Furthering the Invasion...

Now when you first arrive in Ottawa on the Quebec side, there are a few subtle differences that remind you that you are in a different country. Upon arriving in Montreal, all doubt is rapidly gone. French is the first language (although the majority of people do speak English, you push your luck if you expect to get by without a word of French, especially north of the major Rue Saint Laurent), and eeeeverybody speaks it. It is an absolutely gorgeous city with amazing bars, historical districts, artsy areas, parks, and the food…my god, the food.
We stayed with a very cool couple in their mid to late 20s in their beautiful hardwood-floored & vine-covered apartment for four days, three of which we spent there by ourselves while they were away on a camping trip. Even after doing this solidly for 4 months now, the generosity and trusting nature of people still astounds me, especially in this day and age. In any case, they took an afternoon to show us around the city and give us an itinerary of what we should experience while we were there, all while touring their favorite beer bars of the area they lived in.

                Once on our merry way, we foundered on the poutin at La Banquise, devoured the smoked meat at Schwartz’s, and covered the city from Mont Royal to the historic district to the Latin Quarter. It was unbelievably beautiful, and we can’t wait to go back!