Thursday October 26 & Friday October 27 (Toronto to Montreal & Montreal)

ThursdayCheck out time was 10.00 am but in an email from the admin last night I was told 10.30 was the absolute latest. This was good as it meant I could take my time a wee bit more and I had ordered a taxi for 10.30. I did not expect the knock on my door at 10 am, I was not amused, lol, I took my time anyway!

The taxi was on time and I left my baggage at the station while I went out to find some breakfast. I found a coffee place, Second Cup, it was OK and I had an almond croissant  with the coffee. 

I lingered for long enough to have a second cup, lol, before heading out for a walk. I wandered down to the lake and found a pleasant spot to sit a a while. it was cool by the lake and some harbour cruises were still running.

After a while I headed back to Union Station. There was a lot of sidewalk construction and somehow I got turned around and was not in the street I expected to be, lol. However, I just asked someone and eventually I found my way back.

I stayed in the lounge until boarding was due and had to wait for assistance but we made the train OK. While in the lounge my lightening cable had broken off at the end that goes into the IPad, darn it.

On board and we were asked to keep phones on vibrate and conversations quiet. One group of four were talking so loudly they did not even listen to the announcement, thank goodness they got off at Kingston, the noise level dropped to almost silence for the rest of the trip.

I had booked business class to get a bit of peace and quiet, ha ha! It was not that expensive and we got a meal plus wine, wow was not expecting that! I had a couple of glasses of sparkling then guess what a Bailey’s and ice, lol!

The train certainly was not hanging around, it travelled at a decent speed! We still arrived about 15 minutes late and it was raining quite hard. When we arrived the conductor spoke in French first then English, in Toronto it had been the opposite.

It was nearly midnight by the time I reached my hotel room. A very helpful guy on the front desk helped me. The room was very nice with a walk in shower, I guess there is a first time for everything, lol. The key used WiFi to open the door and it also let the elevator know which floor I was allowed to access.

Friday
I woke up early to a gorgeous day but cool and I ate some breakfast in my room, Diane was on the 8.30 bus so would arrive even earlier. So I relaxed until I heard from her on her arrival in Montreal. A while later the phone went and she was downstairs. 

It was great to see her and before going up to my room I explained to the young lass at the front desk I had a problem as the fridge did not have a freezer compartment and I had my freezer pads for my chilly bag. 


She told me she could put it in their freezer upstairs. After a chat in my room Diane and I went out, on the way I dropped off my stuff for the freezer and we got a map from the front desk.


We headed for the new ferris wheel down by dock, on the way we  passed a cruise ship, Seven Seas Mariner, a Regent line vessel, and then stopped for a coffee. 

Unfortunately, the ferris wheel was not open, grrrr, I had been looking forward to some great views of Montreal.We walked back into town, of course it was very French with lots of small shops, cafes and restaurants.

We found a cafe so Diane could have some food and we could both use the washroom, lol! Then we wandered through the Chinese quarter that took us almost to hotel.

As we walked round it was strange to see all signs etc in French, most were not translated into English. It was not unexpected as Quebec is very French and proud of it, for the first time I really felt I was in another country, lol!

On the way round, I bought a cable to replace the broken one, it was not an Apple version and back in the room I tried it out and it did not work. 

After a while we went back out, I took my IPad as well. The lady was still there and she tested it, even with another cable but no joy so she gave me my money back, phew!

We returned to the hotel again and Diane decided to go for a walk, she came back and told me she had found a festival we could visit after dinner. 

We had seen a reasonable place for dinner in the Chinese quarter, we both like Chinese food and it was a buffet. 

There was a great selection of food and after a pleasant meal we walked round until we found the festival, La Trouble-Fete, and it was free!


There was lots of different, loud music, light shows and other phenomena. It was held beside the School of Contemporary Art and was possibly put together by them. 

There were many people there and there were a couple of large screens so everyone could see the stage. We both took lots of photos and videos and it was very interesting.

Then it was time to say farewell and head in our different directions, Diane to the bus station myself to the hotel via Cafe Starbucks, lol. 

I had spent the previous two days walking Toronto, today it had been the same in Montréal, lol!

I finished my coffee, packed my cases although I had not taken much out, showered and hit the sack!