"Montreal" a Montreal Travel Page by acemj

Well, I can't exactly call this trip accidental and I try not to behave too much like a tourist when I travel, but Montreal for me was certainly an unplanned adventure.

I was hoping to go to Europe, but costs and timing prohibited my transatlantic crossing, so I decided to look for the next best thing. The fact that Montreal is French-speaking and that I had never been there before prompted me to consider a visit.

I was not disappointed. While much of Montreal reminded me of many major American cities, there are parts of the city that are decidedly European. As I walked around, I made it a point to take note of the interesting architectural details surrounding me.

I noticed that the dome of St. Joseph's Oratory reminded me of a green version of Brunelleschi's Florentine wonder. I noticed a smaller version of St. Peter's in Rome and steeples that reminded me of Prague. I noticed storefronts with windowboxes full of blooming flowers and cobblestoned streets that made my feet work harder than normal ground. There are monuments in the form of shining skyscrapers as well as in the form of equestrian statues honoring national heroes.

Montreal is a French-speaking city without looking down upon those who speak English. In fact, I've never experienced a place that is so bilingual and whose citizens so easily and interchangeably speak two languages.

It was great to take such a short plane ride and to walk out into a world that welcomed me with "bonjour," the Notre-Dame Cathedral, great pastries and poutine.

Merci, Montreal. I hope to visit again soon.