My ipad travel blog: Montreal September 21-22, 2015

I found myself at the airport ready to take the Red-eye to Montreal. I usually go to bed at 10:30, not going to the airport, but using Aeroplan points isn't always the easiest .

I hate this flight but one good part is you do get to see the sunrise!

I arrived at Montreal at 7:30 am and then picked up my car and drove to a friend's for breakfast and then I visited another friend. Since I was now in Lachine, I had to check out the house we bought and lived in for eight months until we moved to Vancouver. I loved that house.

I even checked out the apartment I lived in prior to that, only a few blocks away on Fort Rolland Street (named after the fort that was once in this area).

Just a block away from Lake St. Louis, where the St Lawrence widens

There is a bicycle path along here

and a lovely place to bicycle or walk. Farther east you can visit the Fur Traders Museum. I used to imagine the days of Couriers de Bois and imagine Iroquois raids from across the lake.

And here is the school I taught in for four years a block from the lake and a block from the apartment. I still have good friends from my four years here. I had some challenging students but lots of fun and the support of an amazing staff.

After a nice visit I headed across town to my friend, Linda's where I was staying. At that point, a nap was in order!

Tuesday we headed down to Old Montreal

Our first destination was Pointe a Calliere, the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History

which is a fantastic museum, built on an archaeological site. We watched a film on the history of Montreal and then went to the exhibit, Aztecs, People of the Sun. It was very good!

We walked through the streets of Old Montreal

a place I always enjoy!

I also am usually here when it's really hot so it was nice to be here on a cooler day!

You can see a bit of blending of cultures

and of course the sidewalk artists

Here we are at Place Jacques Cartier

And we reached our destination, Jardin Nelson.

An interesting variation on cheese fondu

Here is Bonsecours Market.

A view into one of the courtyards...

And below here is one of my favourite places in old Montreal, Marguerite de Bourgeoy's Museum.

You can check out gargoyles, have a fantastic view of the city, visit my favourite church, the sailors' chapel

But today just had a chance to glance in the church

You can see the boats strung from the beautiful ceiling

And soon we were where Linda and Carol had parked the car after dropping her mom and I off at the museum in the morning. This is one of Montreal's main bridges, Jacques Cartier, leading to the South Shore.