Lonely Winter in Montreal?-Highly unlikely!

I arrived in Montreal lacking sleep after a 20 hour train journey and was not sure about the place. After some much needed sleep and meeting up with various people from all over the globe in the Youth Hostel I realised there was more to Montreal than meets the eye. The city comes alive at night and after awhile you feel the grip of the place take hold. Best moment for me has to be going to my first ice hockey match at the Molson...not the greatest of games but it was worth it for the atmosphere.

Quick Tips:

If you want to go to an ice hockey match at the Molson, tickets can sometimes be hard to get hold of from the ticket office without taking out a bank loan. Outside the Molson on matchdays from noon there are many scalpers who will gladly do you a cheap deal....haggle haggle haggle. If you are cooking your own food and don't plan on staying for long seek out one of the many scoop centres, where you can buy small quantities of food, or visit one of the very very cheap pizza parlours where you can pick up big slices of pizza for 99c.

Best Way To Get Around:

I got around mostly by walking and hopping on and off the quick and reliable metro. Books of tickets can be bought for .00 which works out cheaper than individual tickets. Passes for longer periods of time can also be bought. Most of the subway links up with the massive underground shopping.

If you arrive by VIA rail into Montreal you will find yourself at Bonaventure, which is a central hub for most subway trains.

I have to say that my stay at the Hostel was great. I stayed in one of the single rooms ($52.00 a night...it was my birthday!) but a dorm bed would set you back $21.00. I found my room to be of a good size, although the dorms may differ from mine. The hostel is clean and well maintained and most of all the staff are helpful and friendly. All rooms have showers, toilets and air conditioning. The hostel has a bar/cafe in the basement serving quite reasonably priced food and beer. There is also internet access here priced at $2 for 20 minutes. I found it slow logging on and didn''t have much time to actually use it. There is also a pool table and a kitchen for communal use. There are several fridges for storage as well.

A small launderette is in the basement which is reasonable - $1 for washers and a $1 for dryers. There is also an ironing board and iron for those who would rather not going out wrinkled! A small lounge equipped with a TV and board games can be also found in the basement.

Bar tours of the Latin Quearter are arranged every week and there are free shuttle buses to the Mont Tremblant hostel. Storage lockers ($2 non refundable) are available prior to check-in or after check out. The hostel is well loacted to St Catherine and many cheap restaurants. Open 24 hours. The nearest metro station is Lucien A''Allier (just around the corner. If you ever get disorientated in Montreal head towards the Molson centre and the milk bottle (you will understand when you stand outside the YHA.)

I met with some really friendly people from all over the globe here and would recommend it to a first time visitor or a single female to the city, as it was safe and gave you an opportunity to meet up with people.

The snowpea is situated in Le Faubourg. I sampled the Vegetarian spring rolls, noodles and stirfried vegetables. There is a wide selection of soups, appetizers,noodle based dishes, rice, seafood, poultry and pork and beef dishes. I found that the food was fresh but a little on the greasy side and somewhat bland. At lunchtime they do a selection of specials ranging from $2.50 to $6.00.

This Chinese restaurant is in the centre of Chinatown and is one of the biggest restaurants there. It has a red frontage to it and is easy to find. The restaurant specialised in Cantonese, Dim Sum and Szechuan cuisine. Every day there is a buffet and this ranges in prices depending on when you visit. I went between 12pm and 2pm and it cost me $8.75 (inc of tax) for the buffet. The buffet is vast and there is a range of dishes, such as seafood, pork/beef/chicken, dim sum, noodles, rice, a vegetarian selection, pizza (yeah not exactly Chinese), salad and a range of sweets.

The restaurant is very, very busy especially on Saturdays when the food is freshest. Waitresses seat you and then it is up to you how long you spend browsing the dishes. Water is replenished on your table frequently. I sampled a lot of the tofu dishes, lotus dishes, buddist delight, corn soup and noodles. For dessert there was fresh melon, donuts, ice cream and jellies, which of course I had to sample. The food is not the highest standard of Chinese, not that I have had, but for the price it is brilliant. Also you have such a wide selection of dishes to choose from. Children are also welcomed and I watched with glee as some small Chinese kids had a competition to get the most ice cream on their plates.

The planetarium is mainly aimed at children. If you go during the week you may find yourself surrounded by throngs of school children. Entrance to the museum is free but if you want to watch one of the shows within the dome you have to pay an admission fee. At the time of my visit I was the only English person there and had a show all to myself on the Star of the Magi. Shows vary according to the time of the year and are shown in French and English. I would advise checking the times of the shows before going, or you may experience a long wait. There is a small shop and some vending machines but no cafe.

The nearest metro stop is Bonaventure.

