But, before that, there was also Canada. It was a mostly a bit french.
We arrived into Montreal, knackered but still giddy from the highs of Vermont. We were a little apprehensive after finding that our accommodation had been changed at the last minute, due to there being "a sinister" at the place we had originally chosen. Could this be our first stitch-up from renting through airbnb? no - we got moved into a 18th level apartment with a king sized bed. Right in the heart of Old montreal. Literally next door to the notre dame cathedral. Turned out okay.
The buildings in the old city blew my mind. The Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal was as grand and imposing inside as you'd expect from loooking at the outside. Meanwhile, the Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde was bright and open; equally impressive in its size but with a real sense of peace (the significantly less number of tourists may also have been a factor).
The Atwater Market was how a market should be. Massive baskets of fresh berries stacked next to cans of maple syrup, cured meats and fresh cheese that smells so bad it HAS to taste good, and an array of pastries that make me itch just to look at.
In general, the food in montreal was something pretty special. We celebrated our 3rd anniversary by eating incredible French food and downing a bottle of Bordeaux. We also tracked down a tiny little patisserie where French was dominant and the pastries were out of this world, and found one of the best Singaporean meals I've ever put in my mouth.
Elements of the working city of montreal were a bit less exciting, and felt a bit sinister. It's not that we felt unsafe walking around at night, just that you could feel the vibe of a seedy underbelly somewhere in there. The plateau du montreal was a nice enough jaunt around a park with a view at the top.
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