Sights of the Old Port (In & Out of water).

Every decent city has it's own beach. Or so Montrealers (?) say.

Now, you might remember the Clock Tower from my past post on Old Montreal. If you don't, then let me give you the inside scoop.

The Clock Tower, which is also the Lighthouse for the Old Port of Montreal, was built in commemoration for the sailors who died during World War I. The mechanism for the clock is similar to that of the Big Ben, but curiously, it never actually chimes.

It is possible to climb the Tower from the inside (for free!), and it is actually only 192 steps high. The stairs are incredibly narrow (one person at a time, only!) but the view from the top is pretty f*cking cool (even though the wind is pretty much blowing you out the sides). This is the view of the clock from the inside:

And for yet the most impressive of all the up-from-the-top views that I've shown around here lately:

From the very top, it is possible to catch a tiny glimpse of the Beach of the Clock, where for about two dollars, you can chill under the Canadian sun all day long. There is also really good music on a daily basis, and an open bar.

While I was there, I took advantage of my tourist status and went on a cruise (!!!). It was AH-MA-ZING. For starters, here is the view of the Tower from the water (I know I'm so annoying, but don't you love that thing so much?!):

And among other things I saw:

La Ronde: Montreal's amusement park on Île-St-Hélène. 

The industrial districts of Montreal, and the Olympic Tower on the backdrop!

The Jacques Cartier Bridge, which unites Montreal Island with the south shore of Longueuil.

The historical district of Montreal. For like .002 seconds there I felt back in Paris. (Isn't this so lovely?!)

And finally, Habitat 67, one of the most famous architectural landmarks in Canada and one that has generated some serious debate for redefining urban living. Once used as housing for low-income families, it is now a swanky and modern place to live in. 

Finally, I took a stroll down the Port, and used my last day in Montreal to soak up the sun and get an amazing tan ;)

Explain to me [again] how you don't fall in love with this?!

The Montreal tourists talk about (Old Montreal + Notre Dame).

Old Montreal. 

Literally, the most famous touristic attraction in Montreal and also the one that I tried to avoid for as long as possible. Distinguished for its cobblestone streets and decidedly european architecture, Old Montreal is possibly the most picturesque spot in the city. Only a couple of blocks away from Chinatown and overlooking the Old Port, Old Montreal is where everyone gathers for good music, and even better food. This is the Montreal tourists talk about.

As I made my way to the Historic City Centre, I couldn't help but feeling a bit of nostalgia. This was like stepping back into a hippie version of Montmartre, with all the artists standing around selling portraits, and the people drinking coffee out in the terraces. 

My first stop (after breakfast, bien sûr!), was the Bonsecours Market. Located in a building that dates back to 1844, it has to be one of the loveliest markets I visited in Canada. It's clean, organized and focused on souvenir-seeking, hungry tourists rather than locals. It is great for buying maple-everything ;)!

The Market is conveniently located right next to the Old Port, which was the second place I visited that morning. I will be talking about it in a different post, but for now, I will leave you with a photo of the Clock Tower (which also acts as Lighthouse) and a tiny peek of Clock Tower Beach (can you spot it?). 

That day, I also visited what became one of my favorite places in Montreal: Notre Dame. 

For someone who claims to be as non-religious as I do, I sure do visit a whole lot of temples. In the city where I'm from, it is said that we have a church in every corner and I soon found out that applied to Quebec too. There are churches everywhere. 

While I was in Montreal I visited Queen Mary Cathedral expecting to find some sort of astounding resemblance to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Thaaaat...kind of went badly. However, I still went to Notre Dame's Basilica trying to find some common ground with Notre Dame de Paris and this time around, I did not leave disappointed. In fact, it was exactly the other way around. 

Upon entering Notre Dame, my jaw dropped to the floor. 

I love the complexity of Neo-gothic architecture and I adore the absolute perfection (exactitude?) it conveys. 

Long story short, my inner Art Historian had just found its happy place. 

