OCT 30: Montreal, Quebec: Day 1 of 2

We woke up to snow mixed with rain. This was going to make debarkation less pleasant. It was, however, amusing at breakfast to see some of the waitstaff from the Philippines fascinated at seeing snow for the first time in their life. They kept scooting out on the open deck to feel it. 

Beginning at Quebec City and extending upriver for the remainder of its length, the St. Lawrence becomes much narrower 

At 9:00, we disembarked. It was still switching back and forth between rain and snow.

We found the bag we were shipping home, were told we did not need to go through Customs, and so just turned it over to a LuggageDirect representative. We will next see it on our doorstep in a week or so.

We were told that if we wanted a taxi, we should get in the right-hand line, which was at least 100 people long. Deciding that conditions were not that bad, we went down the left-hand line and straight out of the terminal without delay. 

Seven minutes later, we walked into the Hotel Nelligan. When I booked it, I wasn't sure where the ship would dock, so earlier in the morning, I was pleased when I called up the route and walking time on my phone.

In a second bit of luck, our room was ready, so by 9:30, we were settling into it.

The fake fireplace was inviting on a cold, wet morning

Located in the middle of Old Montreal, the Nelligan was recommended by friends. Our first impression of the lobby of this boutique hotel was positive, as was how we were greeted. Our room was inviting. It bordered a narrow alley which promised to echo any noise created in it...and it did, but there was no noise at night.

After settling in our room, we got ready to head out for some exploring. In the lobby, we encountered...

...long-time friends and neighbors, Liz & Jonathan Howland. They were outbound on INSIGNIA today. Staying in a nearby hotel and knowing we were coming off the ship, they swung through the lobby on the off-chance they would find us. Ten minutes either way by either couple, and we would have missed each other.

After a fun visit with them, they returned to their hotel before transferring to the ship. Pam & I headed out for a brief walk, including a quick look at Notre Dame Basilica. 

The brevity of our walk was a function of when we were being picked up at the hotel for a private tour of the city. 

One of the first things we learned on our tour was that Montreal is an island, situated on the north side of the St. Lawrence River, separated from the mainland by a tributary. 

Our tour was not a conventional one, by happenstance rather than planning. We thought we were getting a canned one by a local guide. What we got was a driver named Michael in a luxurious Lincoln SUV. It was quickly apparent that he was more a driver than a tour guide. (How the concierge at the hotel picked him is uncertain, but likely profitable for her.) The result was that he took us on a tour more like one he would give visiting family than one that hit all the standard destinations.  

looking out across, but not seeing much of Montreal from Mount Royal

We saw the downtown area, the major universities, and the top of Mount Royal. We crossed bridges to two islands between Montreal and the main channel of the St Lawrence River to the south of the city. One of those islands was the location of the 1967 World's Fair. The frame of the USA exhibit—a geodesic dome designed by R. Buckminster Fuller—still stood. He also took us to St. Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal. It was huge, with escalators connecting its levels.  

a picture from the other side of Mount Royal

And that is it for pictures of our tour because the weather and visibility were so poor that we did not stop much for photo-ops. We did see a lot of Montreal.

We finished our day at Modavie, enjoying great food while listening to live jazz in a relaxed environment. It was a two-block walk from our hotel.