US-Canada 2024-15: A Friend from the Road—Sierra Nevadas, Granby, Montreal
Meeting people is one of the best parts of traveling. In Quebec Province so many people, minutes after we'd met, invited us to stop and stay with them. A couple we'd met at the Dyea, Alaska campground in 2019 even contacted us to stay with them after reading our posts for Québec (regrettably, we'd already passed through their area). In mid-July, we visited a wonderful couple we'd met in Whitehorse, Yukon, in 2017. After a multi-day visit at their home on Saguenay Fjord, followed by a few days in Québec City, we were on our way to stay with Natalie at her home in Granby, near Montreal.
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On our 2022 trip to Canada and Alaska, we met Natalie at a campground in Dawson City, Yukon. Doug loves meeting folks, so approached her van—which happened to be a Promaster like ours—and a friendship ensued. Soon we were full of smiles along with promises to visit, which we actually did.
Our Promasters are the same size, but Natalie's has a full bathroom. We have only a composting toilet—with two of us on board, a full bath would cramp the space.
While traveling about the US in April 2024, Natalie stayed with us.
We took her to some favorite places in the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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We always wish for snow in the Sierra Nevada—it's the life blood of the Central Valley when it melts into rivers and flows into reservoirs for use in summer. But our spring is awing.
The 3-hour drive took us through rolling green countryside, farmland, and woods.
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We enjoyed 3 days of restful sleep and delicious dinners at Natalie's wonderful apartment. During the day she toured us around her region.
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Well fed and rested, we followed Natalie to Montreal.
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We'd been to Montreal in 2008, and Marilyn was there in 2009. Her son and wife lived in Albany, NY, for his four years of med school, so each year we made an eastern Canada trek together and she made a solo trek.
Our lodgings in 2024 at the Hôtel Universel across from Olympic Park were large, impersonal, and not convenient for walking, but there was parking for the van.
The 1976 Montreal Olympics Tower suspends the stadium roof, which was originally designed to be opened in summer but is permanently closed. The tower was intended to house training facilities, but due to a Quebec-wide labor contract expiring and the challenges of engineering the stadium roof, the tower and stadium were not actually completed until 1987.
Today, the tower houses offices, a funicular, and a viewing deck. The Olympic Stadium reopened as the Biodôme de Montréal in 1992, and was renovated from 2018-'20. It features four ecosystems of the Americas, including live animals.
Doug and I checked into our hotel—Natalie was staying with friends—left the van in the parking lot, and climbed into Natalie's car.
First on our tour was Mont Royale (Mount Royal). At the center of Montreal, it is the city's highest point and provides great views. We opted to drive to the parking lot and walk up to the chalet rather than walk the 1-1/4 miles from the base.
Frederick Law Olmstead, designer of New York City's Central Park, also designed Mont Royale. From the parking lot, we climbed the steps to the Chalet de Mont Royale. Entering the huge entry hall we recalled seeing the "squirrelgoyles" on our previous trip.
Back in town, we parked the car and strolled Avenue Mont-Royale, one of Montreal's several pedestrian streets.
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We continued down Avenue Mont-Royal to Rue des Vallieres to pay homage to Leonard Cohen.
Cohen was often seen in Portugal Park across the street from his residence.
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Sailors hung boat models in Our Lady of Safe Harbor as offerings of thanks and prayers for safety.
Leonard Cohen often visited Our Lady of Safe Harbor Chapel. The lyrics of his song Suzanne refer to the chapel: "And the sun pours down like honey/On our lady of the Harbour."
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July 2024.
On our 2022 trip to Canada and Alaska, we met Natalie at a campground in Dawson City, Yukon. Doug loves meeting folks, so approached her van—which happened to be a Promaster like ours—and a friendship ensued. Soon we were full of smiles along with promises to visit, which we actually did.
17.5-foot-long Promasters nose-to-nose in Natalie's driveway—hers gray, ours beige.
Our Promasters are the same size, but Natalie's has a full bathroom. We have only a composting toilet—with two of us on board, a full bath would cramp the space.
Natalie, camped at McDowell Mt Regional Park, Scottsdale, AZ, April 2024.
While traveling about the US in April 2024, Natalie stayed with us.
