Montreal has been on my Canadian to-go list forever. It was the combination of cosmopolitan city mixed with old European charm. And it was exactly that, living up to my expectations and more.
I love visiting cities who take their cultural activities and art scene very seriously – whether it’s museums, operas, symphonies, dance, immersive experiences, street art, or theatre productions. That’s why I love visiting London, New York, Berlin, and Tokyo.
And the reason why Montreal is a world class, cultural city is because the Québec government supports its cultural community. In 2019-2020, the Québec government spent $1.9B. This in comparison to BC government support of only $34M for the same time period.
Not to put too fine a point on it (say I’m the only bee in your bonnet!), this is why I always argue that BC’s arts and culture scene is lacking with a capital L, compared to other cities. World class city when it comes to arts and culture, we’re not.
But I digress…
I had an amazing time in Montreal. It’s the culture and the vibe. When I got there, the summer festival season was just starting:
- Franco des Montréal taking place at Quartier des spectacles. Every day I’d walk by there on my way to or from my hotel and always stopped to listen to a diverse range of music.
- Yatai MTL, a celebration of Japanese culture and street food in the Mile End area. Plus shibu inu and akita meeting!
- Mural Festival
The day I hiked up Mont Royal, the city was setting up for the F1 Canadian Grand Prix. It seems like there’s always something interesting to do.
The people are friendly. Funnily enough, I didn’t get much chance to practice my French because most everyone I encountered downtown spoke to me in English. (must be because of all the dang tourists). When I did take out at Asian-centric restaurants, I saw the staff speak French, English, and an Asian language, depending on the customer they were serving or speaking to each other. I want to be like them!
The only disappointment to my trip was when I headed out to the Village (formerly known as Gay Village). I went at night and may have landed in a not so great part of the Village? I surfaced at Berri-UQAM station, and right away, saw tons of homeless people, drug dealers, junkies, and panhandlers.
I crossed the street to go to Place Émilie-Gamelin because there was supposed to be some outdoor art festival going on, but that didn’t fare any better. I walked a few blocks up Saint Catherine Street, which is the main drag, and by that time, I honestly became a bit worried for my safety. Apart from some drunk young people spilling into the street, it felt hella sketchy. Suffice it to say, I quickly left.
That’s not to say I wouldn’t try again next time I’m in Montreal. I would. Just maybe in the day time. But that didn’t put a damper on my trip.
Overall, I loved Montreal and would definitely go back. And even open to living there. Is that a hint?
View more photos of Montreal on my Flickr album, and IG Stories. Feel free to follow me on Instagram too!
No Comments