Unfortunately, we had wanted to visit La Ronde amusement park on our last day but I didn't realize that they were closed on Mondays, so we didn't get to go. I was so disappointed in myself, because I'm such a planner - but in my defense, I hadn't even considered going until we were already in Montreal and realized I had made my kids climb enough mountains and visit enough churches this summer. So at the very last minute, Todd and I decided we would go to La Ronde on Monday - only, they were closed on Mondays! Boo. Funny story- my co-worker (and honorary older brother) Chris and his family were in Montreal at the same time we were, and we talked about meeting up at La Ronde for some roller coasters and beer, but since it was closed, we never saw them!
Instead, Todd took us on a walking tour of Old Montreal!
We took a quick stop at the Statue to Queen Victoria on our way into the old town area. You know I love me a good British queen!
I always wondered how cities watered the trees on their tree-lined-streets. This is how they do it! A big old water truck drives by and stops at each tree for a good soaking.
We walked along Rue Saint Jacques, which is the equivalent of Wall Street in New York City, and back in its hey day, was a most impressive sight to see. People would come from around the world to marvel at the 8-10 story buildings that lined this street. Those were tall buildings back in the day!
You will find a very ornate lobby in many of the buildings along this street and it's perfectly ok if you walk in and check them out! This one is located at 360 Rue Saint Jacques (or 360 Saint James Street) which is known as the Royal Bank Tower.
Silly boys in a mirror at the Royal Bank Tower.
When the Royal Bank Tower was completed in 1928, it was the tallest building in the ENTIRE British Empire (at just shy of 400 feet tall.)
The buildings along Rue Saint Jacques would compete for which was the most prestigious (and judging by this lobby ceiling, I declared the Royal Bank Tower as the winner!)
The outside of the Royal Bank Tower is just as beautiful!
The Molson Bank (and this impressive building) was established by William Molson after a disagreement about distilling practices with the rest of his family.
Had to stop to get a picture of the kids at the Love statue, which is located on Rue Saint Jacques.
Lastly, you can visit the Bank of Montreal which is across the street from Notre Dame.
The Bank of Montreal is the oldest banking institution in British North America which was founded in 1817.
Naturally, they were also competing for most beautiful lobby area, along with the rest of the banks on Rue Saint Jacques! This lobby of this building located on the Place d'Armes was renovated in 1901.
This building at 511 Place d'Armes, not far from the Bank of Montreal was the FIRST skyscraper in all of Montreal built WAY back in 1888!
Ahhh, the other half of the English Pug and the French Poodle statue! She is sticking her (very large) nose up at the very English Bank of Montreal!
And here we are again, back at Notre Dame.
The art deco Aldred Building sits in the same square as Notre Dame and it looks suspiciously like the Empire State Building (although clearly not as tall.)
Another stop we made in our tour de Old Town was Le Champ-de-Mars near the Place Vauquelin, which was once a military parade ground. The foundations of the original city walls of Montreal were found here during some construction, so they capped them and kept them.
The Nelson Monument is across the street from the Place Vauquelin in the pedestrian-only Place Jacques Cartier. This monument to Admiral Horatio Nelson was established in 1809, not long after his death in 1805. It's the city's oldest monument and the oldest war monument in all of Canada!
Another stop on our little tour was Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel was built in 1771 over the ruins of a chapel that had been there previously.
The House of Calvet, across the street from the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel was built in 1771. It belonged to the Huguenot merchant Pierre Du Calvet, along with the red restaurant to the left of it.
Inside of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, the ceiling is done in the trompe l'oeil fashion. It looks 3D but it isn't!
Marguerite Bourgeoys was a French nun who was the founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame here in Montreal. She was canonized in 1982, so she achieved sainthood in the Catholic church because of her good works in setting up a local convent, as well as educating "young girls, the poor and children of First Nations" - she lived among the poor, and worked among the poor. This church houses her remains where she was buried in 2005 (even though she died in 1700!)
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours is actually known as the Sailor's Church, since it was a stop Irish and Scottish sailor's made when they came into the Old Port of Montreal (prior to the English speaking St. Patrick's church being constructed.)
There are several little ships holding tea lights hanging from the ceiling.
This really is a beautiful little church with a great history. Also, what are my kids doing?
Well that's better, I guess. It was time to grab something to eat and perhaps a beverage or two!
Stop, because you are so cute! (Vilseck friends - he is repping the Falcons gear with those shorts!)
Ahhh, it's been forever since I've seen a beautiful manhole cover! So pretty!
Our next stop was La Grande Roue, the giant Ferris wheel that sits down on the shoreline of the St. Lawrence. If we couldn't go to La Ronde, at least we could ride a Ferris wheel!
There's a lot to do down by the water, including this pirate themed ropes course known as Voiles en Voiles. You can even do a zipline from that tall pink tower, which I briefly considered (but no. Just. Can't. Do. It.)
I mean... it IS Canada's tallest Ferris wheel!
The Bailey's love Montreal!
