Beginners and Beyond

Help! Montreal, what to see and where to stay? (Read 64 times)

B-Plus


    I watched the Machine play there. Remember those guys?

    happylily


      RSX, we've lost lots of tourists at the Olympic Stadium due to falling blocks and cables from the roof. It's really sad. They never did find a way to fix the problem. If you come back in August, They have a special on tours on Tuesday night, it's half price. You should go then!

      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

      happylily


        It's a bad joke, btw...

         

        The Stadium is a disgrace which cost us a fortune.

        PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

        18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

        Cyberic


          Yeah, vaguely. I mean I remember that they played there but don't even know in what league they were playing. Wasn't living in Montreal then, and had no interest in soccer.

           

          I watched the Machine play there. Remember those guys?

          happylily


            I watched the Machine play there. Remember those guys?

             

            Is that a rock band or a soccer team? 

            PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                    Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

            18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

            Cyberic


               

              Is that a rock band or a soccer team? 

               

              I did see Pink Floyd at the Olympic Stadium in '92. People said the sound was shitty, but I had a great seat, just a few rows in front of the audio mixing console. The sound was perfect, the visuals were perfect, the band was perfect. Back in the days when people still lit their lighters in shows. Now they light their phone's screens.

              hog4life


                 

                Hehehe...

                The English I speak is far worse. Very special, too

                 

                Hehe, it's very good!

                happylily


                   

                  Hehe, it's very good!

                   

                  I'm sure it's not worse than mine. :-)

                   

                  Sky, people will think you're just a regular Montrealer with your accent. 

                  PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                          Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                  18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                  happylily


                     

                    I did see Pink Floyd at the Olympic Stadium in '92. People said the sound was shitty, but I had a great seat, just a few rows in front of the audio mixing console. The sound was perfect, the visuals were perfect, the band was perfect. Back in the days when people still lit their lighters in shows. Now they light their phone's screens.

                     

                    Would this have been The Wall? No, that was earlier... Was it when Waters was upset at the other members for having divulged a few things about the show's special effects?

                     

                    You're lucky to have seen them. I think I saw ELO at the Stadium and I cannot even remember one song by them today. 

                    PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                            Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                    18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                    happylily


                      I thought of another place to visit and run: The Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. It's the largest in Canada and the third largest in North America. It's full of history (a monument to the Quebec Patriots is erected there. Three of my direct ancestors have their names on it). Famous local people are buried in beautiful mausoleums. I used to take walks there with my baby in a stroller and I remember seeing people running. They also have bird watching tours.

                       

                      Cimetiere Notre-Dame-des-Neiges

                       

                       

                      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

                      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

                      B-Plus


                         

                        Is that a rock band or a soccer team? 

                         

                        Football. Part of the now defunct World Football League, or something like that.

                        hog4life


                          Pink Floyd is one of my all time favorite bands!! I would love to see them live.

                          skygazer


                            Hey Mitch! Any plan to do another marathon?

                             

                            Lily,

                            I definitely will visit the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. I'm drawn to pretty much anything with history. A few years back when I was planning for a conference trip to New Orleans with some friends I included a cemetery tour (and a haunting house tour as well). I just remember a cemetery when we were coming off a highway  ramp the first time I visited the city. I was fascinated by the scene but we didn't get to see it in a closer distance. So I made sure to include it when I planned that trip. It turned out there were some guided tours available and my friends quite enjoyed our tour (with tour guides). Before, I never thought that cemeteries record a lot of our history and culture.

                             

                            BTW, I'll be on a 9-day vacation starting from today. I may or may not (likely not) get to check my message or email during the period of time. But I'll get back to you as soon as I can after getting your message.

                            hog4life


                              Hey Mitch! Any plan to do another marathon?

                               

                              Lily,

                              I definitely will visit the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. I'm drawn to pretty much anything with history. A few years back when I was planning for a conference trip to New Orleans with some friends I included a cemetery tour (and a haunting house tour as well). I just remember a cemetery when we were coming off a highway  ramp the first time I visited the city. I was fascinated by the scene but we didn't get to see it in a closer distance. So I made sure to include it when I planned that trip. It turned out there were some guided tours available and my friends quite enjoyed our tour (with tour guides). Before, I never thought that cemeteries record a lot of our history and culture.

                               

                              BTW, I'll be on a 9-day vacation starting from today. I may or may not (likely not) get to check my message or email during the period of time. But I'll get back to you as soon as I can after getting your message.

                              Yes, I actually would like to do Rocket City again on the new course. Waiting to sign up later though, I want to make sure my work doesn't change to 60-70 hours per week.

                              RSX


                                I live and run in Montreal. Some very nice parks to run in for sure. Park Lafontaine has about 2.25 km perimeter, where most runners run. You can also run inside the park as there are many trails. It is the nicest park to run in (around) in plateau Mont Royal, but there are better places to run.

                                 

                                The Mount Royal itself is a great place to run. If you take the "chemin des calèches" it's a wide dirt road where there could be car circulation there, both ways. It is about 5.5 km to the top if you keep on the wide trail. But there are many smaller trails that you can take. Definitely one of the best places to run. BUT it's a mountain, so it's more demanding than to run on the flat.

                                 

                                I like to run near the Olympic Stadium / Botanical Garden in the Maisonneuve Park. It's less crowded by people just sun bathing and stuff but is packed with people doing sports. Tonight there were at least 3 teams of Ultimate Frisbee practicing, and there are bikes, roller blades, runners, of course.

                                 

                                Running in the Botanical Garden can be nice too, but at this time of year you have to pay to get in, and if you're going to pay to get in, might as well enjoy the garden and not run past everything there is to see. It would be a waste IMO.

                                 

                                You can also go run/bike on the circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where the F1 race is held.

                                 

                                I agree with people saying that you can get along just fine without speaking French, especially downtown and in cenetr/west part of the Island. In the center/east there will be some people who don't speak English. But it still isn't a problem. You can just ask the next guy, chances are you wont hit more than two in a row who don't speak English at all.

                                 

                                What is there to see? Depends on what you like. There is some of pretty much everything. It's a rather big town.

                                 

                                Botanical Garden is my in as far heading to Montreal. My wife doesn't buy into new trips (for her) unless she finds enough places that interest her. She posted Botanical Garden pictures on FB the other night.