Looking forward to visiting friends

Montreal seen from lookout in Westmount

The first few days of July, a  BBSer friend, who became a Facebook friend  years later, is visiting Montreal. I'm looking forward to it as I have never met her in person, but have been communicating with her online I'm sure for over 15 years with breaks in between.  I look forward to showing her around Montreal and spending time with her.  It's her first visit to the beautiful multicultural Montreal and I hope she really enjoys it.

Building on Ste Catherine near Guy

I found out through ex-co-worker I have as a Facebook friend, that the B52's will be ending the Montreal Jazz festival with a free concert on July 4rth. As it turns out my visiting friend also likes the B52's so that's one activity we'll be able to enjoy together.  I've also done some research about the ongoing activities in Montreal during the days she's visiting as summers in Montreal means one festival after another.

Angel Statue in April

There's also those events that just take place, like the Tam Tams festival at the base of Mont Royal near the Angel statue on the corner of Mont Royal and Rachel.  From early May to late September, each Sunday, weather permitting, you will find several hundred people hanging out at the park while a group of people play Tam Tams. There's generally a bunch of people dancing at the base of the Angel statue to the beat of the Tam Tams.

I used to go sometimes on Sundays with my daughters when they were preschoolers. I loved going because the energies are generally really good. After spending an hour or two listening to the beat, you feel energized.  Depending on the year you might find more or less police wandering through the crowd to discourage people from drinking alcohol [you're not allowed to drink alcohol on public property] or smoking weed.

This site gives a lot of go info on things to do in Montreal

Penguin at the Biodome

I also have another friend visiting in early August. She's a childhood friend of my husband's who I've met numerous times in my visits to Lebanon and with whom I really bonded in my last visit. I really look forward to her visit, and also since I'll be taking 2 weeks vacation to coincide with her visit I need to see what cool events are occurring around Montreal to know what to do.  I have days where I have a hard time coming up with my name, never mind what to do that day.

If I've done my research well, then at least I'll have things to propose. It's amazing the neat things you discover about your city when you visit it with others.  I also never tire of visiting the Biodome at the Olympic village, and prefer getting ticket which permits not only the visit of the Biodome, but also the Insectarium [Not crazy about bugs personally, but other people are] and the Botanical Gardens - which I never tire of visiting.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Of course most who are into old buildings or churches, want to see Notre Dame cathedral. It's nice. But I'm more partial to Mary Queen of the World basilica [In French Marie Reine du Monde]. It has a statue of the Virgin Mary that has really touched me in ways I rarely get touched. 

 This is from a girl who's long stopped being a Catholic and who considers herself a Generic Pagan.  There's also several nice churches and basilica's downtown Montreal, some where the facade was integrated withing newer buildings, others left intact amidst a sea of high-rises.

Basilique Marie Reine du Monde Cathedrale.

Of course while I visit Montreal with friends I'll be able to enrich my Montreal photo collection. All the photo's in this entry are mine from 2009 and 2010.