Cruise Day 7: Montreal

Our ship's final port of call was Montreal. Just like Quebec City, there is an "Old Montreal". It is chock full of restaurants, shops, and galleries. The cobblestone streets are mostly pedestrian only. We had breakfast at a place called Eggspectations. It may have been the best breakfast restaurant we've ever eaten at!

Great breakfast!

After filling up there, we walked through town, buying some souvenirs and seeing the sights, including Notre Dame Basilica, and some other great historical buildings.

Now it was off to the boardwalk to explore the Sailors' Memorial Clock Tower, and sitting on a park bench and watching the boats on the St. Lawrence. They used the get terrible ice jams that would destroy parts of the shoreline and businesses, so they created an island in the middle of the river to divert the main flow and prevent serious icing issues. It's not a problem at all these days with the use of modern ice breaker ships, but the island was ingenious for the time. Montreal also has a beach, believe it or not. They built one along the marina. It's free and almost makes you feel like you're in Southern California...almost.

Clock tower and bridge view from the boardwalk

A close-up shot of the clock tower

We ate at a fun outdoor cafe along Bonsecours Market. Bonsecours was built in 1849. It's where ships would come in, and served as a giant marketplace for the sailors to sell their goods. It was also home to the Canadian Parliament and City Hall. It was slated for demolition the the 1960s, but was refurbished and is now a vibrant part of town where everybody goes. It was very busy, but we could see why. It was fabulous.

After a long nap back at the hotel, it was back down to Old Montreal for dinner. We had quiche and fondue at an incredibly charming place called Creperie Chez Suzette. It made you feel like you were in France. The food was excellent. 

One final day left on our trip. We are looking forward the exploring Montreal by bike tomorrow! Stay tuned for the final entry!