I had a chance to visit Montreal in June and wow, what an amazing experience. I’ve been to Vancouver and Toronto, but this was the first time on a trip to Canada that I felt like I was in a foreign country. Montreal really is a lone European city just migrated to the Western hemisphere. I’m not sure if it is a mandate or national programming or a training course that’s taught in schools, but every person there told us we had to do the same three things.
Eat poutine. If you don’t know what poutine is, it’s french fries and cheese curds topped with gravy. It originated in Quebec, and it’s the go-to food for drunk Canadians. I’m not sure if it’s also a good hangover food, but I’d imagine it would be. It’s a bit of a tradition, and a bit more of a punchline.
Smoked meat. Schwartz’s is a Hebrew delicatessen and is a famous tourist spot. It’s billed as the oldest deli in Montreal, having opened over 80 years ago. The menu is essentially smoke meat, turkey, and salami sandwiches with a bunch of sides. Don’t worry. If you can’t make it to Montreal, they sell smoked meat by mail order. Really.
Visit Old Montreal. Okay, this one we actually did. We skipped the charred meat and Canadian traditional equivalent of Outback’s Bloomin’ Onion. Old Montreal was an absolute highlight of our trip. Our kid got to navigate obstacles in an aerial park shaped as a pirate ship. We were able to take the Amphi-bus tour, which travels through the historical parts of Montreal, and then dips into the St. Lawrence river, where the bus engine shuts off and the boat engine powers on. Our tour guides were very funny, and it was great to see the city from the river.
One unusual thing we discovered in Montreal’s expansive underground shopping area was the Barbie Expo. If you have a doll fetish, this must be a stop for you. Over 1,000 unique, designer made Barbie dolls on display to benefit the Make-a-Wish foundation. Everything you can think of, from Christian Dior design to vampires to a model runway to a recreation of James Bond’s famous Casino Royale. Truly a bit of everything.
More to come in part two of this recap. But, really, try the poutine.
One love,
nK