Download a copy of this information and bring it with you.

Lodgings – Restaurants & Your Necessary Travel Information when attending

The Radiant Rose Academy Diamond Heart “Celebration” Conclave

The Diamond Heart Conclave , QC, August 16, 17, 18, 2019

The Metamorphosis of our Physical Bodies has begun!

The Seven Spiritual Biorhythms and Seven Sacred Seals

Anticipate 2019 DHC/Montreal to be beyond all expectations!

Dates: Friday, August 16 Registration 4:00pm Doors open 5:00 pm

Saturday, August 17 9 am – 6pm

Sunday, August 18 9 am – 6pm

Location: Le Gesu Theatre, Centre de Creativite 1200 rue de Bleury, Montreal, QC H3B 3J3

Saturday night This year no organized group meal get-together has been planned as students desire to be on their own to explore Montreal. Vegan/Vegetarian restaurants are listed on Page 9, below.

1 Water: Le Gesu is a theatre, not a hotel. The theatre bar is not open during Conclave. Please Bring your own water bottle, and you can refill it at Le Gesu water fountain.

Le Gesu Theater does not allow any Food or Beverages such as Coffee/ Tea/Smoothies/Juices/Protein Bars etc. inside the Theater.

Dress Code: Friday: green or pink Saturday: Violet/purple Sunday: white/blue

Le Gesu is air-conditioned best a sweater or shawl of the matching color. Wear layers.

Parking: Underground at the Double Tree Hilton or 1432 rue de Bleury just across rue Ste. Catherine. Or Complexe des Jardins attached to the Hotel. Short walk to the Theater.

Time zone: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/canada/montreal http://dateandtime.info/city.php?id=6077243

Weather Forecast: 10-day pre DHC week-end Weather Forecast: http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/qc-147_metric_e.html

Spiritual & Mystic Montreal

Book to read: “The Templars’ Legacy in Montreal, the New Jerusalem” by Francine Bernier. Quoting from Amazon.com & Amazon.ca : “Designed in the 17th century as the New Jerusalem of the Christian world, the became the new headquarters of a group of mystics that wanted to live as the flawless Primitive Church of Jesus Christ. But they could not do that in the Old World. This books reveals the links between John the Baptist (the Patron Saint of French Canada) , Melchizedek, the first king-priest and a father figure to the Templars and the Essenes.” Air Travel Montreal’s Airport code: YUL

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Plattsburg, NY is Montreal’s closest U.S. Airport: Plattsburgh International Airport www.flyplattsburg.com

The nearest airport to is the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval.

You need to have a valid passport to enter Canada that does not expire within six months of the date of travel.

Booking your own airline ticket on-line? Check out the “hot seats and the not seats” Google: seatguru.com then just key in your airline, and plane type (don’t worry they tell you how) and see at a glance which seats have extra legroom (ahhh!), seats with limited recline and reduced legroom. Select the alphabetized menu on the left for your airline(s).

Take this as a travel safety advisory “extraordinaire”: Be conscious, AND surround yourself with the Sacred Flame.

Airport Shuttle Service

Shuttle service to/from the Airport - 747 Express - $10.00 one way Canadian coins only, no bank bills accepted.

http://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/bus/shuttle/more-about-747- aeroport-p-e-trudeau-centre-ville-shuttle

Wi-Fi service is available on most 747 buses to/from the Airport. The 747 Bus Service is provided between Montreal-Trudeau Airport and Montreal’s Central Bus Terminal (Berri-UQAM). The line has 9 stops. Service 24 hours a day, 20 minutes during rush hours, every 30 minutes during off-peak hours and hourly between 2am - 5am. It also provides travelers with a transit pass valid on the STM bus and Metro network for the next 24 hours. Check the back of your receipt ticket - assure that there is “24 heures” printed on the back. Keep your receipt ticket.

3 Length of trip: anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic.  Inbound: for the Double Tree Hilton - East - Stop #7 - at corner boul. René Lévesque and rue Jeanne Mance.  Outbound: for the Airport - West - Stop #3 –- corner Boul. René Lévesque and rue Anderson

You can pick up an Airport Shuttle Service schedule at the Airport.

