Liverpool v Arsenal @ Lincoln Financial Field

 

Montreal, QC

7/27

Larry's

Contemporary Art Museum

Ave Mont Royal - Aux 33 tours, Bixi home

Les Enfants Terribles

7/28

Patisserie Guillaume, Fairmont Bagels

Bixi to Parc la Fontaine

La CAtrina

Last Kem Coba

7/29

Montreal, QC

7/22

Walk down St Denis to St Catherine

Lunch at Cage Sports Bar

Chinatown

7/23

Putting Edge Laval

Les 3 Brasseurs

Despicable Me 4 at Cineplex Laval

Niata to Go

Neighborhood walk

7/24

Sir Wilfred Laurier Park

Ta Pies

Rain

7/25

Botanique Gardens

Villa Tandoori

7/26

Zoo Ecomuseum

Cage lunch

Mandys Dinner

Kurios - Cabinet of Curiosities Under The Big Top

Little Italy

Jean Talon Marche

Bus to Old port

Cirque

Dinner at Vieux Port Steakhouse

Abaye de St Benoit du Lac & Yamaska National Park

7/18

Biosphere

Ferry to Old Port

Smokies Food Truck

Archeology Museum

7/19
Ta Pies

St Josephs

walked to to Snowdon Metro

Train to Bonaventure

Walk St Catherines

7/20

Drive to 

Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac

Lunch in Picnic Grounds

Yamaska National Park

Montreal, QC

7/14
Mont Royal

7/15

Toi, Moi et Cafe

Biodome

Planetarium

Siboire St Laurent

7/16

Chill

Ta Pies

7/17

Underground City

McCord Museum

CF Montreal v Atlanta United @ Stade Saputo

Atwater Market
Lachine Loch walk

Uber to Saputo

Montreal, QC

7/10

Rain all day

Rumicube

Bishop & Bagg for England v Netherlands

7/11

Rain

Bernie Beignet

7/12

Bus to downton

Notre Dame

Walked St Catherine St

Lunch at Time Out Market

Marie-Reine Cathedral

Quebec City, QC

Montmorency Falls

Parc River St Charles

Drive Thru Trois Riviers

Montreal

Montmorency Falls, Quebec City, Quebec

Montmorency Falls, Quebec City, Quebec

B&L, Montmorency Falls, Quebec City, Quebec

LB&L, Parc Lineaire de la Riviere-Saint-Charles, Quebec City, Quebec

Quebec City, QC

Dizzy spells

Citadel

Lunch at Ficelle Sandwiches

Hotel

Evening Walk

Fairmount

Sapristi for dinner

Funicular

DML&B, Citadelle de Quebec, Quebec City, QC

BM&L, Citadelle de Quebec, Quebec City, QC

L&M, Citadelle de Quebec, Quebec City, QC

D&M, Citadelle de Quebec, Quebec City, QC

MB&L, Hilton Hotel, Quebec City, QC

LMB&D, Rue de Cul du Sac, Quebec City, QC

Vieux Fakar Toure @ Festival d'ete de Quebec

This morning we are headed to Quebec City for a couple of days.  It's an easy 3 hour drive up Autoroute 20.  It's mostly greenery either side of the freeway all the way up.

We are staying in the Hilton in the upper part of dowtown Quebec and drive straight there.  It's too early to check in, so we start doing some wandering.  First stop is lunch.  A ten minute walk from the hotel towards old town, just inside the city walls, is L'Omlette, a beautiful brunch restaurant in a very old building.  Timinig was perfect as we get a (open) windowside table looking over the passersby.  The food was good and plentiful to get us going.  

DMB&L, L'Omlette, Quebec City, QC

We then spend the afternoon just wandering and discovering this beautiful city.  Our first stop was Notre Dame de Quebec.  Not as large as Montreal's, but a beauty in the center of Old Town.  Right across the street is the magnifcent Richard Mille Clock, encased in glass.  Art and time mixed together.  Art is another highlight in this city, just like Montreal.  Again, there are lifelike frescos painted all around the lower part of town.  As well, Quebec is hosting a Le Mignonisme installation by Phillipe Katerine.  He has inflatable pink people hangning off buildings all throughout the city.  It's surreal, but also cute at the same time.  There were maps to discover them, but we found it better just to stuble upon them when we could.

