Montreal Day Five: Fruits, Vegetables and an Olympic Stadium
This morning we jumped on the Metro for the first time. It is a straightforward system and we headed out to the Jean Talon Market. It was almost more than I could bear that I couldn't take anything back with me. The amount and variety of fresh produce was stunning. Locally grown and artfully displayed. Among other things, I wanted to race home and make pesto...there were basil plants the size of small shrubs going for a song. The heirloom tomatoes and carrots, the wild blueberries and the sheer volume of stuff had me walking around in awe. It was fun, fun, fun. The colours had Keith, as the photographer, amusing the proprietors with his picture taking. I haven't had a chance to look yet. I hope there are some good ones.
The market is vast, so we stopped for coffee and pain au chocolate to fortify ourselves for the rest of the rounds. We did buy some plums, but that was it. We needed lunch at the end and Mark had heard the Mexican place was terrific and it was. Mexican food wasn't what I thought I would be eating in Montreal, but it suited the warm day and the colourful surroundings, and was probably one of the the best Mexican meals I have had...including in Mexico. Fresh and delicious.
We then wandered around Little Italy, and in keeping with the bridal theme passed at least fifteen bridal dress shops. We have a wedding in the family next summer and we amused ourselves trying to find one dress that we thought would suit our son Brett's fiancé. Nada. These dresses were elaborate, poufy and Mark finally couldn't take it anymore! Oh how I wished Kiersten were there to laugh with us. These dresses were so not her style. We turned a corner to get away from the over abundance of lace, sequins and organza.
When it was time for Mark to go to work we waved goodbye from opposite sides of the Metro platform. We headed out to Olympic Park and wandered around. We debated about the botanical garden, but since we have Butchart's Garden at home we decided to pass. The decision whether or not to go up the 'whale tail' on the Olympic Stadium was an easy one as they wanted absolutely highway robbery prices. It was interesting to see the stadium up close and personal though, and we stopped again for a restorative cold drink at a lovely cafe outside the garden.
I then wanted to hop the Metro back to the apartment, however Keith suggested we walk, and it was a great decision. There is nothing like walking through neighbourhoods to get a real feel for a place. We had yet another stop for ice cream, so it has been a food centric kind of day. We both really enjoyed the walk and are now back at the apartment, getting ready to go out for dinner. We have our bottle of wine this time, so are prepared.
This market is big, and just a feast for the eyes.
Mark and I at coffee. He told Keith and I that after seeing the market we should understand why he wanted to move to Montreal. And we thought it was the pretty girls!