If you have an I-phone you have free access to the Montreal Transit System information visit: transitapp.com

Transportation Options to/from Airport and Hotels

Travellers can take a taxi (a fixed fee quoted in Canadian currency between downtown & the Airport) Ask for the fixed fee.  Expect to pay limousine or taxi driver a gratuity of no less than 15% of fare, before taxes.  24km from Airport to Double Tree Hilton Montreal Centre Ville.  Uber rates: http://uberestimate.com/prices/Montreal/

Car Rentals

Distance from Airport to downtown Montreal: 24km to Le Gesu Theatre, 12 rue de Bleury, Montreal, H3B 3J3 Double Tree Hilton Hotel , 1255 rue Jeanne Mance, Montreal, H5B 1E5

Directions: Printout of driving directions from Mapquest

Suggestion: Budget Car Rental (514) 842-1955 or 1-800-268-8900 Budget Car Rental has an office in Mall under the Double Tree Hilton Hotel at the entrance on rue St. Urbain.

Check car rental rates locally prior to your departure, before you reserve, then compare with on-line prices. Google: Budget Car Rentals – www.budget.ca Avis - www.avis.ca Dollar Rent a car - www.dollar.com Hertz – www.hertz.com National Car Rental - www.nationalcar.ca Thrifty – www.thrifty.com

4 Discount Car Rentals - www.discountcar.com Via Route – www.viaroute.com

Hotel Accommodations ______Note: Never, ever. return your magnetized room key/card to the Hotel Clerk when checking out! Always keep it and destroy it when you get home because the black strip on the back of the room card has ALL your personal information on it and can easily be retrieved. ______

Reserve now to benefit from “Special Group Rate” You must book before July 15, 2019.

Passwords: Radiant Rose Academy

Double Tree Hilton Ph: (514) 982-1234 1255 rue Jeanne Mance Fax: (514) 285-1243 Montreal, QC. H5B 1E5 www.montreal.hyatt.com Self park: $25.00 per night Valet parking: $32.00 per night

Group Rate: Check www.radiantroseacademy.com for this year’s rate.

Looking for a Roommate? To look for a roommate, or ride sharing, please visit the www.radiantroseacademy.com and sign up for our Community Forum. You can post on our Room and Ride Sharing page.

Best Price Lodgings close to The Gesu Theatre 1200 rue de Bleury, Montreal H3B 3J3

 Within walking distance: Residences UQAM Ouest, Montreal, 2100 rue St. Urbain, Montreal H2X 4E1 www.residences-uqam.qc.ca/hotel

5  A short Métro ride. Métro Stations: & McGill (adjacent) http://metrodemontreal.com/map/html McGill University New Residence Hall, 3625 ave.du Parc, Montreal, H2X 3P8 www.mcgill.ca/accommodations/summer/nrh

Hotels near “Conclave”

Note: Hotels listed below are located in downtown Montreal and all are within walking distance of Le Gesu Theatre where the Conclave is taking place.

 Prices fluctuate with demand check directly with hotel for latest price updates. Ask for their best rate. Reserve early.

 Check out best deal near 1200 de Bleury: (long website address!) Google: Trivago Montreal near Place des Arts (Note: this is date sensitive site and information constantly changes)

 Google your hotel of choice - web address shown  Note: all hotel prices shown are subject to change without prior notice.

1. Hotel Villa 57 rue St. Catherine East at St. Laurent (514) 849-5043 $ 89.00 www.hotelvilla.ca

2. Travel Lodge Hotel 50 Rene Levesque West at St.Laurent Blvd. (514) 874-9090 from $199. [email protected]

3. Hotel Holiday Inn Express 155 Rene Levesque East at St. Laurent 1-888-661-7600 (514) 448-7100 www.hiemontreal.com from $199.

4. Hotel Le Roberval

6 505 bou. Rene Levesque West (514) 286-5215 www.leroberval.com from $126,

5. Hotel Place des Arts 270 Sherbrooke West 1-800-363-3010 (514) 995-7515 2-room suite from $100. www.hotelplacedesarts.com

6. L’Appartement Hotel 455 Sherbrooke St. West 1-800-363-3011 www.appartementhotel.com from $124.

7. Auberge Celebrities 1097 St. Denis at Rene Levesque (514) 849-9688 www.celebrityhotelmontreal.com from $115. 8. Hotel St. Denis 1254 rue St. Denis 1-800-291-5927 from $149. www.hotel-st-denis.com

9. Hotel du Manoir St.Denis includes continental breakfast 2006 rue St.Denis at Ontario East 1-888-567-7654 (514) 843-3670 from $75. www.manoirstdenis.com

10. Lord Berri Hotel 1199 Berri St. (514) 845-9236 www.lordberri.com from $155.

11. Hotel des Gouverneurs – Place Dupuis 1415 St. Hubert/St. Catherine 1-888-910-1111 from $140. www.gouverneur.com

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Bed & Breakfast

New concept for selections that will amaze you! check it out! www.airbnb.com/s/Montreal-Quebec-Canada

Note: prices quoted are subject to change without prior notice.