Le

B&L, Quebec City, QC

DBL&M, Le Mignonisme, Quebec City, QC

The Notre Dame des Victoires is also in the lower old town, and a beautiful little church which we walked through.

After our late afternoon ice cream, we caught the funicular up to the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac.  This former castle tuned luxury hotel is the centrepiece of the city.  While big and regal, it still suits the surrounding city.  Ironically, I didn't get that high end feel when we went into the lobby.  The hotel seemed a little worn, maybe in need of an update.  We wanted to stay here, but initially when we looked, we baulked at the price, and eventually it was sold out.  Nearby was a market coming to the end of its day.  We had time to go through it quickly.  While in the area we got to see a fantastic sculpure.  Welcoming by Timothy Schmaltz is a statue that if you look at from it left side, it looks like a weary traveller, from the other side it depicts an angel.  It took my breath away.

Welcoming by Timothy Shmaltz, Quebec City, QC

We walked over to to rue Saint-Jean, a street that was jumping with people, and had dinner at Les Freres de la Cote.  A good meal, nothing exceptional, but also a much needed stop as we'd been out and about for 5 hours. 

We kept wandering after dinner and eventually sat briefly at Place d'Armes watching kids play in the Monument of Faith Fountains.  We walked back towards the hotel, and could hear music as we went.  When we got to the city walls, we climbed up and found we were overlooking a stage as part of Festival d'ete de Quebec.  The festival goes for 10 days over 4-5 stages around the city.  There is one main stage, in a field not far from us, but the rest of the stages are free concerts for anyone.  We found outrselves listening to Mali guitarist Vieux Fakar Toure.  After a couple of songs we walked around to Place de Assemblee to get a better look.  The family stuck around for a couple of songs, but with the hotel only across the street, they headed back while I watched the rest of the show.  Known as the Hendrix of the Desert, Toure played for 2 hours as he and his bandtore shreds off the guitars over the top of African beats.  Absolutely amazing!  I've never seen music like this live before.  Everybody was moving - whether you knew what he was playing or not.  A fantastic end to a huge day.  Quebec City, we are on a winner here,

B&L, Festival d'ete se Quebec, Quebec City, QC

Vieux Farka Toure, Festival d'ete se Quebec, Quebec City, QC

The Crap Facts

This is my 508th concert.
Place de Assemblee is the 138th venue I've seen a concert at.
Quebec City is the 57th city I've seen a concert at.
Quebec is the 17th state I've seen a concert at.
This is my 4th concert in Canada.
Vieux Fakar Toure is the 594th band I’ve seen.

Montreal, QC

So from the moment eyes were opened today there is a steady heavy rainfall.  A doesn't get a lot of time off, but this weather is not condusive to being outdoors  We do get out to head up to the pub 2 blocks away, the Bishop & Bagg,  to watch England play Switzerland in the Euros.  We were lucky enough to get the last table, and though while we had a hard time seeing the TV, we enjoyed a lunch and the atmosphere.  I didn't realize the Euros would be so popular in Canada, but I suppose it is a Commonwealth nation, and there's probably a bunch of British ex-pats around.

BM&L, Bishop & Bagg, Montreal, QC

That was litereally the extent of our day.  Dinner was a home cooked meal and after dinner we made the most of it not raining for a couple of minutes to head down to our already favorite Kem Coba for a gelato.  Were off to Quebec City tomorrow.  Hope for some improved weather.

Sherbrooke, QC

This morning our day started by walking down the road and trying the famous Fairmount Bagel.  A Montreal institution since 1919, this place always has a line out the door.  And I can see why.  The warm bagels were excellent.  We'll be back for many more.

A hundred miles east of Montreal is Sherbrooke.  I found this town in the Lonely Planet and we decided we'd head out of town for the day and check it out.  A nice easy driveout Highway 10 got us into town at around lunch time.  Our first sop was the tourist information at the edge of town.  On the river level is a mural which they told us about.  It was a big push by the staff to check them out.  But we'll get into that later.  We found Siboire Depot, a brewey that was showing the Euros.  Needless to say, this is where we stopped for lunch and we stayed longer than expected.

After lunch we drove out to Atmosphere, where we rented bikes to ride round the Magog River.  We started west, for just a bit, befoer crossing to the south side of the river and riding the bike path back towards town.  Real nice and easy ride but by the time we got back into the city the humidity had peaked, and this old man was starting to sweat.  We were out about 2 hours around the river's edge before returning the bikes.  

