| Well, after a more than filling dinner at La | | | | |
| Iguana and a brief excursion to Montreal's | | | | From the side streets we went into a back |
| Jazz Festival last night it was time to burn | | | | alley, a "ruelle verte" or "green alley". The |
| some calories and an official biking tour | | | | name comes from the fact that people have |
| through the city would help me keep the | | | | started to dedicate their time and attention |
| certain weight gain from the delicious | | | | to greening these little roadways. The city |
| Montreal food at least somewhat under | | | | of Montreal has provided plants and vines to |
| control. My biking tour was scheduled to | | | | make them more attractive while the local |
| start around 8:30 am, but on this gorgeous | | | | residents upkeep the plant life and the |
| day, Canada Day no less, our national | | | | flowers. Montreal has 12 of these "ruelles |
| holiday, I got going early. | | | | vertes" now and has started to turn |
| | | | previously ugly back alleys into little |
| Bright and bushy tailed I walked out of the | | | | sanctuaries of urban greenery. |
| hotel by 7 am and strolled over into Old | | | | |
| Montreal. Jacques Cartier Square at 7 am was | | | | At the end of this alley Bruno showed us some |
| pretty much deserted with just a few people | | | | examples of officially permitted graffiti, a |
| opening up cafés and street vendors | | | | recent city initiative that commissions local |
| starting to open their stalls. Further south | | | | graffiti artists to show off their work |
| the sun was reflecting off the silver dome of | | | | legally, rather than defacing buildings with |
| the Marché Bonsecours I noticed that | | | | unwanted graffiti. Bruno mentioned he also |
| runners dressed up in red t-shirts with the | | | | does graffiti walking tours through the city, |
| slogans "Run for Canada" and "Great Things | | | | and I made a note of that for my next visit. |
| For Canada" were congregating in the port | | | | |
| area at Quai Jacques Cartier. | | | | World Cup soccer passion was in full swing |
| | | | when we reached the intersection of Rachel |
| Upon further investigation I found out that | | | | and St. Laurent Streets. This residential |
| all these athletes were raising funds for | | | | area has been settled by a lot of Portuguese |
| Canada's Olympic teams for the 2010 Vancouver | | | | immigrants and one of the local bars was |
| Olympics as part of a charity event organized | | | | featuring a live broadcast of the |
| by HBC. I asked some of the participants and | | | | England-Portugal World Cup Soccer match on a |
| found out that the race was officially going | | | | big screen. The bar and its patio were |
| to start at 8 am. Since I had about a half an | | | | absolutely packed and people were chanting, |
| hour, I decided to explore the area around | | | | screaming and making noise, and there was no |
| Quai Jacques Cartier and I walked eastwards | | | | doubt which side they were on. At the |
| out to Quai de l'Horloge (literally | | | | north-east corner of this intersection is the |
| translated "Clock Pier"). I strolled out on | | | | Parc des Ameriques which features an arch |
| this stretch of land until I reached a clock | | | | with design elements from different Latin |
| tower, the "Tour de l'Horloge", which is an | | | | cultures. A colourful Portugese church is |
| offwhite structure that was built in 1992 to | | | | right nearby and Bruno pointed out a variety |
| commemorate merchant marine sailors who had | | | | of houses in the neighbourhood that show off |
| lost their lives during the First World War. | | | | brightly painted colour schemes, indicating a |
| The Jacques Cartier Bridge can be clearly | | | | preference on the part of the Portuguese |
| seen in the background. | | | | residents to liven things up a bit. |
| | | | |
| After my initial investigation it was getting | | | | We also found out that rue St-Laurent, also |
| closer to race time. Now there was a whole | | | | called "The Main", was indeed the main street |
| animation team that was exhorting the runners | | | | that immigrants took to settle in the city |
| to do calistenics to warm up for the big | | | | after arriving in the port area. For this |
| race. Several fitness experts on a podium | | | | reason rue St-Laurent is very ethnically |
| were doing countdowns to the music ("a-one, | | | | mixed and Bruno explained that many new |
| a-two, a-three" - all of that in French, of | | | | immigrants opened up shop here since they |
| course) while the members of the crowd were | | | | would be able to attract the Anglo crowd west |
| enthusiastically raising their arms and legs, | | | | of the "The Main" as well as francophone |
| pumping fists and doing all sorts of other | | | | customers who tended to live east of rue |