1. B&B de Chez Nous (2 streets from rue de Bleury) 1215 rue Ste. Elizabeth from $135.double Montreal, (514) 844-5048 www.jadeblue.net

2. Gite Touristique Le Saint Andre des Arts check website 1654 rue St. Andre Montreal H2L 3T6 (514) 527-7118 www.BBCanada.com

3. Gite Le Simone B&B from $119. 1571 rue St. Andre Montreal H2L 3T5 1-888-849-8866

Private Babysitting Services:

http://www.nannyservices.ca/nanny_montreal_caregiver.asp or contact the “Operator” of your Hotel

Restaurants in & around Double Tree Hilton Hotel

The Double Tree Hilton is part of Complexe Desjardins and its large commercial Mall includes a Food Court of of 31 outlets and restaurants catering to all tastes. Follow the Food Court indications to Place des Arts where yet other restaurants are located. You are also within underground walking distance of Chinatown, with its numerous restaurants. http://complexedesjardins.com/en/restaurants

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8 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xo2Kqf_the-layover-s01e06- montreal-travel

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Montreal a foodie’s dream check link below

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/town-country-magazine-names-montreal- food-capital-of-north-america-1.2882134

Groceries – Supermarket

Marché I.G.A. Louise Ménard (same building as Double Tree Hilton) 5 Place Desjardins – Level 1 – Section 72

Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants rated the BEST & close to Le Gesu Theatre

Resto Vego Montreal 1204 rue McGill College (7-10 minute walk from Le Gesu) Montreal, QC (514) 871-1480 www.restovego.ca

Resto Vego Montreal 1720 rue St. Denis (between de Maisonneuve & rue Ontario) Montreal, QC (514) 845-2627 www.restovego.ca

Laitue & Go (English translation of name - Lettuce Go) Complex Desjardins - basement level of the Regency Hyatt Hotel Create your own personal meal-sized salad by choosing from some 50 fresh ingredients or try one of the chef`s mouth watering creations.

Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants Montreal adventures for your palate

Google web address shown for details:

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ChuChai - Thai (much-loved Miam kram won a food award in 2005) 4088 rue St. Denis (near rue Duluth) Montreal, QC (514) 843-4194 www.chuchai.com

Lola Rosa Park (a favorite of McGill University students) 4581 Park Ave. (near Mont-Royal) Montreal, QC (514) 843-5652 www.lola-rosa.ca

Invitation V (try their Detox or Vitalité non-alcoholic cocktails & Kale & chocolate fusion cake) 254 Bernard St. West (near ave. du Parc) (gluten free selection available) Montreal, QC (80% organic ingredients) (514) 271-8111 www.invitationv.com

L’Gros Luxe – végé (their veggie Tacos is to die for) 3807, rue St. André ( in Le Plateau Mont-Royal district) Montreal, QC (514) 447-2227

La Panthère Verte 2143, rue Mackay Montreal,QC http://www.lapanthereverte.com/ (514) 903-4744 (for bike delivery: (514) 903-7770)

Aux Vivres - vegan since 1997 4631 boul. St. Laurent (near rue Villeneuve) Montreal, QC (514) 842-3479 www.auxvivres.com

Restaurant Crudessence Restaurant Crudessence 2157 rue Mackay 105 rue Rachel ouest Montreal, QC H3G 2J2 Montreal, QC H2W 1G4 (514) 664-5188 (514) 510-9299

10 www.crudessence.com Bonny`s Vegetarian Bio 1748 rue Notre Dame ouest Montreal, QC, H3J 1N6 (514) 931-4136 http://www.bonnys.ca/home.htm

Burritoville (old-school veggie hangout, serves organic, nutritious, meatless meals – but no margaritas) 2055 Bishop St. (near rue de Maisonneuve ouest)\ Montreal, QC (514) 286-2776 www.burritoville.ca

Yuan – Asian cuisine (posted in the window is a heart-shaped bubble- lettered sign that asks: “Have you hugged a vegan today) 2115 rue St. Denis (near rue Sherbrooke est) Montreal, QC (514) 848-0513 www.yuanvegetarien.com

Basilic – vegetarian-friendly: Limited - coffee shop Hong Kong-style in Chinatown 83 de la Gauchetière St. West (near St. Urbain Street) Montreal, QC (514) 875-1388 Website: n/a

More Vegan/Vegetarian restaurants: https://www.happycow.net/north_america/canada/quebec/montreal/

Chuch Bistro (BYOB – gluten & soya free options) Cash only 4090 rue St. Denis (near ave. Duluth East Montreal, QC. (514) 843-4194 www.chuchai.com

La Folie du Koshary - Eat like an Egyptian (vegetarian friendly) 1444 rue St. Mathieu (near rue Ste.Catherine ouest) Montreal, QC (514) 507-3006 http://lafoliedukoshary.com/about-us/

11 Public Transportation

Métro underground: For a map of the Métro system go to http://stm.info/en/info/networks/maps Click: Underground City or ask a Métro Ticket Agent at any Métro Station.