DLM&B, Riviere Magog Bike Ride, Sherbrooke, QC

As mentioned earlier, one of the things Sherbrooke is known for is its Murals all around town.  Originally we planned to walk around to see them all, but by the time we were done with the bike ride, it was late afterrnoon, so we followed the map in the car and saw all 18.  Some of the paintings were 3 stories tall.  And many of them so lifelike.  Amazing art.  Below is the one that was by the train station, near where we had lunch.  

The Traveler's Hotel Mural, Sherbrooke, QC

Sherbrooke turned out to be a neat town, and the area quite nice.  I hope we get the chance to get out in this direction again before we head home.

Montreal, QC

A mid morning start saw us head one block over to Rus Saint Urbain to catch the bus into downtown Montreal.  A 20 minute ride dropped s off a the door to Notre Dame.  The plan was to visit, but a mile long line was a deterrent, so we just wandered.  Headed in the direction of Vieux Port.

By the St Lawrence River there is a neat area with family activities i.e., Ferris Wheel, Zipline, paddle boats, as well as a line of tourist stores and food trucks.  The old docks have been converted into the Montreal Science Museum, including an IMAX and it is where some of the river cruises depart from.  After looking around we purchase a ticket on Petit Navaire for 2pm and then head back to look for lunch.

LB&M, Port Vieux, Montreal, QC

We wandered through the shops and art galleries of Rue Saint Paul before stopping, eventually, at Creperie Chez Suzette for a nice, casual, inside-from-the-sun lunch.  A good meal, but nothing that screams coming back again.

Back down to the Grand Key to get on our 45 minute cruise around the St Lawrence River.  While waiting we meet a couple from Rock Hill, SC.  They saw B's McCaffery shirt and had to ask where we were from.  Great couple, who sounded like they were on free time from a larger organized tour.  The small electric boat starts heading south, as our captain describes the cityscape in both French and English.  We cruise past the converted ferry, now a spa, Bota Bota, on our way to see the first gate of Lachine Lochs.  There is another cruise on the loch, which I hope we can do at a later date.  As we turn around to head north the first distinguished building is Habitat67.  This cool looking condo building sits right on the water, and looks like no other building you've seen before.  The series of un-neatly stacked cubes brings a unique building to an already beautiful city.  We follow the artificial breakwall down to the end and effortlessly catch the fast moving St Lawrence River further north, all the way to the Clock Tower.  We turn into the Montreal Yacht Club, and see some of the beautiful boats, knowing they will all have to go by winter, as the river freezes.  It's tough going back to the quay, as riding against the strong current really puts a strain on the boat.  An absolute belter of a day for it, I'm so glad we did this little ride.

MBL&D, Petit Navaire Tour, Montreal, QC

B&L, Petit Navaire Tour, Montreal, QC

DBL&M, Petit Navaire Tour, Montreal, QC

We walked back up to Notre Dame, still as crowded as this morning, and wait for our short bus ride home.

Tonight we are staying in the neighborhood and we walk up to the corner of Rue Saint Viateur and Saint Laurent to have dinner at La Catrina. Great meal! We got to sit outside and had some of the best tacos we've had in ages. Each of us had something different, and we all ended up with order envy. Will definitely keep this in mind if we need Mexican again in Canada.

Montreal, QC

Today we decided just to keep it in the neighborhood.

The boys and I walked down to Ta Pies for morning tea/early lunch, and the first of what will be many stops here while I get my fill of a classic Aussie pie, that I can't get in the US.

From there we walked back towards Laurier Metro and stopped at Parc Saint-Michel to kick a soccer ball around for a while.  We wandered around St Laurier Boulevard and Park Avenue, between Laurier and Bernard Avenue before heading home mid-afternoon.  The highlight came for B when we went into the Boutique des 3 Sorciers - The Harry Potter Store.  So much to see.  But he did come out with a Hufflepuff shirt.  Tomorrow should be a bigger day, as A has the day off and we will go and explore downtown.  

Dinner at home before what will quickly become a nightly ritual - Kem CoBa

DL&B, Ta Pies, Park Avenue, Montreal, QC

Montreal, QC

First thing's first.  I have to get a parking permit for the street while we are here for the month.  This I have been warned about by locals a number of times already.  I take B and we walk 10 minutes to the Services du Quebec and pick up the prepaid sticker as I try (unsuccessfully) my first French.  Anyway, we are set to park in our neighborhood for the month.  Below is the fire station we had to walk past to get there.

