hkskyline's 2015 in Montréal

[hkskyline]

I know there is a huge Montréal contingent here so my disclaimer is these photos are nowhere as good as theirs

I could make a few stops with my free reward ticket from Asia to North America, so I picked frozen Montréal. So who is his right mind will visit this place in the middle of winter? I have been here a few times before, but I return this time with a better camera to re-capture my memories, and experience my coldest New Year countdown vacation (I miss Dubai now!).

Snowy landscapes dominated as we approached Montréal ... expected, but there wasn't that much snow cover actually.







Winter is a tough time to visit with short days. It was only long after 4pm when I took these.









There are plenty of churches downtown. With blowing snow outside, I stayed indoors where it was warm. Let's start with the Mary Queen of the World.









Église du Gesù was a bit of a surprise. With a very boring exterior, I was surprised it was open to begin with, then the interior was stunning. Finally, I was all alone in this warm sanctuary to photograph as much as I want.













A few blocks away, St. Patrick's Basilica is also very beautiful, but with a few more crowds this time.










St. Joseph's Oratory is perched on top of a hill but don't worry, a series of escalators take you up to the worshipping level. Although this building has a long history, the interior is actually quite contemporary.









Finally, Notre Dame was surprisingly free today. $5 saved for a poutine. The choice of lighting is quite amazing, and it seems all the tourists that were missing on the streets were hiding in here.









Armed with a warm hat, scarf, and gloves, I made it up to Mont Royal for a morning stroll. It's actually quite easy to get up there by bus, but you just need to research the schedules in advance to time it right.













The rowhouses are a bit different from those I have seen in Toronto and Boston. Set against a blue sky and with the trees bare, their features are far more visible and prominent in the winter.



























More in the next part. I have revamped my website (my last set of photos were taken in 2004) at : http://www.globalphotos.org/montreal.htm

[Danny]

Very nice! Montreal is very nice, by Winter even nicer. I love the streets of the old Montreal and the views from Mont Royal. I keep all those images in my heart.
Very complete tour!

Thanks for sharing and greetings from Madrid, Spain.

[mrnyc]

awesome job. i would say winter is the very best time to visit montreal.

[begratto]

Well done!

[SouthByMidwest]

You say "not as good" but it's hard to make photos of Montreal not look good.

This is one city I can't get enough of seeing.

[hkskyline]

Thanks for your support. Here is the next part.

Square Saint-Louis is the centerpiece of an architecturally-rich residential area.











































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