After debating with myself for a few weeks about where I was going to spend my Christmas holidays, I finally decided to visit my family in Canada. Montreal to be precise.
The choice had been hard: going to Asia, going to South America, remaining in Spain, going to Ireland or choose a completely different plan… Well, I have a solution for tough decisions to make and it never failed me :). I assign a number to my options and get a friend to randomly pick one. That is my answer. Another friend confirms that the first answer was the good one by picking a number again. And so on until I realise that no matter how many people I ask, the random outcome surprisingly remains the same…
Of course, it only works on non death or life matters…Don’t use this technique to decide if you should get married, get a mortgage, buy a house… in summary, for anything that involves heavy investments… You might lose a few feathers along the way. In my case, the outcome turned out pretty ok and I happily purchased my ticket to go and freeze in Canada.
Highlights of Montreal
The happiest moment of the trip was the reunion with my family and nephews on Day one: two adorable and very energetic boys also going under the nicknames of Terrible Two (a two-year-old) and F**ck**g Four (a four-year-old). These are real educating terms as it seems.
We visited Montreal on Day 2. The Underground City really intrigued us. It was underground alright but turned out to be disappointedly just another extension of the shopping malls. So nothing too exciting there! We did try a local Quebec specialty: the poutine, a dish of fries served with gravy and cheese curd. It’s quite nice although heavy on the calories. We walked it off in the streets of the city. 3ºC is not that cold if you get your layers sorted. Well kinda…In the open, if you keep moving you are fine.
From my perspective, it is difficult to get a feel of Montreal as the city is quite spreaded out. However, it has some highlights. The main one was the old town with its charming streets, St Paul being my favourite. The winter lights are also very nice. And I have been impressed by Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal, its stained glasses and altar (5CAD the entrance fee). My second favourite thing to do was walking around the Plateau Mont-Royal, the French district and its colourful houses and external staircases. It is pretty cute.
Canadian table topics
We had Christmas celebrations with all the food, drinks, fun and gifts they involve. In Montreal, as dinner conversations, you can talk about how expensive alcohol is. And the fact that it can only be bought in state owned shops called SAQ. You can also ask for separate checks for the same table in restaurants. Whether you are two or twelve, everyone can have his own bill. In Spain, that is something unthinkable. Once in a café, the guy at the till asked us to make the calculations. It was too complicated for his brain. So he said…
In Montreal, sex change is legal and perfectly accepted. You can announce to your employer that you want to turn into a man if you are a woman or vice versa. Your employer informs all your colleagues by letter about your “transformation”, ask them to be nice to you and voilà, your new “you” can show up on monday without being afraid to be judged or rejected or both! That is pretty cool.
Of course, also come the eternal debate of misleading prices showed without taxes and the tipping policy. Why do I have to pay a mandatory 15% especially if the waiter has not been particularly nice to me? And why does it have to be 15% anyway? And I tell you, the pressure is high around tipping. Sometimes the waiter turns around you like an eagle around its prey until you give in. You are then rewarded with an appreciative smile if you have been generous. It turns out afterwards that going out in Montreal and I suppose in Canada altogether can be really dear.
Winter activities around Montreal
Although dreading the cold, I hoped for a real white Chrismas. I prepared for it, invested in good winter boots and fleece and thermal clothes and it turned out to be the warmest winter in many years…
We still got to do winter activities though: a day trip in Mont Tremblant, a ski resort at two hours drive from Montreal and its Disneyworldy air with colourful houses, loads of decorated Chrismas trees and enchanting squares. We also tried snow tubing at Les Super Glissades Saint Jean Matha. It actually looks more impressive than it is. You hop on a tube that looks like a big tyre and you sled. Much more fun when you are a big group as gravity makes you go faster! And we rode snow motos in the Laurentians.
We also spent one afternoon at Le Spa Finlandais, a finnish spa in Rosemère, half an hour outside the city by car. I come from a tropical country and live in a warm country. I wore 5 layers of clothes during my trip to Canada and here I am in bikini by -12ºC heading to the sauna, out in the open. Then diving into the hot open air bath. But the most crazy thing I had done that time was to dive into icy water, by -12. I could not believe I did it! And I did it again. It was refreshing and energizing. And now that I think of it, I will do it again (after 15mn spent in a hot bath)!
A top brunch
Quebec’s gastronomy did not impress me much. However, we had a top Brunch at L’Avenue in Le Plateau Mont Royal. It is a very popular spot. We queued in the street for 30mn by -12ºC before getting a table. Well, it was all worth it. I got the most complete brunch of the menu. It had one fruit skewer, some reallyt nice potatoes (they know how to cook their potatoes in this place), french toast and pancake with some really good maple syrup, eggs and bacon, cheddar and cretons (another local specialty, a kind of pork spread). The mocha was so creamy and one glass of it so filling that I could only have it for breakfast. One of us tried a smoothie of strawberry, raspberry, litchi and basil served in a big cocktail glass and it was very tasty and refreshing. We were so stuffed after that…
I had a very enjoyable moment in Montreal with my family and all the nice people I met. I have opened up to new experiences and enjoyed going beyond misconceptions and personal limits. You can go around in swimming suit by -12ºC and appreciate it. Not too long though. We want to try something new not die of it! The most ironic part of the trip? On our last day, it started to snow…I am dreaming of a white Chrismas…
To find out more about Montreal, click here.
Adresses:
Les Super Glissades Saint Jean Matha: 2650 Route Louis-Cyr, Sainte-Émélie-de-l’Énergie, QC J0K 2K0, Canada – Phone: +1 450 886 9321 – For tariffs, check the website: https://www.glissadesurtube.com/
Le Spa Finlandais: 124 Boul Labelle, Rosemère, QC J7A 2G9, Canada – Phone: +1 450 971 0005 – Website: http://www.spalefinlandais.com/
Snow mobile in the Laurentians: https://www.laurentides.com/en/snowmobile-laurentians – check the website to choose a place
L’Avenue: 922 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal, QC H2J 1X1, Canada – Phone: + 1 514 523 8780 – Website: http://restaurantlavenue.ca/