The Amazing Race Series 2 - Day 2 - Day in Montreal (Mount Royal, Olympic Park, Schwartz's)

neilhd · 6 Sep 17, 04:01 PM

Right, our first full day!

Obviously, sleeping in was difficult. I woke up at 1, and then again at 3, and then again at 5, at which point I both gave, and got, up.

It was still a bit dark out:

We were ready to leave the room by 6, and were heading out to breakfast at a place called Eggspectation. I won't make any poor and obvious jokes about how Eggscellent it was and how Eggscited we were to be going there, nor how about we were Eggstremely hungry.

It was about a 15-20 minute walk away (a few blocks), We arrived at about quarter past 6 and were seated immediately. Ele ordered a bagel and fruit, Joe had French Toast (with some scrambled eggs), and I had the High Rise pancakes, which was basically a stack of pancakes with bacon and sausage jammed in between them and smothered in maple syrup. The food was Eggsquisite. Wasn't too Eggspensive either at $65 for all of us, including much orange juice and coffee and tip. Our waiter looked like a kinder version of Vin Diesel interestingly enough.

If you are ever in Montreal then I highly recommend it for breakfast - it was Eggseptional.

Right, enough of that.

It was still quite early so we thought we'd go and have a look at the Royal Mount, from which Montreal gets it's name (Mont Royale en Francais). We headed up the road towards it - it's not exactly difficult to find as it looms over everything. We found a path that led up and followed it. We soon found ourselves climbing a never-ending staircase all the way to the top. There were loads of people out who seem to spend some considerable time just running up and down the stairs.

Eventually we reached the top and were rewarded with a fantastic vista over Montreal:

There is a kind of Belvedere castle at the top, and we went in there to use the loo, and had a little sit down.

It was really nice up here. It was still early - about 8am by this point, so it was pretty empty - just a couple of keep-fit nutters and some cleaners. I think later on it gets really crowded.

We walked down the stairs and back down the hill and eventually reached level ground. Our feet were hurting a bit - especially Ele who had done it in Fit Flops, so we decided to go back to our hotel and chill for a bit before going for a swim.

By lunchtime we'd done enough swimming and were hungry (we may have had a large breakfast but we had it really early, ok!). We went back to the plaza with the fountain from yesterday as there was a shopping centre with a food court beneath the plaza. Whereas last night it had been almost deserted here, it's obviously a popular place for people to sit outside and eat their lunch. I learned it was called Place Ville Marie.

We went into the underground bit and after walking around the food court a couple of times we all got some pizza, and grabbed a table and ate it. It was cheap and cheerful but pretty good.

We had a plan to go to the Olympic Park to visit the BioDome there, so we went out to the main road and called an Uber. For some reason he had real trouble finding us and I got a bit annoyed on the phone with him, but he eventually turned up and was quite nice. The ride to the Olympic Park took 20 minutes or so.

We went into the BioDome and bought tickets for that, and for the big tower thing. There was also a planetarium and a couple of other bits but we didn't really have the time.

First, we did the BioDome. It was pretty good - has plants and animals in different areas - tropical, Canadian forest etc:

Joe went down this enormous slide:

One of the weirdest things was a strange-looking duck that would swim towards the end of the pond we were standing, stop, do a strange headbanging type thing, then swim away, and then repeat it. He didn't stop repeating it either - was still doing it after we left that area after watching him for a good ten minutes.

There was a good penguin exhibit at the finish, with a couple of penguins who were blatantly just posing for pictures.

Overall it was pretty good and we all enjoyed it. We then went out and went up the tower on their funicular railway.

The view from the top is good - you can see a very long way:

La Rhonde Amusement Park (we didn't go)

Sabuteo (oh oh oh oh)

The Biodome

I don't know what these things are, but if I was naming them in French I'd call them The T�tons.

