After a year filled with worries like SARS, the West Nile Virus, Mad Cow Disease and the bankruptcy of Air Canada, my friend and I were finally on our way to a summer visit to Canada. We decided to fly on Air Canada primarily because we were reluctant to be a possible target on an American airline, after the 9-11 tragedy. Admittedly, that was a small concession on our parts but, considering the other dangers awaiting us, it was enough to make us feel at least a little safer on our first international trip since the terriorist threats began. Air Canada did not have a direct flight into Montreal from our departure point, so we had a change in Toronto and then a short flight into Montreal.

In Montreal, we had wanted to stay in Vieux Montreal in order to feel more of the history of the city and to be within walking distance of many of the sights we wished to visit. We chose the Place d'Armes, at 701 Cote de la Place d'Armes (1-888-450-1887). This hotel is a boutique hotel housed in an elegantly converted office building dating from the late 19th century. The elaborate architectural details of that period are much in evidence, particularly in the ground floor lobby, with its high ceilings and richly carved capitals and moldings. A complimentary wine-and-cheese offering takes place each afternoon around the fireplace and lobby bar. There is also a very generous breakfast buffet each morning with everything from fruits and yogurt to a selection of breads and pastries and cereals. Room extras include robes, down comforters, high-speed Internet access and CD players (you can check out a selection of disks at the front desk). There is even a rooftop sundeck with an adjoining workout room. We enjoyed many afternoons on the deck with our wine and cheese selections but (surprise!) did not utilize the workout equipment.

It was early evening by the time we arrived and checked in. We took a short walk around our area to orient ourselves and found a little café, where we found delicious crepes for dinner-the first of many delectable meals in this city. Most of the shops were closed by the time we finished dinner so we headed for our room and our cozy beds.

The next day was overcast and drizzly but not enough of a rain to prevent our exploring Vieux Montreal. We went to the nearby Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal (Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal), which was inspired in large part by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. James O'Donnell, an Irish Protestant from New York, was the Basilica's architect. He moved to Montreal to supervise the work. He surprisingly converted to Catholicism and later died in 1830, a few months after the consecration of the church. He is one of the few people actually buried in the church. Free 20-minute tours are offered daily both in English and French. We were lucky enough to be the only ones in our tour group and we had a great guide, who was both personable and knowledgable about the history and the church. He told us that Celine Dion was married in the basilica and her baby was baptized there later in the Saint-Sacrement Chapel.

We were fortunate enough to be in Montreal on a Sunday, so chose to attend High Mass at this Basilica in order to be able to hear the choir and the playing of the organ, which is one of the largest in the world and has 7,000 pipes. Various free concerts and musical performances are also held in the Basilica on a regular basis. The breathtaking interior of Notre-Dame is magnificent with its rich colors and striking design.

We later walked down to Place Jacques Cartier, a lively square flanked by flower beds and sidewalk cafes. In the afternoons and early evenings, street performers, strolling musicians and street artists entertain the diners and we greatly enjoyed sitting at the cafes, strolling along with our gelatos, and watching the artists at work. Place Jacques Cartier was originally opened as a marketplace in 1804 and it is now the most popular square in Vieux Montreal.

On rue Saint Paul and a short walk from Place Jacques Cartier is the Bonsecours Market, where we chose to go after our lunch. This market was constructed in neo-classical style in the middle of the 19th century and served for a short period of time as the federal government headquarters. Unofficially it served as a landmark, with its distinctive silver dome guiding those at sea into the safe harbor. Bonsecours Market was a public trading place for almost a century and is now an exhibition hall and houses many small shops. How could we pass this by?!

After shopping, we walked to the nearby Vieux Port to the Quai Jacques-Cartier, where we took a cruise on the Bateau-Mouche. This Parisian riverboat reminded us of the Bateau-Mouche we had been on many times up and down the Seine when we visited Paris. Our guide was enthusiastic and informative, delivering her commentary in English, French, Spanish and German. The 1˝ hour-tour costs $21 Canadian and offers views of many interesting sights such as the Rapids of Sault Normand, the Biosphere, St. Helen's Island, and the Casino of Montreal. There is also a 3-hour dinner cruise for $68 Canadian but we were enjoying our sidewalk café meals and decided to forgo that option.

The next day we decided to enjoy the international flavor of Montreal and walked to Chinatown, which is also near our hotel, mainly along de La Gauchetiere Street near Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Its origins date from the 1860s, when Chinese immigrants came to work in the mines and on the railroads. The streets are designed for pedestrian traffic, with restaurants, shops selling exotic foods, traditional crafts, martial arts accessories, herbs and natural medicines and even Asian medical services and acupuncture. The large arches at the entrances to the district are replicas of Chinese imperial gates.

