Saturday, May 9, 2009

Montreal…a mini vacation...

After Cariño finished his exams in April, he had a couple weeks free before his co-op job was to start (an all too typical government foul-up has since postponed his start…but what can you do???)…it had been a long time since we had been to Montreal to visit some of Cariño’s family…a brother (Tonio) and his partner (Marie-Claire) as well as a sister (Margot) live there…also a few nephews, but we didn’t see them this trip… another sister-in-law, Danielle came with us from Ottawa…we all stayed at Tonio and Marie-Claire’s…Margot came over one night for dinner…and an old friend of mine from my Photographic Arts school days at Ryerson came for an evening as well…

There was much delicious food eaten, lots of talking and laughing…as well as a good amount of wine sipped…we spent most of our visit in Tonio and Marie-Claire’s kitchen…either sitting around the table eating and drinking or standing around the island all helping to prepare the food…

A group shot of everyone...this was the night that my friend, Solonge, came over for dinner...we had had paella the night before with Margot and it was so good that we decided to do it again with Solonge...it was so delicious...














They live in a really neat place…they have converted the upstairs of a shop, which used to be offices, into their home…large, airy living room…huge kitchen…downstairs is a big workshop…all kinds of wonderful tools…Tonio does special effects for the movie industry…one of these days we will stay long enough and leave the kitchen for enough time for him to teach me to work with metal…welding and cutting and soldering…

Marie-Claire has a way with plants...and her orchids are all blooming their hearts out...




















































We did manage 2 outings…one afternoon Cariño and I took the bus to an area of the city that is just one gallery after another…and the next afternoon, we all headed down to wander around Old Montreal which is also full of galleries…it was eye candy heaven!

The first area we went to is called Le Quartier du Musée...we spent most of our time on Crescent Street...


















There were all kinds of galleries...I especially liked the Canadian Guild of Crafts...there were also some galleries dedicated just to glass...what amazing glass sculptures we saw! I also like reflection photos...here is a glass sculpture...that was taller than me...in a window of reflections...


















These 2 hearts outside of the Museum of Fine Arts on Sherbrooke Street, I am sure, are done by the same artist as the woman's body and heart at the National Art Gallery of Canada in Ottawa...and, you know, a quick look at the site doesn't tell me who that is...nor can I find the name of the sculptor on the Museum of Fine Arts site...will have to look into this...
















Cariño and I stopped for a coffee at Nespresso...good coffee...but the most expensive coffee we have ever had! This was the flower that was on our table...we had to ask if it was real...which it was...but the waiter didn't know what kind it was...neither do i...


















The streets in the Old Montreal section of the city have such a different feel to them...old European...you can almost forget that you are in Canada...this area is filled with galleries, street artists and vendors and restaurants...
















































Another thing about a lot of the buildings in this area are the layers of old printing that are on the buildings...layers upon layers of old advertisements and names of businesses long gone...from a time before plastic signs and neon...all mingling together as they all get worn off by time and weather...this building shows it well...















We got home Friday evening...dropping Danielle off first at her place in Ottawa and then heading up to Oma's to pick up the puppies...Oma had been babysitting them for us and she made us dinner too! The puppies were very happy to see us again...but tired from their holiday at the lake...

6 comments:

Leah said...

oo, what a wonderful mini vaca! I loved all the flower pics!

Shaun said...

I enjoy the way you describe your vacations. I can imagine much of it, the way you paint with words and photos. I also love that sculpture of the two hearts. And the final photos of the two puppies. Too adorable.

Cynthia said...

ooo I loved vacationing with you vicariously! Great descriptions and pics!

I've always wanted to go to Montreal/Old Montreal.

Cynthia said...

Oh, the Orchids are beautiful! I have a helluva time with mine, even inside -- it's just so arid here in the desert.

nanke's stuff said...

I've never been to Montreal - Toronto (which I love), but not Montreal. Thanks for the tour - it was fun! nancy

Pat Aubin said...

The "heart" sculptures in MTL & Ottawa are by American artist Jim Dine - he's got a thing for hearts! Nice to travel to MTL via your site! Cheers, Pat.