We mooched around up there for a while, then headed down the railway again and decided to find some coffee. There is a cinema there and we went in, and luckily they served Starbucks. There was an arcade that Joe wanted to play in. You had to buy a card and load it up, so we bought one and put $5 on it for him. He had a few goes on some things and was happy enough. We played Air Hockey and obviously I won. I am literally undefeated at it.

Our dinner plans had involved going to a place called Shwartz's Deli. A friend of Ele's who lives in Canada had recommended it to us - apparently it is the most famous place in the whole of Montreal and has been there since 1920-odd. These days it's part-owned by Celine Dion when it was purchased for $10 million - for a pretty small Jewish Deli that's good going!. We called an Uber to take us there. The entrance is small and unassuming, and it's on a not very upmarket street (reminded me of the Montreal equivalent of Camden).

When we got in, we were sat immediately (which is very rare), albeit we had to share a table with someone else, as is the norm there. It's the sort of place where everyone just squeezes in to every available seat and shares the table. They do a bunch of various things, but what they are famous for is their smoked meat. Joe was saying he wasn't feeling that well and wasn't really hungry, so Ele and I just ordered smoked meat sandwiches.

They were amazing and I can see why the place is so famous. Joe had a quick taste of ours, and them immediately wanted his own anyway.

This is where the evening all got a little surprising. The guy who was already at the table was an older guy - in his seventies I'd guess. He was a little weird, but not in a nasty way, if you see what I mean. We'd been talking to him at the table whilst we ordered and whilst we ate. He'd been going there since he was a boy of 10, and his father (who he had obviously been very fond of) had been one of the first ever customers when they originally opened getting on for a hundred years ago. Anyway, we�d been chatting about this and that and he said at one point (just before we ordered actually), that he'd pay for our meal. Obviously I waved him off and said don't be silly. When we asked our waiter (who had been really good) for the check, he said it's already been taken care of!

We were at a total loss as to what to say, or do, other than shake his hand and thank him profusely and ask him what we could do in return. He said we already had by giving him the pleasure of our company. He gave Joe a bit of life advice, and then as we were leaving asked his name. When he replied "Joe", the man (I never got his name) said that had been his fathers name, and really pleased him quite a bit. A meal we'll never forget that's for sure!

When we left the Deli there was a queue of about 30 people to get in the door. We had obviously timed it just right. We walked home which took about 25 minutes. We passed some statues on the way.

This one reminded me of the Direwolf from Game of Thrones:

This one, er, didn�t:

We were asleep by about half past eight!

Melbatb · 6 Sep 17, 04:27 PM

A day of memories for me

We ate in eggspectation in that eggact restaurant ladt year (and this year in another of them!)! We also did Mont Royal (it does get busier later

) and the Biodome! We also did Le Ronde two years ago!

How lovely of the gentleman to buy you your meal - he must have enjoyed your company! As a veggie though not sure it is for me

**jocat** · 7 Sep 17, 11:47 PM

Montreal looks a lovely city. Not sure I'd have fancied all those steps to look out over the city though, although I'm sure the views make it worthwhile.

mossyflossy · 7 Sep 17, 11:55 PM

Eggsellent day. How kind of the old man to buy you all dinner.

neilhd · 8 Sep 17, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by jocat

Montreal looks a lovely city. Not sure I'd have fancied all those steps to look out over the city though, although I'm sure the views make it worthwhile.

I think you can get up there via other means if you don't fancy the steps, but the view was definitely worth it!

neilhd · 8 Sep 17, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by mossyflossy

Eggsellent day. How kind of the old man to buy you all dinner.

I know, it was really touching. A meal we'll never forget for sure!

Pussycat Doll · 12 Sep 17, 03:27 PM

Great day! What a lovely gesture from the man!

**WileyCoyote** · 29 Sep 17, 08:17 PM

You must have been eggstatic with such a super brekky and working it all off with those steps before lunch. Amazing views over the city, well worth it.
How kind of that chap to buy you dinner, a bit weird but then random things like that do happen ! Love the street art statues .. Erm ... !