I'm going to Montreal!!!
...I think! Yesterday I was reading a back issue of "VegNews," and Montreal was highlighted as a "majestic" & very veg-friendly city. I have never been to Canada (and I'm from Minnesota :o), and I've always heard that it's the "Paris of North America." ::) I'd love to go to Paris for real someday, but since I can't at the moment, I turned to my boyfriend & said, "I want to go to Canada. Let's go to a bed & breakfast in Montreal the week before Christmas!" He loved the idea, so we checked it out & I think we're going to use frequent flier miles to get there & then stay in the most adorable B & B for an inexpensive, cozy, romantic 4-day holiday getaway! :D :D :D :D We decided it would be our Christmas present to each other.
Have any of you ever been there? What did you think?
I love Montreal because it is such a clean city. Remember to bring a french/english dictionary with you :)
I was in Montreal a few years ago and I liked it a lot. It's a strange mixture of beautiful old architecture and horrible 60's architecture. I tried Tibetan food for the first time while I was there. It struck me as a cross between Indian and Chinese food--really good.
Shambala Tibetan Restaurant
3439 St. Denis
I missed this, but my friends stumbled upon it and raved about it: http://montreal.mordac.org/joute.php
an early welcome to canada! I've never been to montreal, but I know quebec as a province in wonderful. montreal's pretty hip, from what I hear.
It's been years since I was in Montreal but I remember it as being a clean city & the architecture is beautiful. Check out La basilique Notre-Dame if you get a chance. That place wowed me. Here is their site http://www.basiliquenddm.org/# but I can't enter the English site..... ;D not surprised. Quebecers really don't like English Canada ;D Montreal is an English friendly city, so you shouldn't have too much trouble with language but if you step outside Montreal, have that dictionary with you. If they give you a hard time, repeat this, "Embrasser mon âne de végétalien." ;D I'm kidding of course.
It'll be beautiful in Quebec at Christmas time. I'm hoping you get snowed in at the B&B....sounds so romantic ;)
It'll be beautiful in Quebec at Christmas time. I'm hoping you get snowed in at the B&B....sounds so romantic ;)
That's what I'm hoping for, too! ;) I think we're going to leave on December 26th & return on the 31st. I read that the 26th is Boxing Day, and everything besides retail stores are closed, so that will give us a good opportunity to settle in and...you know, enjoy the room. ;D
Thanks, everyone, for your input! I am super-excited! This is the B & B we're booking (in just a few moments, actually):
http://www.montrealbedandbreakfast.ca/a/rooms.htm
(It's the first room pictured--the "Honorable Judge Monk's" room! And they're having a discounted special until the end of the year!)
I am so excited! :D I know this is totally NVR, but I was just so excited I had to post!
oh that looks amazing!
It looks charming :) Such a beautiful old house....I'd love to live in a house like that :)
You are right, only retail is open Boxing Day & the malls will be packed, so stay in where it's warm & cozy. ;)
ooooh you are sooo lucky!!
i remember it vaguely, since i was there when i was in high school, and it was the first time we could "legally" (almost) drink...so, hence the amnesia.
but i do remember it being clean. and the bug museum.
and make sure you at least get out of your room to go visit st. catherine's st. ::) it'll be perfect for your holidays! (teehee)
I really enjoy Montréal, but I've only ever been there during the summer so I can't give much advice on what to do during the winter! One of these years I'd like to be in Québec for the Winter Carnival, but that takes place at the end of January or beginning of February. Anyways, I digress. That house looks fantastic, I'm sure you will have a wonderful holiday!
*sigh* A bit of jealousy here. That looks fantastic! I'm sure you'll have a terrific trip and you'll tell us all about it ;) when you get back.
