Goodbye, Montréal!

Or shall I say, au revoir!

It's hard to believe I've just spent a year working full-time on a project in Montréal. I don't talk about work at this web site, so let's just say: all things considered, it was a good project and I've met some wonderful people. Well, all good things come to an end; so it is time to move on. As I'm about to leave this beautiful city, let me take a moment to reflect on a few things. First of all, I survived without speaking French! Well, I do appreciate the effort from people I worked with, for "compromising" to accommodate my total lack of French. Sometimes they apologized for speaking French in my presence. I appreciate the courtesy but there's no need to apologize, really. After all, we live in a bilingual country. However, I can only participate in English conversations. Yeah, I'm "bilingual" alright; it's too bad the other language isn't French.

If you ever have to stay in Montréal on business for an extended period, forget the hotel. Rent an apartment in Old Montréal. I rented a nice loft at the "Old Port" for 8 months and absolutely loved it! Less than the cost of hotel; you don't have to drag your luggage to/from the airport, and you'll enjoy Old Montréal heritage. Plus, your family and friends will love you more when they visit.

I didn't have much time to do sight-seeing, but my wife probably has been to every museum she could get to. Of the few places I've visited, the Biodôme and the Biosphère kind of stand out as unique. For entertainment, you don't want to miss Casino de Montréal. But, you may not want to bring too much cash. If you're here in the summer, you'll enjoy the Jazz Festival, and a whole bunch of interesting events. If you like historical architecture, it'd be a real shame if you don't visit some of the most beautiful churches in Montréal. Check this web site for more exciting places to see and things to do.

What about good places to eat? You bet! There are literally countless restaurants in Montréal. Here are my favourites:

The mussels and Belgian fries at L'Actuel are delicious. For Chinese, I go to La Maison Kam Fung in Chinatown. When I want a good steak dinner, I go to the Keg in Old Montréal. If your credit card can take it, Gibbys is where you want to wine and dine. For French cuisine, a few minutes walk from my apartment is Holder. Just down the street is Pizzaiolle where I usually order my favourite Oceano (seafood) pizza. When I feel like having Italian, I go to Galianos. If you're looking for a "club like" atmosphere with loud music and great food, Buonanotte is the place to be. You'll wonder if the restaurant hires modeling agencies to recruit their waitresses. I mean, these aren't the girls from Hooters. No, sirree! They're classy and absolutely gorgeous! OK, I've only been there twice, and I'll shut up now before I get into trouble.

For night life, not that I go out that much, try hanging out at Le boulevard Saint-Laurent. The weekend begins on Thursday night, and it's a zoo there. As an added bonus , my wife and I took time out to visit Québec City, about 2.5 hours drive from Montréal. The Québec provincial capital is absolutely beautiful; a place you must visit if you're in the area.

Well, like I said, all good things come to an end. It's been a wonderful year, although away from my home. I've enjoyed staying in Montréal. I'm thankful for everything, and to everyone I've crossed path while in the city. Perhaps it's not goodbye, but until next time ...