C10 | Life Travel The Sunday Times | Sunday, April 16, 2017 Sunday, April 16, 2017 | The Sunday Times Travel Life | C11

GETTING THERE There are multiple Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com) flights to Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport, where Cirque du travellers can connect with Air Vancouver Canada’s (www.aircanada.com) Ottawa new daily flights between Pacific Shanghai and on the Ocean Toronto Montreal Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Total US Atlantic flying time to Montreal is just Ocean over 22 hours. Emirates’ (www.emirates.com) SUNDAY TIMES GRAPHICS Airbus from Singapore to Toronto via Dubai is a few hours longer. Once in Toronto, there Montreal are quick multiple flights to Montreal on Air Canada or WestJet (www.westjet.com).

GETTING AROUND • Metro: The website has maps, Central Montreal is, for the most fees and even a description of part, quite walkable and the art in each station. Go to bikeable, unless it is winter. www.metrodemontreal.com Even then, there are plenty of • Tour bus: Gray Line’s hop-on, excellent options. hop-off double-decker bus • Bicycle: Bixi, Montreal’s bike does a central Montreal loop of sharing system, runs from the city’s most visited areas. Go April to November. Go to to bit.ly/2ohzlSE bixi.com/en • Taxi: Montreal, it is said, has • Boat: You cannot get around too many taxis. It is easy to hail the whole city, but you will see one on the street. There is even some sites from the Saint a new all-electric taxi Lawrence River. Go to company, Teo, with an app. Go www.bateau mouche.ca/en to teomtl.com/en

City of jugglers,

The city is a mix of the old-school into a snow bank while in a dancing frenzy at Igloo Fest (igloofest.ca), acrobats, wizardry and the eccentric, and where Montreal’s icy outdoor electronic music party. revellers party late into the night But if dancing in boots and mit- tens is not for you, rent ice skates at FROM C10 Wander Mile End and you will see Judith Ritter the public skating rink or watch commando art projects every- 17th-century-style ice canoe racing where. Scrap metal artist Glen on the frozen river, another wacky A most curious neighbourhood LeMesurier borrows neighbours’ My adopted city, Montreal, is al- winter activity. within a neighbourhood (St Michel) front yards to display his sculp- most daunting to describe because Probably the best place to watch is Cite des Arts du Cirque. This Cir- tures, random bits of poetry are it is just so odd. It is a French-speak- canoes on a frozen river (or paddle- cus City complex is the headquar- taped on fences and trees are some- ing Canadian city in an English- boats in warmer seasons) is from ters of Cirque du Soleil, Ecole na- times decorated with yarn and speaking continent. Its population the unusual floating spa, Bota Bota tionale de cirque (The National Cir- found objects. eschews grandiose financial suc- (botabota.ca/en). This spa on a cus School) and Tohu (tohu.ca/en), Try perogies, starchy delicious cess yet splurges endlessly in its docked ferryboat is where you can Montreal’s circus arts performance potato dumplings, at cosy 6,000 restaurants. And its most have panoramic views of the city centre. At Tohu, there is almost al- Euro-Deli Batory (www.eurodeliba well-known industries sell fantasy. and river while steaming and preen- ways some sort of performance in tory.ca), a Polish mom-and-pop res- Some cities export auto parts, oth- ing on its deck. this circus-happy district. taurant next to a domed church in- ers pharmaceuticals; Montreal ex- Follow one indulgence with an- A love of performance and spec- spired by Istanbul’s Hagia Sofia. ports jugglers, acrobats and techno- other and have lunch at neighbour- tacle permeates the city in ad hoc Do not miss authentic Roman logical wizardry. Cirque du Soleil hood favourite Les 400 Coups ways too. There are musicians in pizza taglio at the tiny five-table and a dozen small circuses were (www.les400coups.ca/en). The tal- the Metro, and on street corners Carboni (www.carbonicafe.ca) born here and aspiring performers ented young chef serves up and in parks there are colourfully where, says co-owner Claudia flock to Montreal’s National Circus terroir cuisine such as bison collar painted public pianos for musical Marchese, the pizza dough is made School. Digital games and special with winter carrots and black apple passers-by. from 130-year-old sourdough effects studios abound. Remember puree. Circus on a street in Montreal, home of the famous Cirque du Soleil. PHOTO: RENALD LAURIN In warm weather, there is the starter brought from Italy. those aliens in the science-fiction city’s most delightfully chaotic And, of course, do not leave movie Arrival (2016)? A TASTE OF THE QUIRKY event, the Tam-Tams. It is a weekly without dropping into St Viateur But most of all, Montreal loves to In , there are plenty of outdoor drumming party in Parc du Bagel (www.stviateurbagel.com) to party and play, no matter the transport options. Bixis