I love St Henri - on the other side of the Marche Atwater- but still next to the canal. These canals were huge part of the growth of Canada - and the USA - in the early 1800s before the advent of rail shipping. Most shipping to Upper Canada (Ontario) and the midwest USA came through this canal to avoid rapids in the St. Lawrence RIver (Quebec was called Lower Canada - where the Great Lake water drained out to sea). Another very impressive canal is the Rideau Canal system which passes through several lakes and 29 locks on the trip from Lake Ontario at Kingston up to the Ottawa River (at Ottawa). (After the war of 1812, they decided to move the capital of Canada from Kingston to get further from the USA). You can boat the 202 kms along the canal - or, better for you - take a bike trip and visit the many cute historic towns that were build along the canal (see Westport and Smith Falls).
Old Montréal, Outremont and the mountain, Mile-end, le Plateau and Lafontaine park, Little Italy and Jean-Talon market, Sainte-Hélène island, Lakeshore from Verdun to Sainte-Anne-de Bellevue...
I really enjoyed this video and hearing your observations on a city I have visited many times. Montreal was Canada's largest and most important city - housing head offices of many large corporations and banks. Sadly, the people of Quebec elected a separatist provincial government in 1976 causing a huge migration of capital and English speakers out of the province. If you compare the skylines and development in Montreal with Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary - you can see how that political turmoil caused several decades of economic stagnation (and turned Toronto into the fourth largest city in North America - ahead of Chicago but behind CDMX, NYC and LA), One comment about the parking - I get the idea of no parking on weekday mornings to open up an extra driving lane for the morning commute (we do that too). But good luck trying to figure out Montreal parking - there are so many rules and exceptions. For example - some streets have no parking on garbage pick up days - and then there are snow days. Montreal gets a massive amount of snow (much more than Toronto or New York) - if a plow pushes snow onto your car .. good luck digging it out.. Thank you and I am looking forward to the next one!
This is very interesting about the economic stagnation, I need to learn to understand better Quebec and it's French thing! Believe me or not, I have never been to Toronto, but I'll fix it soon! I noticed a lot of these weird things with parking and local parking zones with permit, etc. Boston also has a lot of these winter or snow days rules, which sometimes it is hard to figure out. Will better try not to park on the streets, lol.
The blue fire hydrants do not have any water in them. They are a dry system. In case of a fire in the tunnel, a fire truck on the surface would connect to a red hydrant like normal and then pump the water into the blue one. Below, in the tunnel, the fire hoses etc.. would then be supplied with water to fight the fire. Dry systems like this are common in Canada because the static water in the pipes could freeze in the winter since the tunnel and the platforms are not heated. I don't think they have ever been used in an actual fire though.
Good walk in Montreal and that market was very clean! Love when cities support recreation for its residence. P.S. What does a man needs to be happy? Canal infrastructure for kayaking!)
I couldn't agree with you more about having a separate bike lane. I love riding mine, yet some don't announce when they're passing on the left. I've seen kids jumping around and almost get hit.
Old Montréal, Outremont and the mountain, Mile-end, Le Plateau and Lafontaine park, Little Italy and Jean-Talon market, Sainte-Hélène island, Lakeshore from Verdun to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue...
What are your favorite places in Montreal?
I love St Henri - on the other side of the Marche Atwater- but still next to the canal. These canals were huge part of the growth of Canada - and the USA - in the early 1800s before the advent of rail shipping. Most shipping to Upper Canada (Ontario) and the midwest USA came through this canal to avoid rapids in the St. Lawrence RIver (Quebec was called Lower Canada - where the Great Lake water drained out to sea). Another very impressive canal is the Rideau Canal system which passes through several lakes and 29 locks on the trip from Lake Ontario at Kingston up to the Ottawa River (at Ottawa). (After the war of 1812, they decided to move the capital of Canada from Kingston to get further from the USA). You can boat the 202 kms along the canal - or, better for you - take a bike trip and visit the many cute historic towns that were build along the canal (see Westport and Smith Falls).
The balcony and staircase are the soul of Montreal architecture . When you do have a staycation it is called ' balconville'
Old Montréal, Outremont and the mountain, Mile-end, le Plateau and Lafontaine park, Little Italy and Jean-Talon market, Sainte-Hélène island, Lakeshore from Verdun to Sainte-Anne-de Bellevue...
I really enjoyed this video and hearing your observations on a city I have visited many times. Montreal was Canada's largest and most important city - housing head offices of many large corporations and banks. Sadly, the people of Quebec elected a separatist provincial government in 1976 causing a huge migration of capital and English speakers out of the province. If you compare the skylines and development in Montreal with Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary - you can see how that political turmoil caused several decades of economic stagnation (and turned Toronto into the fourth largest city in North America - ahead of Chicago but behind CDMX, NYC and LA),
One comment about the parking - I get the idea of no parking on weekday mornings to open up an extra driving lane for the morning commute (we do that too). But good luck trying to figure out Montreal parking - there are so many rules and exceptions. For example - some streets have no parking on garbage pick up days - and then there are snow days. Montreal gets a massive amount of snow (much more than Toronto or New York) - if a plow pushes snow onto your car .. good luck digging it out..
Thank you and I am looking forward to the next one!
This is very interesting about the economic stagnation, I need to learn to understand better Quebec and it's French thing! Believe me or not, I have never been to Toronto, but I'll fix it soon!
I noticed a lot of these weird things with parking and local parking zones with permit, etc. Boston also has a lot of these winter or snow days rules, which sometimes it is hard to figure out. Will better try not to park on the streets, lol.
The blue fire hydrants do not have any water in them. They are a dry system. In case of a fire in the tunnel, a fire truck on the surface would connect to a red hydrant like normal and then pump the water into the blue one. Below, in the tunnel, the fire hoses etc.. would then be supplied with water to fight the fire.
Dry systems like this are common in Canada because the static water in the pipes could freeze in the winter since the tunnel and the platforms are not heated.
I don't think they have ever been used in an actual fire though.
Very interesting! Thank you for explaining!
Good walk in Montreal and that market was very clean!
Love when cities support recreation for its residence.
P.S. What does a man needs to be happy? Canal infrastructure for kayaking!)
Thank you Artem! Yes, seems like Montreal has a lot of public spaces for different kind of activities!
I couldn't agree with you more about having a separate bike lane. I love riding mine, yet some don't announce when they're passing on the left. I've seen kids jumping around and almost get hit.
I bet those who design bad bike lanes, just don't ride bikes! Be careful!
Old Montréal, Outremont and the mountain, Mile-end, Le Plateau and Lafontaine park, Little Italy and Jean-Talon market, Sainte-Hélène island, Lakeshore from Verdun to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue...
Thank you very much for your suggestions. I noted them and added to my list!