After navigating our way through the narrow streets of Chinatown, we went to a nearby Metro stop at the Montreal Convention Center (Palais des Congres de Montreal) and went to Little Italy, which is in the area of rue Jean-Talon to Saint-Laurent Boulevard. A very helpful resident actually got off at our stop and personally escorted us to the Jean-Talon Market so that we would not loose our way. We were impressed with the warm, welcoming attitude we were met with everywhere we went in Quebec Province! This market has been in Little Italy since 1934. Aside from fruit, vegetable and flower stands, the market houses "le Marche des saveurs," a shop where you can find earth land products such as wine, cider, Quebec cheeses, etc. The market lies alongside privately owned food stores and sidewalk cafes and we enjoyed exploring ALL of these. We ended our day with a picnic on our rooftop terrasse with all the goodies we had brought back from the market.

On our remaining days in Montreal we went to Saint Joseph's Oratory (L'Oratoire Saint-Joseph), which is on Mont Royale. We again took the subway and got off at the Cote-des-Neiges exit. This is one of the world's most visited shrines. The basilica's huge dome is second only in height to Saint Peter's basilica in Rome. The shrine devoted to Saint Joseph consists of a primitive chapel, a votive chapel, a crypt and a basilica large enough to accommodate 10,000 worshippers. Relics of Brother Andre, the doorkeeper who had initiated its construction in 1904, and many ex-voto of miraculously cured pilgrims are exhibited. There are a lot of steps from the parking lot up to the lower church and small chapel but you can take an escalator up to the cathedral if you cannot brave more steps.

We explored the Underground City Network (La Ville Souterraine) to check out the shops that are underground. Many can be reached by metro stops or are under hotels or other department stores.

After picnicking at the Champs-de-Mars one day, we walked over to the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, which is near the Bonsecours Market. The work on this chapel began in 1657 at the prompting of Marguerite Bourgeoys, Ville-Marie's first teacher and the founder of the Congregation de Notre-Dame, a religious order. The original wooden structure was rebuilt in stone and frequently altered; its present face dates from the late 19th century.

We also visited the Sir George-Etienne Cartier National Historic Site at 458 Notre-Dame Street. George-Etienne Cartier, one of the fathers of Confederation, lived in both halves of this house at different times. It was later converted into a museum commemorating his life and times. The tour was $4 Canadian and our guide was great. Depending on the time of year, there are live museum theatres here, such as "A Domestic's Life in 19th-Century Montreal", "A Victorian Christmas", or "The Age of Eloquence: The Art of Speaking in Victorian Times".

Other explorations included the Chateau Ramezay Museum (Musee Du Chateau Ramezay) on rue Notre-Dame east of Place Jacques-Cartier. Claude de Ramezay was the 11th governor of the colony and built his residence in 1705. It was the home of the city's royal French governors for almost four decades. I was surprised to learn that in 1775 an army of American revolutionaries invaded and held Montreal and used the chateau as their headquarters. Even Benjamin Franklin stayed in the chateau for a while. There was no guided tour on the day of our visit but it was interesting and there is also a beautiful garden and a café. The entrance fee was minimal.

A very friendly lady at one of the shops in Vieux Montreal recommended that we visit an authentic Irish pub, Hurley's Irish Pub, at 1225 Crescent Street. We took the metro there and got off at the Guy Concorde stop. This is off Saint Catherine's, which is one of the main shopping streets in new Montreal. We met lots of locals, including the Irish owner and barmaid and a Scotsman who kept us entertained for hours!

We took the VIA train from Montreal to Quebec City. I would recommend getting a First Class ticket--you can get an assigned seat, wait in the first class lounge with complimentary drinks and newspapers, and you will have pre-boarding privileges. It also includes complimentary wine and a meal during the trip. Some cars (our train was a new one, the Renaissance) have a baggage car so that you can check your heavier bags. There is a 50-pound limit without having to pay extra charges.

In Quebec City, we stayed at the Hotel Manoir Victoria at 44 cote du Palais in the Upper Ville of Vieux Quebec. It is in a great location, has spacious rooms, internet access, a pool and workout room, and two restaurants. Both our rooms have also had minibars, irons and hair dryers--which are a blessing and save on packing space!

As this particular hotel did not include a breakfast with the room rate unless you wanted to pay extra, we had a tip to go a few doors down the street to a café called Brulerie Tatum (1084 rue Saint-Jean). You can get quite a breakfast spread there, including delicious coffee or expresso, for about $5-$6 Canadian. A real bargain!

