When I have an entire week off from work and don't have a February Vacation Camp to run like I have for the past six years, there's only one thing to do: Get out of town! I'll start with the most recent days and work my way backwards.
I left for Montreal early on Wednesday morning in perfect weather. I drove the six hours to my destination and faced almost no traffic but was detained by the customs police as a person of interest. Apparently having an adventurous spirit and traveling alone is sketchy...?
I wanted my first introduction to Montreal to be Marché Atwater, a public market a la Pike Place and small farmer's market mixed together. There was free parking and an abundance of shops/stalls selling everything from fresh flowers to cheeses (oh goodness, the cheese....), maple products, fancy chocolates and an entire boulangerie (French bakery). Oh la la.
Needless to say, after a long drive and the incredible excitement of being someplace 1. new to me and
2. very French, I was in heaven. I found some triple creme brie and peppered sausage to pair with a fresh baguette to serve as my lunch, some chocolates and macarons for myself and some chocolates and maple syrup for my family and a croissant for a snack later (when in Rome!). After leaving the marché, I headed to my AirBnB apartment. The place was as cozy and perfect as the photos and a great first AirBnB experience. It was in a lovely location, close to everywhere I wanted to go. But I use my godmother's version of "close to." When I travel, I walk. And walk. And walk everywhere to see everything. I wish I had an odometer on my person to see just how many miles I traveled on foot, but I took a break from technology for the trip except to look up where the next boulangerie was located : )
I saw numerous cathedrals and churches, expanded my horizons at the Pompeii exhibit, spoke French as much as possible and hit my "reset" button. What more can I say? I'll let my photos do some talking:
I left for Montreal early on Wednesday morning in perfect weather. I drove the six hours to my destination and faced almost no traffic but was detained by the customs police as a person of interest. Apparently having an adventurous spirit and traveling alone is sketchy...?
I wanted my first introduction to Montreal to be Marché Atwater, a public market a la Pike Place and small farmer's market mixed together. There was free parking and an abundance of shops/stalls selling everything from fresh flowers to cheeses (oh goodness, the cheese....), maple products, fancy chocolates and an entire boulangerie (French bakery). Oh la la.
Needless to say, after a long drive and the incredible excitement of being someplace 1. new to me and
2. very French, I was in heaven. I found some triple creme brie and peppered sausage to pair with a fresh baguette to serve as my lunch, some chocolates and macarons for myself and some chocolates and maple syrup for my family and a croissant for a snack later (when in Rome!). After leaving the marché, I headed to my AirBnB apartment. The place was as cozy and perfect as the photos and a great first AirBnB experience. It was in a lovely location, close to everywhere I wanted to go. But I use my godmother's version of "close to." When I travel, I walk. And walk. And walk everywhere to see everything. I wish I had an odometer on my person to see just how many miles I traveled on foot, but I took a break from technology for the trip except to look up where the next boulangerie was located : )
I saw numerous cathedrals and churches, expanded my horizons at the Pompeii exhibit, spoke French as much as possible and hit my "reset" button. What more can I say? I'll let my photos do some talking: