Trip to Montreal: Day 3

 

It was a bit easier today as the tour driver would arrive after 9 am. We didn’t have to wake up too early like last 2 days. Even then ultimately we were rushing to make it downstairs on time. Abhay does not adapt easily to change of place (and bowels) and was grumpy since yesterday, even grumpier today. Our driver Harold arrived closer to 9:30 am. A short man with shaggy hair he was smiling from the outset. We were the last passengers he was picking up. Already in the car were two long time friends, both teachers, who had come from Florida( Tampa and Key west) to spend spring break and a mother daughter duo who had come from Chicago to spend the latter’s birthday. Harold told us he was originally from Germany, had lived in Mexico City for some years before he met a French Canadian woman. He moved to Montreal after they married. Now separated, throughout the day he mentioned his daughter who is now 17. He tries to take her to Germany every few years with the hope that she will keep some ties with his siblings who live there. 

As we left our hotel we drove past some notable buildings in downtown Montreal including the Royal Bank of Canada, The Fairmont Queen Victoria hotel, Barbie exhibition, schools, hospitals etc  and what is known as the a golden square mile. Harold took us to the affluent suburb of Westmount which sits atop a hill and offers magnificent views of Montreal and the St Lawrence River. From there he took us to Saint Joseph Oratory which houses the basilica, museum as well as a crypt church( underground). The founder of this oratory Brother Andre is buried here. There are exhibits of his life story and his heart on the premises. 

After the visit to the oratory we drove past Mount Royal Park one of the largest of many parks in the city. It is where the locals enjoy walks, ice skating, biking and such other forms of recreation. It is home to an amphitheater where various performers entertain for free throughout the year. Along the road we passed by a large cemetery where over a million graves are located. From a vista point we saw the Olympic Stadium and other prominent buildings of Montreal. 

 Next we drove through the Formula 1 Racetrack watching the spectator stands and the views of the St Lawrence River, Victoria Bridge, Montreal skyline and other iconic structures in the vicinity. It was past 12:30 by then. 

From here we headed to Old Montreal. Harold told us the options nearby where we could find places to eat before he dropped us in front of the iconic Notre Dame Basilica. Kim and Alena( the friends from Florida) were heading out for lunch in the nearby Chinatown and asked us if we wanted to join them. We happily tagged along. Kim had a list of restaurants from Yelp where we could eat. The nearest out of that was a noodle restaurant Nouilles de Lan Zhou. As we followed Google maps we passed by the convention center where my conference will be held as well as the hotel we will be staying starting tomorrow. They were both within a throw of each other. And five minutes walk from there was Chinatown. The noodles restaurant was quite busy but we got a table right away. The kitchen staff of 3-4 men were continually in sequential action in the small see through kitchen that was at the very entrance of the place. One man was dedicated to rolling and stretching the dough into noodles, then adding it to the boiling water while another man pulled them out a minute later and handed to the next guy whose job was serving the noodles in bowls with the broth and other additives for individual orders. The smallest bowl of vegetable noodles soup was big enough for each of us. Kim and Alena were a delightful duo, one quiet and thoughtful, the other quite a riot. That was Alena. Unapologetically loud, naughty yet fun and adorable. The day would have been dull without her .

We returned from lunch at 2:00 pm. Harold was waiting for us at the same place he had dropped us. Jasmine the young lady from Chicago returned with her mother who had trouble walking. They decided mom would sit in the van as Harold took us on the walking tour. This time he showed us the famed underground city which is a network that extends twenty one miles under major buildings and roads, some old glorious bank buildings that are now converted to shopping malls. During winter months especially when temperatures dip several degrees below zero people find this ideal to walk around or shop. After the walking tour of Vieux Montreal ( Old Montreal) we drove to Jean Talon Market where we got some fresh fruit, maple syrup and rose tea from local farmers. There were specially cheese and olive vendors and so many other interesting things. Harold treated us to famed Montreal bagels at La Maison du bagel boulangerie. The sesame covered warm bagels truly were a treat in the cold weather. 

It had been a lovely day with lovely people and we had seen too many things in a short time, many of which I probably forgot to mention in my account. After Harold dropped us back at our hotel around 5:20 I headed out to find a purse at a nearby hall. The purse I had carried from home had surprisingly started ripping apart right from our travel from Los Angeles. The malls closed too early on weekends so today was the first day I had time to go find a replacement. I did find the bag but lost my way out of the mall and to the hotel. After a brief anxiety filled period in the isolated back alleys of the mall I finally made it out on the road but was so disoriented that I walked in an opposite direction from the hotel. After stopping and checking with people passing by I finally made it back to the hotel. Abhay was waiting for me, all ready for dinner. He had found an Indian restaurant by the name of Chennai Express that was 400 feet from our hotel. Idli dosa for him followed by Madras coffee and a biryani for me gave a home touch to the end of the day. 

Let’s see how tomorrow works out. No plans made so far except we know we have to check out of the present hotel and check in to another where we will be staying for the next 5 days. Tomorrow is the only free day before the conference starts on Wednesday. Have to make the most of it.

Saree today was a silk thread work kanjeevaram with no jari. The emerald green body has annapakshi motifs in contrast colors. Burnt Orange and deep Ruby red with woven designs add contrasts in the borders and pallu.