Vieux Quebec reminded us of the buildings in Paris, with its cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafes and shops. We visited the Notre-Dame Basilica (Basilique-Cathedrale Notre-Dame), which represents the oldest Christian parish north of Mexico. Although parts of the basilica date from the original 1647 structure, most of today's exterior is from the reconstruction of 1771. The tour of the church is free. We later attended a light show here, "Heavenly Lights" ("Feux Sacres"), which was an extraordinary sound and light show, highlighting the stunning architecture of one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Canada. It is a 30-minute show and costs $7.50 Canadian. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

A very helpful, friendly gentleman in the Tourist Information Office recommended that we take the Quebec-Levis Ferry at night in order to see the lights of the city and the Chateau Frontenac from the St. Lawrence. It departs frequently from the Vieux-Port in Basse-Ville (Lower Town) and costs only $5 Canadian roundtrip.

In order to get to Basse-Ville for the ferry or for other sightseeing, we chose to take the Funicular (Funiculaire a Quebec) instead of climbing up and down the "Breakneck Stairs." It leaves from the Dufferin Terrace near the Chateau Frontenac down to Ste-Anne Street in Basse-Ville and costs only $5 Canadian. It originally was built in 1879 and the cars ran only in the summer because they were in open air without protection from rain or snow. Power was supplied by steam engine; however, now the steam system has been replaced by an electrical one.

We took a guided tour of the Chateau Frontenac on one of our first mornings there. These tours cost $7 Canadian and you must make a reservation. Dating to the late 19th century, the Chateau was named after Louis de Baude, Comte de Frontenac, the governor of New France, 1672-82 and 1689-99. Beginning in the 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway constructed a number of hotels across the nation (including the magnificent hotel in Banff) to meet the needs of tourists and travellers and, in the process, increased the use of its transcontinental railway service. The Chateau has become the landmark symbol of the city and has attracted the famous throughout its history, such as Charles Lindbergh, Errol Flynn, King George V, Alfred Hitchcock, Princess Grace of Monaco, Queen Elizabeth and Montgomery Clift.

In the Lower Town, we went to Place Royale to start our exploring. This square is the site where Samuel de Champlain founded the city in 1608. One of his successors, the Comte de Frontenac, created Place Royale as a market square after a horrible fire in 1682 destroyed much of the community. A large concentration of 17th and 18th-century buildings have been preserved or rebuilt in the district. One of the buildings on the square is the Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, constructed in 1688. It was eventually destroyed by the British but was restored in the 1760s. One thing we thought was really interesting is a model of a ship, "Le Breze," that hangs from the ceiling in the church. This was a vessel that brought royal troops to New France in the 1660s to help defend the settlement against assault by the Iroquois.

We decided to take a bus tour for one of our mornings there in Quebec City because there were a few places we wanted to visit that were outside of the town. We chose Old Quebec Tours, partly because the gentleman at the Tourist Information had been so nice to us and partly because the small bus would pick us up and drop us off right at our hotel. The 4˝-hour tour cost $36.50 Canadian plus tax for adults. We first drove around the Ile d'Orleans, which is in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. Here we found many beautiful farms, houses with colorful windowboxes and gardens, ancient churches and roadside shrines. Now, THIS is where we would love to have a vacation home!

We next went to Montmorency Falls (Les Chutes Montmorency), which are located in a park in Beauport a little east of Quebec City. The falls are taller than those of Niagara and the top can be reached either by cable car (NO, we did not do that) or by road. Manoir Montmorency is at the top near the falls and was built in the 18th-century, for a time serving as a country retreat for Queen Victoria's father, the Duke of Kent. Today, it contains a restaurant, shops, an interpretation center and other facilities for banquets or meetings.

Along the way to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, we stopped briefly at a local bread shop, Chez Marie, where we could buy snacks or sample Marie's homemade bread and maple butter. We also made a stop at the Albert Gilles Copper Art Museum. Beautiful articles were also for sale there but we resisted the temptation. The artist, Albert Gilles, decorated many Canadian churches with his silver and copper masterpieces as well as doing work in public buildings, mausoleums, churches and private homes in the United States.

The shrine at Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre was first built in 1658; however, the present basilica was consecrated in 1976. It is dedicated to the mother of the Virgin Mary and every year more than a million and a half pilgrims and visitors come, many hoping to be cured of various ailments.

After resting up from the tour, we rewarded ourselves by visiting the St. Patrick Irish Pub at 1200 rue Saint-Jean. When we first came into the pub, we were a little disappointed because we were hoping for a true pub experience like we had in Montreal. Soon, though, the pub's resident musical group began to play and we felt transported across the ocean to Ireland. They were absolutely great and everyone in the pub clapped and whistled and felt Irish for the night.

