seaside spectacle

As I mentioned, federated Canada's sesquicentennial is July 1st. But Montreal turned 375 just last week. And this is the 50th anniversary of Expo 67, which broadcast Montreal's charms to the whole world.

To celebrate, Montreal lit up the Jacques Cartier bridge, scheduled a summer of free entertainment, and mounted Avudo, a multimedia ode to the St Lawrence river.

Tickets are free, but you have to preorder, so I got two. I was walking toward the pier after dinner when a woman asked what was going on. The show only debuted last Sunday so most locals haven't heard of it. I mentioned I had an extra ticket, so she came with me.

Carolina is a tourist from Poland, in Montreal for the first time for a wedding. It was fun to hear about her adventures, which began in Brazil.

We were dazzled.

Avudo tells the story of Montreal, with projections on the pier buildings as well as on a curtain of water.

 It's in French and English, but the main language is visual.

 As when these eyes and faces began to appear projected on a wall of water.

 A child's face

 A gray wolf

Transported to an earlier time

Early settlements

The tradition of maple water

 which continues to this day

 And then in 1734, heartbreakingly consumed by incendie.

 The winter ice festival

 and the snow falling on the river

 Joe Beef tavern

 and digging Lachine Canal by hand to accommodate ever larger ships

 This was a nightclub (?) that had white horses running on conveyor belts.

 Marquees and performances

 to modern-day Montreal.And hockey, inspired by lacrosse.

  Of course it ended with hockey.

No mention of the founding of Canada 150 years ago. Which I found...odd.

Afterward I took a walk, and noticed the faces on the trees beyond the Cirque du Soleil tent.

Lots of them, like ghosts of the harbor. At first you weren't sure if you saw them.

 It was a beautiful night.

More information about Avudo and Montreal's celebration

wheelies

Montreal is a bicycle city, at least in the warm months, and although I don't ride a bicycle, I am supportive of any idea that gets people out of their cars, using people power.

Across town, you'll find green ways, bicycle pumps, trails designed for cycles.

You'll find free bicycles you can borrow and return elsewhere.

This one is a little odd. Sort of a trail, but you can't go too fast. 

Cars are parked in the middle of the street, creating a separated bike freeway. A little scary for pedestrians though.

A bike freeway means advertising opportunities. 

How about movers that transport belongings on custom-built bicycle trailers? Including up and down those iconic Montreal spiral staircases.

There's even instruction in hand signals, in case you weren't paying attention. 

No helmets though. There have been a rash of cyclists injured or killed by cars in the past year. Everyone should slow down.

Almost makes me wish I rode a bike. 

rolling in the years

I couldn't help but notice the art and greenery on this building.

Or the awesome farmer girl mural across the street from it.

The chicks continue all the way around the back.

In front is a parklet created with an old shipping container. When I walked by later, someone was taking a nap.

But out with Chris and Dennis on Sunday at a literary reading, I learned more about the history of Santropol Roulant, an organization started 20 years ago by a couple of young chefs to provide healthy meals to elderly home-bound Montreal residents.

Today, the volunteer-led organization focuses on using food to connect young Montreal residents with older ones. They have a farm, a CSA, a bike shop where you can learn to make your own bike, and a graffiti collective. Fully half the food is delivered by bicycle. 

They also have a lot of instruction, documenting their philosophy and methods.

This is a garden designed to attract bees. I bought a jar of honey to bring home as a souvenir and support their work.

But the real gardening takes place upstairs, on the terrace and the roof. Containers filled with tomatoes, red chard, and kale. There's a farm in the country too and another on the rooftops of nearby McGill University. 

Of course there are murals.

Here's the view of Mont Royal from the rooftop, now reinforced to support tons of soil. There are beehives up here too.

It was hard to resist the string beans.

This mural of Montreal old and new adorns the stairs.

Thanks very much to Dennis for pointing me toward Santropol Roulants. I forgot to go downstairs to meet the composting worms. 

I did notice this building of luxury condos caty cornerned from 111 Rue Roy E. They're 1/4 what they'd cost in San Francisco. Tempting...with a farmers' market and fresh homegrown produce across the street. 

Glad to see a project like this feeding people and building community across generations.

Go here to learn more, volunteer, or support their work.

towering

This Tower was the symbol of the 76 Summer Olympics, exactly 40 years ago. Today it's a symbol of Montreal.

The indoor stadium is now a science museum. A new planetarium was added recently. There have been some noises about tearing the Tower down.

Meanwhile there are skateboarders and kids racing along the old track lines.

But for now you can still pay to go up the funicular. And it sure is pretty lit up at night. 

(Not my picture.)