are grab- Mont-Royal. The impromptu gath- watch Montreal’s premier perform- weather. and-go bicycles at stands around ering, which began about 30 years ance: bagel-making. Since 1957, the I muse on such things when I am the city. Ride all day for five Cana- ago, attracts percussionists and bakers have kneaded, stretched out running in the snow and it’s -20 dian dollars (S$5.20) and drop it off Montrealers who just want to and twirled dough into rings, and deg C. Here, winter lies in the col- at another Bixi location. dance. baked them into bagels on an open lective unconscious. “Mon pays ce But Montreal’s most famous trans- You will see everything from wood fire. The steamy old-world n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver,” port is its Metro. Each of its 68 sta- twirly, eyes-closed hippie dancing shop is visited as much for the bagel- sings Quebecer Gilles Vigneault. tions is designed by a different ar- to expert execution of African making performance as for the “My country isn’t a country, it’s chitect and many feature the art of dances. And do not be surprised if chewy sweet bagels. winter.” well-known Montrealers. costumed warriors and knights Mile End’s two old favourite Winter or summer, you’ll see If you ride the Metro (www.metro with foam swords run by you chas- cafes, Club Social (www.facebook. Montreal’s joie de vivre on display, demontreal.com) from Old Montreal ing one another. These fans of live com/cafeclubsocial) and Olimpico especially this year at its 375th birth- to the complex of arts action role play are regulars, just up (www.cafeolimpico.com), both run day celebrations. spaces, you will see one of the sub- the hill from the drummers. by Italian families, have deep roots For revelry and history, start at way’s most vaunted artworks, Fre- in the neighbourhood. Over a cap- Vieux-Montreal (Old Montreal), deric Back’s music-themed stained ARTISTIC, ODDBALL MILE END puccino, you will discover what the city’s 17th-century birthplace glass mural. It is a perfect introduc- Mount Royal borders Mile End, my really drives this city: long, loun- on the edge of the Saint Lawrence tion to your next district, Quartier neighbourhood. It is the city’s most ging relaxed conversation. Mon- River. This once ultra-Catholic en- des Spectacles (www.quartierd- artistic and oddball district. Since treal slang for this small talk is jaser. clave settled by fur traders and esspectacles.com/ en), the entertain- the 19th and 20th centuries, waves I have lived in Montreal on and off priests has no shortage of old ment neighbourhood. of refugees and immigrants, includ- for a few decades and early on, a churches (including one displaying This 1 sq km of downtown ing Italians, Greeks, Portuguese friend had explained the slower a saint’s heart in a reliquary), but Montreal has more than 80 galler- and Eastern European Jews, came pace, long lunches and gabbing in Notre-Dame Basilica (www.basili ies and performance spaces, where to the area to work in the textile cafes in this way: “In France, it’s ‘dis- quenotredame.ca/en) is the mar- you might see anything from a po- factories. cuter’. They discuss. Here, we chat quee attraction. etry slam to a symphony. Hippies, musicians and artists fol- and chat. It’s like jazz.” Sure, it has an 11-tonne bell and Nights in the area are especially lowed in the 1960s and 1970s. They When night falls, conversation Gothic Revival vaulted ceilings, but interesting because this dark, cold shared the area with the working- continues over drinks and snacks at for selfie-taking fans outside, it is northern city takes the art of light class communities filling the old hangouts such as La Buvette Chez truly famous as the church where seriously. Even the city’s major Rent ice skates at the public skating Italian cafes and shopping in small Simone (buvettechezsimone.com), Montreal’s chanteuse, Celine Dion, bridge is being permanently outfit- rink (left) or watch 17th-century-style grocery stores. This multi-ethnic presided over by actress-owner Si- was married. ted with several thousand lights ice canoe racing (above) on the neighbourhood’s soundtrack is still mone Chevalot. Although young Lesser known is Montreal’s first which will change colour and frozen river, a wacky winter activity. a melange of languages including a celebrities such as Cannes Festival stone chapel, Notre-Dame-de-Bon- rhythm with the weather and PHOTOS: JULIEN HEON, MARIE-REINE MATTERA most colourful one, Franglais (like favourite Xavier Dolan often show Secours (margueritebourgeoys.org). traffic. Singlish). up, the atmosphere is unpreten- Climb its steep, narrow steps to the Quartier des Spectacles is a bit Although a recent wave of gentri- tious. bell tower for the best view of the like Singapore’s i Light Marina Bay fication and hipster-isation has Later – this is a late-night town – river and old city. Underneath the festival, but on steroids. Buildings made my home turf “trendy”, there it is time to hear live music. chapel, see 2,400-year-old