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