Yesterday, I had to go downtown to get some boring paperwork done. But it was a very nice day, all sunny and warm, and we decided to head to the Vieux Port (Old port) to spend part of the afternoon-evening.

I already brought you to the Vieux Port area… More than once. But it is such a nice place to spend time, and it changes so much from one season to the other, that I thought it was worth walking you around once more!

Ready? Let’s go then…

Entry to the Old Montréal area…  Notre-Dame Basilica in the background.

Horse carriage waiting for clients by Place d’Armes square…

 

In both Québec City and Montréal, horse-drawn carriage are a popular way to visit the oldest part of the town… It’s been a bit controversial, some people arguing that it is not a fair way to treat horses. I won’t get into this, I just wanted to point out the tours were still available 😉

 

St-Paul street is one of the most touristic streets of Montréal. Reserved to pedestrians, it is full of souvenir boutiques, restaurants, bars, and cafés…

Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! (can you feel the excitement??) Yesterday, walking along St-Paul street, I almost assaulted a tourist! In a very friendly way, don’t worry! As I was saying, I was walking, minding my own business when I heard something that made me turn around…

Hvor går du?

Where are you going?….  And you probably guessed why I am so excited. That is dang Danish!!!!  I had found Danes in Montréal!!!  I to-ta-lly overreacted, but I managed not to go introduce myself. I have to thank chéri for that, though. I probably would have gone to talk to them, had I been alone. Yeah, I am crazy. About Denmark, that is… Otherwise, I’m fine… Almost.

 

 

We had dinner at Jardin Nelson. Again, not a first mention in the Cove, but it is my favorite restaurant in Montréal. If you ever come, you HAVE to let me take you there. And forget about the restaurant itself. We HAVE to get a table in the inner garden, with all the flowers, the jazz band, the birds flying around, and the giant retractable umbrellas…. We have to enjoy the 5 stars service, making you feel like you are at the VIP table everytime! Oh, and did I mention the amazing food too?

Yesterday, we settled for a little pitcher of mellon Sangria and I had the delicious duck confit crepe with a leek and cranberry filling, and fennel salad. Yum! (and what’s great for me, is that with my tiny stomach, I could only eat half of it, meaning I got a second serving later at night, when I got back home… Yay!!)

 

 

Now in the Vieux Port area, I was glad I had already eaten, because the various foodtrucks parked at the entry of the site would have made it very hard to choose. The smells were very tempting, but I was full, so I walked by… But I did think about you Rowena.

So… What’s there to do and see?

 

A lot.

 

 

The first thing you see, the thing that catches the eye is the new big wheel that was built for Montréal’s 375th anniversary. It is not fonctionnal yet, but it just gives you a little more time to book your plane ticket! Wouldn’t you love to come and share a priceless view of Montréal from the skies with me??

 

The kids will have tons of fun in the fitness trails in the air, between Pirate boats. 

 

Little stores, where you can find something original to remember your trip by…

 

Ok, the black bag just cracked me up… It says

“Good girls go to heaven, naughty girls go everywhere!”

 

Indoor maze… read more about it here.

 

A little bit of pedalling, perharps? We can relax and have a nice chat on the water…

 

Maybe you’ve heard of Cirque du Soleil? 😉

 

Bonsecours Terrace… Not my kind of place, but a nice sight!

 

Not comparable to Nyhavn or Le Pont des Amours in Paris, but we’re getting there… lol

 

Another quiet spot for a little chat… Yeah, I love chatting!

 

I’ll let you choose, I can come back anytime…

 

Old buildings still show the washed up names of the companies they once housed.

 

 

And why not stop to get a beaver tale, called Queues de Castor here in Québec. The Canadian pastries are delicious, and a must before you leave Montréal! And if you’re worried about calories, we can share!

 

 

Last stop before the subway station… A large fountain we can sit by, and cool our feet in, if your toes are tired of all the walking. There are musicians everywhere in the Vieux Montréal area… And wether it is “La vie en rose” played on a clarinet, or “How deep is your love” on the guitar, the talented artists are sure to provide a nice soundtrack to our balad in town…

So that’s it for today… Wait, there’s one more thing.

 

 

While in the subway, I noticed the guy sitting at the other end of the wagon. Like a lot of other passengers, he was looking down his cell phone. At one point, his face lit up, and he smiled from ear to ear.

I wondered what he was reading. Maybe he had recieved a text message from a girl he liked… Maybe he had just gotten good news…. Maybe he was reading some blogger’s post, that really made him happy.

And I suddenly wished I could provoke that someday. Making someone random, somewhere in the world, smile so brightly that strangers wondered what he was reading…

That’s a lot, but we all need to have dreams, right?

It was a nice way to end this trip downtown Montréal….

 

 

Until next time.