Road Trip Recap: Day 5 (Montreal)

I awake in Montreal and am immediately reminded of why I married Sean. He brings me Starbucks. It's the small daily joys that really add up. 

I'm not used to sleeping in or even near the city anymore. Nighttime sirens and hectic noises are a feature all hours of the night. The sofa bed features springs that poke and point at you when you touch it. 

Before I rolled out of bed I hear the boys creaking around and they snuck out early to get us some Montreal bagels - they are a big deal there! They came back with a brown paper bag that said Kettermans and blueberry cream cheese. Nice.

"Cafe Starbucks is what they call them here," Brady said with a smile that I met with a grin of my own reaching for the familiar mermaid logo on the to go cup. Exhale.

Yes, I know we're in a sea of French cafe's featuring all kinds of amazing coffee. And I've been dappling here and there with them since we arrived. But sometimes I just want a giant cup of "filtre" as they called it and not a mini little cute teeny shot of latte. 

We learned about the fact that Montreal bagels were even a thing from Professor Wolter of Wolters World. As we were preparing for the trip, we stumbled upon his channel and found it entertaining and helpful. We'd gather around the tv before bed and excitedly watch his videos titled things like Tourist Scams in Montreal and Why Montreal HATES American Tourists.

His hilarious delivery is entertaining and his style is very conversational and casual. Mark (his name is Mark, not Wolter) was with us on the whole trip! When we'd see something he talked about we'd act it out in his voice and all hurl in laughter. He added so much to our trip - inside jokes and insider tips! 

We'd even go as far to recreate some of his Montreal videos later tonight when Sean's dedication to pursuing local smoked meat sandwiches results in the winds of fate (aka uber eats) delivering them to our Airbnb doorstep. 

These are the things that we tend to remember from our family trips - the silly parts, the goofy parts, the inside jokes that we all created together. 

We take an uncomfortable uber ride to Mount Royal/Plateau area to explore. I say uncomfortable because the driver was getting repeated facetime calls and turns to me in the front seat and asks me if she can answer. Ummmm...

I responded with a question. She asked me if she could answer again her French accent.

I was growing increasingly uncomfortable and we would be out of the car momentarily, why didn't she just wait? Then I had immediate remorse, is there an emergency? Why do I often find myself in these situations? Ge me out of this car.

We excitedly exit the vehicle at the beginning of the avenue (Boul Saint-Laurent) and officially begin exploring. Shopping and smoked meat are on my mind. None of those happen.

Instead we find questionable smells and heat from the noon sun. But wait, is that a heart shaped bike rack?! Smile!

We pass Schwartz's Deli, where Wolter (Mark) told us to go for an "afternoon snack." No such luck, it was lunchtime on Saturday and the line snaked through the restaurant and down the street. 

We take a left turn and instead and head towards Mount Royal Park or "the mountain" as Francis kept referring to it yesterday. There are people laying in blankets, making music and enjoying life across the vast lawn that is adjacent to the park entrance. I smile and think of Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia and my many lunches there in my twenties. Picnics and park benches, sometimes solo with a book, sometimes with my closest friends. Always enjoyable.

We meet the statue of Sir George-Étienne Cartier and marvel at the winged bronze woman hovering above him. Meadow (a Leo Rising I should add) climbs the first of two lion statues. I take her photo and smile at the synchronicity that my fellow astrologers would enjoy with me. 

Ok, so here is where I messed up. I wore gladiator sandals. Not any gladiator sandals but ones that are falling apart and on their last breath. I knew we'd be exploring the park but I thought it was more of a paved path situation not an actual hike in the woods. I hoped for the best as we started our trek up the mountain to the lookout. 

The path was rocky and dusty. It got really narrow at times and I wondered just how I'd navigate it if I had only one shoe on. I'd channel Cheryl Strayed in my favorite memoir, Wild, and be strong and amazing like her.

The good news is, I didn't need to figure that out.

Now the views were stunning, but is it necessary to go around three times? Probably not. Especially when the AC didn't kick on right away (can I breathe in here?) and there were large spiders in our gondola. Like a lot of them! Behind my head. Nope, don't like that part.



Taking in the views of Montreal from 60 meters above is breathtaking, in every sense of the the word. I'm happy I did it, I was proud of one child who was scared and faced their fear too, and I was happiest with both feet on the ground eating ice cream in the cafe that you're required to exit through. (I see what they did there and I happily accepted the bait.)

We head back for our late night smoked meat sandwich and poutine feast and snuggle in for more family YouTube viewing of our fave channel, Ryan Trahan. 

Tomorrow is our last full day to explore Montreal and as we sip our morning flitre, we'll spontaneously decide to board the Kurious Express.