After returning from Iceland, we dashed off to Montréal to spend the Labor Day weekend with Dan and Tomoko. Our plan was to spend our time chatting and catching up, but Montréal is a perfect location for a sightseeing visit, too. Being the capital of French-speaking Canada, it is almost like being in a foreign country, which definitely adds to the fun.
T Posing With Monsieur Plant In A Montréal Park
News & Notes
We can enthusiastically recommend Montréal as a fun getaway.
The city has a deep and rich history. Jacques Cartier reached the island that would become Montreal in 1535,
and the place has continued to play a primary role in Canadian history ever since.
Tops on our list of sights - but there are many more - was the Jean Talon Market (one of the world's best), the relaxing waterfront along the Lachine Canal (built to bypass the rapids on the St. Lawrence; pleasure boaters pay $1.40/foot to use the locks), the Notre Dame Basilica (with grandeur comparable to European cathedrals), and the ambiant old world charm of Vieux Montréal, the former walled city.
J Shopping at Marché Jean-Talon
The high points of our lap of Iceland are covered in our ePostcards. Although one card shows some of Iceland's most beautiful waterfalls, two especially gorgeous examples came later in the trip: Fjallfoss (also known as Dynjandi) and Gullfoss, Europe's largest. Also, we neglected to mention that some of the waterfalls we saw were, when we saw them, solid.
Hiking to the Sótheimajökull glacier, a very slowly falling waterfall
Just before the Iceland trip we stopped by Libby MT to see Jim and Julie. We spent a lovely day with Jim at the Big Mountain Ski Area in Whitefish enjoying the scenery in the sunshine from the mountain's summit. Summer visitors are mostly mountain bikers. We were captivated by the three color grading system used for bike trails, analogous to the grading system for ski runs.
The Bunny Slope Is Green Whether You're Skiing or Riding
