thought what amazing architectural wealth and beauty Montreal has to offer. From Old Montreal and the Old Port, first and foremost led by Notre-Dame Basilica, to its stunning Second Empire City Hall area to the historic centres of commerce on Rue St-Jacques or St. James Street to the magnificent public and religious buildings that can be seen all over the downtown core, Montreal dazzles with its architectural heritage, and stamps its impression into your memory.

Any architecture and history buff can’t help but love this city and I realized that three and a half days in this city are barely enough to scratch the surface. As I settled into my comfortable seat in the Via Rail coach back to Toronto I concluded that this trip was just an introduction, a mere overview, a brief taste of a diverse, multi-faceted city, with so many more places to explore in detail next time I come back.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com

Benoît, the Restaurant Manager at Nuances, and Alexandre, my Casino guide

I had a perfect table by the window with a beautiful view overlooking the St. Lawrence River and the downtown Montreal skyline. The sun was just starting to set and the entire scene was bathed in golden hues. Benoît even took me out on to a terrace on the top level of the Casino that offered a completely unobstructed 180 degree view of downtown Montreal and the entire island. The vista was absolutely stunning. The Casino de Montreal is definitely one of the best places to view Montreal’s skyline.

Nuances is a highly acclaimed fine dining restaurant that has been awarded the coveted CAA-AAA Five Diamond Rating. This 72-seat restaurant has a sophisticated atmosphere and a highly dedicated staff. Once I got comfortable, Gérard, the waiter for my table, brought an “amuse-bouche”, a starter plate that featured frozen goat cheese on ice in a reduction of apple cider. The mixture of sweet and tart flavours definitely perked up my taste buds and got them ready for the culinary surprises yet to come.

As an appetizer I enjoyed mixed a vegetable salad and mesclun lettuce with vegetable chips and a sherry vinaigrette. This entrée was accompanied by three different types of bread with home-made butter, made from heavy cream. Gérard explained that the breads were a French baguette, a hazelnut/ honey / raisin bread and a so-called Lodeve bread from the South of France.

I also got a quick peak at Nuances’ three different wine cellars: the wine cellar behind the bar features wines that are organized carefully by region and type of wine. One of the cellars holds extremely rare and expensive wines. I asked for Benoît’s suggestion to select a main course as well as a wine to match. He recommended that I try the Chilean sea bass. The black rice accompanying the fish is also referred to as ‘forbidden rice” since only the Chinese emperor was allowed to consume it. Benoît suggested a glass of German Gewürztraminer to go with this dish.

Shortly after I received my meal and enjoyed the delicate taste of the sea bass, accompanied by mixed vegetables such as wild asparagus, bok choy and parsnips. The fish was drizzled in a yellow wine sauce, made with wine from Jura in the French Savoie region. Some drops of parsley oil rounded out the medley of complementary flavours.

As I would have to rush off shortly to go to the fireworks which would start at the La Ronde amusement park, Benoît ensured the speedy arrival of my dessert: a Muscat wine jello with strawberries combined with a vanilla and Szechuan pepper mousse on a chocolate base with a pistachio sauce, a delicate treat. We even had a chance to visit the kitchen to meet the chefs who had prepared my gourmet meal. As I got back to my table and got myself organized, Benoît dropped by with a “petit four”, a “little oven” of baked goods that included miniature biscotti, fruit jelly, pistachio jelly and American chocolate. I just loved the creative French terms used, “amuse-bouche” and “petit four” are perfect descriptions for these culinary delights.

This multi-course meal combined with the personalized and highly attentive service and the stunning views of Montreal made my evening at Nuances a very special experience and a definite highlight of my trip. When I had to leave Benoît took me personally down to the main entrance of the Casino where he flagged down a taxi for me to ensure I would make it on time to the fireworks at La Ronde. The staff at the Casino de Montreal went out of their way to make this evening a memorable experience.

My five-minute taxi ride took me back across the bridge to Ile Sainte-Hélène where my driver dropped me off in front of the main entrance at La Ronde. La Ronde is Montreal’s amusement park and first opened in 1967 as part of Expo 67, a world fair that really put Montreal on the map. Today La Ronde is a member of the famous Six Flag family of amusement parks.