Friends from the road: 2022: We meet Natalie, Dawson City, Yukon. April 2024: Natalie visits us in Visalia, CA. July 2024, we visit Natalie in Granby, Québec.
We took her to some favorite places in the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains.
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Natalie & Doug & Marilyn, Hume Lake, Sequoia National Forest.
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Snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Obelisk in Sequoia National Park above the clouds on left.
It was a wet walk around the General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park.
General Grant Tree on a nice wintry day.
Road to Cedar Grove at bottom of Kings Canyon.
We always wish for snow in the Sierra Nevada—it's the life blood of the Central Valley when it melts into rivers and flows into reservoirs for use in summer. But our spring is awing.
Redbud trees.
Doug's note: I find it interesting how Marilyn always works into our posts pictures of beautiful flowers and trees:-)
After a few delightful days, Natalie left us to meet a friend in Las Vegas, as she began to work her way home.
Blue Dicks.
California Poppies beginning to paint the hillsides.
After a few delightful days, Natalie left us to meet a friend in Las Vegas, as she began to work her way home.
Fast forward... By July 2024, we'd spent over 5 weeks in Canada's eastern provinces: 17 days in Nova Scotia, 3 days in New Brunswick, 17 days in Québec. From Québec City, we headed west to Natalie's home in Granby.
Québec farmland.
The 3-hour drive took us through rolling green countryside, farmland, and woods.
Quebec barn & fields.
Crossing another stream.
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Adirondack chair for the whole family—note its size compared to house & car.
Quaint farmhouses.
Through the woods.
Another Main Street.
We enjoyed 3 days of restful sleep and delicious dinners at Natalie's wonderful apartment. During the day she toured us around her region.
Natalie & Marilyn at community garden where Natalie has a plot.
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Community garden flowers.
Natalie, Marilyn, Doug at a brewery in the country on a perfect day.
Well fed and rested, we followed Natalie to Montreal.
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Samuel de Champlain Bridge.
Montreal is on the Island of Montreal in the St Lawrence River.
Montreal skyline.
We'd been to Montreal in 2008, and Marilyn was there in 2009. Her son and wife lived in Albany, NY, for his four years of med school, so each year we made an eastern Canada trek together and she made a solo trek.
2008, not far from Old Montreal, a tiny but functional room. 2009, Auberge du Vieux Port in Old Montreal.
Our lodgings in 2024 at the Hôtel Universel across from Olympic Park were large, impersonal, and not convenient for walking, but there was parking for the van.
Cantilevered Olympic Tower & Stadium, from Mont Royal, 2008.
The 1976 Montreal Olympics Tower suspends the stadium roof, which was originally designed to be opened in summer but is permanently closed. The tower was intended to house training facilities, but due to a Quebec-wide labor contract expiring and the challenges of engineering the stadium roof, the tower and stadium were not actually completed until 1987.
Today, the tower houses offices, a funicular, and a viewing deck. The Olympic Stadium reopened as the Biodôme de Montréal in 1992, and was renovated from 2018-'20. It features four ecosystems of the Americas, including live animals.
Olympic Village, now an apartment complex. Our hotel was nearby.
Doug and I checked into our hotel—Natalie was staying with friends—left the van in the parking lot, and climbed into Natalie's car.
Montreal street.
First on our tour was Mont Royale (Mount Royal). At the center of Montreal, it is the city's highest point and provides great views. We opted to drive to the parking lot and walk up to the chalet rather than walk the 1-1/4 miles from the base.
Doug, 2008, when we walked up to Mont Royale.
Doug, Mont Royale, 2024.
Frederick Law Olmstead, designer of New York City's Central Park, also designed Mont Royale. From the parking lot, we climbed the steps to the Chalet de Mont Royale. Entering the huge entry hall we recalled seeing the "squirrelgoyles" on our previous trip.
Mount Royal Chalet foyer, with "squirrelgoyles" in rafters.
Each squirrel holds a nut.
Back in town, we parked the car and strolled Avenue Mont-Royale, one of Montreal's several pedestrian streets.
Artwork & seating areas line Avenue Mont-Royale when it becomes a pedestrian-only street in summer.
Fleur-de-lis reminders of Quebec's French origins.
Like Québec City, Montréal's buildings often feature colorful accents.
Natalie & Marilyn cooling off in a fountain.