Pompiers Auxiliaires de Montreal, (St. Laurent Blvd & Laurier Ave), Montreal, QC

We get back to the condo and pick up L.  Unfortunately Mom has to work while we are here.  Back down past the Services du Quebec to Laurier Metro station, where we catch the train to Lucien L'allier.  A short walk up the hill is the Museum of Fine Arts, but first we stop to eat lunch at 3 Brasseurs. They have the Euros on, so we watch a bit of Netherlands beating Romania before making our way up the rest of the hill.

The Museum of Fine Arts looks like it covers 3 buildings, though entry and exit is only out of one.  One of the boys wanted to see this so the had done a little research which helped keep their attention for a lot long rger than I thought it wood.  We learned about Wanda Koop from her Who Owns The Moon room and Ando Hiroshige, from their Tokaido dreamscapes.  The boys took a great interest in both artists.  A great display of Quebecois artists as well as a ton of Inuit art makes this a fantastic museum.

Below are pictures of 2 favorite pieces of mine.  Manasie Akpaliapik is an artist I found while in Toronto several years ago.  Most of is works are carvings from whale bone, like the Untitled (Shamen Head) on display here.  And Richard Hunt is an artist I first saw when I first came to North America, and was predominant in the Pacific Northwest when I visited Vancouver and Victoria.  I loved this style since I first saw it and was happy to see a lot of indigenous art represented in the museum.

Untitled (Shamen Head) by Manasie Akpaliapik, Le Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, QC

Kwaguilth Moon Mask by Richard Hunt, Le Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, QC

The museum is so big we kind of got lost on the way out.  Fortunately we came across staff who pointed out the we almost missed the massive Saint, Sinners, Lovers & Fools exhibit.  These were Flemish masterworks which took up another hour.  The boys were waning in the end, but they were really up for discussing all these great old pieces.

What I also loved is how the museum encourages young families to come.  I paid for admission, but the kids were free.  And that's always.  Of course you'd want to go there as a family.  An idea that should be adopted in more venues.

L&B, Le Musee des beaux-arts de Montreal, QC

Leonard Cohen Mural, Crescent Street, Montreal, QC

It was late afternoon before we were on the Metro, headed back to home base.  It was an absolutely great day, and I'm elated the boys really enjoyed themselves.  An art museum is not something we do often, and art is not a big deal in our house, but both of them were engaging the whole time, and had different favorites for different reasons.  

Because we were getting back a little late, as Mom was finishing work, she decided a debrief was required at Kem CoBa before dinner.  Kem Coba is the ice cream store 3 blocks away from the house that is so good, I wonder if we will try anywhere else.  And we've already made the owner happy with our vague attempts to order and pay in French.

Montreal, QC

Monday morning and a public holiday in Canada. The boys and I start our trip off by heading to Parc Mont Royal to have a look around. On the mile walk to the park, we pass Ta Pies, a local pie shop that you know we'll be at many times soon. But it's closed Monday & Tuesday. We enter the park and climb the hill trying to get to the lookout. It's a long slow burn uphill until finally we reach the Grand Staircase. It's either another mile and a half to the lookout, or 537 stairs. We, regrettably, take the stairs and by the time we reach the top - I've had it. The boys, however, were in fine form. The view definitely is worth it. You look out to the downtown area and the Lawrence River behind. In this perfect weather the view is unobstructed and a great city sits below us. The walk back down is much easier as we take a different route back down. On the way we pass the Monument to Sir George- Etienne Cartier By late afternoon we are back at the condo.

 

DL&B, Parc Mont Royal Lookout, Montreal, QC

Monument to Sir George- Etienne Cartier, Parc Mont Royal, Montreal, QC

When A finishes work, we walk down to Omnivore, a mile down St Laurent Boulevard, for dinner.  It has a good menu for all of us (even the vego) and the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the non-Charlotte weather.  We are down near Little Portugal, and after Portugal beat Slovenia in the Round of 16 in Euro 2024, we are "serenaded", for a good hour, by the horns of all the cars flying their Portuguese flags proudly.  The food is terrific, and my heart is full for our first full day in Montreal.