Montréal or as it seems the citizens of Québec call it "Moreal" was my first stop in Canada. I landed on the 10th of August 2019 late at night and was surprised how fast the immigration process worked. Just needed to show my passport, the permit and my finances. Then I got a document and was free to go with a valid Working Holiday Visa for a full year in Canada 😊

The only thing I knew about Montréal before I got here was that most of the citizens speak French while the majority also knows English. What I didn't know was that all the street signs, public transportation signs and announcements, machines and further more mostly just equipt with French displays or speach. My Spanish helped me to guess what was instructed but wasn't perfect. Also in the hostel I stayed over 3/4 of the guests and employees where French speakers and a lot of times I was the only one not speaking French. Still it worked out and if you ask kindly there is always someone to help you.

I read online that the administrative steps to take are easily done in a day but I didn't wanted to rush into this journey, that is why I booked a full week. I got a mobile contract easily, my SIN number (tax related) was ready super quickly (German administration could learn from that...). Only the bank account didn't work because they did not want to accept my hostel as an address. I'll need to do that later. Since that didn't take much time I could explore the city and take some time to relax as well. Iceland was beautiful, but driving that much and hiking every day got me exhausted and the last weeks at work and to dissolve the apartment even more. I was burned out... This week helped to gain back some energy and Montréal is great for great food, has nice parks and other sites to explore. In the following you'll see my impressions.

First picture taken, to me the most beautiful flag in the world <3

Mont Royal

My advice is to take the bus up and then walk your way down, especially if it is as hot as it was when I was there ;) If you'll have the time go on a Sunday, they have the Tam Tams, a drum meeting where everyone is invited to join the yam or just dance or relax by the music. It's located near the George-Étienne-Cartier-Monument.

View from the Mont Royal.

Croix du Mont-Royal.

Belvédère Camillien-Houde also on top of the Mont Royal.

Le Plateau-Mont-Royal & Mile-End

Defenitly walk through the streets and try some food or some treats. I had some bagels at St-Viateur Bagel Shop and some other sweets on the way like super delicious ice cream in the Avenue Fairmount. I love the style of the houses and walked around the area for what felt like hours.

Such a creative neighborhood.

I do really love these school busses.

Notre-Dame de Montréal

Such a beauty!

Old Harbor

My hostel was just behind the Bonsecours Market seen on the following picture. This place is seriously touristy but at nights the lights make it really beautiful.

Bonsecours Market.

PY1 Club.

Pont Jacques-Cartier.

Light show at the Tour de l’Horloge.

La Grande Roue de Montréal.

Also the Grande Roue de Montréal and I can't even tell you why I like this picture that much, but I do...

Isn't this a beautiful skyline?

Bonsecours Market by night.

Biosphère Montreal

I have to admit, I didn't even went in, but the architecture fascianted me! Insted I realaxed in the shades at the Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Parc olympique de Montréal

I didn't ride up the tower and instead visited the botanical garden just around the corner. It was cute, but I have seen way better ones.

The olympic stadion.

Chinese garden in the Jardin botanique de Montréal.

Don't know what they did to make this water so blue, but it looked great.

A birch always makes me feel like home because we had one in our garden in Germany close to the house I grew up in for the first years of my life. We always climbed it as kidds :)

Montreal - Canada