When I was a vain young woman, light years ago, a man once said to me “you’re not the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen but there’s something about you.” I was, of course, hurt because I was too stupid to recognize a true compliment.
I feel that way about Montreal. There are cities with more impressive skylines, grandiose monuments, luxuriant gardens, and iconic bridges but there’s just something about Montreal.
Take its namesake, Mt. Royal. It’s not really a mountain; it’s a hill. But what a peaceful way to spend an afternoon, climbing to the top on a gently winding path.
Of course, when I was eighteen and hungry for adventure, I’d bounded to the top on a series of steep stairs and listened to the musician, song-writer whose beautiful face now smiles down upon the campus of McGill University.
After leaving Mt. Royal, we walked down to the river through Vieux Montreal. 
There, in honor of that great Quebecer and photographer extraordinaire, Norm Frampton, I found a door.
And here is the plaque outside the door.
Across from the bank is Notre Dame Basilica:
We didn’t go inside because there was a line and we had a cruise to catch. But I did manage to catch a shot of the side door.
Besides being known as the city of a hundred bells, Montreal is also famous for its assortment of “quirky” buildings.
Most were built for Expos, World Fairs and Olympics. I should have been paying more attention to the tour guide but I was drinking this lovely Canadian ale and getting a sunburn. Seriously, a sunburn in early October in Montreal? 
This apartment complex, called Habitat 67, was designed by a young architect as a part of his master’s thesis. Joel thought it was a little too quirky for his tastes but that’s Montreal. Perhaps not the most beautiful city but an original.
Saying nothing in particular 