Walking from the Viau Metro station, you are greeted with huge concrete struture of the Stadium Olympique and the Biodome. The only way I can describe the structure is that it looks like the shape of one of those ancient fossils....maybe I just had a hangover when I visited?!? The Biodome was originally the Olympic Velodrome and now is home to over 4000 animals and 5000 plants.

Visitors are able to walk through four different ecosystems; the tropical forest, Laurentian forest, St Lawrence marine ecosystem and polar world. If you are fascinated by animals then this is the place for you. I would recommend roughly half a day to walk around. When you first walk into the Biodome you may not spot all the animals that you are told to expect, and you may think, well it is nothing special. It is only when you stand and look more closely that you realise that the place is teeming with animals. I was mesmerised by the Golden Lion Tamarin monkeys and the cayman alligators. The cliffside in the St Lawrence section will have you reaching for your umbrella when the seagulls take off - you have been warned!

Children will love the biodome as there is so much they can see and do. They can also ask the rangers (the people in those hats!) that wonder around the dome about the creatures. I guess your experience of the dome will depend on your love of animals and how busy it is.

My ticket cost $24 but that included entrance to the Olympic Tower, botantical garden, insectarium and the dome.

The Molson Centre is home to the Montreal Team 'The Canadiens'or otherwise known as 'The Habs'. The season for hockey is October to May. The night that I went it was packed and the people on the streets were all heading to the Centre. I read an article someplace that on the nights matches are on at the Molson, the crime rate actually goes down in Montreal! I was a bit naughty and bought my tickets from a scalper for the game. It did work out cheaper, but there was a downside...we were up in the heavens! Also it took a while to figure out which team supporters we were sitting with...

The match was between New Jersey and the Habs, and was a little slow. Be prepared for loads of advert breaks, which will make the game drag in places. Just when the action would start then another break would come along. The atmosphere was great though.

Food and drinks can be purchased from the foyer but are pricey.

When the game was over, it took a long time to get out of the Centre. All the roads were blocked from supporter buses and masses of people walking home. Make sure you know which entrance you entered through as it can be quite disorientating when you leave the wrong exit!

Enjoy the Hockey!

Being a complete foodie, I decided to take a look at one of the local markets on one of the busiest days Saturday. Once you leave Jean Talon Metro Stop, turn right and you will see signs for the market. It took me a while to find it but I got there in the end. You will have to cross the busy road to get to the market. Inside there was a lot of hustle and bustle and you could catch the smell of Maple syrup and the fresh produce mixed together. The market sells a wide variety of fresh vegetables, fruit, maple syrup and beautiful flowers. If you fancy experiencing some time out from the tourist traps, visit it. Set in Little Italy, it is a world away from downtown. The market is surrounded by small epiceries selling all sorts of produce from all over the world especially Thai, Tonkinese and Chinese.

Inspired by the surroundings I ended up buying some nice veggies to make a curry.

We went to Hurley's in a snow storm and were pleased to see the inside of this cosy pub. It is mostly dark wood inside and is on two levels. There is live music on both levels every night. Drinks vary in price. Vodka and lime was $6.50 and beer was around $7.00 a pint. There is a large selection of beers though (Guinness, Boddingtons, Smethicks, Alexander Keiths to name a few).

There is plenty of seating but locals tend to guard them fiercely (one of our group found this out when she sat in someone's space). The band on the second floor was called Salty Dogs and played a wide range of Irish music and local songs. The first song that I heard was The Pogues 'Fairytale of New York' which was strange considering it was March! Nevertheless the four piece band, were brilliant and the female fiddle player made one of our groups tongue hang out of his head! After this band finished we ventured downstairs to listen to two guys who were called Solstice and they were simply amazing...they did a cover of a Metalica song on a guitar and fiddle. Yep it worked to the amazement of everyone. You can dance but most people sat back, sipped their pints and tapped their feet to the bands. If you want a good drink, fantastic music and most of all great atmosphere venture to Hurley's. We rolled out of there at 3am.

If you don't fancy a hefty taxi bill to get into Montreal city centre, I would strongly recommend using the airport shuttle service. Once you leave the airport, go through the main doors and turn left. You will find a ticket booth, where you can purchase tickets to take you to your hotel/hostel. If you require the Youth Hostel on Rue Mackay, you will need to stand at stand six.

Show your ticket to the driver and leave the bus at the first stop which is not far from Place de Bonaventure. Another bus will then take you to your chosen destination. All the buses are included in the overal cost. A single adult ticket costs $12.50 and an adult return costs $19.75 inclusive of tax. When you want to return to the airport, you have to phone the number given to reserve a place on the bus. They will then collect you from your hotel/hostel and take you to the airport. Very reliable, fast and cheap.

Don't miss the Basilica Notre Dame. Designed by Irish architect James O'Donnell, the Basilica is simply breathtaking. The main body of the Basilica is bathed in blue light and 23 carat gold leaf stars which adorn the domed ceiling. The altar focuses on the apostels, the sacrifice of Jesus and the crowning of Mary. If you sit down in one of the pews you will notice that the seating is inclined so that the congregation can see/ hear the mass. At the end of each pew you can find detailed carvings of the apostles.

