I spent six nights and seven days in Montreal this past week. Every one of them filled with sunshine, warm - but not hot - breezes, and all layered with fun and interesting things to look at... and sometimes just enjoy. Camera or no.
I averaged 18,900 steps per day (according to my iPhone) with one day overachieving with a glorious 24,000+ steps. That was the day I walked from the Marché Jean Talon up and around Mont Royale (splendid views!) and back down to Peel and Crescent streets. I am now perennially hungry.
Most of the time I carried only one camera. It was generally the Leica M240 outfitted with either the Zeiss 28mm lens or the Voightlander 50mm APO. The 50mm can claim the title of "my current favorite lens" and also, "my current favorite focal length for use on a rangefinder camera."
It took me a while but I think I am finally up to speed on the workings and mysteries of the Leica M240 camera. It's delightful for travel and will run, all out, for a couple of days (at least) with one battery charge. I never had to grab for a back-up battery while out shooting. I'll give more details shortly.
I stayed on the edge of the old town in the Hotel Gault. It's a lovely four star hotel in a beautiful, older building. The entire hotel has only 30 rooms or suites. The service was outstanding. The interior design was modern but immaculate. When I checked in I was thrilled to find that I had been upgraded to a corner suite. I asked why. It's a benefit of paying in advance for six nights. Most people book for only two or three....
I loved the room. I made a point to stop walking and exploring around sunset each day, have a wonderful meal with a good glass of wine at a selected restaurant, and then I would head into my room for the night just to sit, enjoy the space and read. What a relaxing way to spend time.
I meant to save money on the trip. To economize because there were faint guilt pangs about going by myself. But since I felt under the weather in the days leading up to the trip I tossed fiduciary caution to the wind and upgraded myself to first class for the long haul segments of my air travel. Both United (on the way up) and American (on the way back) did a nice job. Everything was not only "on time" but several of the flights got in 20-30 minutes early. And really, for the extra seat space, better boarding options and tastier snacks, the cost to upgrade wasn't nearly as ruinous as I thought it might be.
It's my nature, when in a completely safe and wonderful city like Montreal, to either walk or take public transportation everywhere. And that's exactly what I did. I bought a one week "Opus" pass that was good for unlimited Metro and bus travel. And I used that card hard. Carried a Leica out in the open. No tape covering logos or red dots. No one batted an eye. No one robbed me at knife point. Nobody cared.
I'll start writing in earnest now that I'm back. But first I'm heading over to swim practice. It's been a while. I hope I can remember the strokes.... back in a bit.
Produce at the Marché Jean Talon.
Trees actually turning colors in the Fall.
An ongoing attempt to master black and white imaging with
the Leica M240. It's not that difficult. Really.
14 comments:
most excellent that you enjoyed Montréal. Love the photos as per usual :-)
Welcome back, it sounds like you had a great time. Looking forward to reading all about it!
KT, Montreal is a wonderful City. I explored it myself about 5 years ago, and loved it. I try to hope on the subway and just get off at a random stop and explore. I did that in Montreal and found some interesting neighborhoods. Glad you had a good time and found the joy of luxury travel. I have been doing the same thing recently recognizing that I wouldn’t be able to travel forever so I might as well enjoy it while I can.
Welcome back, glad to hear you had no “close shaves”!
Richard.... you scoundrel !!!
Please tell us more about your mastering black and white imaging with the M Typ 240.
Sounds like a wonderful trip Kirk! Love the photos as well.
Looking forward to your travelog of the city of my youth Mr.T
Ah, you’re back, Kirk. Glad you had a great time and those are some nice images. So, could you get used to a more-Northern climate or is the Texan in you baked in?
Biro, I love the cold weather. Sadly, big decisions like moving require, in our house, a consensus. B. won't leave Texas because she helps to take care of her 90+ year old mom. Totally get that. But... If I were a bachelor and didn't need to convince anyone else I'd already be looking for a small, nice condo in the middle of Montreal. Harsh winters? What better excuse for buying more fun clothes and boots?
But I am suspicious. Why are Canadians so darned nice? And why are their donuts so much better than ours in the USA? And why does nearly every coffee shop there make such perfect lattés?
I was in Scottsdale Arizona yesterday (which is part of Great Phoenix) where they had a long run of 110+ days, and one that went to 119 this summer. A limo driver, who came from Wisconsin, told me that summers in Phoenix were like winters in Wisconsin -- you just didn't go outside much during the day, except for trips between air conditioned buildings. You essentially did the same thing in cold-weather cities -- you just tended to stay indoors, in heated spaces, and drive between them. I lived in Minneapolis-St. Paul for more than 30 years, and there were winter days where it was essentially dangerous to go outside -- 30 below zero can kill you fairly quickly, but then, so can 119 above. The biggest problems with Austin are yet to come, I fear (and I really do fear it.) Will it someday in the next few years go to 130?
Hi JC, I hope by the time it gets that bad I've suckered some Californians to pay millions of dollars for my house and I'm comfortably ensconced in some nice condo in the center of Montreal. With a working heater. Have you been through all the amazing underground spaces in Montreal? You could walk for miles and never have to go up into the snow. It's brilliant. and amazingly clean. Smart city. Very smart. Austin? Not so much.
We're having a huge drought here. everyone is required to ration water. Penalties apply. Except for C3 productions who "rent" the biggest and nicest park in town for the ACL concert. Two weekends. They've been spraying millions of gallons of water on the grass there so the yuppies and trust funders who can afford the outrageous concert ticket prices can put their blankets down on a thick, luxurious bed of bright green grass. fuck em.
The city seems to think we need the tourist dollars. How will they sell the city when all the taps run dry? And everyone has to relocate? Short term versus long term....
Bonjour M. Tuck.
«Je suis montréalais d'origine. J'habite maintenant Gatineau.» I'm originally a Montrealer (would one say Austinite in your case?) I now live in Gatineau, which is also francophone and inside Québec.
Anyways, I'm glad you've visited that fair city a few times, now. It is a charming and hospitable place, being a fairly large city (2-3 million people), and the centre if not the capital city of the «province de Québec.» Québec city, the capital, is also a great place to visit.
Québec is special in that it is a french speaking enclave in an otherwise anglophone (and hispanophone) continent. Although the majority of its population speaks French, we are usually a very welcoming population. Most of the people enjoy talking to visitors.
I sincerely hope your stay here was enjoyable and that you'll be back.
Raymond, I loved the city. And I'm already making plans to return. Thinking of being "brave" and visiting the city in the middle of the Winter. I know everyone counsels against this but it would be so different from Winter here that I think it would be like visiting a different planet....
Thanks!
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