Métro Stations: Hyatt Regency Hotel - Place des Arts Métro Station St. Joseph’s Oratory - Côte des Neiges Métro Station

Métro & Bus Fares: Tickets available: Métro ticket booth attendant 1 trip ticket $ 3.25 (exact fare required when boarding bus) 2-trip fare $ 6.00 (purchase card at Métro ticket booth) 1-day fare $10.00 http://www.stm.info/sites/default/files/pdf/en/tarifs.pdf

Métro and Bus information: STM-Info (514) 786-4636 (8am-6pm) Bus Schedules (514) 288-6287 (8am-6pm) www.stm.info http://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/maps

Queing up for the bus: Never stand at the beginning of a line if you have just arrived. Montrealers are respectful and queue/lineup for the bus.

Bike your way around Montreal’s more than 350 km/217 miles of bike paths

Montreal is the most bike friendly city in North America by the Copenhagen Index.

How to rent a Bixi bike in Montreal: http://montreal.about.com/od/gettingaroundtown/a/public_bikes.htm Map of Bixi Stations: https://secure.bixi.com/map/

Emergency

12 Dial 911 for Ambulance, Police, Fire Medical assistance (514) 420-5000 Closest hospital to Regency Hyatt: Hôpital St. Luc, 1058 rue St. Denis

Plan to network with other students bring 100 min. of your business/calling cards

======Are you arriving earlier or staying over ?

“Anyone who doesn’t think Montreal is one of the greatest cities in the world is clearly not from this planet.” Dan Aykroyd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYD01tD18A8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqImasCDTCQ

http://johnlabelle.bandcamp.com/track/theme-for-montreal

Shopping

Taxes applicable: GST 5% and PST 9.5%

Montreal’s “Underground City”: Beneath the city streets, visitors to Montreal can explore the Underground City; an enormous underground structure integrated into the City’s major commercial districts. It is known for being the largest underground complex in the world containing and linking to over 250+ restaurants, 1700 boutiques, 30 movie theatres, halls, museums & hotels, all connected to l0 of the City’s subway stations. This unique feature has made people often refer to Montreal as “two cities in one” and can allow visitors to explore the City without having to worry about the outside weather or lengthy travel time between the City’s shopping districts. Check it out - Google: Montreal’s Underground City P.S.: Nobody is living in the Underground City.

Plaza St. Hubert: a long strip from Bellechasse Street to Jean Talon Street (7 blocks/both sides) with bargains galore. This street has become the magnet for major chain liquidation stores. For more, check out

13 “Smart Shopping Montreal” by Sandra Phillips [email protected]

Montreal’s Trendy Neighborhoods

Le Mont-Royal – “The Mountain” is Montreal’s beloved central landmark and natural haven. It is a natural park in the middle of the City. A playground for all seasons. Check out the two “Look-outs” for fabulous views of the Island of Montreal. Little Italy: Bordered by St.Zotique, Jean-Jalon, Marconi and Drolet Streets, Little Italy is filled with cafes, trattorias and specialty food stores, which portray the Italian culture through all its facets. Quartier des Spectacles: equivalent to Broadway. The square kilometer is home to 80 cultural venues; 28,000 seats in 30 performance halls; 450 cultural organizations. Montreal’s “21 Musical Swings” are adjacent to Place des Arts - swing free on any given day, or night, from April to October. Quartier Latin: This is where important cultural trends continue to emerge, where dance, theatre, the arts and music have been redefined. The area offers an atmosphere marked by open-mindedness and joie de vivre. : Once fortified, the district has retained traces of its architectural origins, allowing visitors to discover its history. A place to be on any given week-end. Google: www.ville.montreal.qc.ca www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca Le Village Gai : For visitors and residents alike, Le Village features a very extensive selection of restaurants, coffee/pastry shops. Located on rue Ste. Catherine est (Beaudry Metro Station) between rue St. Hubert to rue Delorimier (West-East) and rue Sherbrooke est and boul. René Lévesque on rue Amherst (North-South) – a distance of two (2) km making it the largest in North America. Plateau Mont-Royal: This is the stomping ground of the young urban professionals. Cafés, bistros, restaurants, cigar lounges and nightclubs define Le Plateau’s unique landscape where all go to see and be seen. Le Quartier Chinois: Montreal’s Chinatown is one of the City’s most dynamic ethnic districts. The corner of boulevard St. Laurent and rue de la Gauchetière represents the heart of this district, with numerous restaurants, shops, sites for its special events and temples. Hochelaga-Maisonneuve: It all started with the building of the Olympic Stadium, Montreal’s most audacious architectural landmark. Today Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is home to many major tourist attractions.

