It's a street in a strange world
Maybe it's the Third World
Maybe it's his first time around
He doesn't speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound..."
-Paul Simon, "Call Me Al"
For the first time in my life, I awake in another country. You aren't in Mechanicsburg anymore, Toto. You are in Montreal, Quebec. You are the visitor. You are the guest. You are the stranger. It was a nerve-wrecking first day of travel and making sure I could stay in touch with home. What would the second day bring? Would it be wonderful, or would it be a nightmare? Well, all I knew was when I sprung out of bed at 4:45 A.M (yes, I am an early riser!), I would be out the door and ready to explore as soon as I showered and dressed.
Decisions, decisions...where do I head to first? I was too eager to explore this city and its sights. First on the agenda was part of the old city and the area called Place Des Armes.
What an awesome place, looks like I stepped back at least 150 years. I was disappointed that I could not go into the Notre Dame Basilica, and also disappointed that there was no Mass schedule. I am a Catholic and my faith is very important to me, so it was disheartening to see another grand old cathedral become a museum instead of an active house of worship. I guess I'd have to find another church to attend Mass at on Sunday morning T-T.
After strolling around Place Des Armes for a while, I decided to check out the Old Port, which ended up being a highlight of my trip. The architecture was incredible and made me feel I had ended up in Old Europe. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the surroundings and just took it all in like a sponge, I could not turn a blind eye to some other things I saw. Almost every shop window seemed to have a "For Rent" sign in it, a sign that the economy in the city has taken a turn for the worse. Also, I was stunned by the amount of homeless people I was seeing in places like the Old Port. Apologies to my Canadian friends, but in a country that prides itself on how well it treats it's less fortunate, the homeless problem seemed to be comparable to other American cities I have been to. I'm not saying that to be critical, it is just an observation. I'm not a Canadian citizen so I will not pretend to know the first thing about Canadian policy. That is their business, not mine.
Back to the architecture...oh my goodness, some of the coolest I had ever seen, and most of it more modern, but very "old" feeling! Take notes, city councils in America...this is how you revitalize your building stock.
What a beautiful, peaceful morning it was strolling around Old Port. It was probably my favorite part of the city. I took so many photos that I just want to let them do the talking instead! If there was any part of the city that made me feel I was taken away to a part of Paris or Nice, this was it. Put the Old Port on your list of places to see in Montreal.
To be continued...
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