My seat provided a perfect view of the soon-to-come spectacle and the huge crowd was filled with anticipation. What seemed like many thousands of people were located inside the La Ronde amusement park in different seating sections and many thousands more were planning to watch the fireworks from the Jacques Cartier Bridge.

The fireworks today were part of a competition series called “L’International des Feux Loto-Québec” which features a schedule of 10 pyro-musical events between June 17 and July 29, 2006. Countries participating in this competition include Switzerland, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Portugal, Canada, the United States, France and Australia with a special finale on July 29.

Our presentation tonight was put on by the Cienfuegos Fireworks company from Argentina, which is a key player in the field of pyrotechnics due to its unique know-how. Tonight’s program was anchored around the personalities of Evita Peron and Che Guevara and enchanted with classic Argentian melodies and music from Central America. The stunning fireworks displays were choreographed in perfect harmony with the music and lit up the sky with stunning multi-coloured displays of light and sound.

This fireworks presentation provided a dramatic artistic ending to three and a half wonderful days of Canada Day festivities in Montreal. As I sat in the subway on the way back from Jean Drapeau Park I realized that I would only have a few more hours in this beautiful city before my train was going to leave tomorrow just before noon. But I was determined to take advantage of every minute here to discover yet another facet of this fascinating city and sneak in one final walking tour of the city before my departure.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com

Entrance to La Ronde

With ticket in hand I made my way back on two buses to reach the Casino de Montreal, the largest of Quebec’s three casinos, run by the Société des casinos du Quebec, a government agency whose primary objectives are to create employment, equip the province with world-class tourism infrastructures and generate additional income for the province. Although I am not much of a gambler I wanted to check out this complex since it is one of the major attractions in Park Jean Drapeau.

I arrived by bus in the basement of the Casino, entered and dropped off my backpack at the coatcheck. Through a maze of escalators and walkways I navigated my way upstairs to the front entrance where Alexandre, one of the customer service specialists at the Casino, was already waiting for me. He was going to provide me with a personalized tour of this expansive complex and provide me with additional information about the Casino’s operations.

Alexandre (right) and Benoit (left) from de Casino de Montreal

We went outside and Alexandre informed me that the Casino complex consists of three buildings: the former France Pavilion, the former Quebec Pavilion, both built for Expo 1967, as well as the Annex, connecting the two buildings. The Quebec Pavilion features top-to-bottom 24 karat gold windows. The gardens surrounding the Casino are available to Casino patrons and the entire complex is surrounded by the tracks for the Montreal Grand Prix.

Alexandre started to take me through the buildings and explained that the Casino has about 3500 employees, working in three shifts, 24 hours a day. He first took me to the Cabaret du Casino, a prime entertainment venue offering spectacular variety shows and colourful musical reviews. Patrons can purchase a package that includes dinner or enjoy the show by itself.

The former France Pavilion of Expo 67, now part of the Casino

He then took me through the entire multi-storey complex and introduced me to the various games of chance on offer. The Casino de Montreal featues more than 3200 slot machines of different kinds, 115 gaming tables for Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Keno and a variety of tournaments. Alexandre explained that many of the slot machines no longer have a mechanical barrel, but that they are video slot machines with an electronic display. The Casino also offers a Royal Ascot electronic horse racing track as well as a high-limits gaming area and lounge.

Alexandre explained that the Quebec government has a monopoly on gaming in the province and the funds go back into provincial infrastructure and public services. When we walked through the various buildings he informed me that the Old France Pavilion building has a European design, reminiscent of casinos such as Monte Carlo, that let in daylight generously. The former Quebec Pavilion on the other hand has a North American design with absolutely no daylight. Alexandre indicated that the clientele in the two different buildings is very different and that people have a preference for one or the other type of design.

My expert guide also educated me that the incidence of gambling addiction is actually going down and that the Casino de Montreal has specific programs to prevent and deal with gambling addiction. Problem gamblers can join a self-exclusion program that bars them from playing at any Quebec Casino. The Casino’s 285 investigators not only monitor and investigate fraud, they also ensure that individuals that are part of the self-exclusion database do not get access to the Casino.

The former Quebec Pavilion of Expo 67

On our walk through his extensive complex Alexandre pointed out an on-site branch of the Banque Nationale, the only bank in Canada that is open for 24 hours. Here patrons can exchange money in 16 currencies. A free shuttle bus provides transportation to the Casino from four pickup locations in downtown Montreal and makes it easy for out-of-town guests to enjoy a night of gambling excitement.

