K & L's Travel Blog

On Monday morning we bought 3-day transportation passes and set off for Marche Jean Talon on the Metro. Our apartment is close to Victoria Station, so it was an easy ride on the Orange line. The Metro is notably clean and calming compared to most. Announcements are in French but clear, and the trains are quiet with colorful lighting strips that warn when the doors open and close. The trains are accessible, though I’m not sure that every station affords elevator access from the tracks to the exits. And the riders and self-contained yet gracious, or maybe we are just old enough that they automatically smile and yield their seats.

As we waited for the train, we met a couple from LA who were also heading to the market. We ended up riding together, Kitty with the wife and I with her husband, John. We had a nice chat sharing our impressions of Montréal and a bit of personal history. John was from Johannesburg and his wife was from Moscow. It was great fun to hear their stories and share different perspectives.

Jean Talon Market was one of the destinations I was most excited about. The market is spread out over 2-3 blocks. There was a manageable mix of tourists and locals. The quality of produce was consistently impressive, and the displays were lovingly prepared. It emanated a sense of abundance: wild blueberries (bluets sauvages) were piled in large baskets surrounded by endless strands of garlic and dried peppers. Giant wheels of Brie. The vendors were rightfully proud of their produce and eager to share their knowledge.

We had read about a Syrian stand, “Les Fille Fattoush,” and headed there for our lunch. They not only serve up amazing Middle Eastern cuisine, they also use their business to support Syrian refugees. We got an aubergine dip, sumac & fleur de sal pita chips and falafels with tahini. Although we had planned to carry our picnic up to Mont Royal park, we decided to take a seat at the market and ate at one of their shady tables. It was all exceptionally good.

We left the market and walked through Little Italy. It felt like a working class/student neighborhood with uniform row houses. The style of the homes is pretty consistent: two stories with exterior metal staircases. Despite the uniformity of design, the houses managed to express uniqueness. In general, the neighborhood felt more livable than the high rise district or the old town.

We walked from Little Italy to the neighborhood of Mont Royal Plateau. The weather was perfect and people were out with dogs and children. They had blocked off the main avenue (Mont Royal) which made for great walking. The area is known for its street art, so I enjoyed taking photos of murals and all the great architecture.

We wandered over to Park la Fontaine and watched the doggies play before catching a bus back to our neighborhood. There was only one other rider on the bus. When they debarked, the driver asked where we were from. He was American, retired from government service, and thrilled to share with us that he had a wine tasting in Asheville and loved the town. The bus took us through the Gay Village which was as colorful as one might imagine. It dropped us near the Place d’Armes where we picked up wine and roasted chicken before heading home.

After dinner we explored the rooftop. Quite impressive views, a giant grill and two big hot tubs, though we can’t imagine actually getting in them. I was delighted to find that a previous guest at our apartment had purchased Asteroid City, a Wes Anderson film I was eager to see. I would recommend it as a pairing with Oppenheimer, though Kitty’s review may differ….

Today we went to the Botanical Gardens. We were a bit put off by the 20.50 CAD entrance fee (discounted for over 65), but then realized that our Arboretum in Asheville also charges 20.00 USD per vehicle and calmed down. The gardens are extensive, perhaps best known for their Chinese and Japanese Gardens. We headed through the roses to the water gardens, which were oddly formal and contemporary in their construction. We sat and ate our chicken sandwiches, rested on their concrete benches, and watched folks wonder at the beautiful lotus.

They are offering a light show tonight (through the month of September), but we are worn out after trekking through the Rose, Water, Japanese, Shade and Chinese gardens. Our original plans had included a trip to the “Eco Dome” just next door in Olympic Park, but we decide to give it a miss and head back to the apartment to settle in for what turned out to be delicious leftovers.