DAY 17---MONTREAL, CANADA

 

It was sunny and 52F early this morning here in Montreal.  Just a few clouds and 66F this afternoon.

MONTREAL

        Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second largest in Canada, and ninth largest city in North America.  The population is 1,763,000.  The city is centered on the Island of Montreal.

        Historically it is the commercial capital of Canada but it was surpassed in population and economic strength by Toronto in the 1970's.  It remains an important center of art, culture, literature, film and television, music, commerce, aerospace, transport, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, education, tourism, food, fashion, video game development, and world affairs.

LAST EVENING

                                       Going under two bridges after departing Quebec City.

                                               We went to Linda Gentille's show at 6pm.

After her show we headed to the Meridian Lounge for a Grey Goose martini, wine, pigs, and chips.

                            We both started with a shrimp cocktail.  Always very cold.

         I then had this braised black Angus beef ravioli in a parmesan cream.  Very good!

                                                                   Potato and leek soup

Neither of us cared for the special entrees so ordered the half roasted chicken that is offered daily.

                                                   Apple pie and ice cream for dessert

TODAY

        Up at 7:20 this morning as my tour departs at 8:40.  So ran down to Coffee Connection for our Americano coffees.  I grabbed a muffin and Rebecca's room service omelet arrived at 8:00

                              Three views from our balcony.  It is a beautiful, sunny day.

                                        Directly across is this restaurant right on the water.

Looks like we will be "bunkering" fuel today.  Bunkering is where they pump fuel into the ship's tanks.

        It was such a beautiful day I did go on my tour this morning.  It met at 8:40 at the bus outside the cruise terminal.  The bus held around 55 and it was almost full.  I sat on the back row as usual.  It was a very nice and comfortable but.  The tour guide was good got a history lecture during the 3 hour tour.

        I swear we spent half the tour stopped at stop lights.  Traffic in the city is terrible.  It was difficult to get photos with all the tall buildings and a moving bus.

                                                           Looking out over Montreal.

        In the top center of this photo is the Olympic Stadium built in the mid 1970's for the 1976 Summer Olympic games.  

                                       

                              Following photos are of Notre Dame Basilica dedicated in 1829.

                                                                       Our guise

                                              First bank here, Bank of Montreal from 1817.

        My tour finally got back to the port at 11:45.  I would not do this tour again.  Just a lot of sitting on the bus riding around and around.

                                 I had a delicious hamburger from the pool grill for lunch today.

        Again we have the silly Canadian Border Services Agency rules with regard to what bars can be open when.  Basically only one bar on a deck can be open at one time.  So this evening the Meridian Lounge will be closed because of the Pacific Rim restaurant and the Splendor Lounge is closed because of Compass Rose.  They both open again after 9pm when the restaurants are closed.  So we are having our canapes sent to the suite at 6pm and I will go get my Manhattans this afternoon for this evening,

        Canadian's Health Department is on board the ship today doing a sanitation inspection of the ship's

food and beverage facilities.  I'm sure we will pass.

        They have just completed the bunkering of fuel.  So it took 5 hours.  "Fill'er up"

        This evening's CR menu.  We had Prime 7 reservations for this evening but switched to tomorrow night.  The pasta is one of Rebecca's favs.

                                             Tour boat came by our balcony this afternoon.

    So at 3pm I went up to the sports deck to take some photos.  Crazy looking condos in distance.

                                                                  Huge ferris wheel

        This is way you walk into the city from the cruise terminal.  I will probably walk into the city tomorrow is the weather is as nice as today.  We are overnighting here.

        Ok, main reason I went up was to be at the pool bar when it opened at 3pm.  I got this huge Woodford Reserve bourbon Manhattan to bring back to the suite for cocktail hour in our suite.  Remember I said our Meridian Lounge is closed until 9pm due to crazy Canadian rules.

        Time to publish this post and hit the shower.  

        There is a Variety Show at 9:30 in the theater