AsiaLIFE Media Vol. 100
in Vietnam in
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Monica Majors makes the most of a day, halfway across the world. Photos by Monica Majors.
I
’ve always said that one of the best parts of growing up in small-town USA, is the ability to bounce over the Canadian border and up into Montreal, Quebec, a modern metropolitan that not only feels smaller, but is less populous than Toronto, Ontario. If Toronto is Canada’s New York City, then Montreal is its Boston. Only instead of a predominantly Irish population, you have the Quebecois - a majority of Canada’s very ethnocentric French population. The city encompasses all of its namesake island and is named after Mount Royal, a hearty peak at the centre of the city. Predominantly Frenchspeaking, the city is host to many high-brow events, such as the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix, Just For Laughs Festival, and the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The Olympic Stadium, created for the 1976 summer games, still carves into the skyline at the east end of the city. Montreal is home to one of my favourite botanical gardens in the world, has an immense biosphere, a wellestablished casino, a centrallylocated Chinatown, and much history that effuses out of Old Montreal’s cobblestone streets and along the harbour’s edge. I had just under 24 hours to get my fill, and I’d only be able to experience a fraction of what keeps bringing me back to this great city. I’ll give you a hint: I went straight for the poutine.
Getting Right In There
Routine flights into Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport are easy to find from around the world. From there it’s a hop aboard Canada’s busiest Metro system and into the heart of the city. For those driving in, it’s about as easy a city to access as I’ve ever seen. Even parking is well thought of here, and the focussed city drivers were still rather tolerant of my tourist-like weavings between the changing lanes.
bars can boast they’re atop an anchored boat spa?
Out with the New and In with the Old
The city stretches quite a distance, so decide which area you’ll want to concentrate your time in. I opted for downtown, on Peel street, not far from Old Montreal and the iconic Rue de Sainte Catherine. Once checked in, I headed out in search for some of Montreal’s must-eats: smoked meat and poutine. Lucky for me, the famous Dunn’s restaurant on Metcalfe street combines the two. For those of you who have not yet experienced the arteryclogging delight that is poutine, it’s like the holy trinity of saturated fat: french fries, gravy and cheese curds. Served hot, the cheese curds melt, coating the smoked meat, while the gravy tops the savoury potato goodness. Chilli-cheese fries have got nothin’ on this. Poutine is a richly Quebec dish, but you can find it elsewhere, namely in gastro pubs. Rightfully so, because a cold brew is just the thing to cut through the richness of the dish. To be fair, it can also be downright greasy, so I advise staying away from the many fast food versions.
Walk it Off
It’s not always imperative to plan your trips in advance; I usually quite enjoy just taking a holiday as it comes. But with only a limited amount of time, I had my day planned. This included eating in an uphill direction, should my girlfriend need to roll me down the slope to our next destination.
Montreal is exceptionally conducive to walking (when not in the throes of an ice storm), and there’s always the Metro to hop on. This particularly sunny day took me down towards the riverfront to visit ‘Bota Bota, spa-sur-l’eau, a floating health spa anchored in the Old Port of Montreal. Opened in 2010, the converted ferryboat once sailed the waters of Quebec in the 1950s and 60s, before embarking on a life on the Richelieu River as a showboat named L’Escale. This 25,000 square-foot spa includes a garden, 40 types of spa treatments, 21 treatment rooms, and six terraces over five decks. Needing to work off lunch, I opted to try the Water Circuit, which grants you access to the hydrotherapy facilities, including the cold baths, Finnish saunas, whirlpool baths and steam rooms. It’s a haven on the edge of a very busy city, but you’d never know it sunning yourself on a lounge chair to the lightly lapping sounds of the river. The atmosphere here is calm, and much of the facilities are zones of silence. The garden area is conducive to groups or chatty couples, and there are plenty of places to plop down and rest. Bring a book and stay here for as long as you like. There’s a restaurant on-site and your intentions need not all be angelic. A classic list of cocktails also offer a perfect mid-day pairing to the city views. How many open-air
Leaving behind the modernity of the spa I headed out into Old Montreal, a grouping of cobble stoned streets pressed between the Saint Lawrence River and Chinatown. The city was shortlived as the capital of Canada between 1844 and 1849, before the Parliament building was burnt down. Much of the city’s architectural masterpieces are concentrated in Old Montreal, including the Notre Dame Basilica, built in the Gothic Revival style and inaugurated in 1829. It regularly hosts choir and concert events, including several spectacular light shows, and is generally a beacon for tourists and locals alike. Several historic hotels also dot the streets, plus the 50 National Historic Sites of Canada, more than any other city. It’s easy to wind through the streets (though I would leave the heels at home), pop into any of the many French restaurants, window shop through the art galleries, or spend your loonies in the souvenir shops. The atmosphere here is quiet, only broken by the dichotomy of Mercedes driving down historic backstreets. Several cafes set up on the pavements, and it’s the perfect place to let a mid-day glass of rosé turn into full-blown bottles of as the sun goes down. Montreal is one of those cities that beckons you to stay. There are ample activities to keep you there for weeks, or have you coming back every weekend. In 2017 they celebrate their 275th anniversary, complete with more than 100 exclusive cultural activities. You’re sure to end your trip at one of St-Viateur’s many bagel shops throughout the city. If there’s anything more Montreal than poutine, it’s their bagels. Grab one for yourself, one for the road and a dozen to keep you satiated until the next time. Better make that two. AsiaLIFE HCMC 37