'MO - February 2009 - (Page 22)

travel Montréal By Aefa Mulholland It might sound trite to say that Montréal feels the most “foreign” of Canada’s cities, given the obvious language difference. But there’s more to it than just language. Montréal’s customs are more European, its people more insulated against American inﬂuence than Toronto or Vancouver. A majority of people here is bilingual, and close to a third are trilingual, given the long-standing Jewish, Italian, Portuguese and Greek communities and the recent waves of Caribbean, South American, and Asian immigration. Many natives will break into English with ease if they sense that you’re not ﬂuent in French, giving the impression of a city that’s entirely comfortable being both very Québecois and very Canadian, and making the most mundane Montrealer seem urbane and worldly. Like Paris, Montréal’s downtown is animated and populated day and night, seven days a week. Flanked on the south by the mighty St. Lawrence River and presided over by the mountainous Parc du Mont Royal, Montréal has a wealth of natural beauty, as well as urban beauty—its recently revamped old quarter, Vieux Montréal, and old port, Vieux Port, are romantic neighborhoods of churches, converted warehouses, museums, and public squares. Montréal’s gay residents live throughout the city, but are concentrated in the Gay Village (defined roughly as the several block area on either side of Ste-Catherine Street, from St-Hubert to Papineau). Vast multi-story bars and clubs tower on either side of the street and weekends are wild in the Paris of the North. STAY Gay-run B&Bs, guesthouses, and auberges are abundant and recommended for a real taste of gay Montréal. Downtown is home to some stylish hotels, where luxury is more affordable than in other major cities. La Conciergerie (1019 rue Saint-Hubert; 514-289-9297; www.laconciergerie.ca; C$99+) is consistently popular with gay male travelers. Situated in a 120-year-old Victorian home, La Conciergerie offers 17 rooms and 22 PHOTO BY GENE ARBOIT Above: Hotel de Ville de Montreal; below: Victorian homes in Montréal provide a legacy of historic and architectural interest. © CANADIAN TOURISM COMMISSION, PIERRE S T-JAC QUE S © TOURISME MONTRÉAL, STÉPHAN POULIN La Joute Fountain, Place Riopelle celebrating seattle’s gay community http://www.laconciergerie.ca

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - February 2009

'MO - February 2009 Contents Letter From The Editor Voices Pet Project Gay Softball League Seeks New Players Instant Activist: Two Opportunities to Make a Difference Bailey-Boushay’s Chefs’ Dinner Pulls in More Than $285,000 GLSEN Releases Report on LGBT Students of Color Gay City Health Project: Race Relations Form & Function: Partner Workout Power Couple: Senator Ed Murray and Michael Shiosaki Montréal The ’mo Interview: Joe DiPietro New on DVD: Tru Loved Coming to CD/DVD: The Annie Lennox Collection SceneOut: People@Places AIDS Awareness & Action Day 2009 Capitol Hill Guide

'MO - February 2009

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