Situated at the back of the Basilica is an organ which is made up of 7,000 pipes and simply knocks your socks off when it can be heard.

Walking to the front of the Basilica you can find a doorway leading to the Sacred Heart Chapel (Chapelle du Sacre Coeur). This was added to the main Basilica in 1888 to 1891. Unfortunately the chapel was destroyed by a fire on December 7th 1978. It was reconstruted between 1979 and 1982.At the front of the chapel you can see a 32 piece bronze sculpture which was made in England depicting the four stages of life.

A tour of the Basilica can be taken in French and English and costs $2.00. It is informative and gives you a brief history. Souvenirs can be purchased from a gift shop next door(turn left as you leave the building).

Mass is held Monday to Friday 7.30am, 12.15 and 5pm. Saturday 5pm and Sunday 8am, 11am (choir and organ), 12.30 and 5pm.

The museum opened in 1992 after more than 10 years of archaeological digs. The museum named as a national historical site, protects the archaeological treasures in four main parts -the modern Eperon building (it has won many architectural awards), the underground archeological crypt, the renovated Ancienne-Douanne building and the Youville Pumping station. Visitors are first ushered into a multimedia show on 'Montreal-tales of the city'. The show can be listened to in French/English on some headphones. The multimedia show puts together a brief overview of Montreal's history including the international communities and the creation of its flag. I enjoyed this show a lot.

The temporary exhibition when I arrived was on artifacts from Peru, which were rather interesting. The section which showed sexual acts certainly made some people linger for quite a while!

In the basement you are able to discover the first Catholic cemetery and an exhibit showing objects from the digs. Some lovely examples of pottery and fine beadwork can be seen.

The building is wheelchair accessible. Opening times are-Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm (until 6pm between July and August). Closed Mondays.

Admission adults $9.50. Special prices for groups, families, students. Also discounts for members of the International Youth Hostels.

Metro stop: Place D'Armes.

Recognised as one of the 10 most beautiful heritage buildings in Canada, it was designed by William Footner, a British architect. It has more than 280 windows along its 535 foot facade-a fantastic example of a graystone building. Bonsecours market was completely renovated and is now home to exhibits and 15 boutiques selling a range of Quebec jewellery, native crafts and furniture. Restaurants and cafes can be found in the basement. This building has a colourful history and has been used as a public market, a concert hall, a meeting hall, the home of Parliment of United Canada and Montreals city hall.

If you run short of cash and require money to be changed a currency exchange point can be found in here.

Open seven days a week. Free admission Further information can be obtained from telephoning (514) 872-7730 or visiting the website: www.marchebonsecours.qc.ca

The musuem is free, however the special exhibits which was at the time of my visit Herbert List cost $9.00. The museum is split into Two buildings (Jean-Noel Desmarais Pavillion and Michael & Renata Hornstein Pavillion/Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavillion) connected by a walkway underground.

The museum is home to a wide range of exhibits which are comprised of 19th/20th Century European contemporary art, Contemporary studio jewellery, Galleries of ancient culture, Canadian Art, Inuit Art and Decorative Arts from Renaissance to today.

The museum is beautiful inside, very light and airy. The modern additions to the museum are tastefully done and make it pleasurable to walk around. My particular favourite pieces were by Lalique, Georg Jensen, Dali and a bronze by Roden. There are some small stone steps up to each level and can be fantastic for exercising the legs. When you walk down them it can result is you walking like something out of the Monty Python sketch on Funny walks!.

A gift shop, cafe and bookstore can be found on level 1 of Jean Noel Desmarais Pavillion.

The museum opens between 11am and 6pm Tuesday to Sunday. Wednesday open until 9pm. Closed Mondays.

Bus #24 or Guy-Concordia Metro.

Telephone: (514) 285-1600.
Website: www.mmfa.qc.ca

I decided to take an amble up to Mont Royal but didnt intend spending 3 hours walking around. I entered the park from close to L'hopital de Victoire off Avenue des pins ouest. I climbed several small stone steps before I got to the main footpath which was no mean feet as I found myself knee deep in snow. I made my way along the path and could of followed the nice gentle root to the summit but decided to take the 200 steps up to the top and the lookout. As I am not the most fit of people I found myself stopping frequently to 'take pictures' whilst people pasted me running up them!

