One-Tank Trip for
Nov. 9/13
(c) By Jim and Barb Fox
The neighbourhoods
of Montreal are truly infused with a “je ne sais quoi,” making them a pleasure
for tourists to explore.
Whatever the
weather, people are on the streets with friends in these distinctive “quartiers.”
They’re browsing
the chic boutiques on Sherbrooke, ice skating indoors at the 1000 De La
Gauchetiere office tower and just plain having fun.
Via Rail offers
three-course meals and
drinks in its business class service. (Jim Fox photo)
|
While avoiding traffic
hassles, Via’s business class afforded the luxury of reserved seats, tasty
three-course meals and drinks, including wine, beer and liquor, en route.
Discovery à la Montréal
Arriving downtown,
we make a short hike to Le Centre Sheraton Montreal and a suite overlooking Mount
Royal.
Le Centre Sheraton in downtown Montreal recently had a $40-million makeover that included its 825 guestrooms and suites. (Jim Fox photo) |
We wanted to
reacquaint ourselves with this “multi-layered” city with its eclectic neighbourhoods
on this trip.
Ruby Roy, tour
guide extraordinaire, took us first to the evolving Quartier des spectacles (Entertainment
District).
There’s an ongoing
transformation in this neighbourhood located between Centre-Ville (downtown) and
Old Montreal/Old Port.
It’s the heart of
the cultural metropolis and well-known headquarters of the Montreal
International Jazz Festival, as within one square kilometre there are some 80
cultural venues, including 30 performance halls, and Place des Arts.
The “Luminous
Pathway” highlights the wealth of attractions by lighting the sidewalks with two
rows of red dots and there’s architectural lighting and video projections on
building facades.
Heading south past
the ornate entranceway and bustling activity of the Chinese quarter, there’s the
International quarter and then the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal appear.
Bagels hot out of the oven at a Montreal favourite, St-Viateur Bagel Shop. (Barbara Fox photo) |
Must-sees are the
Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-gothic architectural masterpiece, and Saint-Paul
Street packed with galleries and historical buildings including the Marche
Bonsecours, called one of the 10 most beautiful heritage sites in Canada.
Nearby, the Old
Port along the St. Lawrence River is a playground for walking, cycling and
roller-blading and even has a beach and boardwalk.
There are the
Montreal Science Centre, IMAX Theatre and the Montreal Clock Tower and this is
where the winter High Lights Festival and Igloofest, electronic music festival,
are held.
Master carver Johnny Goncalves creates a smoked-meat sandwich at Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen. (Jim Fox photo) |
Food to die for
Our tour wouldn’t
be complete without dropping by what are called the best bagel and smoked-meat
sandwich shops in the city, if not the world.
It’s before noon on
a Sunday and the crowds have already formed outside Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew
Delicatessen on St. Laurent.
Johnny Goncalves,
who has been hand cutting the famous kosher-style meat for 40 years, offers a
sample.
We then stop at
St-Viateur Bagel Shop to sample some hot bagels right out of the wood-fired
oven.
A nearby rival is
another Montreal favourite, Fairmount Bagel, with a slightly sweeter taste.
Writer Jim Fox with tour guide Ruby Roy enjoying a bagel hot out of the oven at St-Viateur Bagel Shop. (Barbara Fox photo) |
Poutine at Frite
Alors! on St. Catherine was a heaping helping of fries covered with pulled
pork, chewy cheese curds and gravy served in what looked like a large metal dog
food bowl.
One of our
best-ever meals and service were at the Gazette restaurant on Saint-Antoine
West in the Westin Hotel, formerly the building that housed Montreal’s English
daily newspaper.
Sous Chef Louis
Gauthier of the Gazette restaurant at the Westin Montreal with a
grilled fillet of Angus beef with wild mushrooms, foie gras
and fingerling potatoes. (Jim Fox photo)
|
Chef Paul Little features
“Quebec terroir,” including grilled fillet of Angus beef with wild mushrooms,
foie gras and fingerling potatoes, green-tea grilled salmon and honey glazed
rack of lamb among the mains.
Travel deals and info
Travel by Via Rail
was a pleasure, with numerous Toronto-Montreal trains daily for the five hour
or less trip.
All aboard! (Jim Fox photo) |
One-way fares are
as low as $29, if bought on “Discount Tuesdays,” and $39 for Economy Class. www.viarail.ca; 1-888-842-7245
Le Centre Sheraton
on Rene Levesque Boulevard is near great shopping on St. Catherine and Place
Ville Marie as well as dining and nightlife on Montagne and Crescent.
The hotel completed
a $40-million makeover last year to its 37th floor Club Lounge, with complimentary
breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres, 825 guestrooms and suites, health club,
restaurant and bar, and communications centre.
The sun sets over Mount Royal as seen from an upper floor at Le Centre Sheraton. (Barbara Fox photo) |
The Sheraton offers
the Fall “Sweet Deal” package with a second night at half-price and discount
coupon booklet, starting at $150 for the first night. montrealsweetdeal.com
The Hockey Night
special has rooms from $145 to ticketholders when games are played at the adjacent
Bell Centre. sheratonmontreal.com;
1-888-627-7102
Tourism Montreal
offers trip planning information at tourisme-montreal.org;
1-877-266-5687
-30-
Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca
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