July 27-29, Montreal, QC

We have arrived in downtown Montreal! Beautiful day on the water. Took us almost 6 hours to go 40 miles because the 1.5-2 knot current of the St Lawrence River was against us.

Leaving Sorel.
Sorel does have a downtown.
We were just a mile east and did not get there.

Ferry crossing the St Lawrence River at Sorel.

Several large industrial complexes are located at Sorel.

VALENCIA EXPRESS with containers heading out to sea.

MSC ANIELLO follows about two miles behind.
That go fast boat is small in comparison.

Church at Verennes, QC. Steeple 206 feet

Coast Guard catamaran with special gear.
Wonder what they are doing?

Approaching Montreal.

Clock tower marks the entrance to the Montreal Harbor.
Current here is 6 knots. WOW!

In Montreal we are staying at the Port D'Escale at the Old Port, right at the foot of the Old Town of Mortreal. The floating docks are brand new this year and we have floating showers and rest rooms right here on the dock. 50 amp power and good internet.

KOKOMO II IN Port D'Escale.
Just above the harbor is the Montreal Old Town Promenade.

KOKOMO II as seen from the promenade.

Old Town Montreal is a great place for a walk in the evening.

Dinner tonight at Toque. Recommended by TV chef Rachael Ray as her restaurant choice for Montreal. 5 Diamond by AAA. We had the tasters menu. (We reserve our opinion as we both both had an upset stomachs in the morning. Bummer.)

After dinner, we walked from downtown through Old Town and found the streets had sidewalk cafes crowded with diners. Lots of people walking, eating ice cream and enjoying the evening. Feels very european.

KOKOMO II below the large floodwall at Port D'Escale.

Tourists near the Old Port.

Notre Dame Basillica.

Went to Notre Dame Basillica for their light show this evening. Beautiful Church. Designed by James O'Donnell, an Irish Protestant living in NYC, who later converted to become Catholic as the church was being finished. Constructed 1824-1829. The interior decoration was patterned after the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and completed about 1880. Organ was added in 1891 and has 4 keyboards, 99 stops and over 7000 pipes. Awesome.

Dinner tonight at Modavie. Live jazz like Diana Krall. Found some gelato. Another beautiful evening walk in Montreal.

'Hotel De Ville' (City Hall) is under repair and has some painted canvas that resembles the building hidden behind the scaffolding and canvas. Clever.

Archway announcing Chinatown in Montreal.

Lychee nuts for sale in Chinatown.

Underground shopping mall.
Part of the 18 miles of underground shopping available in Montreal.

Bicycles available for one way rental.

Sculpture 'Illuminated Crowd' by Raymond Mason.

McGill college campus in Montreal.

Schwartz's Deli is a small place with famous 'smoked meat' sandwiches.
Tastes like corned beef. They ask: "lean, medium or fatty?".
Still only $5.90.

Mike and Sally Stetson join us for our last night in Montreal and arrive about 7pm after a seven hour drive from the New York finger lake area. Great to see them. Dinner on the boat.