Artwork & seating.
Shade & gardens. Our last day, we also explored pedestrian Ontario St.
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Yum: Pâtisserie, Chocolaterie, Boulangerie, Viennoiserie (pastries, chocolate, bakery, Viennese pastries). Even a swing!
We continued down Avenue Mont-Royal to Rue des Vallieres to pay homage to Leonard Cohen.
Leonard Cohen mural from Mount Royal.
Home of the amazing Leonard Cohen, a Montreal native.
Tokens of homage on steps of Leonard Cohen home.
Doug cannot get enough of Leonard Cohen's music.
Cohen was often seen in Portugal Park across the street from his residence.
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Parc du Portugal. Hardware store—the majority of Portuguese in the US & Canada immigrated from the Azores.
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Doug & Natalie across from Leonard Cohen's home & next to Parc du Portugal on Rue des Vallieres.
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bon Secours (Our Lady of Safe Harbor), commonly called the Sailor's Church.
Sailors hung boat models in Our Lady of Safe Harbor as offerings of thanks and prayers for safety.
Boat offering in Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bon Secours.
Boat offering.
Leonard Cohen often visited Our Lady of Safe Harbor Chapel. The lyrics of his song Suzanne refer to the chapel: "And the sun pours down like honey/On our lady of the Harbour."
On our 2008 trip, we sadly did not realize the annual International Jazz Festival was taking place and so were not able to get tickets to a Leonard Cohen concert.
On Day 2 in Montreal, Natalie retrieved us from our hotel to head to Ile Sainte-Hélène. Along with Ile Notre-Dame, a manmade island constructed for Expo67, it makes up Parc Jean Drapeau. On St Helen are a former British fort and museum, an amusement park, and pavilions from Expo 67, the Montreal Worlds Fair. The American pavilion became the Biosphere, an environmental museum.
We drove back across Concorde Bridge and parked near the Port of Montreal.
Like so many places we visited in Canada, the park at the Old Port features public artwork and plentiful chairs for relaxing.
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Continuing along the old port, Marilyn was excited to see the Cirque du Soleil tent.
We continued on to Vieux (Old) Montréal.
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Speaking of underground, RESO (short for réseau—network), Montreal's Ville Souterrain—Underground City—covers over 4.5 square miles and extends more than 20 miles. The original tunnels of shops, hotels, restaurants, and more between Metro stations were completed in 1962. Since then, additional tunnels have been added.
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Beneath Christ Church and KPMG Tower on Saint Catherine St is the Promenade Cathédrale shopping mall, part of the Underground City.
Modern Montreal has grown up around its 1874 Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).
We climbed the stairs to the balcony, which affords great views of the city, old and new.
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The statues at opposite corners of 500 Place d'Armes (formerly Banque Nationale Canadienne) depict an iconic English Canadian and French Canadian, refusing to look at each other, though their dogs seem eager to get acquainted.
At one time the largest building in the British Empire, the British Empire Building stored the gold reserves of some European countries during WWII.
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Block-long Marché Bon Secours (Safe Harbor Market), built in the 1840s and named after the nearby Chapel of Our Lady of Safe Harbor, has served as more than a public market. It housed at one time Canada's Parliament and Montreal's City Hall.
We walked through the market, stopped at a couple of boutiques, and refreshed ourselves at a cafe.
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Heading back to the car at the Old Port, Marilyn was intrigued by what appeared to be imprints of old buildings on a wall next to a parking lot on Rue Saint Francois Xavier (St Francis Xavier St).
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Annual Montreal International Jazz Festival, 2008.
On Day 2 in Montreal, Natalie retrieved us from our hotel to head to Ile Sainte-Hélène. Along with Ile Notre-Dame, a manmade island constructed for Expo67, it makes up Parc Jean Drapeau. On St Helen are a former British fort and museum, an amusement park, and pavilions from Expo 67, the Montreal Worlds Fair. The American pavilion became the Biosphere, an environmental museum.
Along with exhibits and events, the Biosphère hosts researchers & artists.
Habitat 67, a modular apartment building, was constructed as part of Expo 67.
We drove back across Concorde Bridge and parked near the Port of Montreal.
Like so many places we visited in Canada, the park at the Old Port features public artwork and plentiful chairs for relaxing.
