Last day in Canada

Had a reasonable night but the room was as dark in the morning as it was at night.  The owner, who was very chatty and amiable, made us some delicious waffles for breakfast. Afterwards we walked down to the river. It was very misty but the water was hardly moving, creating some beautiful reflections.

We returned to the hotel which you can see in the background. Today we were returning to Ottawa where I would be catching my flight home and M would be staying on for a couple more days to visit family.



It wasn't a long drive so we had time to visit Gattinaux Park for a couple of hours. Unfortunately the weather was not so kind and it poured with rain.

I loved the park, only sorry the weather wasn't better so we could go for a walk. Time passed very quickly and it wasn't long before I had to go to the airport. A sad goodbye to M but all being well we'll meet up for another adventure in a country new to us both in 2018.
Sharing with James at
weekendreflection.blogspot.co.uk

Montebello

More blue skies and sunshine as we left Montreal.

Once on the Highway away from the traffic jams of the city we settled down for a pleasant drive to Montebello. I was fascinated by this truck in front, which had metal wheels that could be lowered for use on railway lines.

It wasn't long before we were travelling by the banks of the River Ottawa.

We needed to cross the river via a ferry.

We were the only ones on the ferry but it only took a few minutes.

Once across it was a short drive to the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello.








Known as the largest log cabin in the world we decided we would have lunch here.

Historically this was founded as a private club in 1930. It took just four months for this massive cedar Chateau to be built. Hundreds of craftsmen used 10,000 red cedar logs to build the resort's three main buildings, all cut and set by hand.

For 40 years after its completion it remained the private retreat of the Seigniory Club whose membership included Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco as well as Canadian business men and politicians.

 In 1970 the resort was taken over by the Canadian Pacific Hotels who opened it to the public and renamed it Le Chateau Montebello. Now known as the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello it attracts visitors from all over the world including myself! Historic meetings have been held here including a G7 International Economic summit attended by Ronald Regan, Pierre Trudeau, Francois Mitterand and Margaret Thatcher. So this was the obvious choice for lunch. We had  the buffet lunch and I am just sorry I didn't take any photos. It was fine dining at its best and considering it was a buffet which included lobster and other shellfish, variety of meats, vegetables, salads and numerous desserts it was the best value for money I've had in a long time. To eat as much as you want cost £20 and they refunded the parking fee!

Afterwards we we strolled around the grounds which were extensive and beautiful.

There are lots of things to do here including swimming, curling, cycling, cross country skiing etc. I decided to follow one of the trails through the grounds.

It was a beautiful, peaceful walk.

Light was beginning to fade so it was time to find M

I didn't have to look too far.

We went back inside to sit near the giant fireplace and enjoy a drink.

Another first for me - table ice hockey.


Eventually we had to go and find our hotel - regretting that we hadn't booked to stay at the Fairmont for the night. On reflection we probably did the right thing. A room at the Fairmont would have cost approx £250 for the night without breakfast. We were paying £95 for a room in the town with breakfast. Other than going for a swim I don't think we would have used any more of their facilities during an overnight stay.
We were staying at the Auberge, a large 3 storey hotel with a view of the river. I think there were about 50 rooms. As it was the end of the season only three or four were occupied. It felt very spooky to me. The room was very clean but was long, narrow and dark. In the evening we went out to the local bistro but being a city girl I felt ill at ease walking along the dark, empty streets of the town. M on the other hand, being a country girl, was very much at home. The bistro was full when we got there- obviously the place to be on a Saturday night.

Montreal

Montreal's Metro. An easy way to get into town.

Lots of art on this Metro station which I think is Saint-Laurent.

We started the day with a walk in the Old Town

The statue of Nelson casting its shadow over Place Jacques-Cartier. This is the oldest monument in Montreal erected by local merchants who wanted to honour Admiral Nelson. It was restored in 1981 and again in 1997.

In the background is the City Hall and the old court house.

Old Montreal is the site of the first settlement established by the French in 1642.  It still retains much of its original layout but not the buildings of that time. The stone houses and converted warehouses date back to the 1800s  when this was a thriving port. The port was eventually replaced by a modern facility upstream and this area fell into decline.

In the 1960s its historical importance was acknowledged and buildings were restored. Now the historic stone buildings have been brought back to life housing cafes, art galleries and boutiques.

We spent a long time walking through the old town  admiring the buildings. There were lots of ghost signs on the converted warehouses reminding us that this was once a thriving port. You could just about make out some English words beneath the French. In Montreal I think the law is that signs on the outside of buildings must be in French but bilingual signs are allowed inside.

In the 1980s the Old Port was given a makeover. The derelict port was converted into a recreational park stretching for 1.5 miles along the St Lawrence River.

Old buildings were replaced by new facilities. The Old Port was reopened in 1992 to mark the 350th anniversary of the founding of the city.

Three years later the restored Lachine Canal was reopened for pleasure boating.

I was very excited to see the mighty St Lawrence River. So lucky to have a bright sunny day to see the river at its best.

We could see the Biosphere across the river on Saint Helen's island.

It was such a gorgeous day we were able to sit outside for lunch.

After lunch we wandered down the cobbled back streets with their many art galleries. So many reflections, it was difficult to capture the window displays.

On our way to Place d'Armes we saw a number of art deco buildings.

These horse drawn carriages take you on a tour of the old town with a commentary from the driver.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Place d'Armes.

Unlike many churches this one is full of colour.

The pulpit was designed during the renovations of the 1870s.  The sculptor Louis-Phillippe Hebert created the many saints and other ornamentation on and around the pulpit.

To mark the centenary of Notre Dame in 1929 new stained glass windows were created on the ground floor.  These windows depict scenes of Montreal's social and religious history.

We then used the Metro again to visit the Biosphere and Olympic Pool. Below ground there are numerous restaurants and shops. The underground walkways connect many above ground facilities such as hotels, banks and of course Metro stations. In fact the entire business district is interconnected by these underground walkways. With the very low temperatures of winter and high temperatures in the Summer it makes sense to be indoors.

We took the Metro to Jean Drapeau station. The station was surrounded by construction works and so we were not able to wander around as much as we hoped. I assume this is the outdoor swimming pool built for the 1976 Olympics.

The Montreal Biosphere, a museum dedicated to the environment. It is located on Saint Helen's island in the former pavilion of the United States for the 1967 World Fair, Expo 67. The structure is fascinating. The original building was covered in  a transparent acrylic bubble. In May 1976 a fire destroyed the acrylic leaving behind the hard steel structure. The Environment Canada purchased the site in 1990 and in 2007 it changed its name to the Biosphere and became an interactive environmental museum.

Outside the Museum is a small lake. The globe made from plants seems to float on the top. 'We are. all of the same Earth' was unveiled on June 1st 2017 as part of Canada's 150th birthday celebrations.

In the evening we returned to the Old Town for a meal and then watched a 'son et lumiere' show projected onto a large building showing the history of Montreal as part of the 150 years of Canada celebrations.

With the lights of the city in the background, this made a superb ending to our time in Montreal.