But of course, a high-intensity activity like gambling will make you hungry and the Casino features five bars and restaurants: the Italian Bistro Via Fortuna with amazingly reasonably prices, the Buffet La Bonne Carte, L’entre-mise Deli, and the Nuances Gourmet Restaurant. Four bars, La rotonde, Le carré, Le jardin d’hiver and Le cheval round out the hospitality offerings.

The highlight of the evening was yet to come: as it was getting close to 9 pm and I had not eaten dinner yet, I would have an opportunity to sample a gourmet meal at the Nuances Restaurant, enhanced by a perfect sunset and a magnificent view of downtown Montreal across the St. Lawrence River. An outstanding dining experience was awaiting me…

Nuances, the Casino’s gourment restaurant, with all its prizes and awards

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com

The centre of the park, situated in Montreal’s popular Latin Quarter neighbourhood, features a classic Victorian fountain, surrounded by a large number of benches that attract local residents, university students, artists and tourists in search of a shady spot to relax. Someone had brought a guitar and was strumming folk songs, children were playing, and a dog was swimming in the water of the fountain. A peaceful atmosphere imbued this urban green space. Surrounding the park is a collection of eclectic Second Empire townhouses and some people say that this square might be the closest thing to a European neighbourhood square.

As I was sitting and just taking in this picturesque environment, a young man sat down next to me and we started chatting. He said that he is originally from Antigua and grew up in Oakville, Ontario, just outside of Toronto. He went to university in Virginia, did his graduate degree at McGill in Montreal and finally a PhD at Cornell University. He told me that today he runs a biotech company located in Boston and occasionally he has to travel up on business to Montreal.

Since he lived in Montreal while taking his graduate degree, he had a chance to get to know the city up-close and says he loves Montreal, especially because of its bohemian character and its European flair. He actually lived around the corner from Square St. Louis, and he is always drawn back to this neighbourhood whenever he comes back to Montreal.

Curious about his experiences studying in different parts in the United States, I asked him what his experience was like, particularly as a visible minority. He indicated that issues such as race, religion and sex are taken much more seriously in the US than they are in Canada. He added that Montreal is a very relaxed place and racial background is not much of an issue. In his opinion, language is a much more important topic in Montreal.

As we chatted, two young ladies, one from California and from Washington, D.C., came by and requested us to take a picture. We chatted for a while and they told us that they were visiting a friend who lives here in Montreal. The atmosphere in Square St. Louis was so open and relaxed, people just felt comfortable approaching complete strangers to sit down and chat. I was having a great time.

Shortly after, the young man said goodbye and I continued my exploration of the Latin Quarter on foot. Montreal’s stone townhouses represent a very unique and beautiful architectural style that you will not find in any other city. As I got ready for my next item on the itinerary, a visit to Montreal’s Islands and the Casino de Montreal, I relished this neighbourhood encounter between total strangers, inspired by the serene surroundings of Square St. Louis.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com

I exited the subway at Sherbrooke and headed one street west and I ended up coming out right across from the Square St. Louis which is a beautiful neighbourhood park with benches and a fountain in the centre. On the east side of the street was a restaurant that caught my attention with its colourful outdoor tables and chairs. I checked it out and saw that it was a casual Mexican restaurant called Mañana. It looked like a great place to grab a late lunch and was in the perfect location since I was planning to relax a little in the park after the meal.

A colourful little spot: Mañana, on rue St-Denis

I sat down and stretched my legs and a young server came to serve me quickly. I glanced at the menu and figured I couldn’t go wrong with the “Table d’hôte (the menu of the day): I ordered a reasonably priced combination of cactus gratinado (gratinated cactus hearts, sautéed in garlic butter, served on a tortilla) as an appetizer, a very tasty burrito vegetariano (flour tortillas filled with veggies, accompanied by salsa, black beans and Mexican rice) and for dessert a passionfruit mousse.

