Well, it’s been awhile. I know. I’ve been MIA. On the blog front at least. Anyway, I’m here to share our final vacation hurrah of 2019. We didn’t have much time in the way of planning for this trip. We’re moving…again. (But that’s for another time and another post.)
On the evening before Thanksgiving, we drove up to Massachusetts to visit my SIL and BIL, and then we all took off the next day to Montreal, Canada!
Lake George Pit Stop
Planning for this sort of last-minute road trip meant that we wanted to make our road trip something worth seeing. Prof noticed Lake George on the map, and it was a perfect little pit stop on the way.
I brought my handy new Yashica A medium format (analog) camera and started shooting the waters of Lake George. I took one last shot where I propped myself up on top of the car and took a landscape view of the waters and sailboats. Prof managed to drive several miles before I noticed something blue on the windshield.
It was my smartphone. Prof stopped the car, and I carefully grabbed it from the windshield/hood. Let’s just say everyone in the car gave me an earful about being more careful.
TRAVEL LESSON: Remember where your gear is at all times.
First Night in Montreal
We arrived at the Airbnb and thought this was a pretty cool space – three bedrooms and one bath for six people. Since we skipped lunch, we were all pretty hungry and had Mexican food nearby. Not the most Montreal-
Notre-Dame Basilica
The highlight of our trip was the visuals of the Notre-Dame Basilica.
I have to say that the interior space in all of its wooden pews and decors still let the stained glass windows and skylights shine. And let’s not forget the altar in its beautiful shade of blue.
Linus ended up sketching the altar in pencil and could have stayed for hours, but we headed out for lunch in search of this famous poutine.
Restaurants in Montreal
Montreal has some excellent eateries. You have the quintessential Tim Horton’s or what I like to call a Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts equivalent.
Like I said before, we tried to eat some authentic poutine at La Banquise 24th.
Epic Fail at La Banquise 24th. We were met with the challenge of finding street parking. Located in a residential neighborhood, few spots were available for street parking. You needed a permit to park nearby.
This is the closest I got to a poutine dish.
The guys spent 30 minutes and still could not find parking. Meanwhile the boys and I waited in line for seating.
TRAVEL TIP to La Banquise 24th: You need to bring Canadian cash or have a Canadian credit card. And you need to be able to find parking or better yet take public transportation. They do have an ATM, if you are in a bind…
Resto Seoul Bistro
Due to our epic fail, my SIL found a Korean restaurant nearby and with ample parking.
When we walked in, the place was very quiet. A few patrons were dining in booths, and no hostess or waiter was to be found. A Korean gentleman popped out and was surprised when we asked for a table for six in Korean. He sat us in the back, and we waited to give our order.
As the host, waiter, and chef, this poor guy had his hands full. By the time we got our dishes, there were one or two more patrons who ordered for
Each of us ordered different dishes. Normally, I would rave about our Korean food experiences. Unfortunately, this experience left us a bit disappointed. The kids had the smallest bulgogi portions, which left the children more hungry. I had a Japanese poke bowl with very soggy fried tofu. Prof ordered a
But hey, we tried Korean food in Montreal. My SIL noticed a row or Korean restaurants elsewhere in Montreal. If we’re ever back in Montreal, next time we shall try another Korean restaurant.
Underground Shopping Mall
We ventured to find the underground shopping mall. Prof had heard that it’s a pretty cool scene to see underground. However, without GPS or wifi access, we were left to figure things out by asking people around.
A gentleman walked us a good part of the way in the underground tunnels. I felt like Hansel and Gretel needing to leave bread crumbs on the subway floor. But the walk was so fast, it would be impossible to take enough photos and retrace our steps.
We made it to the mall, but it looked like any other mall. Filled with busy shoppers. After cruising the halls of the mall, we tried to find our way back to the parking spot, but that was another hurdle. We walked above ground, found the building where we parked our cars, and left.
Transportation & Accomodations
Like I said before, we traveled during America’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I didn’t expect it to be a crazy travel weekend in Montreal for holiday shoppers. But apparently, Montreal markets to travelers and makes a big deal about Black Friday shopping the day after Thanksgiving too. There were plenty of ads and signs to inform you that Black Friday shopping was a big day in Montreal.
And had it not been for the lack of
TRAVEL TIP: Get international roaming on your phone or pick up a
TRAVEL TIP: I also think that public transportation might have been a better option during the busy holiday season. Parking was a huge hurdle in the downtown areas.
Is Montreal for Kids?
Well, not really. It’s more for grownups, but we got to see cool architecture at the Notre-Dame Basilica and the beautiful European-like streets in Montreal. We learned that Montreal is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world. And that was pretty cool.
