Day 30 - A Day Exploring Montreal

After a very relaxing evening and then a nice sleep in we take our time getting moving.  We have some breakfast - cereal and fruit salad.

I even get time to do my nails!

When we do leave we head up to the nearest subway station and buy a three day transit pass - $18 each for 3 full days of unlimited travel.  A great deal!

We take the train to Mont Royal Station and we wander around and then head towards Rue St. Laurent. 

The street is closed off to traffic and it is a long pedestrian walkway.  Stores have set up on the sidewalks selling their items.  Restaurants are selling food and have tables set up outside.

Bernie looked up Leonard Cohen's home address (he is from Montreal) and we stop and get a picture in front of it.

We walk a few more block and get a picture of the beautiful mural of Leonard Cohen.

If you don't know Leonard Cohen then here is a video of him from Youtube.

For lunch we stop at the iconic Schwartz Deli for lunch.  Since the road is closed off there are tables set up outside and we take seats and enjoy table service outside.  We each get a sandwich.  It was very good but since we rarely eat meat anymore it was not like what I remember.  I am glad we went but I could of skipped it and been okay too.

We continue walking down St. Laurent and check out the shops and the murals.  In fact it is the Mural festival!  

I did end up buying two blouses from a small boutique set up on the street.  They are so cute and perfect for the summer or for cruises!  

My cruise addict friends will know what I mean.  When I shop now it has to also work for a cruise.

We head down to the Village and walk along.  Check out the lovely pride flag colors that decorate the sky above us.

Then we take a gander at the pop up gallery set up in a vacant lot.  I am really noticing how Montreal really puts an importance on art throughout the city and having it accessible to all.

We walk own to Old Montreal and head in the Market Bonesecours.  We are killing time before our free walking tour that we signed up for a few days ago.

We meet our guide Kim at the meeting location for 3:30.  

The group is large and as we move from one to another then another the group keeps getting bigger!  By the time we leave the Church of Notre Dame De Bon Secours (about a half hour into the tour) the group is around 40!  

We look at each other and decide we have had enough.  We have done a few tours here before and so the information is not new, but one thing we know.  I would rather pay and have a smaller group.

I stop at a statue we have taken pictures at before.  

But my friend Devin and Justine took their picture 

at the exact same spot to show off her 

ring and announce their engagement. 

The statue is called:  LES CHUCHOTEUSES

by Rose-Aimée Bélanger, she was born in Guérin, Québec, in 1923. She exhibits her work in Montréal since 1995. She began her artistic formation at l’École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal in 1945. However, it was not until thirty years after, and eight children later, that she finally began to sculpt and create full time. Rose-Aimée Bélanger’s inspiration comes from the simple moment of every day life. In her feminine sculptures, her “rounds” as she likes to call them, the expression of the eyes is essential to their understanding and appreciation. The emotions are amplified by the sensuality of the curves. The artist currently lives and works in the northern part of Ontario.

We are not far from our apartment so we just walk back.  We pick up some salads for dinner and return to the Air Conditioned apartment.  It has been very hot here!

Although Montreal has amazing restaurants we are trying to be conscious of what we are spending money on.  Normally we have breakfast and dinner at the apartment if we can to save money.  Lunch is usually out.  We are on a fixed income now.

We are tired and after a good meal we are sipping a glass of wine and relaxing.

Thanks for following.