Angel Broncales, in front of several pictures of Frida Kahlo

Ever the curious travel writer, I asked the waitress to connect me with the owner or manager, so a few minutes later I had a chance to meet the person behind Mañana: Angel Broncales, originally from Trujillo in the north of Peru, came to Montreal 23 years ago. Angel and I conversed the entire time in Spanish since his English is extremely limited. He explained that the Trujillo region is a beautiful area with gorgeous beaches and it is very inexpensive, but not very well known.

My appetizer: gratinated cactus

When Angel first came to Montreal, he worked in different factories and later moved into the restaurant business as a dishwasher and also learned how to cook. Throughout his time in a variety of different restaurants, he has become an expert in French, Brazilian, Italian and Mexican cuisine.

My main dish: a delicous veggie burrito with rice and black beans

Mañana has been in existence for about 15 years now and Angel purchased it recently from the former owner about 6 months ago. He had already been the chef at the restaurant, so he was thoroughly familiar with the menu. But he added that now he has to think a lot more with his head and he has the responsibility for his entire business on his shoulder. Those are the biggest changes that he has experienced since becoming a restaurant entrepreneur.

And a wonderful passionfruit mousse for dessert

I was fascinated by Angel’s story who has worked himself up from very modest beginnings as an immigrant with no English and initially little French, to becoming a successful restaurant owner in one of Montreal’s hottest entertainment areas. I really enjoyed talking to this quiet, shy and humble man who wasn’t much into self-promotion. His work ethic and determination were clearly his success factors and Angel added that he loves Canada; he said the security and safety of this country simply doesn’t have a price.

As a restaurateur, Angel works long hours, usually until 2 or 3 am in the morning, seven days a week. He has a Mexican chef that helps him and added that there are many Mexican immigrants in Montreal. Unfortunately many of them don’t have official papers and some simply have too much trouble adjusting to the cold climate, so many of them leave and return to their home country.

Angel with his tri-lingual team mates

Fortunately for Angel he has great staff members whom he trusts. His serving staff at Restaurant Mañana are trilingual, they speak excellent English, Spanish and of course French. His wife is also from Peru and assists him with the bookkeeping for his business and his 17-year old son, a “real Quebecker” in Angel’s words, helps him during school vacations. During weekends Angel has a local guitarist who, in the Mexican tradition, goes from table to table and serenades the guests in exchange for a gracious tip. His guests come from all over the world, and many of them are travelers from Toronto. Some of them love to come for Valentine’s Day, the “Dia de los Enamorados”.

It was heartwarming hearing about Angel’s story, how a simple man from Peru with limited language skills could become a successful restaurant owner in one of Montreal’s most popular entertainment districts. I couldn’t help but feel that there is a place here for everybody, and you can make it here if you are determined and willing to work hard enough.

Angel’s comments were still resonating in my head when I strolled out the door to enjoy a little break in the park area of Square St. Louis. There is something beautiful about being an immigrant country…..

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com

My first destination for this morning was Montreal’s Olympic complex, located in the Hochelaga-Maissoneuve area, originally a city founded in 1883 by local farmers. Hochelaga-Maissoneuve was integrated into Montreal in 1918 and today is one of Montreal’s main working class neighbourhoods whose residents are 90% French-speakers.

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is best accessed from the Pie IX subway station and upon leaving the station I walked across the vast concrete expanses surrounding this historic stadium, built for the 1976 Summer Olympics. One of it’s nicknames is the “Big O” and it was supposed to be one of the most advanced structures of its time, holding just over 56,000 people. It featured a retractable roof that was held in place by cables suspended from a 556 foot tall tower, incidentally the highest inclined tower in the world.

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium with its inclined tower

The stadium was extremely expensive and its final cost came to more than C$1 billion, the debt on which was only paid off by the city in 2006. Interestingly, Jean Drapeau, Montreal’s mayor at the time, announced that “The Olympics can no more have a deficit than a man can have a baby”, now a popular quote among Montreal residents. Due to various strikes, construction delays and complications, the retractable roof did not open until 1988, but that option was abandoned in 1992 in favour of a new stationary roof which continued to have various structural problems and a new replacement roof is being considered for installation once again. Despite these issues, Montreal’s Olympic Park is a sight to behold and an interesting place to explore.