As a change from the sights within the walled part of the town, we decided to explore outside the gates. We walked through the Porte St-Jean, which is near our hotel, and ended up wandering over to the Hotel du Parlement, which is where the Canadian National Assembly meets. We just happened to enter when a free English tour was beginning so we joined them. We saw the Assembly Chamber and the Room of the Old Legislative Council, where parliamentary committees now meet. This was a very informative, but not boring, tour and we were glad we happened by.

Walking down Grande-Allee, we saw many Victorian and Edwardian mansions, many of which today house restaurants, clubs, and outdoor cafes. We ended up at Loews le Concorde Hotel, as we had been told about the revolving rooftop restaurant that provides a 360-degree view of the city. It takes 1˝ hours to revolve completely and we were so mesmerized that we stayed and were rewarded with a spectacular view.

Another enjoyable happenstance was the "Ghost Tours of Quebec," the offices of which we passed on our way to find a sidewalk café for dinner one night. The 1˝-hour tour cost $17.50 Canadian and you must reserve your place in the tour group. The leader of our group was quite an actress and led us at a good sprint to various places in the Lower Town, stopping to tell us stories, then sheparded us up a pretty steep road to the Upper Town, where we listened to more scarey tales.

We spent our last day at a leisurely pace, visiting the Chapelle/Musee des Ursulines at 12 rue Donnacona. A jolly Sister introduced us to the museum and told us the story of Marie de l'Incarnation, who established the Ursiline Order in Quebec in 1639. This is still a working religious order and the sisters teach at their school near the chapel as well as care for the sick.

We always had the question in the back of our minds as to why there was so much Irish influence here in what is such a French part of Canada. We found the answer on our last day. When walking back into the walled old town, we happened upon a Celtic cross that has recently been erected on rue McMahon. It was donated by the Irish in Canada in appreciation for the help given to them by this country at the time of their immigration due to the potato famine. Our own country, the United States, also opened its doors to the Irish during that same period. We felt a bond with the Canadians who, like in the States, are still welcoming those from other countries who are looking for a new life for their families in a place that will offer them hope for their future.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in these welcoming cities. We unexpectedly discovered a common history and were so warmly accepted here. We would encourage anyone who has not visited our "neighbor to the North" to come and experience the history, the beauty, and the feeling of family that we discovered in our neighbor. We share many things in common. Je me souviens.

Air Canada:This is the home site for Air Canada, which allows you to make or change bookings, view timetables, trace baggage and obtain information about boarding times and baggage allowances.
Bonjour Quebec:This is the Quebec government official tourist site. Here you can obtain information about accommodations, attractions, events, activities and virtual tours of the different regions of the Quebec province.
Croisieres AML:This is the largest cruise/excursion company in Canada. It is present in six ports in the Province of Quebec, including Montreal and Quebec City, and also offers cruises to whale watching in Bai-Ste-Catherine and in Tadoussac.
Quebec City and Area:This is the site for the Quebec City and area Tourism and Convention Bureau. It provides information on accommodations, restaurants, shopping, attractions, tours, packages and links to other web sites.
Guidatour:Guidatour is a tour guide agency for Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa. Accompanied by one of their guides or "historical characters," visitors can discover the architecture and cultural life of the city, as well as its history and development.
Marches Publics de Montreal:This site provides information about the Atwater Market, the Jean-Talon Market, the Maisonneuve Market as well as over 16 flower and neighborhood markets in public areas all over the city.
Montreal Metro:Here you will find a map of Montreal's Metro system. Clicking on the individual stations will give you such information as its nearby points of interest, addresses of the station's exits, the nearby main intersection and the connecting bus routes.
Montreal e-Guide:This is an electronic guide to Montreal sights and activities, containing an exhaustive list of what to see, what to do, where to eat and sleep. It is written by a Montrealer for anyone who visits or lives in Montreal.
Aeroports de Montreal:This site provides information on both the Dorval and the Mirabel airports, including flight schedules, airport plans, shuttle schedules, car rental and parking.
Canada Online:This is your guide to hundreds of sites about Canada and about the Province of Quebec specifically.
Oanda.com:This is a multi-lingual currency converter with up to date exchange rates provided from leading market data contributors and is filtered for validity.
Montrealcam.com:Montreal WebCam Network is the place to catch Montreal live via cameras placed around town. Also, the FestCam catches some of Montreal's great events.
Weather Underground:Get Montreal weather forecasts here, as well as unbiased reviews and advice for Montreal hotels.