Once I reached the top of the steps, I was greeted by a snowman which I nearly fell over when I slipped in the snow and the most amazing view of Montreal. 'Le Chalet' has a viewing point for visitors and on a good day you get a fine view of Montreal and the surrounding scenery. In comparision to the Olympic tower, I would say this is better. I then followed the path around the park. There is a museum on the wildlife and history of the park at Maison Smith. It also has toilets and a giftshop selling film, drinks and gifts. The footpath will lead you past the broadcast tower, Le Croix (a large metal cross which is lit at night) and Lac aux Castors which is used for ice skating. Whilst I was there I saw many people taking advantage of the snow for skiing and tubing. Equipment cannot be hired, so you have to take your own. Bird feeding stations are situated around the parc for birdwatchers. If you venture up to the park in Winter make sure you take some warm clothes expecially gloves and suitable walking boots/shoes. The windchill can be quite extreme in certain parts of the park. Oh and dont forget the sunblock!

Beautiful park and great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Montreal. The 200 steps were worth it.

I wandered into this market/shop thinking it was Jean Talon Market. I was completely wrong but I am glad that I did. It was complete mayhem! If you hate loads of people around you dont come here. Sami fruits sells a huge selection of fruit and vegetables from all over the world. All ethinic communities seemed to be represented here, pushing little trolleys and barging into one another trying to get the best of the produce. Be prepared to be jostled. I ended up moving around the building being more or less carried around. I bought two huge bags of produce for under $5.00. Excellent selection of fresh herbs and Indian Vegetables. Brushing past the fresh mint and Coriander blows away the senses. Cheap pitta breads can also be picked up here. If you plan on cooking whilst in Montreal come here for cheap fresh produce and just for the experience.

I love Chinese cookery and couldn't resist having a look in this Chinese Supermarket. The supermarket has its own butchers and bakery. A fresh produce counter sells all sorts of interesting goods from Tofu products to Grass jellies. I found it fascinating walking round the dried foods section trying to make out what some of the things were. There was a nice slection of sauces, teas and candies. Even if you dont buy anything, it is worth a wander round just for the experience.

This small mall is mostly aimed at food although there are some stores selling clothing, flowers, and music. I found the 'Scoops' store really useful when staying at the Youth Hostel as it allowed me to buy small quantities of pasta, spices etc. There is a beautiful cheese shop, fresh bagel shop and a very nice Boulangerie for the freshest of bread. I would strongly recommend buying some fresh flavoured bagels and some cheese, they are scrummy.

The second level of the building provides a restaurant/takeaway area. You are able to find an array of choices: Indian, Morrocan, Subway, Greek, Italian, Thai, Chinese and American/Canadian. The meal specials can be very cheap. At lunchtime it can be very busy. There is also a link to the Concordia university here and also to Sharks Bowling/Pool club.

This cinema complex is huge. It has over 20 screens including an IMAX screen showing documentaries and short films. This is one of the English cinemas and shows mostly American/British films. The cinema is on various levels and has a wide range of eating outlets (bagels, pretzels, popcorn, chips, fries etc). At the top of the complex is a bar area.Pitchers of beer seemed to be cheaper here than most pubs I visited. $10.00(inc tax) a pitcher for well know beers such as Alexander Keiths. Classical music can be heard from a man on a grand piano. Tickets to see the film were $12.50 inc tax at night. During the day the prices drop down a little.



The film 'We Were Soldiers' starred Mel Gibson and was based on a true story about the Vietnam War. The story is pretty much a standard war film with a lot of action, blood and tears. However it does show an alternative view of the Vietnam war (than the usual glory), in that it also focuses on the Vietnamese, which brings the whole story into perspective. I think the film would appeal more to men than women. Be warned there are some gory shots included in the film, even the men I was with winced.

Well I know this is a travel journal but I just had to place a receipe which I picked up when I was staying at the hostel. I decided to venture into the kitchen and cook a lovely feast, sorry guys I didnt mean to make a mess....

So here goes....

English lasses couscous!

Ingredients:
One Aubergine (Eggplant)chopped into small chunks
One Red onion chopped
One red Pepper (deseeded)
handful of chopped mushrooms
Courgette (zuchinni) grated into fine strips
A clove of garlic crushed
dash of Tasbasco sauce
Balsamic vinegar to taste
Lemon
250g of Couscous
250ml (sorry dont know in American) of boiling water
Vegetable oil/Olive Oil

Method

1)Place a few drops of oil and the boiling water into a saucepan and heat. Add Couscous and give quick stir. Remove from heat, add strips of courgette and cover.
2) Heat some oil in another saucepan, and fry garlic, onion and aubergine together. Once soft add red pepper, and mushrooms. Continue to cook until all vegetables are soft. Then add dash of Tabasco, fresh lemon juice and Balsamic vinegar to taste. I cant gie exact amounts as it is purely up to your tastebuds. By this point the couscous should be cooked.
3) Fork through the couscous and then add to vegetable mixture. Stir together and add more Balsamic vinegar/Lemon to suit. Add to a warm dish and enjoy!

I am no Jamie Oliver but hey give the receipe a go, you might like it!