I experienced Montreal in two and a half days, the perfect stay. Arriving on Friday evening, my three friends and I made our temporary home at a hostel on the bustling rue St. Denis. Rue St. Denis a special place for its abundance of restaurants offering an eclectic assortment of foods from all around the world. In fact, one of our evenings was spent on rue St. Denis at an Ethiopian restaurant savoring African cuisine, with our hands! No silverware was provided. All of the countries of the world seemed to be represented on that street. Asian to African to Middle Eastern; they were all there.
We got around on the city's metro and bus system, a marvel in itself. In downtown, there was no location too far out of reach of the transit that needed more than a 5 minute walk. Definitely a walking city. The metro brought us to the Olympic Park, where the 1976 summer Olympics were held, the underground city, a stretch of 20 miles of underground tunnels and shops, and Old Montreal, a historic area with cobblestone streets and old architecture. Each time I stepped on the subway, I got another chance to experience what Montreal is like for locals.
Perhaps the most memorable moment for me was when my friend Jordan and I waited in line to buy poutine, french fries topped with cheese curds and gravy, at a local restaurant. This restaurant we went to was the size of a postage stamp. Two employees, a fry cook and a cashier/server, managed the entire restaurant, which seated about 10 people. Despite the size, the line of customers was out the door, but that didn't matter. Watching the cook grill steaks and the server squeeze fresh grapefruit juice was all the atmosphere needed. I've never ever seen employees work so hard and manage customers with their level of patience. On my next visit to Montreal, I'll be back for sure.
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