Paris of North America: A Quick Jaunt Through Montreal

Escaping New York City

If you want to escape your city and experience Paris without the jet lag and sticker shock, Montreal is its mini version.

Mum and I traveled in fall 2016 and I can assure you, I’m definitely returning in warmer weather!

There is so much to experience that we couldn’t because of weather and trip duration but we see enough to make us thirst for more.

Day 1- Underground City.

This is an interconnected series of Universities, shopping centres, offices and businesses that link to Montreal Metro, the city’s efficient subway system.

We arrive the city to light snow and the streets are devoid of people which is shocking to experience especially coming from the pedestrian traffic that is NYC.

It is Thanksgiving Day in America but you won’t know it here as streets are so empty around the St.Laurent neighborhood we are in.

Little do we know what lies beneath our feet till we take the Metro to McGill; we never exit from McGill and somehow found ourselves at Peel -the station after- hours later through this underground network.

We tour the famous Eaton Center shopping mall and find ourselves at Place Ville Marie, which is an underground shopping center maze but really is a combination of commercial businesses on the ground.

Of course, I don’t know this and take an escalator to a very professional looking lobby that smelled of bank. I know that I’ve missed my way, especially when a nice lady asks if I am looking for the Observatory. Aaaah! This is where it is. I thank her and scuttle like a mole down to the maze.

I suddenly know what tourists in NYC feel like when they stumble into commercial buildings searching for a landmark or three. Get ready to waka about (walk) and ogle all the shops but there are seating areas to rest your weary feet and food courts to satisfy hunger.

We eat enough Asian food to last a month and ready for more underground exploration. All that walking works up the appetite big time.

Observatory 360 Deck.

As mentioned earlier, this is in Place Ville Marie, and enables tourists and natives alike explore Montreal’s sights 185m above ground similar to the Freedom Tower Observation Deck in downtown NYC or the Empire State Observatory.

We don’t visit the Observatory Deck because we are pressed for time, but it comes well recommended for observing Vieux Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River.

If you want to remain further, there is fine dining present in the form of Les Enfants Terrible Restaurant. I am told that wine tastings and yoga events occur in the open space overlooking the city or you can just sit there, take in the view and ponder life…or not.

Day 1 – Old Montreal.

Also known as Vieux Montreal, it is the oldest part of the city and the most charming. Now, this area more than others, strikes me as very European because of cobbled pavements, cafes and shops with vendors that mostly speak French.

I resurrect my battered French and try conversing with vendors but my murder of the accent peg me as Anglophone and they all switch to English. Lol. Bless ’em!

It is faster for them to speak English than waste time listening to me do mental conjugation gymnastics.

The Notre-Dame Basilica is a sight to behold! We stumble upon it during evening exploration and it is lit up in blue neon lights.

There are tours of the Cathedral in the daytime but we cannot take advantage of this because of time.

Another beautiful building was the Montreal City Hall with its gorgeous architecture:

Its real beauty is seen at night when it’s illuminated with mellow ambient lighting. It’s so soothing within its dark surroundings that you just want to draw an easy chair and ottoman up to it, sit down with a cuppa and ponder your life. Vieux Montreal at night is very quiet, dark and serene; of course, the snow didn’t help but the fact that is is home to the City Hall, a court system, and municipal offices means that nights and off-peak weekends are devoid of foot traffic. Think of Wall Street at night or weekends. Quiet.

Basilique du Notre-Dame

Day 2 – Marche Bonsecours.

A hidden jewel within Vieux Montreal is Bonsecours Market. There is no stumbling upon this as markets go together like ten and ten pence.

Since we are somewhat familiar with the area from the previous night, we boldly set off for the market. We take the Metro and I proceed to navigate our way with my handy guide map.

What the map doesn’t show is construction work and a highway tunnel present on our short cut. Luckily, a good Samaritan stops us from heading on the wrong path. Phew!

Now, I am turned around. Suddenly, I see a police car and tell mum that I’m going to ask for directions. She squeals “No!” because she didn’t want any wahala (trouble) what with all the police issues occurring in America.

I knock on the driver’s window, a female officer rolls down and I ask my question in English-accented French: “S’il vous plait, ou est Rue Gosford pour la marche Bonsecours?”

She comes out of the car and immediately responds in halting English even drawing me a mini map. Lol. Again, obvious that we are Anglophone tourists.

We get our bearings and approach the market, which is indoors, and was the main public market in Montreal for over a century.

It has its original exterior and has the look of a medieval jail with its huge metal doors and concrete envelope.

The stores are unique and I want to get everything, alas, they are so expensive. That 13% VAT on goods resets my brain when I think of splurging. Jesu!

There are a lot of First Nation (Canadian Indigenous People) stores; in fact most of the stores sell First Nation jewellery, clothing and mementos.

It isn’t crowded, maybe because it is off-peak tourist season and snowing. Sigh.

We are experiencing Canadian weather so we explore more, buy Indigenous jewellery and eat at the food court.

It is pouring at this time so we wait for the heavens to subside before dashing out to the Metro.

Day 2 – Peel/Le Cours Mont Royal/Barbie Expo.

Our last experience is Peel. We’d seen underground Peel the previous day and now want to see life on street level.

We exit Peel at street level and stop dead in our tracks. What was it I said about streets being devoid of pedestrians?

The streets are teeming with humanity! I mean, everyone was shuffling shoulder-to-shoulder and the pavements are teeming with life. Mum and I lose track of each other several times and phone calls didn’t help.

It suddenly occurs to me that it is Black Friday in America, and here too, as there are sales everywhere.

I follow my guide map for Le Cours Mont Royal but abandon it as I don’t want to be that tourist we despise in NYC; who opens a large map on the tight pavements of 34th street. Sigh.

We wing it and forge ahead. Suddenly, I see a sign and go to read it, only to discover that we are right outside Le Cours. Hallelujah! We enter and are wowed by the opulence.

Le Cours Mont Royal is an upscale shopping center that was once the Mount Royal Hotel, the largest in the British Empire. Its architectural style is Beaux-Arts with a French feel to it.

The interior is opulent and so are the boutiques but we just walk by them. I refuse to be tempted, no ma’am, although the temptation is very strong. That didn’t stop us from drooling, though.

Thankfully, the developers realized that not everyone is rich because there are affordable shops. Eh hehn! This is more my pocket, abeg.

I buy a classy faux fur (yes, faux, because it is affordable) wrap thingamajig and that is it.

We spot the Barbie Expo and experience the beautiful sight of rows of Barbies of all colours, nationalities, in cultural attire, as movie, rock stars and as professionals…Barbiesuponbarbiesuponbarbies!!!

 

 

The African in me hunts for some African barbies and sure enough, I spot Nigerian Barbie, Ghana in kente, Kenyan (Masaai) and South African (Ndebele) Barbies.

I’m miffed because Nigerian Barbie has neither gele nor iro and buba on her while the others are beautifully attired.

The Universe agrees because my Nigerian Barbie picture was the only corrupt file (you can view it on my Instagram).

At least, there is Barbie with shuku, the popular Yoruba hairstyle of weaving to the crown of the head. Shuku Barbie, whom I named Sherifat, has a head full of tight weaving.

I feel her headache as every Nigerian raised girl has experienced this hairstyle during her school days. Aaah! Memories.

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Overall, Montreal is great if you want to experience a European city without crossing the pond.

It is close to the North East and henceforth, it will be my quick escape from the concrete jungle.

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