A vertical view of the Bailey's loving Montreal!
Just my babies loving Montreal and making heart symbols with their arms.
So we're doing this.
The views of Montreal and the surrounding area from La Grande Roue are unrivaled.
Family selfie inside of one of the cars on La Grande Roue! They said these were air conditioned but I beg to differ. We were hot.
This may be my greatest photo of all time.
The St. Lawrence and some of the mountains to the southeast with the Concorde Bridge in the foreground.
Another view of the city from La Grande Roue.
All three of my babies enjoying a nice ride - I think we were placing bets on how many times we got to go around! I think it was about 3 times (or about 20 minutes.)
A Bailey selfie with the Bonsecours Market in the background behind us.
This view is looking north toward the Jacques Cartier Bridge. You can see the Clock Tower on the right side that was built just after World War I. It memorializes sailors that were lost at sea during the war.
You can see there is plenty of fun to be had here down at the Old Port! I didn't capture a picture of the Cirque du Soleil that is just south of La Grande Roue but that is also a ton of fun! Montreal is the Cirque du Soleil headquarters after all!
The Bonsecours Market was built in 1847 and is known as one of the ten most beautiful buildings in all of Canada!
Todd, close up on La Grande Roue.
We had fun watching the people zip lining below us. See if you can spot the zip liner in this picture!
Faleminderit - I don't think I've ever seen one of these thank you signs that included a thank you in Albanian! You're welcome, La Grande Roue! We had a fun time!
But hey, don't smoke your weed down here, ok?
This crazy kid was probably terrorizing the pigeons down by the St. Lawrence.
If you have little kids, you can even enjoy a little train ride down by La Grande Roue! I'm not sure Todd would fit on this though!
Eventually, we had to head back to the hotel. The kids were to have leftovers, while Todd and I had reservations at Les Enfants Terribles! I snapped this picture of an old street in the Old Town area on our way back.
We passed by Notre Dame one more time on our way back to the hotel.
Someone is being funny here!
And then Todd and I headed to Les Enfants Terribles for a yummy dinner! This is a crazy restaurant located at the top of Place Ville Marie and you have to take two different elevators to get there. It is the HIGHEST restaurant in all of Quebec! Superlative, check!
At the time of construction in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Place Ville Marie was the third tallest building in the entire world (excluding anything in the United States) and it was the tallest building in the entire British Commonwealth! It's currently the 4th tallest in Montreal and the 2509th tallest in the world ha ha.
From Les Enfants Terribles (where we chose to sit outside), you get a fantastic view of Mont Real and the Mount Royal Cross. The cross is almost 100 feet high and was installed in 1929, although the city's founders put up a wooden cross in 1643 with the hopes that doing so might save them from a disastrous flood.
You also have a great view of Olympic Stadium and the Biodome!
It's so nice to have a good meal with my hubby and no one complaining because we aren't eating pizza.
Todd and the sunset over Mount Royal.
The St. Lawrence River also provides a beautiful view!
Hey, who's that handsome fella across the patio?
SMOOCH!
One last view of the sunset over Mount Royal before we left the restaurant. Good food, good views and a good time was had by all!
These are, I'm guessing the Les Enfants Terribles!!!! They sure look like they're up to no good!
That's where we were! The restaurant is on the top of this 44 story building.
And of course, since the sun has barely set and this is our last night in Montreal, we decided to hit up a pub for a drink. We were practically the only people in there. I like this light-up Bitburger sign! Perhaps this was a foreshadowing since our next family trip is to Germany in April!
Ah yes, of course.
Well that's a little better.
As we left the pub, we noticed a bunch of trucks and blocked off roads. They were clearly filming something in the neighborhood of our hotel.
What are they filming? We don't know! Some rumors say they were filming the latest installment in the Scream (movie) series. We decided to walk around the block and take the long way back to the hotel so we could do a little investigating.
Of course, I got very distracted by the bright lights as we were snooping around the movie set. The Canadian Olympic Committee building looks so beautiful lit up at night!
And of course, I had to get a picture of Todd in front of the famous Tim Hortons. It's like the Dunks of Canada!
Oooo now this looks interesting! They were changing the façade a bit for the movie shoot!
People going over lines under a tent (I don't actually know that, ha ha. I just assumed!)
There were so many people working on this and I can't help think about how much money is spent in this industry. Because I'm sure they're paying them night pay!
Not a part of the movie shoot but this building was so pretty!
Eventually we stopped stalking the movie set and went back to the hotel to prepare for the following day's long journey home. USA, this way!
But of course, you know I'm a total nerd and had to stop on the way home at the WORLD'S TALLEST FILING CABINET in Burlington, Vermont!
At 38 drawers tall, even Guinness has agreed this is the world's tallest! I'm so glad these guys put up with my ridiculousness!
We also had never seen Lake Champlain before, so we swung by Blanchard Beach to get a closer look.
The Bailey's at Lake Champlain with New York in the background.
Until next time Burlington and Montreal! Another great trip is in the books!