14 Outremont & Mile End: Located north of Mont-Royal Park, you will find the perfect little town to relax in, enjoying multiple European-style cafés and pubs. Farmers’ Markets

Marché Jean-Talon: this is a fun farmers’ market to check out. Great food and ambiance. Located at rue 216 Jean-Talon Street Est, near boul. St. Laurent. (Métro Station: Jean Talon) Marché Atwater: This farmers’ market caters to the upscale Westmount crowd. Reminiscent of a small European market.

Interesting & quaint Montreal streets are made for walking (according to Marian Scott, The Gazette, Montreal)

* Avenue West (East of Esplanade Ave.) Mount Royal has all the fun of a street on the rise with its independent boutiques * St. Viateur Street (East of Park Avenue.) Graze on organic fare in a vintage pharmacy on Mile End’s most happening Street. * Duluth Ave. lined with BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) restaurants, Duluth Avenue still has not lost its laid-back charm. * Bernard Avenue – café-terraces, tea, cheese & gift shops and some superb sorbets. * Laurier Avenue – from chic sportswear and French salons de thé to Iranian cuisine and artisan breads, with taverns and triplexes in between. * St. Paul Street in Old Montreal isn’t just for tourists any more, with books, bread and original art. * Victoria Avenue (in Côte des Neiges) Feast on Jamaican roti, chicken tikka and Vietnamese pho soup – this architecturally nondescript street has many multicultural shops.

Tourist Attractions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i81wNpTgGcI

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. 360-View of Montreal – from the top from http://ausommetpvm.com - on a clear day you can see past the U.S. Border 40km/31 miles away as the crow flies.

Swinging Montreal: due to popular demand Montreal’s free “21 Musical Swings” season has been extended to October for the first time in 5 years. Swing and make music with your friends http://www.urbanistdispatch.com/1278/montreals-21-swings/

* St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal 3800 Queen Mary Rd., Montreal (514) 733-8211 www.saint-joseph.org

St. Joseph’s Oratory dominates Montreal’s skyline and is the only building ever approved to rise above Mount Royal. It is the third (3rd) largest Church in the world after Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro in Côte d`Ivoire, and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Missed Vancouver’s Peace Arch ? – connect with its energy in Montreal!

( Goddess of Justice’s Flame, was anchored here on August 19, 2006. Portia, Goddess of Justice, is the Divine Consort of Saint Germain) Akasha: “Underneath the St. Joseph’s Shrine, in Montreal, is one of the most magnificent formations of clusters of diamonds. They are in all sorts of magnificent shapes including the shapes of the great figuration of Metatron, The Great Cube. Now, there are more. I previously have spoken of a great civilization that was over-lit by one of the Archangels that existed all the way from the Seattle-Tacoma area, all the way up to Squamish, BC. This one, located at the Peace Arch is the Sister, the Twin Flame, of that great diamond crystal formation at St. Joseph’s Oratory.”

Note: Metatron’s Cube contains Mysteries of Life awaiting all who seek the One Intelligence, One Power, and One Presence to unfold Holy Epiphanies of Everlasting Eternal Life. (“The Seven Sacred Weeks” P.108 Special Edition The Radiant Rose Academy.)

* Notre Dame Basilica (You gotta see it to believe it!)