Port of Montreal Tower, public artwork, Adirondack chairs.
Doug talking with his hands. Fortunately for Doug, Natalie is trilingual.
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We opted not to take the glass-enclosed elevator to the top of the Port of Montreal Tower, which offers a 360° view of the city.
Continuing along the old port, Marilyn was excited to see the Cirque du Soleil tent.
Grand Chapiteau bigtop tent of Cirque du Soleil, Old Port.
We continued on to Vieux (Old) Montréal.
Natalie & Marilyn walking up Place Jacquies Cartier. Admiral Horatio Nelson Column stands at north end of plaza.
Marilyn & son Andrew in 2009, also on Place Jacques Cartier near Nelson Column.
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Marilyn explored an underground bar-cafe.
Speaking of underground, RESO (short for réseau—network), Montreal's Ville Souterrain—Underground City—covers over 4.5 square miles and extends more than 20 miles. The original tunnels of shops, hotels, restaurants, and more between Metro stations were completed in 1962. Since then, additional tunnels have been added.
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An entrance to Montreal's Underground City.
Beneath Christ Church and KPMG Tower on Saint Catherine St is the Promenade Cathédrale shopping mall, part of the Underground City.
Christ Church Cathedral reflected in modern KPMG Tower, 2024 & 2008.
Modern Montreal has grown up around its 1874 Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).
Hôtel de ville (City Hall) de Montréal (Photo Denis Labine, 2013, VM094-1305272100-009).
Ornate structure & decor of City Hall.
We climbed the stairs to the balcony, which affords great views of the city, old and new.
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View from City Hall balcony.
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View from City Hall balcony.
19th Century Hôtel Place d'Armes, made up of 4 buildings, across from Place d'Armes.
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Maisonneuve, founder of Montreal, Place d'Armes.
Basilique Notre Dame de Montréal, across Notre Dame St from Maisonneuve Monument.
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Doug & Natalie, Place d'Armes.
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Le Caniche français et le Carlin anglais, aka Les deux snobs (The English Pug & the French Poodle, aka The Two Snobs).
The statues at opposite corners of 500 Place d'Armes (formerly Banque Nationale Canadienne) depict an iconic English Canadian and French Canadian, refusing to look at each other, though their dogs seem eager to get acquainted.
British Empire, aka Sun Life, Building, Rue Notre Dame.
At one time the largest building in the British Empire, the British Empire Building stored the gold reserves of some European countries during WWII.
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Silver-domed Marché Bon Secours & La Grande Roue (Farris Wheel) de Montréal from City Hall.
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Bon Secours Market is a National Historic Site.
Block-long Marché Bon Secours (Safe Harbor Market), built in the 1840s and named after the nearby Chapel of Our Lady of Safe Harbor, has served as more than a public market. It housed at one time Canada's Parliament and Montreal's City Hall.
We walked through the market, stopped at a couple of boutiques, and refreshed ourselves at a cafe.
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Though not hot like it is at home, Montreal was humid, bringing both thirst & fatigue.
Heading back to the car at the Old Port, Marilyn was intrigued by what appeared to be imprints of old buildings on a wall next to a parking lot on Rue Saint Francois Xavier (St Francis Xavier St).
Rooflines, chimneys, & archways of previous buildings on which subsequent buildings were constructed.
Photo in "Old Montreal Walking Tour" at walkmontreal.com, discovered while writing this post, a useful site should you be going.
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Since all good things apparently really must come to an end, we said goodbye to Natalie. Our time in Canada was coming to an end.
Our Montreal tour.
Yes, Doug, I also find it interesting how Marilyn works in pictures of beautiful flowers and trees. But, in general, your photos make your posts look like articles from the National Geographic!
ReplyDeleteKeep 'em comin'!
Wow ! What a nice review of your visit, did not planned to be kind of in the front row ! It is always a pleasure to see our place as a tourist, and certainly appreciated visiting the mountains and giant trees while at your place. Nice when you make référence to your past trips in the neighbourhood, or links to more complete informations.
ReplyDeleteJust a note to say that the Biodôme has replaced the Vélodrome (for cycle competition). The story of our olympic stadium is never ending. They have now demolish the roof planning for a new one so that we can use the place for concerts and other venues year long…
Thanks for the updates. Steve
ReplyDelete