Kathryn’s Voyage Blog

Publish Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009
I am pleased to report that first impressions are not always what they seem.  🙂

We arrived in Old Port Montreal late afternoon on a warm, sunny Saturday evening. We had all been looking forward to our arrival in Montreal and the Province of Quebec. We were filled with the anticipation of being transported to another culture— visions of strolling down European style streets; outdoor cafes filled with friends lolling over wine and conversation; the air filled with the music of street performers and laughter; and artisans of all types selling there crafts or sketching tourist.

What we were greeted by were multitudes of speedboats, in all shapes and sizes, racing up and down the river creating enormous wakes and dangerous navigation. A marina filled with loud, pounding music coming from all directions; both from boats in the marina, and performers and cafes surrounding the marina. Thousands of people filled the streets of Old Port Montreal—had we missed something? Was it Mardi Gras? Yes there were cafes, but they were packed to the brim with lines spilling into the street and waits upwards of 1 to 2 hours. Yes, there were street performers, but they were impossible to see due to the crowds. Well…you get the picture.

Sensory overload! All of us had the same reaction—let’s get out of here! Fortunately we didn’t.

Sunday brought with it a quieter morning, and a mass exit of boats from the marina trying to beat some impending weather. We took a deep breath and ventured forth into the city again. With fewer people we could see the beautiful flowers in the park and random pieces of sculpture waiting to surprise you. We enjoyed crepes at a sidewalk cafe and took in the Archeology Museum, a true delight. We spent time ambling the streets of Old Port Montreal; enjoying the architecture and unique shops tucked into historical buildings; all the while listening to church bells ringing throughout the city. Performers shared their talents; with one of the most unique performances taking place on a sailboat spotlighted in the marina. The couple whirled and danced through the rigging, finally running 2 long pieces of cloth up the halyard and performing aerial dance and acrobatics. A stunning performance set to the backdrop of twilight.

Our next day was filled with similar experiences on a 5 hour walking expedition which included Quartier Chinois (Chinatown); Quartier Internationale; several incredible churches and the shopping hustle and bustle of Rue St. Catherine around Rue d’Peel. The main Tourist Office, located on that corner, provided us great information for the Quebec regions we would be traveling through via boat as we headed out the St. Lawrence River.

As Ayla and I walked about Montreal that day (Dave was re-stuffing the stuffing box), we had several observations:

– People here are extremely friendly and helpful (truly a bilingual city).

– For such a large city it is very clean, and feels super safe.

– People stroll down the streets here visiting with one another, versus walking briskly with heads down. Even those people in business attire at the end of a work day seem to take their time.

-The streets and freeways we saw never felt congested.

– Art, functionality, history and a contemporary sensibility are woven together here in a seamless beauty.

We finished the day by seeing Aqua. A unique, interactive, multimedia show designed to educate and inspire people to take care of our waters with the dream of having clean water for everyone in the world. Two startling facts for me were:

– The bodies of the beautiful beluga whales of the St. Lawrence River (which we hope to see) are so contaminated they are considered to be toxic waste.

– A child dies every eight seconds due to a water borne illness.

This show is at the Science Museum in Old Port Montreal and was developed by The One Drop Foundation, started by Guy Libierte who founded Cirque d’Soliel.

As I reflect back upon our arrival and subsequent culture shock, I realize:

1. We had spent the last month in very small towns, rural areas, and remote locations – any big city would have been initially shocking to the senses.

2. Saturday evening in Montreal, especially in the summer, is the climax to an energy and anticipation that builds throughout the week.

3. Warm, rain-free evenings have been far and few between this summer. Last Saturday was one of a few perfect days.

4. We were just in the wrong mind-set — it was a giant celebration! I wish we could have stayed until next Saturday, I would have been ready for it this time! 🙂

(I will add photographs next time we have good Internet access.)