US Road Trip: Montreal! A locavore/foodie's paradise

Montreal is such an interesting and diverse metropolis. We had the good fortune to be able to visit the city with friends who live here. Veronica works with National Urban Alliance. We are working on a project (starting a dual immersion program) in Buffalo, New York. At the beginning of our day, we headed to the local market. A BEAUTIFUL market with a wealth of fresh produce, farm raised poultry, beef, etc., BREAD! CHEESES! I swear, if I spoke the language (although I negotiated just fine) I would have come home with more than I could have possibly stored in our 5th wheel. As it is, Steve is wondering how we are going to eat all the fresh vegies, fruits, breads and cheeses I did manage to buy. We better get back to a National Park and HIKING! At the end of the day, I had to bring Steve there and of course, I had to get MORE! A fresh mango, tomatoes, bread and CHEESE: brie, rodelle and another that I have no idea what it is as it is represented by the number 1608, but Veronica recommended it so I bought it.

Montreal is a locavore/foodie paradise. Veronica and I bought fresh bread, pastries, yogurt and berries for breakfast. They live in Pointe St. Charles, one of the oldest neighborhoods that captures the industrial history of the city. It is interesting that they have taken key buildings and converted them into upscale condos/lofts. This has meant the gentrification of the area, now a very desirable part of the city in which to live. Another thing they did was completely clean up Lachine Canal, which up until 2000 was a polluted and ignored water way. They cleaned it all up, put in bike paths and running paths, and historical points of interest. My understanding is the area has completely changed.

During the day, we first went to Mount Royal Park, a metropolitan park in the center of the Island of Montreal. There is a Belvedere (beautiful view) at the height of the park. The pictures below are of the city from that vista. The churches in the city were just beautiful, breath-taking really. Just one example of the beautiful and historical architecture.

We next headed to Old Port, the historical Old Montréal. In this area are a series of buildings and churches dating back to the mid 1600s. Beautiful cobbled streets, intricate and intimate buildings, giving one the feel of the vibrancy of a European city. I found it very interesting how very much I could understand in written French, with appropriate visual cues. I enjoyed reading information at the various points of interest, then seeing how well I understood what was being explained. We had lunch at a cafe that captured both Québec food and ambiance. It was very entertaining and of course, delicious. Everyone walks or rides bikes. Veronica and Jim can get everywhere from their loft by foot or by bike, and that is exactly what they do. We walked all around Old Port, then Veronica and I walked back to the loft. It was a beautiful invitation to a unique city which will long be remembered.

The people were warm and friendly, probably amused at my attempts to communicate, or rather indulgent. Many were bilingual and helpful. They quickly sensed the lack of my proficiency, switching languages to communicate with me. The flag of Montreal, The Montreal Coat of Arms (designed in 1833), captures the original ethnic diversity represented in the city. A fleur-de-lis for the French, a rose for the English, a shamrock for the Irish and a thistle for the Scottish. The motto for the coat of arms is "Concordia Salus"- Salvation through harmony.