Dear Diary,
So. Picking up where I left off yesterday several days ago, our second day in Montreal started with brunch. Because if nothing else, Canadians are staunch believers in brunch.
Actually, I have no idea if that is true. But it sounded good, right?
I don’t have any pictures from brunch because I was too busy attempting to decipher the French menu. Many of the places we ate at had English and French menus but this one did not. My limited French vocabulary was exhausted in, oh, ten seconds. Luckily we had a patient server and a very gracious couple of French-speaking friends who translated for us. The food was awesome. The company was even better.
Later that day we toured the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal which was amazing… and probably has the best fire insurance policy available in North America.
My kids were eager to set themselves on fire. I would have obliged, but there were a lot of people in the building. Too many witnesses.
See what I mean?
Nothing says “Holy is the Lord” like hordes of tourists snapping pictures and dropping loonies ($1 coins for my American readers) in boxes to light a candle. Still, it was truly lovely. And it gave us the opportunity to discuss ancient forms of execution with our offspring. What could be better?
I loved the stained glass windows. This one is kind of awesome – the baby Jesus looks like a ninja-baby giving Joseph the beats while Mary watches with pride.
I failed to mention we were visiting on Victoria Day Weekend. Outside the church there was a demonstration going on by the Canadian Armed Forces. In Canada we celebrate the late Queen Victoria’s birthday by lining up flocks of tourists and having the armed forces point guns at them.
In front of a school bus.
One dude was wielding a sword. He didn’t get the memo about it being “guns with bayonnets” day.
Here is the square outside the church where all this was taking place.
We wanted to see more of Old Montreal but we were all feeling tired (read: the hubby was ready to keep going but the kids were already totally exhausted and cranky and someone had to draw the line). So we ended up paying a lot of moneyfor a horse and carriage tour with a man who had the most wonderful French accent. Like the kind of dude you’d see getting kicked out of a bar at closing time after consuming 3 bottles of wine. I don’t know, that’s just the impression I got. But he toured us around and told us about some of the history of the area. I thought it was fun. The hubby tends to be a spoilsport when it comes to horses because of his really terrible mild allergies. But he sucked it up. The kids loved it (until Kieran fell asleep). And I have exactly no pictures because my camera battery died after taking eleventy thousand pictures inside the basilica.  But here we are looking freezing because we did not come prepared for the cold, wet weekend that we ended up getting.
I believe the evening was spent hanging out and playing games – or maybe watching the Grey’s Anatomy finale? I can’t remember because it was two weeks ago. And I am old.Â
Our friends have the world’s largest bean bag chair and it is all kinds of awesome. And if you think that chair saw a lot of action while we were there, you would be totally right. It’s maybe the greatest thing ever.
J and R, I’ll admit, I was skeptical when we first saw it. But after having spent some time using it, I am sold. Every household should have one of these things!
Our final day in Montreal started with brunch. Again. (I told you, we take brunch very. seriously.) And once again, it was very good. Montreal is the Brunch Capital of the world (I’m totally not making that up).
Following brunch we found ourselves a playground because the kids needed to be allowed to run free and not be dragged to another place where their parents would spend two hours hissing ”Don’t touch that!”. Let’s all give three cheers for giant, child-catching spider webs!
The park was at the foot of Mont Royal (Mount Royal) and we proceeded to spend some time riding lions…
…and learning about the memorial for something something…
I actually couldn’t tell you who or what was being memorialized. I was too busy taking pictures of the statues which I kind of fell in love with.Â
I am now completely infatuated with angel statues.
And on that heavenly note, our trip drew to a close, diary. Actually we left because there were two guys yelling at each other and we were starting to feel like things might get dangerous. Montreal ganstas or something. The rest was all driving home with tired children and what else is new, right?
I shall remember this trip forever, diary. And when I think of Montreal in the future I will sigh and say “Ah, Montreal was beautiful in the spring. We’ll always have brunch to remember you by!”.
As much as it irks me to end this  entry with a preposition, there is nothing left to say.Â
Affectionately yours,
ShannonÂ
