MONTREAL HIGHLIGHTS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023

Before we tell you about Montreal, let me bring you up to date on our trip to get here…

If you remember, the winds were right on our nose the day we left Ottawa, but they were predicted to be manageable.  As the day lengthened, however, they became stronger and stronger, and the Ottawa River became pretty nasty.  We told you that we decided to cut the trip short and seek refuge in a marina.  What we didn’t tell was HOW rough it was: 

1] We have a small auxiliary mast on the top of the boat, where we fly the US flag.  (The Canadian flag flies from a larger mast at the bow.). When we reached Montreal, we realized that the wind had bent our auxiliary mast until it almost broke. We saved the flag and re-hung it several days later. 

2]. As we plowed into the waves, we had so much water crashing into the windshield that the wipers couldn’t handle it, and they tripped their circuit breaker.  Yikes!  An easy fix, of course, but we had never seen that happen before!

Anyway, as we told you in our last post, we made it to Montreal, and it is wonderful!  Montreal is – of course – in the French-speaking province of Quebec (or Upper Canada as they call it here.)  Almost everyone is fluent in English, but French is the official language.  Last night, I learned how to say “J’aimerais te frapper comme une porte moustiquaire dans un ouragen.”  Apparently, this is a phrase one may use to greet one’s lovely young server at a restaurant. 

If Ottawa’s highlights were the beautiful parks, the impressive buildings, and the Staircase Locks.  Montreal’s most prominent aspects are the preserved historic Old Town, the vibrant restaurant scene, and the impressive entertainment center at the Old Port.  They have taken the huge old commercial piers and transformed them into entertainment complexes and parking garages.

Old Montreal at 10:00 am and at 6:00 pm

In Ottawa, we went to see Oh Canada, Eh?  (photo below). It was endearing, if amateurish.

Contrast that with Montreal, where we saw the World Premiere of ECHO, the new production from Cirque de Soleil.  It featured the usual jaw-dropping acrobatics, plus a dramatic, heart-pounding musical score, the most amazing stage production technique I’ve ever seen, dominated by a huge mobile CUBE the size of a two-story apartment building and a 4-story-high puppet!

Acrobats, a 25 foot high puppet, a juggler, and more acrobats! And great music.

We also had an opportunity to visit Montreal’s Basilica, rated by Trip Advisor as the Sixth Most Beautiful Cathedral in the World.  (#1 is of course the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, which should be on everyone’s Bucket List.)  Every aspect of the Basilica is archetypal: the soaring Sanctuary, the towering, spiral-staired Pulpit, and even the organ, featuring 7,000 pipes!

Over 7,000 pipes ranging from 32’ to 1/4” in diameter

Our marina is right in the heart of the downtown action.  As we sit here, we can see the Cirque de Soleil tents and hear the music and the crowd roars; watch the enormous Ferris wheel on the riverside; or turn our heads the other way and watch the downtown tourist crowds build on the waterfront promenade high above us.

Sunrise at the arena over the Cirque tents.

The marina with our boat (red hull in lower left corner) enjoying the city.

It’s 3:30 PM just now, and we can hear the drums and pipes as an honor guard entertains the tourists.   In spite of all that, it is PEACEFUL here!  

We’ve really enjoyed our 5 days here, but it’s time to head east.  Winds are predicted to be pleasant tomorrow.  We’ll leave early, heading east on the Riviere.