Andrew, Alex, Annie, and I took a road trip to Montreal. Armed only with my GPS and a veggie platter, we headed to the food capital of Canada without a plan or timetable.
Schwartz’s Hebrew Delicatessen
Our first stop was for lunch at Schwartz’s. It’s a tiny place, packed with with the heady aroma of seasoned smoked meat. Established in 1928, it’s a landmark in Montreal. I like to imagine that Moe’s Diner in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz was based on a place like this, or maybe that Leonard Cohen frequented in his youth, and I was sitting where he penned the lyrics for his songs.
Architecture and Personality
The architecture of Montreal reminds me of a much bigger city than Ottawa. There’s lots of culture and variety in the buildings. The fashion is less conservative too, with people wearing great outfits of bristling colour and accessories.
Old Montreal, while beautiful, is a somewhat touristy place. Lots of art galleries, lots of cobblestone, lots of stores selling Canadiana.
Biodome
We made a quick stop at the Biodome, a building that houses animals in an open, interactive environment. Exotic birds walk amongst the visitors and aquariums windows wrap around huge viewing areas. In several parts it feels like a steamy jungle, and my lens kept fogging up. It’s easy to indulge your inner child when you’re in there.
Chinatown
And, of course, as the final stop in our tour, we hit up Chinatown for some decent Chinese food, since Ottawa is lacking in such things. Included in this city is a Chinese bakery that sells fresh pastries and tarts. Very yummy.
