Montréal Murals
Montréal has an alternative feel to it, and many parts of the cities are covered in smaller graffiti. There are not many of my beloved street art stencils, but the murals are impressive. So impressive, Montréal actually now has a Festival for them – but then, they seem to have a festival for everything! The Mural […] Read More
Meet the HugTrain
I ran into the HugTrain the other day. Well, not the train itself, but the guy who runs the HugTrain across North America. You might have seen it before, people who give out free hugs in public, at festivals, at train stations, in the street. Arié went on his first hug tour across the US […] Read More
Return to normal
Since I arrived in Montreal, basically since I sat down with Brandon for a beer, 30 minutes after arriving, Montreal has been one big ride… beers, festivals, DJs, restaurants, friends, dinners, more music, road trips… I am a bit out of breath. Lisa, Brian and Marisa left Sunday morning for NYC, and Renato, Dennis and […] Read More
La ville de Québec
We decided to get up early and head the 225 km up north towards Québec City, the capital of the region. It is the oldest French settlement in the area, founded in 1608, and later on the Capital of Nouvelle France. Once we left Montreal, the country became all flat. A few massive mountains around […] Read More
Countryside
As Renato and Dennis had a rental car, we decided to make a road trip out of Montréal and into the Quebec countryside, towards the US border. There, Quebec starts to become anglophone, and has a rich history between the US and Canada. Some of the towns there were founded by English loyalists, who were […] Read More
Piknic Electronik
It’s an institution on Sundays, on Île Ste. Helene in the middle of the St. Laurent river. Piknic Electronik, a Montreal outdoor party tradition with DJs playing house, techno music and other genres. It is held in Park Jean Drapeau from May through to September, right underneath a massive modern art metal sculpture, with a view […] Read More
Over eaters
Lisa, Brian, Marisa and I started the day in a cute diner on Mont Royal: Beauty’s Luncheonette, a Montréal institution since 1942. While waiting for our table, we chatted with the host, a 94-old weasel who made sure everyone was seated. He had passed on the torch of cooking to his son long ago, but he’s probably […] Read More
Coral Egan
We wanted to walk to the Botanical Garden in Montréal, close to Renato & Dennis’ place. Alas, it started to drizzle when we walked over, not much, but enough to exclude any outdoor activity. So we hesitated between the other, nearby attractions like the planetarium and the BioDome. However, all the parents with kids headed for […] Read More
Vieux Montréal
Renato, Dennis, Declan and I visited the old part of town, Vieux Montréal, around the cathedral. It’s an interesting mix of styles, really old smaller buildings, interspersed with more modern ones, e.g. from the 19th century. Cobblestone streets remind you of Europe, and of the age of this city, which is one of the oldest […] Read More
Canada Day
Happy Canada Day! On 1st of July, Canada celebrates itself with parades, fireworks and a lot of other events. The day is the anniversary of the enactment of the British North America Act in 1867, which united three Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick -into a single country called Canada within the British Empire. Truth is, that it was […] Read More