Day 56: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Day 56: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

August 7, 2016

Miles: 24

Average Speed: 10.0 mph

Repentigny to Montreal, Quebec



We got up a little after 7am and quickly started getting ready to get riding.  Di made us coffee to help speed up the process.

Di drinking her morning coffee at the Au Doc Motel

We were on the road a little before 8:30 and immediately began our search for a place to have breakfast.  After riding for six miles, we saw a McDonald's and decided to get a quick breakfast there. I ordered coffees for Di and me and a breakfast burrito for Di and and an egg sandwich with feta cheese for me.  We ended up getting what I ordered but we also got an additional breakfast burrito and a cappuccino.   Despite my impeccable french, my orders often get messed up.  I don't get it.

Di was happy to eat the extra breakfast burrito

We ate our breakfast and were on the road again by 9:30.  We weren't dillydallying (as we usually do) because we were excited to get to Montreal and meet up with Michelle and Brian.  As Di wrote yesterday, they had come up a day earlier and hoped to surprise us by joining us for dinner, but that didn't work out too well.  Di and I wanted to get to Montreal early so we could spend the day with them exploring the city.

About 10 miles from Montreal, we found the bike path that would take us all the way into the city.

Di on the bike path leading to Montreal

Our first view of the Montreal skyline

The bike path was green until we were right in the city

We arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel at noon and finally got together with Michelle and Brian, who were hanging out in the park across the street.  They helped us get our bikes and bags to our room and after a quick refreshing, we joined them on a walk of the city.

Di, Brian and Michelle play the tourists

Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal

Maisonneuve, founder of Montreal in 1676

We hadn't played tourists for too long before we decided to have some lunch.  Brian had gotten a recommendation from someone at the hotel and we enjoyed our meal outdoors right by the square in front of the Notre Dame church.

Di and Michelle at the bistro

Brian and the ladies

We enjoy manger a l'exteriur

After lunch, we resumed walking around the city.

Old part of town

They look happy to be walking on those cobblestones

Walking by some interesting architecture

Brian's verdict on the hot mocha I ordered for Di instead of cold mocha

Positive verdict once Di's mocha had ice added to it

Yesterday was a bad day for my gear.  First, my parked bike fell right onto my helmet and cracked it.  Then, sometime during the night, the power supply for my Mac must have fried because when I went to pack it this morning I saw the outside casing of the wire was burnt.  I plugged it in when we arrived in our room at the Intercontinental, and sure enough, it no longer worked.  While we were at Starbucks, I found the nearest Apple store and Brian kindly agreed to drive me there so I could replace the charger.  Hopefully, I'll replace the helmet when we get to Burlington in a few days.

Replacement power supply for my Mac 

View of the mall skylight from our hotel

For dinner, we went to Boris Bistro where we once again enjoyed outside dining.

A fellow diner offered to take this shot

It is Michelle's birthday today, so the other patrons in the restaurant joined us in singing Happy Birthday to Michelle.  It was probably not the highlight of her night.

Michelle suffers through her birthday song

Trying to take a creative night shot (Michelle's shot came out better)

We walked back to our hotel by going through the closed and therefore deserted mall.

Furtive looking people

Close-up of the chandelier

That's actually a fountain (albeit a very flat one) inside the mall

The mall contains an actual piece of the Berlin Wall

We had a lot of fun and laughs spending our day with Michelle and Brian. Tomorrow, they are driving Di and me to North Hero, an island in Lake Champlain, Vermont.  Brian is going to try to teach me to fish and promises that even I can catch a fish in Lake Champlain.  I hope so , but will remain unconvinced until it happens.