In the midst of Canadian cities is an unmissable piece of Europe - Quebec. In all my years as a Canadian, and it's been quite a few years, I'd never actually visited the French-speaking province other than one accidental Thanksgiving dinner that landed just inside the Quebec border. So, I took the opportunity to visit Montreal on a weekend trip to relive my memories of Europe and brush up on my French skills.

The drive to Montreal took us through 3 hrs of highway, the early part of which took us past what seemed like no-man's land. But when we got to our destination, the streets were lined with artsy shops, crowded cafes, and beautiful architecture - undeniably Montreal.

Driving through Queen's University.

The neighbours in the building where we stayed.

With no definite plans, I spent most of the time just walking around the city, all around Blvd St. Laurent, to the McGill campus, through the streets of Chinatown and around Old Montreal. Most of the time, I walked searching for the next food destination. Other times, I went towards the streets and buildings that caught my eye. It was a photo-walk of all sorts through the city. With every francophone that passed by, the familiarity of the language took me right back to my last year in Paris.

Boulevard St-Laurent & neighborhoodsChinatown

Oh Montreal, how you remind me of the Old World.