Le Commensal is a very good vegetarian (with vegan selections) cafeteria-style restaurant. You pick out whatever you want and pay by the pound. I ate there a few times when I visited last September. Also, Notre-Dame is amazing and not to be missed!
http://www.commensal.com/en/default.idigit
Oh I am so jealous!! I have been there several times but never winter. The food is fabulous, very easy to be veg there. The area you are staying in is nice too. Rue St. Denis is so much fun. Also don't worry about the French language thing. I've never talked to anyone there who didn't speak great English.
Have fun!!! :)
I'm excited for you, again! :D
Hey ring_of_fire, I like your new avatar.....
<-it kinda' looks like this guy, don't you think?
Thank you so much for all of your well-wishes & great tips! :D I'll be sure to let you know how it goes... Even though we won't be leaving for 3 months! Haha. I'm already so excited!
The hardest part of visiting French Canada is that the signs are in French. They speak English but they want you to be nice about their not being as fluent in english. The French like sweetness and if you are, they are too. The women have a girlishness about them and they wear dresses a lot when they go out. I like the French Candians the best of all Canadians. There definitely is a stress in the language barrier though. Still Frenchies haven't been cannibals for years now so it's ok.
You might want to go to church on sunday, the French have lots of quaint little churches that are well kept up. Nicest I've ever seen. If it's true the Germans appreciate grandeur and purity and perfection, the French appreciate, sweetness, quaintness, and innocence. You feel it as soon as you get there.
JessaCita, I just came on here and searched Montreal because my BF and I are planning a trip around Christmastime too! Maybe we'll see you there! I'm all about bed and breakfasts. I went to the Happy Cow website and found tons of veg restaurants! WOW! How exciting! Have you made any more plans since your last post??
JessaCita, I just came on here and searched Montreal because my BF and I are planning a trip around Christmastime too! Maybe we'll see you there! I'm all about bed and breakfasts. I went to the Happy Cow website and found tons of veg restaurants! WOW! How exciting! Have you made any more plans since your last post??
Haha. Not really... I'm a major procrastinator. ::) But I did get a Montreal travel book for my birthday, and I have been bookmarking websites I come across for fun activities! My boyfriend & I are really nerdy, so we're most excited for the museums! :D
So far, I have these sites picked out (but no real plan of action; I kind of just want to make a list of things to get done, map them out, and then wing it once we're there. I'm sure we'll get advice from locals & other tourists regarding things we "just have to see," so I don't want to book us up completely!). ;) I love spontaneity!
This site has a bunch of highlights to see in the city:
http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/B2C/00/default.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1
http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/biodome/site/site.php?langue=en <--This is the Montreal Biodome, where the have insect tastings! :P Too bad I'm vegan... ;)
And again, here is our B & B:
http://www.montrealbedandbreakfast.ca/a/rooms.htm
(We're staying in the first room pictured... AND, I see that they just marked the rooms down to $99/night, and it doesn't apply to previous reservations! Lame! We're paying $129/night, which I thought was a bargain. Eh. Oh, well. We're saving on airfare through frequent flier miles, so... It's okay.)
Please let me know what you find, too!! That is so cool that you're going! :D I need to look up veg restaurants; that's one thing I haven't done yet!
I am in LOVE with this B & B http://www.iloveinns.com/innlink.php?innID=37797&city=Montreal&state=QB but I'm nervous it will be booked because there are only 3 rooms. I showed your place to my man and he liked it. I want to stay in the same room you're staying in (guess we have the same taste!!) and he said the picture of the lady freaked him out, like she would be looking at him. ;D
Here is the Happy Cow website for Montreal. It looks like there are SO many good places! My guy is omni, so the problem is finding places where we can both be happy! (He's totally cool with eating at veg places, but I want him to be able to have some fish and stuff because he likes that.)
I am going to try to find some travel guides at the library, so I will let you know if I find anything. I went a long time ago but I was with someone who wasn't...I didn't have the best time. ;) So hopefully it will be different now!
I leave tomorrow! :D Yay! Thanks again for all the travel tips! I will report back when I return on the 31st!
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