We woke up to a Montréal at -11°C. The proverbial brass monkey and his balls came to mind. We had thick winter clothes on, but nothing quite prepared us for the raw feeling on our faces when we went out. Even the locals had their hoods up and hands deep inside their pockets. The freezing temperatures meant that all the melted snow and slush had refrozen making the pavements treacherous. We made our way along to the McCord Museum which was hosting three exhibitions. The first was about the 1967 Expo held here in Montréal to showcase modern design, especially fashion. We had fun looking at what must have been cutting edge 50 years ago but now looked so incredibly dated. We did rather like the Maple Leaf Tartan that was designed for the Expo and was sported in one of the video clips by two fine young men, one in a kilt, the other in trews. Fetching to a degree but why was the kilted gent not wearing a sporran ?! Wherever did he keep his porridge? The second display was of works by William Notman, one of Canada's leading 19th century photographers, famed for his portraits of robust, outdoor-type Canadians - all of which were taken in the warmth of his studio. We definitely felt there was a story behind the two 'chums' cuddled up on a sledge.... The third exhibition focussed on the meaning of design in the costumes worn by the First Nations, Inuit and Métis (Google them!).
All this culture left us feeling peckish
. We met up with a friend for lunch which meant having to escape the warmth of the underground shopping centres.
You know how things sometimes don't quite work out the way you want, especially when you are in a foreign country? Well, I, Alan, wanted a light lunch, but then I saw Poutine was on the menu and rather fancied it. As a counter-balance, I ordered a House Salad, as well. The waitress asked if I wanted some chicken it. I thought, "yeah, nice and lean...". Erm ...., I hadn't reckon that she would order me the full size main course version with pita bread. So a light lunch turned out to be two main courses!!! Hamish was no help. But he had his giant smoked salmon baguette to tackle.
Fortified with at least 3000 calories, we ventured back out into the cold and visited a food market. Good move - temptation won't get us with a full belly. Jean Talon market is an indoor market in the residential area on the city. Some interesting stalls and shops but St Lawrence Market or Granville Island it ain't.
Back in the cold and we thought we really ought to visit another Montreal institution, Juliette et Chocolat. Theme and variations on chocolates and a jolly good idea, too. To many things on the menu, so Hamish had a combo of mini chocolate deliciousnesses. That was our dinner, too.
Further escapades in Montreal
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Other Entries
Comments

2025-02-16
Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank
Tamméé Greeves
2017-03-23
....I'm sure that cold weather helps with weight-loss, something to do with the body having to work extra hard to keep warm.....so embrace the cold and eat as much as you can!!....oh yeah, I see you're already doing that! enjoy. x
Carol Grimshaw
2017-03-23
Hamish 5 puddings?!
alan-hamish
2017-03-25
They were very small puddings....