When I say Montreal is cool, I mean it in both senses of the word. It is definitely hip – cool but it was also definitely a delightful cool break from the oppressive high temperatures and humidity we’ve experienced this summer.
When Jack asked me what I wanted to do on our short 4 day get-away to Montreal, of course I said “See gardens!” and Jack, being ever patient with my passions, agreed. We spent a delightful morning at the Montreal Botanical Gardens which is huge and filled to the brim with beautiful and interesting displays.
The Chinese garden was impressive with stone pagodas and pools filled with lotus and water lilies. I loved the quiet serenity, though there were quite a few other tourists who were also enjoying the “quiet serenity.”
But. my favorites were the display gardens where they had huge blossoms of every color stuffed into a small space, making you feel that you were totally immersed in flowers. What could be better? In addition to the floral extravaganza, they also had many beds dedicated to displaying all kinds of useful plants. From food to fibers, from medicines to dyes, each plant was labeled with point of origin and the most common usage. It was fascinating!
Back in the city, we soared over the skyline on “la grande roue,” (a huge Ferris wheel), went to several fascinating museums, popped into Montreal’s “Notre Dame” and ate more than our share of wonderful food.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip was a night listening to a blues band at the very cool “Upstairs” bar and music venue.
The last night it POURED down rain. When we finally ventured out of the restaurant and looked up, there was a perfect double rainbow. Now how cool is that!
It was a fun, short trip to a beautiful city. If you love to be cool, I highly recommend Montreal.