Today, I decided to walk about around Downtown Montreal with my DSLR, and I started by visiting the China town. surprisingly, quite cozy, if that is the right word. Certainly have that old Chinatown feelings to it, the stalls, the bootleg DVD shops, the smell of the Asian supermarkets, it sure brought back a lot of memories from Toronto’s Chinatown. I must come back someday to try the restaurants and Dim Sums, alas. I snapped a few pictures around Chinatown, specially the gates. After Chinatown, I realized that I was only about 500 meters away from the Notre Dame. The walk made me realize how amazing and historical Montreal is, no wonder it is rated the most livable city in Canada.

Note to anyone reading this, to visit the Notre Dame, you need to pay 5 dollars, which isn’t much, but they only take cash.

The Notre Dame immediately gives you that WOW feeling. The basilica was built in the 1600s, it is over 400+ years old. Once inside, you can’t help notice the wood carvings, and the magnificat decorations. The indoors are dimly light, bring the appropriate lenses for low light photography. Sadly, I didn’t, and will have to come back someday with the proper lenses, and a tripod.

After the Notre Dame, I accidentally stepped into Old Montreal. Well come and think about it, it was expected, seeing how it was *around* the Notre Dame. I have to say, the Byward market/Ottawa in general has nothing that would even compare to this, now I understand what my supervisor meant when he said Ottawa had no culture, and that he would much rather work in Montreal. This may sound silly, but the old Montreal gave me that “Hogsmeade” feeling, the old architectures, the crocked streets, horse carriages, the lack of street lights. But it is one of those must visit places.

The Old Montreal is right beside the Quay, which felt like Center Island in Toronto.

Walking around Montreal made me realize that it wouldn’t be so bad to live in Montreal, I don’t know how I will survive back in Kitchener/Waterloo. *LMAO*