16 110 Notre Dame Street West, Old Montreal (Where Céline Dion married.) * Notre Dame de Bon Secours Chapel or Sailor’s Church 400 rue St. Paul East Old Montreal (514) 282-8670 www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com * Montreal Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanique de Montreal) 4101 Sherbrooke St.East (514) 872-1400 http://myvirtualgarden2.blogspot.com/2013/09/mosaiculture- exhibition.html * Insectarium de Montréal 4581 Sherbrooke St. East (514) 872-1400 * Planetarium de Montréal 1000 St. Jacques Street West (514) 872-4530 * Biodome de Montréal 477 7 Pierre de Courbertin Avenue (514) 868-3000

Museums

(There are 32 museums in Montreal – Check the internet for names/addresses) Scroll down…

 Château Ramezay Museum (In front of ) 280 Notre Dame East, Old Montreal (514) 861-3708 10am-6pm except Monday  McCord Museum of Canadian History 690 West (514) 398-7100 Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-6pm Thursday 10am-9pm Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm  David M. Stewart Museum (Witness precision drill & pageantry of the 18th Century) The Fort, Tour de l’Ile Road, Ile St. Hélène (514) 861-6701 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-6pm Thursday 10am-9pm Closed Tuesday . Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (514) 285-2000 1380 & 1379 Sherbrooke St.West (across street from one another–connected underground) Tuesday- Sunday 11am Closed Monday - free (unless Special Exhibition)

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Walking & Sightseeing Tours

Gray Line Sightseeing Tours 1001 (514) 934-1222 (dial 3) www.coachcanada.com www.coachcanada-montreal.com Ride The Lachine Rapids by Jet-boat (514) 284-9607 www.jetboatingmontreal.com Amphi Tours discover Montreal by land & water 1001 Dorchester Square Departure: Old Port Montreal 1 rue de la Commune (corner St.Laurent) (514) 849-5181 or (514) 866-3437 www.amphi-bus.com SEG Rentals - Riding a SEGWAY is as easy as walking & more fun than flying. Studio l6, Hangar 16, Clock Tower Entrance, (514) 393-0734 [email protected]

More Tourist Information (if you plan to stay longer than the 3-day event)

Montreal on-line: (Scroll down)

1. www.tourisme-montreal.org Check out their “Sweet Deal” section. 2. For quirky theme tours: www.guidatour.qc.ca 3. Unsung museums – www.smq.qc.ca 4. www.fodors.com for a mini guide of Montreal 5. www.old.montreal.qc.ca – Old Montreal

Tourist Information Centre www.bonjourquebec.com 1001 Dorchester Square Montreal, QC H3B 4W4 – Canada Toll free: 1-800-363-7777 – (514) 873-2015

Old Montreal Tourist Welcome Office (when in Montreal) Corner of Place Jacques Cartier & Notre Dame St. East in Old Montreal

18 Free maps

Old Montreal Official Map –Info re Montreal by Night Lighting Tour or History, Heritage & Architecture Tours…on foot, with a professional guide – 90 mins. Underground Pedestrian Network, Old Montreal & the Old Port. Request on line, for an Official Tourist Map of tourist areas. www.guidatour.qc.ca

Thinking of extending your holiday?

Visit: the Quebec Quartz Crystal Open Field Mine & Sanctuary 430, Rang 11, Bonsecours, QC www.crystalsanctuary.com (450) 535-6550 FAX (450) 535-6694 1hour 15minutes from Montreal maintaining posted speed limits On August 18, 2006, Akasha and Asun organized the Attunements and Activation of the North American Crystal Grid for Spiritual Empowerment, Prosperity and Abundance by Queen Tourmaline, Goddess of the 33rd Celestial Ray. from the Great Central Sun. Why not pay a visit, and soak up the energy?

Montreal Trivia Montreal will be celebrating its 375 years of existence in 2017. Canada founded on July 1, 1867 is only 150 years old.

1. Under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church Société Notre Dame de Montréal missionaries Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, Jeanne Mance and a few French colonists set up a mission named Ville Marie on May 17, 1642 as part of a project to create a colony dedicated to Mother Mary. It was renamed Montreal in 1705. 2. Population of Greater Montreal: 4.1 million. 3. Montreal is 48% of the Province of Quebec’s population. 4. Montreal is an Island City measuring 499 square kilometers. 5. Believe this or not - the Montreal region is an urban archipelago made up of more than 400 islands. The largest is the Island of Montreal followed by Ile Bizard, Nuns’ Island, Ile Ste. Helène & Ile Notre Dame: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bridges_to_the_Island_of_Montrea l#/media/File:Archipel_Hochelaga.PNG

19 6. Montrealers have their own compass. North is technically “northwest:” in most areas and in other areas “North” is straight “West”. 7. Geographic coordinates: Latitude: 45 degrees 30:31” N Longitude: 73 degrees 35” 16” W. just like Venice, Geneva, Lyon and Milan. Elevation: 216m=708 ft. above sea level 8. Boulevard St. Laurent divides Montreal East-West and it is where French and English meet. The boulevard starts in Old Montreal and proceeds North for 18km. 9. Once upon a time there were 260 churches in Montreal. Mark Twain once remarked “This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn’t throw a brick without breaking a church window.” There has been a moratorium placed on developing churches into condos churches sold must now be repurposed to meet the needs of the surrounding community.

