Discovering Old Montreal

Day 44  |  Montreal 

The ferry to Old Town Montreal did not depart until 11:30 so most of our morning was spent knocking out boat chores. We left Crossroads at 11:00 and began the short walk to the ferry dock. Along the way we spotted something we had yet to see during our time in Canada -- Canada Geese! Contrary to popular belief in Virginia, there are a few of these creatures who have elected to stay put in their home country.

The 30 minute ferry ride made one stop at Ile Sainte-Helene, which is most notably the home to the Six Flags Montreal amusement park. We passed a weird little lighthouse, and chatted with a lady from Vancouver about things to do upon our arrival. She and her husband are on the return leg of a cross-country RV trip.

The Saint Lawrence River has a wicked current that flows at 4 knots. We closely watched the effect of the current on the channel markers and were relieved that we will not have to contend with this part of the river. We lucked out in that yesterday's haze disappeared in favor of a clear blue sky accompanied by a nice breeze. It was still awfully hot, but only when you stopped to think about it. The ferry pulled into the dock and our friends from Carolina were waiting for us. Walking up to town, we passed the marina and watched as a newer and bigger Selene (same brand as Crossroads) pulled in.

We sat on the deck at John Michael's Pub and enjoyed a great lunch while listing to excellent musicians playing in the courtyard. When we were all stuffed full of food and rehydrated, we headed around the corner to visit the massive Notre-Dame Basilica. The exterior facade was impressive, but in no way prepared visitors for what was to be found inside.

The stained glass windows and wooden pews were breath-taking, but for me the pipe organ was the most amazing feature. It has four keyboards, 99 stops, and 7,000 pipes. The small pipes were being tuned while we were there in preparation for a month-long organ festival that begins in a few days. I would love to stick around for one of those performances. I always get goosebumps when listening to (and feeling) these massive organs played as they should be.

Following the tour, we said our farewells to Chris and MJ who headed back to Carolina. Jay gave us a little tour of Old Town before heading off himself. The narrow streets are lined with beautiful hanging baskets. High-end boutiques are located among the restaurants, pubs, and souvenir shops -- all within a short distance of City Hall.

My destination of choice for the day was La Grande roue de Montreal -- a 42-gondola Ferris wheel that rises close to 200 feet in the air. We were fortunate to have one of the air conditioned gondolas to ourselves.

From the top of the wheel, we had a great view of the Saint Lawrence River and Seaway. The ride lasted about 20 minutes and then we headed back into the area of town in which we had lunch. It was close to 4:00 and several people, of all ages, had taken to the fountain for a bit of refreshment. Not wanting to remove our sneakers and socks, we opted for a bit of frozen refreshment at the local DQ. We both enjoyed Blizzards before heading back to the ferry dock. Crossroads was at a perfect temperature upon our return and we both grabbed a quick nap before rising for dinner.

           
We will take the ferry back over tomorrow and explore another area of Montreal, this one suggested to us by locals John and Kat upon our arrival yesterday.