Visiting Montreal

When we arrived in Montreal, we were greeted by rain. From the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport, we took a cab to our hotel in downtown Montreal for about $30. We chose to stay at Le Square Phillips hotel because of three reasons: (1) it was close to the underground city and (2) it had great reviews in TripAdvisor and (3) it was one of the hotels in the Sweet Deal Package offered by Tourisme Montreal. We were worried when the cab driver did not know about the whereabouts of this hotel but after I gave him the street address, he found his way to the hotel without a hitch. It was truly a sweet deal because we paid $166 for the first night and $83 for the second night. With the package, we also received a gift bag containing a nice portfolio to keep our passports, air tickets and credit cards organized, a shopping discount card for various shops in the underground city and 2 privilege passport coupons for Casino de Montreal valued at $40. 

Before leaving for Montreal, I booked a city tour with Isango for $20 per person. After leaving our bags with the hotel bell desk, we walked up to rue Saint Catherine and headed toward Peel Street where the meeting point of the tour was. It was a nice walk, passing familiar names such as American Eagle, Old Navy, Guess and Hudson Bay. When we arrived at 1255 Peel Street, we noticed there was a visitor center on the ground floor of this federal looking building. Inside the tourist center was a Grayline bus tour office. There we traded in our Isango voucher for 2 tickets to a Grayline City Tour worth $72. Booking with Isango, I saved over $32 for the same tour.

It was an excellent bus tour, giving us a great overview to the sights of Montreal including the Biodome, McGill University, 1976 Summer Olympics Stadium, Veodrome, St Joseph’s Oratory, Parc Royal,  Biosphere, Old Montreal, Jacques Cartier bridge and downtown Montreal. 

After the tour, we chose to return to the Montreal Tower Observatory and tour the Biodome located next to it by subway. We took the funicular up to an observation deck of the highest inclined tower in the world and from there, we were treated to a wonderful 360 degree view of Montreal. It was a clear day and we could see the Laurentian mountains that were 50 miles away. Afterwards, we took the 45 degree inclined funicular down and toured the Biodome. The Biodome was formerly the site of the Velodrome which hosted cycling and judo events of the Summer Olympics. Now it is a replica of four ecosystems where visitors can walk through it and see birds and animals living in these ecosystems. 

On our last day in Montreal, we walked into the Bay and went downstairs to the basement where the pathways led us to the underground city. There, we found three floors of shops and boutiques that spanned across many city blocks. Similiar to Pacific Centre in Vancouver but alot larger, this was the place to shop in Montreal if you had all week. 

More than Snow in Alaska

It’s not just snow that you will see on an Alaskan cruise. I remembered a story that I heard a few years ago in Edmonton when I used to travel there for business. A cab driver told me that he had picked up a family of four from the international airport in Edmonton. They saw a show that featured the West Edmonton mall on tv and were curious enough to fly up in the middle of winter. Halfway to the mall, it began to snow. They all got excited in the cab and asked the cab driver to pull over. They got out of the cab and took their sandals off, as they wanted to see how snow felt against their bare feet. “Weren’t they cold?”, I asked. The cab driver said they were so happy to see snow that they didn’t care it was minus 20 degrees outside.

For those of you who are cruising or plan to cruise to Alaska this spring or summer, here are my top picks for the ports you may visit:

1. Skagway – I chose the Whitepass and Yukon Route train ride that took 3.5 hours to climb 2,865 feet in elevation. You get on the train almost at the bottom of the gangway from your cruise ship. It’s a nice relaxing trip with lots of photo opportunities. Once the train gets going, go outside for unobstructed views of the tunnel, waterfalls and bridges. After the tour returns to the ship, walk into town and do some shopping on the main strip.

2. Juneau – I chose the bus tour to Mendanhall Glacier. Once there, you can hike around the area and see eagles and the arctic tern. Did you know the arctic tern flies 19,000 km each way as it migrates between the arctic and anarctica each year? This is the true snowbird that sees two summers each year and more daylight than any other creature on earth. For salmon lovers, attend the salmon bake and try the local beer.

3. Ketchikan – If you missed shopping in Skagway then pick up your souvenirs at this port. The shopping district starts when you get off the pier and extends almost 3 blocks radius. If the forecast calls for a nice day then choose an excursion to the Misty Fjords where you can witness some of the most beautiful inlets and waterfalls. Or try the Ketchikan Duck tour and see Ketchikan in the most strangest and unique vehicle around – an amphibious truck/ boat.

4. College Fjord, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm Fjord – Cruise ships sailing to these destinations provide a scenic cruising experience. In other words, glaciers are best viewed safely from the deck or balcony suites. Dress warmly and bring a cup of hot chocolate with you as you watch ice break away and become icebergs. This process is called ‘calving’. Bring binoculars and see otters, seals, eagles and if you’re lucky, bears.

5. Whittier – I chose a bus tour that drove through the Anton Anderson Memorial tunnel which is the longest tunnel in North America. In Anchorage, there is a museum to browse through or for the more adventurous, try an ocean kayak tour to Kenai Fjords and see whales, orcas and seals along the way.

I hope you make the most of your Alaskan cruise. If you are sailing through Prince William Sound, be sure to remove your iPod earbuds and enjoy the peace and serenity that the area offers.