20 10. Boulevard St. Laurent and rue Ste. Catherine were once the heart of the Red Light District of the City. Only a few establishments remain, all have been taken over and the area today is referred to today as Le Quartier des Spectacles. (Spectacles = Entertainment, as in Broadway in New York.) 11. Montreal has the highest number of restaurants per capita in Canada and the second highest in North America after New York City. 12. Greeting a French person from Montreal can be confusing for visitors. The customary way to greet friends in Montreal is to “air kiss” them on both cheeks, starting with the right. 13. Montreal is a UNESCO city of design. Others in that category include Kobe, Shanghai, Seoul, Graz, Berlin, Nagoya, Saint Etienne, Buena Aires and Shenzhen. 14. There are nine bridges surrounding the City of Montreal. 15. There are 4,445 licensed taxis in Montreal. This does not include unlicensed Uber. 16. The Montreal Métro has 68 stations over 4 lines. 17. Montreal is home to the world famous `Cirque du Soleil` 18. Every year Montreal hosts more than 18,000 foreign students from more than 153 countries. 19. Montreal is 45 miles North of the U.S. Border by car. 20. As the crow flies, Montreal is closer to New York City than to Toronto. 21. New York and are less than 70 minutes flying time from Montreal. 22. The cities of Philadelphia and Washington, DC are less than 90 minutes away by plane. 23. Montreal is the second largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, France. 24. Gouin Boulevard is Montreal`s longest street measuring 50km = 31.0686 miles. 25. Montreal was home to – considered to be the most successful world’s fair of the 20th Century. 26. was built as a pavilion for Expo 67. Conceived by Moishe Safdie, it is one of the most recognizable buildings in Montreal. Its 354 identical prefabricated concrete forms, stacked in various combinations up to 9 stories high were converted to 156 residences and all with private terraces. 27. There are 11 university level universities including 4 that are world class. 28. La Ronde Amusement Park is the second largest in Canada. 29. There are more than 350 km/217 miles of bike paths in Montreal. 30. Come winter Montreal has more than 200km country ski trails.

21 31. Montreal’s predominant religion is Hockey. 32. Montreal played host to the l976 Olympics, the first ever for Canada. 33. Talk about temperature variations! Coldest: January 15, 1957 at -37.8C = -36.04F. Hottest: August 1, 1975 at 37.6C = 99.68F 34. Montreal is twined with Paris, France – Shanghai, China – Milan, Italy – Manila, Philippines – Lucknow, India – Hiroshima, Japan – Busan, South Korea – Lyon, France – Yerevan, Armenia. 35. Montreal`s first skyscraper was the 8-storey New York Life Building on Place d`Armes built in 1887. 36. 85% of the world’s maple syrup comes from Quebec, Montreal’s Provence. 37. On May 12, 2006, UNESCO designated Montreal as the UNESCO’s choice for dynamic design.

22 38. You cannot turn on a red light in Montreal – legally. Making it only one of two cities in North America. The other is New York City. 39. The Olympic Stadium is the tallest inclined building in the world. 40. In 1832, Montreal was officially recognized as an independent city. Its Coat of Arms, designed in 1822, represent the City’s 4 founding peoples: The English rose, the Irish cloverleaf, the French fleur-de-lys, the Scottish thistle and the cross representing Christian values. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/coat_of_arms_or_montreal 41. The Bank of Montreal, Canada’s first bank, opened November 3, 1817. It is known as B-MO. 42. Montreal is the most bilingual metropolis on the North American continent. 20% of Montrealers are fluent in a 3rd language. 43. The languages with the most speakers are: French, English, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Greek, Chinese, German and Portuguese. Followed by the Creole and Vietnamese languages. In all 80 languages are spoken in the Montreal region. Montrealers are also known to speak Frenglish, i.e., speaking in either language interspersed with English or French words. Example “I’m going to the dépanneur.” Now shortened to “I’m going to the dep.” Dépanneur = convenience store. 44. Montreal is also home to the largest Arab community in Canada. 45. An entrée is an appetizer in Montreal. 46. The Tour de l’Ile is the biggest recreational cycling event on the Planet, more than 45,000 cyclists take part. 47. Montreal is North America’s #1 host city for international events. 48. The English Governess, Anna Hariette Leonowens, famous for her 1860 book of her 6 years at the Siamese Court, is buried in Mount Royal Cemetery. The movie, “The King and I” , depicts those years. 49. After Halifax, Montreal has the largest number of Titanic victims buried in its cemetery – 12 in all. 50. Liz Taylor and Richard Burton were married on October 10, 1975, for the 2nd time at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Sherbrooke Street West. 51. John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their legendary “Bed-in” from May 26 to June 2, in Suite 1742 of the , on René Levesque Blvd., resulting in the writing of the peace anthem “Give Peace a Chance.” 52. With the highest number of tango dancers and dance halls on the Continent, Montreal is the tango capital of North America. 53. Both Mount Royal Park and New York’s Central Park were designed by landscape architect, Frederick Law-Olmsted (1822-1903). 54. Subway is a fast food franchise in Montreal - not a mode of transport.

