I keep forgetting I'm in Canada.

The whole French thing is confusing my brain.  I have to keep reminding myself I'm in Canada not France.  Which would probably please the Quebecians (Quebecites?  Quebecers? Quebecois according to google).  Everyone is bilingual so it that hasn't been a problem - though when someone spoke to me in French the afternoon I realised I'd completely forgotten how to say I don't speak French in French and almost said I don't speak Spanish in Spanish instead.  Many other things are in English as well, all the tourist things, everything in the supermarket has English in slightly smaller font below.  But every now and then things are just in French like the instructions at the self check out and the metro announcements, then I get extra confused because I keep looking for the English translation.

Another warm stunner day today.  I took the opportunity to wear shorts, but I seemed to be the only one.  Seems Quebecois don't do shorts.  In the morning we walked down to Old Montreal for a look about.  Even old town has a mix of new things in it.  Right next to the Basilica Notre Dame is a glass office block.  The Basilica was beautiful inside, and well, very Catholic.  I preferred the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel we wandered into later though if I'm honest (Mike - it was the chapel for the sailors so there were boats hanging throughout it!  Boats boats boats).  The climb up the rather narrow, somewhat crooked and very old staircase up to the top of the tower for a view back over old town and out across the river was worth it.  The story of the woman that founded it told with dolls in glass display boxes set up almost like a comic book was funny and fun too.  Though I'm skeptical about this woman that was turned down  by two different groups when she tried to join the church so just started her own.  Even if she did do a whole lot for education in the early settlement.  There was an archaeological site under the church too but we didn't quite get to it as they had to wait for someone to become free to escort us and by now it was lunch time, and you all know how I get when I'm hungry.   

Inside the Basilica - the only 'almost not shaky' photo.  There's a reason I'm not a brain surgeon.

Basilica from the outside.

Street in old town.  There is construction happening all over Montreal at the moment.

In every window of this souvenir shop.  Don't ask me what Pokemon have to do with Montreal souvenirs.  

Chapel from the outside.

Windows in the tower. I particularly enjoyed the knife through the heart.  Seems a strange thing to put in stained glass.

View of old town from the tower.  

After lunch we ventured on to the metro for the first time and made our way out to the botanical gardens.   The booths for tickets were closed so we went to the main reception building, to find a sign saying it was closed on Monday.  Sure enough a check of the website confirmed closed Mondays.  There did seem to be an awful lot of people milling about though, so fortuitously (or through strategic planning from my mother) we went out the other door to leave and discovered that it was open and free until May 15, just the greenhouses were closed.  

You could see why it was free as you wandered around, much of it was pretty desolate.  It'll be stunning in a month or so, but for now most things are still growing back after winter.  But there was enough to keep us occupied for a couple of hours.  Plus birds, a few turtles and a bunch of squirrels.  Two in particular I befriended.  They're named Frederick and Stefan.  Or they are now that I've meet them.  

Tulips not yet blooming.

Apparently this is the tallest incline tower in the world.  It sits in olympic park over the stadium.  After much googling I'm still not sure why it exists.

One name so long, the other so short.  

Bees all over the place doing their thing.

Closer inspection showed these were actually growing out of the ground,

Stefan!

Turtle!

Frederick.  Check out that dainty paw.

For dinner I attempted to find us a French restaurant because you know, when in France.  ... Turns out most of the French restaurants here are super pricey places, so we ended up at a pretty bog standard place, but at least the wines were French.  The Quebec sugar pie was very good too.  I think I should make that the last sugar pie I ever have, I don't think any others will measure up.  

Also, so far haven't seen any Game of Thrones spoilers.  Very unexpected.