So we finally got to Montreal...at this point, after so much waiting and planning we MUST know everything about this city.
We are leaving in the morning at 6 to make the most of our 2-day trip.
First part sounds very exciting- driving across the beautiful state of New Hampshire, mostly known for the incredible sightings of foliage around this time of year - and all expectations are met. The road stretches gray in front of us, like a never-ending tiny continuous string over a colorful blanket covering Earth.
I am still debating getting on a balloon one of these weekends and sucking all the color in from above. This would most definitely cure my fear of heights.
It seems like everywhere we go lately we take Boston rain and wind with us. Greece was rainy- the second time during a year-, Las Vegas was freezing (it's never freezing there!), North Carolina was on the verge of getting flooded. Awesome. I wish I could have taken some sunny pictures this time...
Approaching the border I start feeling really really weird. It's a personal feeling I carry with me from childhood. My subconscious self already projects hours of waiting and rude border officials. It's the first time I cross a border by car since here in the States. However things are different- way different. We are kindly asked to pick a language: English or French and the whole check takes about 5 minutes.
Our plan was to spend a day in Montreal and the second one in Quebec City. It soon becomes clear that there is WAY too much to see in Montreal to squeeze into just one day. We check into our 'authentic' hotel, 'Quality Inn' - the only hotel available at a huge price over the week-end- and quickly start our discovery of the city.
Montreal by foot- it seems small - it's not, trust me. Soon I have 27000 steps on my pedometer, approximately 12 miles. Only old downtown traversed. It seems very small on the map, but one cannot resist the temptation of walking on every single small street. Brick-paved, narrow and with an incredible flavor of Europe. It's an interesting combination of architecture. You take the best of US and mix it with a little bit of Europe, and voila, Montreal - a city that reminds me in a very strange way of Bucharest. Not sure why- maybe the whole mixture? Not as clean as US cities but not in a disturbing way, not as arranged and taken care of, but rustic and warm.
We decide to take the car to see some more. I am seeing brochures all over the place about this so-called light show at the botanical garden. The botanical garden of Montreal is one of the biggest in the world, featuring 7 different thematic gardens, 10 greenhouses and altogether 75 ha. of pure nature.
It's already dark and the line is 20 minutes long. Tudor convinces me to stay although I am freezing. Let's just say it's a bit different in terms of weather here in the North. People are wearing gloves and scarfs...I'm obviously not:D.
First we get into the greenhouse to see the biggest gourd this year. Picture below. Impressive. Massachusetts however beats that in an instant :D. I pose with the giant.
We reach the Chinese garden where the light show is. Every year, Montreal orders thousands of hand-made lanterns from China for this unique exhibition. The Chinese Garden is huge - lights guide passengers across numerous paths like in a fairy tale to the lakes and houses. That's where the grand lanterns are. lanterns take the shape of Chinese dancers, musicians, animals from the Zodiac and ancient tales.
The light is magical. People walk around carrying lanterns in the night - little red lights between dark leafy trees.
I want to be here next year, every year. It was definitely worth waiting in line all that time.
On the second day we decide to see other neighborhoods of Montreal, so we head towards the Italian quarter.
On the way we get to see the very known narrow houses that show up on every poster of this city. Very pretty. I love these houses here.
Tudor keeps telling me to stop taking pictures of houses. I cannot control myself. It's like gingerbread houses - who knows how cute they are behind those doors?
We visit the market - we read about the Marche Talon that it is a very colorful interesting destination for tourists. A true symphony of fresh seafood, oriental spices, organic produce and mushrooms, mmmmm, a lot of mushrooms, including my favorite kind - 'galbiori' at home - the yellow ones.
The view of the city is gorgeous from Mont Royal and remains in our hearts and heads while we drive back... it is the end of this journey but we will most surely return to this beautiful city.
Au revoir, Montreal!
