Flashback Trip: Montreal Part 1

Have you ever visited a travel destination that felt like home? We did when we visited the city of Montreal last winter! When we say it felt like home…this actually has nothing to do with the environment feeling like where we grew up. In fact, Montreal is quite different from any place we’ve ever lived. What made it feel like home was it was a city that made sense to us…we felt connected to it! Now we believe the connection was easier to make because we visited during the off-season which allowed us to avoid the distraction of a touristy life and truly appreciate the authenticity of this city. In fact, this was not a road trip…so instead of driving through the countryside (which we want to do in the future), we were able to walk around the city and take in the history and culture that is wonderfully preserved…you can see this in the French language that is predominately spoken there and all the gorgeous architecture especially in the Vieux-Montréal (Old Montreal) area. Also we found the food to be so thoughtfully created, so much that it tasted like delicious works of art. The croissants alone were unbelievable…we have fond memories of eating these in bed at the Le Petit Hôtel while watching the Canadian Men’s Hockey Team win the Olympic Gold! Lastly, the nature in Montreal was the icing on the cake because we were pleasantly surprised to find the gorgeous natural landscapes that are found around the city. We were expecting a concrete jungle but were so happy to see nature beautifully represented in the form of places like the Fleuve Saint-Laurent (St. Lawrence River). We loved seeing ice skating, ice houses, and an abundance of people just walking around enjoying the environment despite the cold…that’s definitely our kind of city. All these things added up to an awe-inspiring trip that had us feeling like Montreal was a home away from home!