| warm-up exercises to get prepared for the | | | | St-Laurent. It is also the street that |
| start. Then, just a few minutes before 8 am, | | | | officially divides the city into east and |
| all the runners lined up in an area fenced in | | | | west, so when you look at a Montreal address, |
| by a white picket fence and just a few | | | | pay attention to whether it has "east" or |
| moments after the official countdown began. | | | | "west" after the street name. That will |
| Punctually at 8 am the gate was opened and | | | | decide which way you will have to turn from |
| the runners started running for Canada, to | | | | rue St-Laurent. |
| raise funds for Canada's Olympic teams. | | | | |
| | | | Through the Plateau neighbourhood we cycled |
| Well, watching all this exercise made me look | | | | westwards until we reached Jeanne Mance Park |
| forward to my own activity-rich schedule, | | | | at the foot of Mont Royal, another sizeable |
| starting off with a bicycle tour in the | | | | green space and a favourite spot for picnics, |
| morning. I walked about 10 minutes eastwards | | | | sunbathing, playing soccer, tennis or |
| to Ça Roule, a bicycle rental and repair | | | | frisbee. We rested a little and then |
| shop at 27 rue de la Commune that is a prime | | | | continued on towards Prince Arthur Street, a |
| access point for travelers who want to | | | | pedestrian street that today features a large |
| discover Montreal by bicycle. You can rent | | | | selection of family style restaurants with |
| bikes by the hour or by the day, and Ça | | | | outdoor patios. Antique lamp posts and |
| Roule (also known as "Montreal on Wheels") | | | | cobble-stoned streets further add to the |
| even offers guided tours. And that's what I | | | | ambience in this area. |
| was going to take today: a guided tour | | | | |
| accompanied by a licensed tour guide from | | | | From Prince Arthur we cycled west and south |
| Guidatour. | | | | into the "McGill Ghetto" area, a residential |
| | | | neighbourhood that hustles and bustles with |
| First I went in the store to get outfitted, I | | | | students and features many frat houses and |
| got my bike (a very comfortable touring bike, | | | | inexpensive eateries. Bruno took us into the |
| I might add), a helmet, a detailed bicycle | | | | McGill University campus, Montreal's oldest |
| map of Montreal and a free bottle of water. | | | | university, founded in 1921 by Scottish |
| Our tour group was congregating outside, we | | | | fur-trader James McGill. McGill University is |
| had a couple from Vermont, a young man from | | | | the centre of the "Golden Mile", once the |
| New York City, and a local gentleman who | | | | headquarters of the mostly Scottish |
| lives on the South Shore across the St. | | | | bourgeoisie. It is said that in the late 19th |
| Lawrence River from Montreal who were going | | | | and early 20th century about 70% of Canada's |
| to take the tour with our licensed guide, | | | | wealth was concentrated in the hands of the |
| Bruno. | | | | residents of the Golden Square Mile and some |
| | | | of this power and opulence can still be seen |
| First Bruno took is into the port area to | | | | in the few remaining luxurious Victorian |
| Quai King-Edward where we cycled out all the | | | | mansions. |
| way to the tip from where we had a great view | | | | |
| of the skyline of Old Montreal. From there we | | | | From the university we were just a stone |
| went eastwards to Place Jacques Cartier and | | | | throw away from Montreal's downtown, the |
| pushed our bikes up the gently sloping | | | | conglomeration of skyscrapers built over the |
| square. Once at the top, right in front of | | | | last 40 or so years that represents the |
| Montreal City Hall, we got back on our bikes | | | | centre of Montreal's business world. We |
| and went east to rue Berri where we were | | | | stopped at Place Ville Marie, a commercial |
| impressed by the Gare Viger, a former railway | | | | highrise tower complex built in 1959 that |
| station built in the typical Chateau style | | | | gave rise to Montreal's network of |
| that was so popular during Canada's early | | | | underground paths. Looking north on Avenue |
| railway era. Bruno indicated that this | | | | McGill College I had a view of of McGill |
| building will probably be renovated in the | | | | University against the backdrop of the |
| next two years and turned into an upscale | | | | mountain, topped by the metal cross on Mount |
| hotel. | | | | Royal. |
| | | | |
| Rue Berri is a major north-south thoroughfare | | | | A few streets east Bruno took us into a small |
| in Montreal and what's great about it is that | | | | side street where we got a peak at the dome |
| it has designated bicycling lanes that are | | | | of the Mary Queen Queen of the World |