View from the funicular and the pyramid-shaped former Olympic Village

Between 1977 and 2004 the Montreal Olympic Stadium was the home of the Montreal Expos Major League Baseball team which was transferred to Washington, D.C., in the 2005 season. It also used to be the home of the Montreal Alouttes, Montreal’s team in the Canadian Football League. Today the stadium is used for a variety of purposes including trade fairs, sporting matches, motorized sports, live shows, exhibitions, film shoots, balls, social activities and more. Since its opening, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium has been one of the busiest covered stadiums in the world.

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is a fascinating, unusual yet aesthetic building and I decided to explore it in more detail by taking the funicular which in about 5 minutes takes you to an observation deck that provides a 360 degree of Montreal. Going up you have an unobstructed view eastwards towards the pyramid-shaped buildings of the former Olympic Village and at the top I enjoyed a perfect view of downtown and the skyscrapers, Montreal Royal and the various bridges spanning the St. Lawrence River.

View from the top of the tower of downtown and the St. Lawrence River

The former Olympic cycling track, called the Biodome, has been converted into an artificial habitat that features four different ecosystems: a Tropical Forest, a Laurentian Forest, a St. Lawrence Marine Ecosystem and the Polar Worlds of the Arctic and the Antarctic. For me, my next item on the agenda was the Montreal Botanical Garden. I left the Olympic Stadium and walked under the Sherbrooke Street bridge and found myself right next to the entrance gates of Montreal’s Botanical Garden. The C$12.75 entrance fee gives you access to both the gardens as well as the Insectarium, so I started off with an indepth introduction to the world of insects.

Inside the Insectarium

Open since 1990, the Montreal Insectarium holds hundreds of species of butterflies, moths, bugs and spiders. Its scientific collections hold 140,000 specimens and its exhibition collection consists of about 20,000, about 4000 of which are on public display. There is also a live collection of arthropods with about 100 species. Not only does the Insectarium focus on the science of insects, but it also explores insects in an artistic, cultural and even gastronomical context. In 2005 it even held an insect tasting event!

One of the amazing butterfly specimens

Well, this scientific introduction had warmed me up enough to continue my explorations outside in the Botanical Garden. Right across from the Insectarium is a marsh and bog garden garden that features a variety of gorgeous water lily specimens.

A gorgeous water lily

Moving on from there is a sizeable rose garden with about 10,000 roses from many different varieties. The roses were a bit past their bloom, but I would imagine that this garden must look just magnificent when everything is in full bloom.

A beautiful rose
A bit further to the north is the Japanese Garden, designed as a contemporary garden by renowned Japanese garden designer Ken Nakajima. All the elements, stones, water features and plants have been chosen carefully and are imbued with a unique symbolism. The Chinese Garden next to it is a result of a bond between the Montreal Botanical Garden and the Parks Department of the City of Shanghai. More than 120 containers were shipped from Shanghai in 1990 and 50 Chinese craftsmen were needed to assemble the components to build the garden.

The Japanese garden delights the visitors

I then strolled through the First Nations garden which reflects a natural environment and is the first facility of its kind in Montreal. After walking through some serene ponds and woodlands I reached the Shade Garden which hosts a large collection of primroses, astilbes, hostas and ferns and proves that even shady areas can feature brilliant colours and a variety of foliage and blossoms. Now it was serious time for an ice cream and I sat down one of the tables outside the Fuji Pavilion which is a 66-seat restaurant providing cold beverages, ice cream and frozen yogurt and light meals.

Totem poles in the aboriginal garden

After my little rest there was another part of the city that I wanted to explore and that was Little Italy. So I decided to take the free shuttle bus that connects the Olympic Stadium, the Biodome, the Insectarium and the Botanical Garden and was comfortably whisked to the nearby Vieau subway station. From there I took the subway to the Jean Talon station, along one of the major east-west thoroughfares of Montreal.

Promotional shouts advertising ripe pineapples

Like many cities in North America, Montreal has a large Italian community. Actually, Italians represent Montreal’s largest ethnic group. Many immigrants came over from Italy as early as the beginning of the 19th century and many of them went into the hotel and restaurant business. The majority of them arrived after the Second World War, and most of those immigrants came from the poorer regions of the Italian south. One of the key ingredients of Italian culture of course is its cuisine, made from fresh ingredients. The Marché Jean Talon is an anchor point in this community where local residents can purchase fresh produce, cheese, meat, pastries and other products. This market is different from others since its layout is mostly outdoors. More than 100 producers display their products here in the summer, and the market has a distinct southern ambience to it. You almost feel like you are somewhere close to the Mediterranean or even a Moroccan souk.

