It was another beautiful day in Montréal! After a restful sleep and waking up early, my friend and I agreed that a morning walk around the city was a perfect way to start the day.
We made our way to Vieux-Port de Montréal, which is a historic port located in the Old Montréal area. Along the way, we passed by the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. It was built in 1771 and is known as one of the oldest churches in Montréal. I couldn’t help but stare at the angelic statues mounted on the rooftop.
The Old Port area is so lovely with the view of the St-Lawrence River. Located across the river is a model community/housing complex known as Habitat 67. It was designed by an architect named Moshe Safdie, and was built in 1967. I’ve never seen anything like it! My friend and I wanted to get a closer look, so we kept walking until we found a bridge to cross the river.
On the other side of the river, we came across an old abandoned mill. This mill was owned by Ogilvie Flour Mills Co. Ltd. and was built sometime in the 1940s (I think). There’s also a famous “Farine Five Roses” sign located on top of the mill. Research told me that this sign may not be there for much longer, so make plans if you’re interested in seeing it!
We were feeling pretty hungry after all of that walking around Old Montréal. So, it was time for brunch and a damn fine cuppa coffee!
We eventually stumbled upon Les Cours Mont-Royal, which is a fancy shopping centre in the downtown area. After wandering around inside and looking for a place to eat, we walked into Au Pain Doré. Boy, oh, boy! This place smelled so good! They serve fresh breads and pastries, as well as delicious soups. Everything looked so tasty! We each ordered soup (which came with a bread roll), pain au chocolat (I’m addicted to these!), and of course, a fresh cuppa coffee.
Back to exploring! We spent the afternoon in the downtown area, admiring the street art and architecture. Almost every street had some sort of mural or graffiti on display. My friend and I even made it a little game to try and spot all of the pieces of art. Montréal is so surreal! The local churches and older buildings had wonderful architectural designs as well, which, when you think about it, is another form of art. Love it!
We finally made it back to the hotel and decided to relax for a while before heading to the concert for The Radio Dept. It felt good to rest my legs and feet. As day turned into night, we got ready to head out again and find somewhere to eat before the show.
Since I’ve never tried tempura before, my friend suggested that we check out a Japanese restaurant called Mikado. It was only a short walk away from the venue, Théâtre Fairmount, which was super convenient for us. I was able to try some veggie tempura as well as miso soup, and… I loved it! Trying new things is so satisfying.
It was also satisfying to see the band members of The Radio Dept sitting just a few tables away from us! What were the odds?! As we left Mikado, we stopped to say hello to the band. We would have asked for photos, but, we didn’t want to be rude since the group was eating. I did manage to snap a sneaky photo of them from our table, though!
On with the show! Théâtre Fairmount is a relatively small venue, but I prefer it that way because it feels more intimate and cosy. The opening act was a group called GERMANS. They had a sorta moody disco vibe and the lead singer, Julia Kwamya, showcased a beautiful voice. She had great stage presence as well.
Excitement pulsed through the venue when The Radio Dept took the stage. They are a dreamy pop band from Sweden with a unique sound. It was surreal that just an hour before the show we were saying hello to the band members, and now they were about to perform in front of us. Gah! Life is good!
Grooving to “Swedish Guns”, “Running out of Love”, and “Committed to the Cause” was a blast. It was hilarious when a guy standing in front of us starting busting out serious dance moves. He was feeling the groove!
Dreamy music is fantastic when performed live because you can close your eyes and just sway to the drifting melodies and beats as you feel it in your chest. You end up leaving the show feeling euphoric and completely revitalized.
It was pouring rain and absolutely freezing outside when the show ended. My friend and I were craving a hot cuppa and snacks, so we literally ran down the streets of Montréal, in the pouring rain, trying not to slip on the icy sidewalks, until we arrived at Café Noir. This was the only place nearby that was open 24hrs, and we still had to run for nearly 20 minutes! It was quite the thrill trying not to fall on our asses in the rain. Screw spending money on cabs!
Needless to say, it was satisfying when we arrived back at the hotel, changed into dry pajamas, and crawled into a warm bed. Good night, Montréal!
Whoa Dana 