After sitting there for what must have been hours and posting a few Snaps (you can find me as ferookie , in case you want in on the fun), it was time to move on.

(Sadly & hesitatingly, because I loved this place).

From then on, my afternoon went slowly by as I bought souvenirs, ate ice-cream, and walked around dodging other tourists. There are so many of us out there, you guys. 

I honestly don't know why I avoided Old Montreal so much at first. It is a truly relaxed part of town, while also lively and fun. I guess I don't like feeling like "one of the bunch" among the hoards of tourists and fellow foreigners (and there are always outsiders in this place), but let's just say that if I had the chance, I would take an afternoon stroll around here any day. 

Except maybe during winter.

The happy places of Montreal (Mount Royal + The Gay Village)

The last days I spend in a place are usually bittersweet.

I'm the kind of person who leaves a travel destination swearing that I will go back soon while ridiculously trying to remember every little detail about the place. This time around though, my last days in Montreal where actually pretty sweet. 

After my classes ended, I had about a week to just roam around all day. No itineraries, no schedules, no maps...just anywhere I felt like going. Most of that time was spent going back and forth between Chinatown and the rest of the city because let's face it: the food in that place is amazing. However, in celebration of Mexico's legalization of same-sex marriage, I found myself in the middle of Montreal's happiest place: The Gay Village.

If you follow me on Instagram (or if we're friends on Facebook) then you have probably already seen this picture doing the rounds. So let me explain to you: The Gay Village in Montreal runs for about two kilometers and is entirely covered in those little pink balls you can see in the picture. The Beaudry Metro Station, which is closest to the neighborhood, has rainbow-colored pillars and both the streets and the station which make up Le Village have become a celebrated tourist attraction. 

The area was  a working-class neighborhood until the late 1980's, when it became a gathering point for the LGBTQ community after their businesses on the St. Laurent Boulevard area where closed. The Village is now a beautiful place full of businesses, cafés and terraces, popular among tourists & locals alike, and host of some major events like the Fierté Montréal Pride, among others. In my opinion, it is totally hip & a great place for a stroll. 

Apart from visiting the Village, that day I climbed up the famous Mount Royal. 

I had been there a few times before, mainly to witness the Tam-Tams on Sunday afternoons, but this was my first time hiking up to the Belvedere and it was freaking hard. I didn't make it to the very top (in my defense, I had a lot of packing to do that afternoon and I was already late) but the view was nevertheless remarkable. 

Off in the distance: The Olympic Tower, where I was standing just a few days before I visited Mont Royal and of which I talked about here. 

During summer, Mount Royal hosts the Tam-Tams, where literally everyone hangs around the mountain to play hand drums, eat lunch, smoke weed, dance and play. During winter, it hosts snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails as well as a tobogganing run, which I can't wait to try when I go back real soon. Right?

From the Tower to the Velodrome, a tour of the Olympic Stadium.

Next to the Olympic Stadium and right in front of the Botanical Gardens lies one of Montreal's hidden gems & an underrated tourist attraction: The Olympic Tower.

Standing at 165 meters tall and with views spanning over 80 km of the St. Lawrence River and nearby zones, the Olympic Tower of Montreal is the world's highest inclined tower, with an angle of 45º (the Tower of Pisa stands at an angle of 5º) as well as the only one to have a funicular that works on a curved structure.

The best part? It offers the very best views of the city.

From the east side, it is possible to see the St. Lawrence River & Île-Ste. Hélène, which holds Montreal's most popular theme park: La Ronde. On the opposite side of the bridge is the town of Longueuil.

From here it is also possible to see the Olympic Stadium, where the Mexican team América defeated Montreal back when I was new to Canada!

The view on the opposite window is of the industrial district, and the weird structure seen on the left bottom side of the picture is Montreal's Biodôme, my next stop.

The Biodôme has a small zoo and a tiny aquarium which are home to wildlife of over four different ecosystems. The structure was originally a Velodrome built for the Olympic Games of 1976, and has since been repurposed. Among the things I saw inside:

And finally, as I was trying to get pictures of fish in the aquarium, I was photobombed by a stingray!

