The view from my hotel room, looking away from downtown. The tower of the Olympic Stadium is visible on the upper right.
I went to an ATM to get some Canadian cash, then found a kiosk where I could by a three-day transit pass for $18 (Canadian). The pass was good for the airport bus into the city, then good for unlimited trips on the subway. Such a deal. I got to the hotel and checked in. My room was on the 20th floor, but it looked away from downtown. Oh well. I took a shower then went out for a little walk.
My room the next morning, watching the weather channel on television and drinking coffee made with the in-room coffee maker.
At 7:30pm, I met friends N. (aka The Beaver) and her husband Y. for dinner. They took me to a Portuguese restaurant up in the Plateau neighborhood of Montréal. Everything was delicious, and we had a good time catching up. Our appetizer was a mixed plate of fried calamari, marinated octopus, and grilled chorizo. My main course was a house steak (served with a fried egg), Y. had a rare steak served on a searing stone, and N. had a large fillet of cabillaud (cod), if I remember correctly. We washed it all down with a house red, the provenance of which I can't remember.
I was extremely jet-lagged and I hope that N. and Y. didn't mind my incoherence too much. After dinner, they very generously drove me back to my hotel where I crashed, only to wake up way too early the next morning. Ah, travel. By the way, lest you think my memory is great, it is not. I wrote down everything I ate, and where, along the way. So when I write about my meals, the memory is from my little notebook, not my brain. ;)
Canada was very good with the pod coffee makers in hotel rooms. The coffee was superior to any other coffee with had in North America.
ReplyDeleteI love your "memory." I write notes on my phone or my iPad!
ReplyDeleteWalt,
ReplyDeleteYou got 10/10 for the menu and as far as the house Red , can't tell since Y and his buddies always go for the house when they go there.
There was no incoherence at all. As far as the jet lag, I was expecting that and one of the reasons we decided to forgo the other restaurant. Depending on the # of diners, the service could have taken longer that where we were.
Any way, there is still another opportunity in the future to try it ( hopefully both of you can make it )
One must take notes when one is a blogger! :)
ReplyDeleteOne must take notes when one is a blogger! :)
ReplyDeleteNice room!
ReplyDeleteSpouse & I spent several days in Montreal back in Oct and loved it! You should try to catch up with Tornwordo (http://stickycrows.blogspot.com/)and his Spouse if you can.
ReplyDeleteandrew, yes, this is the first time I've had pod coffee in a hotel room. It was pretty good!
ReplyDeletemitch, there's something about a little notebook and a pen. Makes me feel old-fashioned. ;)
t.b., I'm ready!
judy, but of course. :)
evelyn, it was very comfortable.
mark, I did, in fact, have dinner with Richard and Serge my second night there. Fun!