MONTREAL ART AND MUSIC

We were on our own today in Montreal. Nobody to tell us what to do or how to do it right.  As a result, we had a pretty long walk for nothing.

But first we had a pretty good time at the 18th century farmers market.  It was really well done.  People were in period costumes and there really wasn't a lot of tourist schlock to buy.  There was a lot of music, more than one group with recorders and at least two hurdy girlies, though I only saw the second one briefly and didn't get his picture.  His appeared to me to be the more interesting instrument.  

We left the market and I wanted to walk down to this place that's supposed to have fabulous glass.  I probably should have read the brochure more carefully, because when we got down there after a long, boring walk, it was closed.  

If I read French correctly, which is a big IF, this sign says they are open Monday through Friday and the last Sunday of every month, I.e. tomorrow, so we had walked a mile and a half for nothing, since today is Saturday, the only day they aren't open.  

We took the more scenic route back, which is a bicycle path, and it was really pretty.  There's a canal that runs between the land and the harbor, and there are a lot of cool-looking decaying buildings out there.  But behind the park, they become scenic ruins, and I never saw a ruin I didn't like.  

The other cool thing on the way back is a place where you can talk into a microphone and here what your voice sounds like reverberating around in the silos across the canal.  

By now it was only 12:30, so we went back to the old town to Mr. Meat's which has a great smoked meat sandwich.  We could have had the local specialty poutain, which is French fries topped with cheese, topped with gravy.  It sounds pretty nasty to me, because I don't like gravy, but John, who does, thinks it sounds nasty, too.  I think we should try it before we leave, but I'm putting it off for Quebec where I think it originated.  

After lunch we decided to go to the quarter Chinoise, which is at least as much Vietnamese as Chinese.  Of course there are a lot of Vietnamese, many of them were raised speaking French before the war.  However, it's a very small area, only about six blocks or so, and nothing very interesting to see.  We did get some bubble tea though.  Then we decided to walk to then place we got off the bus, because i was sure there was a monument there. The monument turned out to be a national theater, but right across the street, we saw these people repelling down the outside of a building.  

From there we walked a few more blocks and could see a movie screen set up as part of a film festival being held here right now.  Tonight is apparently the last night.  We found one of those street pianos, too.  

It's was also a pretty interesting part of town.  

On the way back to the hotel we saw this interesting mural:

By the time we walked home it was about 6:30, and we had to go out and forage for dinner.  We went along the St. Paul's pedestrian mall, and found a cute sidewalk cafe where we had moules and frites (mussels and French fries). The moules weren't all that good, though, kind of small and a bit dry.  

We had two nice after dinner treats: a really enjoyable street guitarist and finding a street with three ice cream shops In a row.  We went to the second.