Even though I had a good time overall, I expected the Biodôme to have a bigger variety of animals and was really disappointed on how small it actually is. I don't think I would go back given the chance, but as a first time visitor it was definitely cool. Especially the warnings on ibis poo. Those were my absolute fave.

Thanks for reading!

Time off (Impressions on Ottawa).

Two weeks.

It has been two weeks since I left Montreal, and although I have been dancing around the Midwest for some days and then finally reaching my beloved country, there doesn't come a day (still) in which Guy-Concordia Station doesn't come to my mind...with its people, its movement and the gorgeous urban landscape that I got used to seeing every morning for the last three months.

So even though I have made it safe & sound back to Mexico, and it has been more than a month since I have been around the blog (because as usual, life is too crazy & I am quite disorganized myself), for the next few weeks I will be posting about my adventures in Canada. Yes, still. Mostly because there are a lot of things that I have left unsaid about the permanently weed-smelling city that adopted me during my unplanned gap term, but also because soon enough I will moving into yet another place, which will hopefully be my home for some time.

But anyway, back to Canada.

After living in Montreal and being driven insane by the never-ending craziness of its people, I decided to take a weekend off and travel to Ottawa. As some of you know, Ottawa is located in the province of Ontario, whereas Montreal is in Quebec. However, the trip is not long, and with a little planning I was able to catch a two-hour bus into the capital city.

The thing about Ottawa is that even though it is the capital of Canada, it is actually way less busy than Montreal. It is cleaner, more organized, friendlier & picturesque...a true beauty. On the other hand, it is also calmer and the impending sense of night-life that reigns in Montreal is not quite present in Ottawa, to the best of my knowledge.

However, I had the greatest time. Mostly, because I desperately needed a break from the French-speaking population, but also because I was super eager to see the Museums, the Parliament Buildings & more importantly, the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (I am such a cliché). 

The first spot I hit was the Canadian Museum of History, located in Île-de-Hull, QC (Not Ottawa, mind you, but close enough). Apart from hosting Temporary Exhibitions, it is home to the First Peoples' Hall, the Canadian Stamp Collection, the Canadian Children's Museum and an IMAX Theatre, making it one of the biggest, coolest and most inclusive museums I've been in for a while.

Not to mention that it has kick-ass views of the Parliament Buildings.

Next stop was Rideau Hall, home to the Governor General and the Canadian Monarch, Queen Elizabeth. The gardens which surround the property are nothing short of an Arboretum, built on the course of many, many years by none other than the dignitaries who visit Ottawa, who are asked to plant a small tree on the property. By taking a small stroll around, I was able to find the trees of a couple of Mexican Presidents, as well as the Mandela Tree and various Queen Elizabeths', among others.

Back in the day, Rideau Hall acted as home-in-exile for various European monarchs during the course of World War II. Among them was Queen Juliana of The Netherlands, who gave birth to her second daughter, Princess Margriet, while in Ottawa. In order for the baby to be solely Dutch, the maternity ward in which she gave birth was declared extraterritorial by the Canadian Government and that is the reason why Netherlands sends 10, 000 tulip bulbs to Canada every year, giving birth to the Ottawa Tulip Festival.

Next up was none other than the Rideau Canal --gorgeous, immense and lively.

And right afterwards, the Parliament Buildings, which had me snapping so many photos because they are absolutely lovely.

Finally, after running to the ByWard Market for an Obama Tail (a variation of the Beaver Tail), I went to the National Gallery of Canada to take a quick look at Maman, the gigantic spider sculpture made by Louise Bourgeois in the late 90's as an ode to her mother. The Ottawa Spider as it is also known, represents strength, nurture and protection.

Even though my time in Ottawa was incredibly short, I can truly say I loved the place. I had been told to avoid it since there's not much to do (concerning social life, I believe), but if you're all about Museums and pretty sights then I think it's a place that shouldn't be missed.

Ottawa, you're gorgeous. Thanks for being so good to me.