| completely separated from the road traffic. | | | | Cathedral which is rather dwarfed by the |
| We cycled past UQAM (Université de Quebec | | | | skyscrapers right around it. Bruno said that |
| à Montréal), Bruno's alma mater, and | | | | this is a favourite location for movie |
| puffed up a couple of gently sloping yet | | | | makers. From there it was not far to Victoria |
| longish hills. We had officially reached the | | | | Square, originally a Victorian Garden in the |
| Plateau Mont-Royal area. At the top, just | | | | midst of Second Empire and Renaissance |
| north of Sherbrooke Street, we cycled into | | | | Revival Stories most of which have since |
| the Parc Lafontaine, the main green space in | | | | gone. The square was redesigned recently to |
| the Plateau area. The park was laid out in | | | | reflect its original layout and the area |
| 1908, features two man-made lakes, tennis | | | | around it has been renamed Montreal's |
| courts and bowling greens. Bruno mentioned to | | | | International Quarter. One of the key |
| us that in the winter the waterways turn into | | | | attractions of Victoria Square is an |
| a beautifully illuminated skating area. We | | | | authentic Parisian Art Nouveau subway gate, |
| stopped for a few minutes in the serene | | | | the "Entourage Grimard", named after |
| surroundings of the park. At the north end | | | | architect Hector Grimard who designed the |
| there was a map of Montreal's extensive | | | | entrances to the Paris Metro. The Régie |
| cycling network, right across from the | | | | autonome des transport parisiens (RATP) |
| "Maison des Cyclistes" which caters to | | | | offered this installation to Motnreal as a |
| bicycling enthusiasts. | | | | gift in 1966. |
| | | | |
| Bruno is an avid biker himself and said he | | | | Victoria Square is an example of a very |
| has sold his car a while ago and uses his | | | | successful recent urban renewal project that |
| bicycle as his main mode of transportation. | | | | now has wider sidewalks that accommodate up |
| As passionate bikers we traded tidbits about | | | | to 40% more pedestrians. Outdoor parking |
| the bicycling networks and our respective | | | | spaces were eliminated and more than 1300 new |
| cities' efforts to expand them and he made me | | | | underground parking spaces were created in |
| aware that apparently Bay Street in downtown | | | | the surrounding areas. Trees, street |
| Toronto now has an official bicycling lane, | | | | furniture and decorative lighting further |
| something I wasn't aware of. He also said | | | | enhance the appeal of this square. Montreal's |
| that from Park La Fontaine you can cycle 252 | | | | World Trade Centre, a complex integrating the |
| km eastwards into the Eastern Townships | | | | Nordheimer Building dating back to 1888, is |
| region to the city of Sherbrooke. We both | | | | located on the east side of Victoria Square. |
| agreed that Quebec's Eastern Townships are | | | | At the south end is rue St-Jacques (or St. |
| another area that is just predestined for | | | | James Street), until about the 1960s |
| bicyclists. | | | | Montreal's main business street, and the |
| | | | boundary of Old Montreal. |
| Then we rode into the neighbourhood north of | | | | |
| Parc La Fontaine and Bruno took us into some | | | | With the downtown portion of our tour |
| of the side streets that feature the typical | | | | complete we cycled back into Old Montreal and |
| Montreal external staircases. Our guide | | | | enjoyed looking at the old warehouses and the |
| enlightened us that these staircases were | | | | cobble-stoned streets. Our tour came to an |
| built outside the buildings since families | | | | end at Pointe-à -Callière, Montreal's |
| used to be very large, sometimes with 17 or | | | | Museum of History and Archeology, where Bruno |
| 18 children. So people needed all the living | | | | and the other cycling group members said |
| space they could get and didn't want to waste | | | | goodbye. The great thing was that as part of |
| space on interior staircases. Furthermore, | | | | the guided tour I would be able to keep the |
| European travelers often ask why the houses | | | | bicycle until 8 pm, a chance to continue my |
| have flat roofs. Bruno explained that the | | | | explorations on my own. I had asked Bruno for |
| snow on the flat roofs would act as | | | | some advice on where to go and he recommended |
| insulation in the winter and keep heating | | | | that I check out the Lachine Canal bicycle |
| costs down. Secondly, pitched roofs would be | | | | path that snakes along Montreal's historic |
| dangerous since snow could slide and fall | | | | waterway, inaugurated in 1825. My |
| down right onto the sidewalk. | | | | explorations by bike would continue... |