23 55. In l986, Dr. Joseph N. Nathanson donated his private 50-year collection of 4,000 articles, including books and manuscripts, dedicated to American President Abraham Lincoln, to Montreal’s McGill University. 56. First ever recorded gay establishment in North America was Moïse Tellier’s apple & cake shop on Craig Street (now St. Antoine Street) in 1869. 57. Montreal’s Gay Village is the largest in North America. Each year Ste. Catherine Street East, heart of the Village, becomes a pedestrian only street from May to September. 58. Chinatown Montreal has the most Pai Fang, traditional architectural arches, of any Chinatown in Canada, commemorating people of high minded virtues/ 59. Chinatown Montreal was the filming location of the 2008 movie “ Punisher War Zone” and parts of Chinatown were redressed with English signage to recreate Chinatown Manhattan. (Go figure!) 60. Until June 24, 1845, Montreal was the Capital of Canada. But the terrible riot fire of 1849 that destroyed the parliament building and its archives “dethroned” Montreal in favor of Toronto and Quebec City, where status alternated until 1857, when was officially declared Canada’s Capital. 61. In 1847 the Reform Party led by Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine & Robert Baldwin swept to power. The remarkable political partnership established responsible government, introduced bilingualism in the English-only Parliament, founded public education, reformed the justice system and implemented municipal governance. 62. But those reforms enraged English-speaking Tories, as being too conciliatory toward the Patriot rebels who wanted compensation for damaged property during the uprising in Lower Canada. A Tory instigated riot led to the torching of the Parliament Buildings and the only thing the rioters saved from the flames was a painting of Queen Victoria that now hangs in the Senate in Ottawa. The Capital moved to Toronto and later to Quebec City. In l857 Queen Victoria chose an obscure dot on the map, Bytown, as the future Capital, later renamed Ottawa. 63. Most Quebecers don’t necessarily see themselves as “Canadian”. Being a Montrealer, however, is a cultural identity in and of its self. 64. French is Quebec’s official language and protected under Law 101 – just in case you haven’t heard. 65. Speaking English is totally fine, Montreal is very Anglo-friendly. 66. You can buy beer and wine almost everywhere. The hard stuff is sold only at the SAQ (Société des alcohol du Québec).

24 67. Most parties don`t get started until 11pm in Montreal 68. At 3am everybody goes home – that’s the unofficial law. The party IS over. 69. When Montrealers say “all dressed. to the rest of North America it 70. means “the works”. So, on a hot dog it means all the condiments, plus “slaw”. On a pizza it means pepperoni, mushroom & green peppers. 71. You can only get real poutine here. So sorry for the rest of Canada, you get poutine wrong. 72. Street food in Montreal isn’t what you get at home. That’s because Montreal has created its own street food culture, being pricier but of high quality, that is a bit more refined than what you are probably use to. 73. Montrealers love, no, live to eat. 74. All the signs are in French because they have to be. It’s law. 75. Montreal is the hometown of Canada’s current Prime Minister – Justin Trudeau. 76. Montreal is the hipster capital of Canada. Expect to see skinny jeans, trimmed beards, man hair buns and very individualistic styles. 77. Montreal has three (3) seasons: Winter, Construction & Festivals. 78. It’s “terrasse” not “patio” however both mean the same thing, but you will just never hear the word “patio” being used in Montreal’s outdoor cafes. 79. The Gesû Church was constructed in 1864 and supervised by the Brooklyn, NY architect M. Kelly. 80. The Imperial Theatre was built in 1917 by United Theatres Ltd. It was considered the Grande Dame of its era because of its large stage that was well suited for vaudeville acts. 81. A quick review of your high school French...to try on the locals Hello - Bonjour Goodbye – Au revoir Please- s’il vous plait Thank you – Merci See you soon – A la prochaine

Updated: June 5, 2019

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