Bienvenue a Quebec! The second leg of our trip east that included The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, but does not, much to my chagrin, include accent marks. One fine day…

I hoped to share this with you sooner, but that fun visit from my uncle and quite a few projects around the house gobbled up all my time, so here we are, nearly a month later. Quebec, and more specifically, Montreal. Have you ever been? Oh me, oh my, were it not for the fact that we know a thing or two about snow and bitter cold, the hubster and I would pack up our belongings and skedaddle. With friendly people, street after street of fine buildings, delicious food, the best hard cider on the cheap, fine markets, and nearly everything within walking distance, ooh la la! Oh, and there’s that, too, the ability to speak French!

Montreal is gorgeous, and in summer, lovely and warm, a touch on the humid side, wrapped up by the mighty St. Lawrence. It is a dazzling combination of old and new architecture, with fabulous 250 year-old stone buildings within walking distance of brand-new monoliths of steel and glass. I cannot tell you how many times I squealed in glee at some heavenly edifice. Like this one, Marie Reine du Monde, smack-dab in downtown Montreal, and not-at-all out of place.

This newbie makes a nod to the city’s early structures with a glass turret. The hubster is an A-1 turret fan. I suspect that if he had his way, no building would be without one.

This is on Rue Notre Dame, where antique shops reign.

An intricate slate roof atop an old Banque de Montreal building. Swoon!

A fine slice of downtown skyline.

Under the Highway 10. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say that door is a portal to another world. Beh, oui!

I became quite overwhelmed by all of the beautiful buildings.

And old clocks.

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal: I’m sure you can imagine the rest. It is pretty grand.

Old St. Sulpice Seminary, the oldest building in Montreal, dating from 1687.

The Banque de Montreal in all its splendor. Quiet echoes and Old-Hollywood in its air, I half-expected to see the ghost of Jimmy Stewart here, wearing a perfectly pressed suit. Did I ever tell you that I skipped a day of college to meet him? He was on a book tour for his poems. I was something like 753 in line for his autograph, but I got it! And, even better, as he was leaving, he walked by me, mere inches away, and I grabbed his hand. He looked down and smiled before his impossibly long legs carried him off.

 “Poussez” means “push.” It is with these everyday words that I realize how much I enjoy speaking French. C’est vrai…

The New York Life and Aldred Buildings

The Palais de Justice reflecting its neighbor.

Edifice de la Sauvegarde, built 1913

A cute shop in Vieux Montreal

Hotel de Ville de Montreal

This is the door!

Woman with Pail

Chateau Ramezay: Benjamin Franklin slept here.

Notre Dame de Bon Secours, built in 1771

Marche Bonsecours

Pierre du Calvet: Benjamin Franklin ate here.

Jardin Nelson: Colleen and Gregory ate here.

The touristy covered patio out front belies the dazzling garden in back. Take a virtual tour here, for I cannot do it justice.

There is live jazz, delicious crepes, and smiles all around.

A protector, I hope.

 A nod to the McKenzie brothers, because, it’s Canada, eh. And they do say that, surprisingly often.