Montreal

Drove to Montreal with my brother. Bilingual city in French speaking Quebec. Feels rather odd driving into the city when suddenly all the road signs are in French only. In the rest of Canada signs are in both English and French. But everyone we came across spoke very good English mostly with a North American accent and I presume French with a French Canadian accent.

It was raining the whole time we were there. We still went out anyway without raincoats or umbrellas. My brother umcomplainingly accompanied me to Mount Royal for my bird watching. Still managed to see a few new ones for me despite being rather cold and wet.

We walked around the Old City which reminded us of Brussels, Belgium. The highlight of it was the Notre Dame Basilica (big important Catholic church). The altar bit is quite magnificent. We even attended the light and sound show which really showed the Basilica off. Definitely recommended. When the curtain concealing the altar fell towards the end of the light and sound show, a lady sitting behind us exclaimed rather loudly, "Jee-zus!" . Was that inapproprite swearing? Or spontaneous rapture? I was trying hard not to laugh at the irony.