That cheese looks delicious…

I wanted to grab a seat in a little local restaurant beside the market, but most of them were so packed that I decided I was going to hop on the subway again (easy to do with my convenient 3-day visitor pass) and check out the St-Denis area a little. Definitely time for a late lunch!

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com

Kim Richardson

I walked east and happened onto a huge playground area on the little island in the Bassin Bonsecours that was a family entertainment zone. Kids were sliding up and down and in and out of a whole variety of huge inflatable slides. Freestyle skiers were jumping off a large ramp and performing summersaults and various aerial acrobatics. The whole area was packed with people enjoying themselves on a beautiful summer day. I walked up Place Jacques Cartier and into a small pedestrian street called Rue des Amables which is full of portrait artists and galleries. At the end of this little street I found my dinner destination: Galiano’s.

Kids are having a ball

Galiano’s is located in a 200 year-old building on a small cobble-stoned street in Old Montreal. Formerly a “boîte à chanson” it opened its doors eight years ago. The restaurant stretches over two floors with an open area in the middle and a wooden staircase leading up to the second floor with seating on an interior balcony. The street-side patio adds additional seating capacity and ambience to this rustic restaurant.

Rue des Amables, full of artists and galleries

Always a big fan of Italian cuisine, I was looking forward to a filling meal after a day packed with exercise and activities. The whole area around the restaurant and Old Montreal in general was absolutely hustling and bustling with people and everyone was in good spirits, ready to celebrate since it was Canada Day. Street performers were entertaining the crowd. At just before 6 pm it was still a bit early and I was fortunate to find a seat in the lounge area of the restaurant that features several tables flanking an arrangement of leather couches in front of the fireplace.

A crowd gathers in front of Galiano’s

For a few minutes I was able to catch the owner, John Tsinas, to find out more about this culinary establishment. John is part of Montreal’s famous Antonopoulos family that owns a variety of hospitality restaurants and hotels in Old Montreal. His uncles are silent partners in Galiano’s. John’s younger brothers Manny and Peter also work with him in the business. At 40 years of age John is the oldest, and the two other brothers are each five years apart. John says that Manny is the people person and today Manny was seating customers, tryig to keep up with the sheer onslaught of customers that were just streaming into Galiano’s.

John and Manny Tsinas

Manny is also the man with the creative ideas and he was the one that came up with the idea for lounge area and some of the new decorating styles featured at Galianos. Another new idea is to use a small balcony area above the entrance door as a location for a DJ or some live music. And a wine cellar next to the entrance is presently under construction and will be opened in the near future.

My tasty calamari

John has a lot of experience in the hospitality industry: he started working in the restaurant business at age 14 and has worked his way up all the way from the bottom. He even ran a food warehouse for McGill University which included restocking the vending machines and was a waiter at three different restaurants prior to opening Galiano’s. John added that he still thinks like an employee and because of his hands-on experience he always treats his staff members with respect. His working style is very hands-on, he says that today he will be calling out the orders in his kitchen and preparing them for the waiters.

And a very filling Galiano’s Salad

Galiano’s is known for its Italian cuisine and its generous portion sizes. Everything is made from scratch at Galiano’s. John mentioned their signature dishes: Scaloppini alla Veronica, their Antipasto Misto, a Filetto Tre Sapori, home made Lasagna as well as their Quattro Stagioni Pizza. John recommended that I try Galiano’s Calamari Fritti. Just about 10 minutes after my order a steaming plate of juicy and tasty calamari arrived, the perfect introduction to a filling meal. I followed it up with a Galiano Salad: a huge plate of salad with cold cuts and cheese. John wasn’t kidding when he talked about huge portion sizes!

View down from the second floor

John of course had to get back to work after our little chat, but I thoroughly enjoyed my evening meal and by the time I was finished, the lineup was stretching all the way out the door and down the street. Galiano’s is obviously a favourite destination for many in Old Montreal and for me it was a great starting point for my evening discoveries which would include the official Canada Day Celebrations and a big concert in the Old Port of Montreal.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

photo credit-www.travelandtransitions.com