- Montreal, Europe without the Jetlag -
City of Festivals, Shopping, Nightlife, Restaurants, Plus

Montreal – city of cafes, restaurants, shops of all kinds and from all over the world. Montreal – city of festivals from Jazz Festival to Comedy Festival to several film festivals.

It wasn't always like that. My parents arrived in 1955. Not a single cafe, not a single tea house, not a single pub or wine bar. Not only wasn't there a single terrace where one could sit, have a coffee and enjoy looking around, it was illegal for a restaurant to have an outdoor space. There wasn't even a pizza place – not that my parents themselves knew about pizza at that time.

What was available? Taverns that were for men only. Woolworth's lunch counters. Steak restaurants and smoked meat places. Instant coffee. Strange places called A and W.

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One year later - 1956. The Hungarian revolution. Then the Communist crackdown and the flight of thousands and thousands of Hungarians.

That was the very small beginning of change for Montreal – because a few of the refugees ended up in Montreal. One opened the first cafe, Cafe Prague – a place where one could hang out over a coffee, even play chess. Other Hungarians opened small restaurants with inexpensive European cooking – the Mazurka (still around, and still as good as ever) on Prince Arthur Street, PamPam's on Stanley, and several others. Small changes, but very important.

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The 1960s. The hippie era, the revitalization of the downtown areas (the shift away from the suburbs), the war in Vietnam leading to an influx of draft dodgers and Vietnam war veterans. Also, there was Expo 67, a world exposition – which left Montreal with La Ronde, still a very popular amusement park which keeps getting new thrills, new rides year after year.

Back to the 1960s. Prince Arthur (home already to the Mazurka – cheap and delicious supper place) became home to more and more restaurants – Greek, Vietnamese – and also the center of all kinds of alternative boutiques (comfortable Birkenstock sandals, used clothing, Indian imports).

Soon there was an area called The Plateau – more and more restaurants, boutiques, nightspots, clubs.

An important law was finally changed – one could have an outdoor terrace. Montrealers and visitors loved the chance to sit outside, people watch, eat, enjoy.

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The 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and on to the present.

The changes kept coming, all in the same direction. All toward Montreal, Europe without the jetlag – and more. Because more and more Europeans were coming, loving Montreal's cosmopolitan atmosphere, its multi-cultural diversity, and its friendly bilingualism.

Also, Montreal stayed pretty well unchanged in one important way. It was one of the safest cities in North America in the 1950s – and that is unchanged. It is still one of the safest cities, where one can walk almost everywhere at any time of night or day.

What is there now? There are museums, festivals, conferences – and so many ongoing things. Montreal has become a city of villages – with a village being a small area with lots of restaurants, shops, nightlife. The Plateau. The Quartier Latin – or in English, the Latin Quarter. Mile End. The Saint Denis area. The Golden Mile – which is the old downtown area. Old Montreal. The Monkland Village.

And also the Gay Village. In terms of valuing diversity, Montreal was proud to host the first gay Olympics in 2006 – and participants (who wore tags identifying them) were warmly welcomed by Montrealers.

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As for Montreal, city of villages, even the suburbs are developing villages. So, for example, the suburb, Pierrefonds, has the Pierrefonds Village.

Montreal also has loads of malls for those who like malls, but more and more Montrealers are heading for their favorite villages – though the malls are extremely welcome, especially during the hottest and coldest times.

Montreal also has an excellent public transportation system (including a metro) and miles of indoor connections, especially downtown.

There's a lot else, of course –

such as, in the summer, weekly fireworks displays from countries around the world that attract hundreds of thousands of people;

4 large universities, 2 English and 2 French;

a mountain in the middle of the city, Mont Royal, that has stayed undeveloped and that offers miles of walking, biking and in winter, cross-country skiing;

the Lachine Canal, a revitalized area which again offers miles of walking and roller-blading all the way from Old Montreal outward to Lachine, LaSalle and Dorval, with restaurants in some parts along the way;

Park Lafontaine right between the Plateau and the Latin Quarter, with its small lake where one can go rowing, its petting zoo, and its performances in the summer months (ballet, music).

The list goes on and on. Concerts, theatre, ballet, opera, touring Broadway shows.

Montreal is also a big arts capital. It's a major center of special effects for movies – and has a film industry of its own. Montreal has the highest concentration of artists in Canada – graphic artists, fashion designers, musicians from jazz to alternative to pop, as well as visual artists.

Other people come for business opportunities, to develop businesses locally, and to see about import or export possibilities.

And of course not far from Montreal is the Quebec countryside, the Eastern Townships (l'Estrie) to the east, the Laurentians to the north, and the Monteregie to the south.

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People come to Montreal for all kinds of reasons. Friends from across the US border drive up for a weekend to stock up on their favorite herbal tea, as well as to take in a bit of the nightlife. Other people – mainly one-time Montrealers – fly in from as far as LA or even Europe for their favorite smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz' – which was open when my parents came to Montreal, and is still thriving now. Then there's hockey season. Almost all like the reasonable prices.

"What brings you here?" The answers are as varied as the people who come.

What most makes Montreal attractive? Different people will give different answers.

I'm someone who grew up there and chose not to leave through the height of the separatist movement, though I am more English-speaking than French-speaking, and though many English-speaking people left. But ask me, what makes Montreal so attractive to me? I find it hard to pinpoint what makes Montreal special to me.

It's a largely friendly city. That's important to me. I love the friendliness of the neighborhoods. Montreal is also one of the safest cities. Also important.

So much is happening here, from mainstream (big pop concerts) to alternative (small cafes with spoken word readings), from outdoor (the long green stretches along the Lachine canal) to indoor (malls, museums, and so much else). That is one of the most important things for me. Something for everyone.

For some of us, it's even more. Montreal, Europe without the jetlag. It's home.

Elsa

Montreal Europe without the Jetlag

 

Montreal Europe without the Jetlag

Philippe and Elsa

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