Foreign Journey: Montreal

Montreal, is the largest French speaking city outside of France. Of course, many people around the world do not speak English as their first language, even in Canada. Montreal is however, an island city, just like Singapore, except that Montreal have the options of expanding on the mainland.

On arrival at 1pm, on 17th February 2007, the metro station in Montreal, do not show the timings of the next train, do not tell passengers to beware of suspicious bags, do not have yellow lines, yet it cost around Can$2 per ride, regardless of distance.

The metro map showing Montreal (Island), and its vicinity, with around 70 stations. With some chat with the locals, it is apparent that residents of Montreal show a distinction between themselves with their rival city, Toronto.


With the first step and glimpse into Montreal, it may seem no different from Toronto. Montreal, a city with colder winters than even Moscow or Saint Petersburg, has much more accumulated snow on the streets.
However, it does not take long to notice that Montreal's architecture and street layout resembles quite like a European city. With narrow streets and sidewalk, little trees to block the magnificent buildings and structures, and definitely no shelter for the faint hearted, it is anything charming but a garden city.
The view of Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal, one of the glorious churches in Montreal and probably North America.

It is hard to imagine how much effort and money builders took to make the construction of this church possible, and obviously economics does not always take precedence in this part of the world.The streets of Montreal.

Works of art being displayed along the narrow concrete streets.


All along the streets, French can be heard and seen on the various signs.

Winter Montreal.Nearby the old port of Montreal.
The casino of Montreal located on another smaller island in the Saint Lawrence river, probably Singaporeans can imagine it as casino on Sentosa.
Of foreign land.