arte- are illuminated in all seasons and are a lot of the old places to visit still Fans of indie bands head to facts from when the place was a Nat- the area is home to festivals of light, – and artists, musicians and joy- charmingly scruffy favourite clubs ive campsite. film, theatre, comedy, circus, dance ously flaky and serious performers such as La Sala Rossa (lasalarossa. Old Montreal has contemporary and music. of all kinds to meet in the old- com) and Casa del Popolo (casadel Native art too. Stop at Galerie In Montreal, restaurants abound, restaurant is a canvas for his nutti- hotel opened in 1912. Its recent school cafes. popolo.com/en), where many well Images Boreales (www.images from the offbeat mom-and-pop ness,” Perron says, laughing. renovation preserved much of its Hipster-style shops and restaur- known hometown indie artists boreales.com) to see serpentine style to the celebrity chef genre. From Quartier des Spectacles, it classic glamour, so a visit is a ants are starting to crowd out loc- such as Arcade Fire, Patrick Watson stone and whalebone sculptures Zebulon Perron, Montreal’s res- is an easy walk to Sherbrooke chance to time-travel to an elegant als, but Mile End is still the place for and Socalled have played. from Ojibway artist Paul Bruneau taurant design darling, tries to ex- Street, some of the more estab- period of Montreal’s history. hole-in-the-wall classics. Ignore Though, sadly, some of my favour- and Inuit artist Lukie Airut. plain this overabundance of eater- lished galleries and the splendid From here, it is easy to make your the Ben Folds eyeglass emporiums ite haunts have disappeared, some- Along the narrow cobblestone ies. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts way to even more eccentric and cold-pressed juices bars. Visit times, on my pre-dawn runs streets you will find tiny shops fea- “There’s this thing we love about (www.mbam.qc.ca/en). Do not, how- districts. the long-time family-owned places through the neighbourhood, I hear turing local, independent fashion being in public, hanging out,” he ever, miss the under-the-radar Red- Le Village, close to downtown, is our family goes to. singing, laughter and the crunch of designers. Montrealers, often a says over coffee. The chefs and food path Museum (www.mcgill.ca/red where you will find Montreal’s Duck into Delphi (221 Avenue Fair- snow under boots. quirkily attired bunch, seem to can be the highest quality, but “we path/redpath-museum) for a look at weird version of pub darts at Rage mount Ouest), a Greek depanneur, At that moment, I am joyfully reas- prefer their own clothiers to Chanel don’t go for gilded places. Every- weird stones, bones and remnants (www.ragemontreal.com/en), an axe- or Montreal’s version of a sured that this city is still delight- or Dior, explains fashion maven thing is casual and often pretty of plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs. throwing venue, a uniquely Quebec mom-and-pop shop, owned by the fully unpredictable, eccentric and Emanuela Lolli. quirky”. , once called woodsman-style pastime. Tsoudis family for nearly a half cen- will always have its all-night young “People here go for an androgyn- Take, for example, his latest the Golden Mile, was the exclusive Urban explorers might venture tury. Besides daily-life sundries, revellers happily making their way ous look,’’ she tells me. And their design, Montreal Plaza (montreal turf of the 19th-century 1 per cent east to Hochelaga-Maisonneuve for you can pick up olive oil and dried home just before dawn. unique winter style? She describes plaza.com/en). There, well-known and is still lined with period build- the Insectarium (espacepourlavie. camomile flowers from the owner’s Et Voila. that as nordicite. “Very warm fab- chef Charles-Antoine Crete holds ings. One of those, Ritz-Carlton ca/en/insectarium), North Amer- family fields in Crete. rics in a palette of black and dark court in an establishment with an Montreal (www.ritzcarlton.com/ ica’s largest collection of creepy At three-decades-old S.W.Welch [email protected] grays.” in-restaurant greenhouse, a small Montreal), is a perfect place to set crawlies. bookstore (bit.ly/2oWkq1r), lounge From my standpoint, black stop-motion studio and random up camp. Not just for the luxury, but as long as you want – even late at • Judith Ritter is an American clothes are not just chic, but also objects such as a spinning upside- for its history too. night – in saggy couches, among freelance journalist living the sensible. You would be easier to down dollhouse hanging from the Housed in a Neo-Classical CITY OF JUGGLERS, ACROBATS, Historic churches such as Notre-Dame-de-BonSecours (above) co-exist with stacks and shelves of used and rare bohemian life in her adopted city, spot should you slip and disappear ceiling. “The chef is brilliant and the palazzo style building, the majestic WIZARDRY continued on C11 mom-and-pop shops decorated in graffiti. PHOTOS: ROBIN THIBAU, TOURISM QUEBEC tomes. Montreal.