Montreal favorites?

[Tim Nelson]

Me and Myranda are going to spend a few days in Montreal over the 4th of July holiday. I was just wondering if the locals had any favorite places that we should not miss while we are out there - we've never even been to Canada before. I just learned that there is a jazz festival while we are there too, so thats cool. And by chance I just heard this new artist today that I really liked a lot on an internet radio station, Patrick Watson. I happened to look him up tonight and he's actually playing at the festival! I couldn't believe it so I got tickets to go see him at the Metropolis.

Oh, and can anybody verify what the deal is with passports? My wife doesn't have hers yet, but from what I have read, you won't need a passport until 2008 coming from US into Canada. Is that true?

[BrianKitts]

Originally Posted by Tim Nelson

Oh, and can anybody verify what the deal is with passports? My wife doesn't have hers yet, but from what I have read, you won't need a passport until 2008 coming from US into Canada. Is that true?

...that's funny we were just talking about this yesterday in our office....

since the backlog in the state dept has grown by 3 months.... it's temporarily suspended and you don't need one right now for mexico and canada. I haven't seen an official date of when they plan to reinstate the required passport for visiting the neighbors.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=10876269
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...quirement.html

[Tim Nelson]

Hmm, so it looks like you need to at least have proof of application. Whats interesting here, is it talks about air travel, but does not state whether the rule is the same for ground travel or not.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

[Frosty]

Tim
The Montreal Jazz fest is world famous and treat - don't miss it.
For your travel, pasports are needed only for air travel into Canada. Traveling by car a birth certificate and drivers license will do. I cross the border several times a month and I am very familiar with the drill.

As for Montreal architecture check this >>
http://canada.archiseek.com/quebec/montreal/index.html
I highly suggest Habitat '67 and anything by Saucier and Perrault....Patkaus are good too.

[Tim Nelson]

Cool, thanks Steve.

I think I'll have her apply for the passport though, just to be safe. I'm sure she'll end up using it soon anyways.

Any good restaurants/bars to recommend?

[bricklyne]

Off the top of my head, some places to visit (typical tourist fare):

-Old Montreal and the old port ( very rustic European-type setup, nice architecture)
- The Mountain itself ( Mount Royal) for a view to the city)
- Habitat 67( as mentioned above)
- Crescent Street (for aforementioned good restaurants, bars, nightclubs etc. etc.)
-The Canadian Centre for Architecture.
-The Biodome, the Insecterium and the old Olympic Stadium (bleh)
- A bunch of other places I can't think of now, along with all the festivals (comedy fest, Jazz festival; I'm not exactly sure which one will be one when you'll be up here.

....I hope you enjoy the visit.

[bricklyne]

.....oh and don't forget the strip clubs. I'm meant to understand that it's an entirely different experience for American tourists than what you would have in the States ( something to do with contact rules with the dancers or something like that). But in light of the fact that you're visiting with you're better half, I don't really know whether you'll be able to pull this one off. Still, if you can talk her into it, then I really recommend it.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by bricklyne

.....oh and don't forget the strip clubs.

(Hmmm do I want to know? Maybe... no I...yes I do) so what is the difference?

[BrianKitts]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

(Hmmm do I want to know? Maybe... no I...yes I do) so what is the difference?

let's just say they laugh at our little american rule of no selling alcohol in the same establishment as an all (totally) nude club. And the whole new laws about the 6 foot seperation early closing time and no contact rules obviously don't apply up north.

And I learned this from.....um.....a friend, yeah that's it someone told me this..... the fact that windsor is only a short drive a way and practically a suburb of detroit has nothing to do with this knowledge

[bricklyne]

Originally Posted by BKittsARC

let's just say they laugh at our little american rule of no selling alcohol in the same establishment as an all (totally) nude club. And the whole new laws about the 6 foot seperation early closing time and no contact rules obviously don't apply up north.

And I learned this from.....um.....a friend, yeah that's it someone told me this..... the fact that windsor is only a short drive a way and practically a suburb of detroit has nothing to do with this knowledge

......actually, (although I haven't been to strips clubs in Ontario, where Windsor is) I'm meant to understand that there are also differences in the contact rules (as in physical contact between the dancers and the patrons) between strip clubs in Quebec and those in Ontario ( as well as those in the other provinces as well). It's one of the reasons that a lot of American tourists get excited about coming to Montreal ( and Quebec in general ( along with the generally and ridiculously (I'm told) good looking girls :- again, not very helpful to Tim in view of the fact that his missus will be accompanying him - but still good to know.)