That was one of the best vacations we've had, especially since we got to spend time with blogger friend, C and her family as we traversed their great nation via minivan!
Earlier that day, we'd enjoyed smoked meat sandwiches at Schwartz's Deli and just recently had some awesome desserts at juliette & chocolat. At this point in the day, tt was time for their daughter's nap so her husband reparked the car to a shadier spot while C and her daughter stayed behind to rest....
We were walking on Sherbrooke St, when I noticed a sign with the word "taco". Turns out this was the Tequila Taco House, serving Mexican food. I wonder how authentic it was. Hnmmm.
This building was the headquarters for La Presse, a French language newspaper published daily except for Sundays.
On Rue Notre Dame East, this was one of three courthouses in Old Montreal. "The Old Courthouse" was built in 1856 and is an example of neoclassical architecture. Not seen in this photo is its dome which is set back and couldn't be photographed properly by yours truly. The other two courthouses are the "New" one built in 1922, and a more modern facility built in 1971.
This is a side view of Montreal City Hall.
Here is a another view of it. (This photo is from atlasimmigration.com)
Montreal City Hall is five stories tall and was built between 1872 and 1878. It is an example of "The Second Empire" architectural style in Canada. The building has the characteristic Mansard roofs and a tower element. To see the interior of City Hall, you can click on this cool virtual tour from the city's website.
A few steps away was the Nelson Column, which was named after Admiral Horatio Nelson and celebrates his victory over Napoleon's Franco-Spanish fleet four years earlier. The column was erected in 1809, which makes it one of Canada's oldest commemorative monuments.
Interestingly, after looking this place up for this post, I learned that the column has garnered controversy in the past because it essentially commemorates a British victory of the French in a pre-dominantly French speaking city. There were talks to move the monument to a distant Anglophone district, but there was enough public opposition to quell the move.
I felt sorry for the horses for the horse drawn carriages. It was quite muggy and hot (mid 90's) that day...
The buildings and monuments we saw were at the top of a hill in an area called Place Jacques-Cartier, a square or gathering place in Old Montreal as well as the entrance to the Old Port of Montreal. It is named after the explorer Jacques Cartier who claimed Canada for France in 1535.
This is the view as we walked down the hill passing by street vendors and entertainers along the way. It was nice to be able to see it in the daytime.
One of the street vendors was selling leather bracelets which he would personalize with your name. TC ended up getting one as a souvenir from Canada. She got to choose which designs he would emboss alongside her name. It ended up costing $10 which is about the same as over here.
In the middle of one of the side streets was a domed building...
which turned out to be the Marche de Bonsecours (Bonsecours Market), which was inaugurated in 1847. It is an example of Greek Revival and neoclassical architecture. It has a long facade, a colonaded portico, and Doric colums. The roof is plated with tin and is considered it's "crowning glory". It is easily seen from afar and I can see why this building was marked as a National Historic Site in Canda. Bonsecours served as the main marketplace for Montreal for more than 100 years. Nowadays, it no longer is used as a market place. Instead, it is used to house upscale art galleries, restaurants, shops, boutiques, offices, and offers rental space for events. The church just a short distance away was the Notre Dame de Bon Secours Chapel which we weren't able to visit.
We thought we'd stop in to take a look. I didn't know until afterwards that the market wasn't a food market but more of a gathering of upscale shops. Plus, we wanted to use a bathroom in an air conditioned facility! It was a relief to feel a bit of cool air after all that walking and sightseeing.
In one of the bathrooms were these vending machines...
Hmmm, banana or strawberry flavor? The choice is just too hard to make.
Ewwww!
More info about Old Montreal:
www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca - This site is complete with maps, photos, a suggested walking tour and tons of historical information.
Up next...one of the best drinks we've ever had...
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