Italy Trip Day 1: Rainy Day in Montreal

Waking up in Montreal in the morning, Frank and I were exhausted after not getting to go to sleep until four in the morning due to flight delays. Looking out the window we saw that it was a rainy, grey day so we decided that since we had both been to Montreal before maybe it was best to catch a bit more sleep so we wouldn't be completely exhausted when we got to Paris.

After we were rested we checked out of our hotel, left our luggage there and headed down Rue Sainte-Catherine. We saw a lot of brightly colored graffiti adorning buildings which made a cheerful contrast to the dreary day. I stopped to snap a few pictures and Frank asked me, "What are you taking pictures of? The nudie bar?" In typical Lisa fashion I was completely oblivious to the fact that a strip club was right in the middle of the block I was taking a picture of. I decided that the other side of the street might be a better photo opportunity. 

Since we had slept through breakfast we were famished for lunch and stopped to eat at Café du Nouveau Monde. Frank had the beef burger on brioche with roasted onions, bacon and mustard mayonnaise while I ate the proscuitto, fresh fig and arugula salad with vinaigrette. My salad was fabulous with the sweetness of the fig and the saltiness of the proscuitto. I think I'll have to try to replicate it at home. We also decided to share an appetizer plate of charcuterie, cheese fondue and crudites. The cheese in the fondue was wonderfully sharp and the salamis and proscuitto were delicious. 

After eating we continued on and walked through Le Quartier Chinois which is Montreal's Chinatown. We saw some awesome looking noodle places that made us wish we hadn't eaten yet.

Finally we arrived at Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal. It is pretty from the outside, but stunning from the inside. The first time I saw the basilica was when I was in eighth grade on a trip with my French class to Montréal and Québec. I had spent months babysitting at every chance I could get and then used almost all of my savings to go on that trip. It was worth every penny and I absolutely loved the trip. I remember being mesmerized by the basilica as soon as I walked in and trying to capture the beauty with my terrible 110 film camera. Thankfully I ended up buying a postcard. Seeing the lovely basilica again it was no less beautiful than the image of my memory. The wood carving is stunning and the vaulted ceiling seems to rise to the heavens. It is a lovely and awe inspiring place of worship.

At this point we needed to start walking back to our hotel so that we could head to the airport. On our way we walked by Hôtel de Ville de Montréal (Montreal City Hall) and Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours in Old Montréal.

After checking into our airport we discovered that our flight to Paris was very delayed and we ended up having seven hours on our hands before the flight finally took off. As compensation we got $15 food vouchers which we spent at an airport restaurant that ended up having sub par food. Luckily we had access to the Air France lounge so we enjoyed free drinks, snacks and internet while we waited. Frank had set up a sling box before leaving home so a positive side of the delay was that he could watch the Michigan-Ohio University NCAA tournament game.

Eventually we boarded, but then sat on the tarmac for an hour before finally taking off. Unfortunately this flight delay scenario is getting a little more common on our trip than I would like and I am glad that our flight from Paris to Rome was a little more smooth.

Comments

[Sandy]

That basilica is stunning! What gorgeous colors. Your captures are fantastic; they make me feel like I'm really there. What camera equipment do you typically use?

[Lisa]

Sandy- Thank you so much! Those basilica pictures were taken with my Canon 7D. I also have a Canon Powershot G12 that I can keep in my pocket for quick pictures in restaurants or on the street. I've had a few people ask me about my camera equipment so I am planning a more detailed post later.