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| Notre Dame de Montreal |
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| Notre Dame - a closer look |
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| Callie & I in front of entrance |
Also, it must be confessed, while I was wandering through CDG sleep deprived with a ton of luggage (maybe not literally, but it felt like it), I could not help but think how Montreal spoiled me. Because the Montrealais are nice Francophones who are polite and do not plow into you because you are in their way by existing in the same universe as they are, i.e. the gangway to the customs office, in front of the elevator, etc.
Anyway, as soon as I got to France, I remembered just how rude Parisians can be. Including correcting my French. And butting in line. And doing other things that, in most other cultures, only teenagers do - not 50-year-old businessmen or mothers of teenage children.
This was taken near our B&B - the "Berkeley" of Montreal, according to Terry :)
(It's right next to McGill...)
Photos from the Musee de Beaux Arts...maybe I went overboard a bit, but I wanted to get some pics of the works I liked (that the security guard would not see me take) :
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| Inuit art - mother bear w/babies |
Also from the Musee de Beaux Arts --
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| Napoleon's hat, shirt, one boot, other personal belongings... |
The Napoleon exhibit...why is Napoleon so beloved/celebrated/omnipresent in Francophone countries? My guess:
1) Napoleon's level of egomania is somehow fascinating.
2) he was the best the French had to offer the world.
3) he had cool stuff, which museums now own. Ergo, why not display it?
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| Josephine's jewels |
Below is Napoleon's death mask. Creepy, no?
....and post-Elba Napoleon...sort of looks like Balzac here. Well, old and fat. At least he (or the sculptor) had the decency to put clothes on...unlike Balzac and/or Rodin.
And below, more photos from the museum...
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| Museum front |
At some point, we ended up going to this fripperie that specializes in second-hand clothes. I believe it's called Eva B.? There was so much stuff in the store!
Sort of cool, but sort of creepy...like, I don't know, some agoraphobic Andy Warhol wannbe's smelly basement apartment that hasn't been cleaned out since 1980. If that sort of thing appeals to you, definitely check it out.
I also found a faux Gauguin sitting in the front of the store. Neat, eh?
And, of course, more wall art. Or, wall protest, perhaps...
Someone has to stand up for First Nations rights!
Peppers at the Marche Jean-Talon. Wish I would have taken more pictures there. The Jean-Talon was so awesome! Mostly food, but cool nonetheless.
Callie enjoying an afternoon cappuccino :)
And then, we walked up Mont Royal . Lots of fun! Lots of fit Montrealers passing us up on the path. I tried taking some chronological photos, the farther up the hill we got.
This one is from the top, where there is a little chateau!
I guess this one is, too. Notice the sumac.
Below is a photo from the steps of the chateau. There were these hilarious skateboarders trying to make some sort of film...not very successfully, but I will keep my judgments to a minimum.
And yet more photos from the top!
Nice touristy-type photos :)
Next day, we went to the Musee d'Archeologie, which had an interesting expo on the natives of Easter Island. As well, of course, as the permanent exhibit on the history of Montreal City.
And pictures form the top of the museum tower:
Place Jacques Catier:
Oratoire St. Josephe
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| Reserved for pilgrims arriving on their knees! |
A view from the other side...
And then one of the altars in one of the chapels!
