Our RV park is approximately 16 miles from downtown Montreal. To get there we have to cross the St. Lawrence River. It was suggested that we ride public transportation into Montreal because of road work, traffic and parking. It turned out that was the best way to travel back and forth to the city.
The buses have their own lanes in most places and on the bridges so even during rush hour when cars are crawling at a snail's pace, the buses breeze through the traffic. We would catch an express bus a few miles from St. Philippe and we'd be in Montreal in 25 minutes.
The bus would go to the bus terminal where we could catch other buses or by going down we could ride the subway. Along the way to the subway, by following signs, we could shop or eat in the Underground City.
The Underground City is the name of interconnected office towers, hotels, shopping centers, residential and commercial complexes, convention halls, universities and performing arts venues in downtown Montreal. A series of tunnels connects each underground section.
This network is particularly useful during Montreal's long winters, when it is estimated well over half a million people use it every day. Combined there are approximately 20 miles worth of tunnels over 10 square miles of the most densely populated part of Montreal. There are more than 120 exterior access points to the network, not including the 60 or so Metro stations. It is an efficient way of moving around the city.
Look at all the shops and eateries are in just ONE of the 6 different underground shopping malls...
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| Just follow the signs to your destination! |
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| This mall has 4 levels |
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| You can see the street from this area |
Here are some of the places we visited via subway...
Old Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal. Some of its buildings date to the 17th century. Architecture and cobbled streets have been maintained or restored to keep the look of the city in its earliest days. There are many restaurants and shops in the area and despite all the tourists, the area is beautiful.
Little Italy is a neighborhood in Montreal that is home to Italian Canadian owned shops and restaurants. Montreal has the second largest Italian population in Canada after Toronto.
We stopped for lunch at an Italian restaurant. We saw several tables with wine bottles on their tables. The restaurant does not sell wine but diners are welcome to bring their own bottles. There is a liquor store conveniently located across the street from the restaurant!
Jean-Talon Market is a farmers market located in the heart of Little Italy. It opened in 1933. It is the largest farmers market in Montreal.
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| Fresh, handmade pasta |
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| Look at all the different kinds of meat! |
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| Flowers! |
The second market in Montreal is Atwater. It opened in 1933. The interior is home to many butchers and bakeries. Outside there are cheese and wine stores and local and imported produce. It is smaller than Jean-Talon market. Montreal has many paved bike paths and there is one that follows the Lachine Canal and connects downtown Montreal to the market area. Unfortunately we did not have time to ride on that path. Maybe next time!
We had lunch in the market at Aylwin Barbecue. It was delicious barbeque (and chicken taco). The two young men who own it had a jar on the counter for donations to fund their pilgrimage to Texas. Hope they someday make it to Texas. Their barbeque was as good as any I've tasted in Texas!
We went on several bikes rides in the area but one of the more interesting ones was the one on the bike path that went across the St. Lawrence River. It was a pleasant 10 mile ride, even though we had to bike up a steep ramp to get to the bridge on BOTH sides of the river. I don't like biking up hills! Also on the way back on the bridge for some reason there were a LOT of moths in our lane and we had to pulls our t-shirts up over our mouth and nose to keep from inhaling one. Yuck!
We visited Quartier DIX 30, a HUGE open air shopping mall in nearby Broussard. It has 500 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
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| Map of the shops |
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| Outdoor entertainment area with life-size checkers and chess |
Some other things I've learned about Montreal...
When you find a restaurant that sells fountain sodas, it is served with no ice or very little ice (except at McDonalds!). When you ask for ice tea it is usually served in a can and it's sweetened with lemon flavor. Even grocery stores don't sell non-lemon tea.
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| Where's the ice? |
They sell 3% milk and they sell milk in half gallon plastic bags
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| Don't know how you're supposed to serve this! |
People here apparently like to eat sausages since every grocery store and farmers market has sausages of all types--beet and garlic, blueberry, black Swiss sausage, salmon sausage, ham and brie, broccoli and cheese, and maple and pork to name just a few.
In addition to their usual menu, McDonalds also sells French pastries and Poutine. Poutine is a traditional dish of Quebec popular across Canada. It is made with French fries and cheese curds topped with a light brown gravy. It is delicious!
My next post will be on our long weekend in Quebec City. It is going to have to wait until we get to Vermont because Wi-Fi in our current location is poor. If it's not better in Vermont we can at least use cell data there without paying international roaming charges!
