Sunday Strolls In May
On Sunday, May 12, 2019 I went for a walk in the park. I hesitate to call it a dash, since it took most of the day and covered more than 25km (Over a half-marathon!). I began by walking inland and uphill through downtown. I walked by McGill University, aiming for Montréal's signature park, Mont Royal.
Olympus E-PL1: f11, ISO 200
PhotoMatix: HDR Toning
IrfanView: Colour Balance
Before long I reached the entrance of Mount Royal Park. A trickling brook greeted me, heralding something different than the usual downtown buzz and rush.
Olympus E-PL1: f7.1, 1/320 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
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The adorable cottage on the left is the gatehouse to a stately building at McGill. As much as I am enjoying my time in the big city, a quaint spot like this is much more my style!
Olympus E-PL1: f16, ISO 200
PhotoMatix: HDR Toning
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
To get from the "bottom" of the park to the summit, I took the Grand Escalier - the big stairs. This was after several dispersed flights of smaller steps, so standing at the bottom of the 400 rises felt daunting. I have made progress on my fear of heights, but even with the well-anchored treads and solid railings, I was quite keen on keeping my gaze upward instead of downward!
Eventually I made it to the top. The reward for all those stairs is the Kondiaronk Belvédère, a lookoff with an outstanding view of the downtown core.
How serious is Montréal about Leonard Cohen? 21-storeys serious! This mural takes up an entire building. I do not recall seeing it from the street, though I have been in the area. He really seems to be looking straight at the park, so I suspect my vantage point was exactly the spot from which it was meant to be viewed.
Below is the moneyshot, as they say. It's the view from the belvédère. Looking closely, you might notice that the skyline, with its various buildings, seems to have a rather uniform top. The buildings closer to the river, and thus lower in ground elevation, are taller than those farther up the hill. That is not by chance; the city has ordered that no building my exceed Mount Royal's crest in height.
Olympus E-PL1: f16, ISO 200 // PhotoMatix: HDR Toning // IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Olympus E-PL1: f8, 1/320 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
The belvédère is a wide arc. At the back of the courtyard, set above it by some steps and flower beds, is the Mount Royal Châlet. It is the de rigueur spot for Sunday brunch with a view. I happened to be there on Mother's Day. I took these pictures before it opened, and ended up passing through again on my return in the afternoon. By that time the place was hopping, and the belvédère was very busy. I am glad I went when I did!
Below is a look farther into the park, at Beaver Lake. It is a lovely pond, surrounded by paths, fields, sculptures, and a pavilion. Mount Royal Park was landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead, who notably co-designed Central Park in New York City. The longer I'm here, the more I think that Montréal is Canada's New York... I suppose that's ironic, since parts of Toronto are called "York", but it's clearly Canda's Los Angeles. Anyway, even though Mount Royal Park was technically never completed, it is a delightful place for a Sunday stroll.
Olympus E-PL1: f10, 1/400 sec, ISO 200 // IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Olympus E-PL1: f10, 1/400 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
The city is blessed with several top-tier schools, including the Université de Montréal. It started in 1878 as a satellite of another university, but was granted its own charter in 1920. In 1942 it moved from downtown to the other side of Mount Royal. That's when things took a fascinating turn, architecturally-speaking. Rather than spreading the school into a large number of small buildings, it was centralized into several huge ones. The results are a striking Art Deco masterpiece.
The most prominent feature of the campus is the tower in the central pavilion.
My next stop was Canada's largest church, Saint Joseph's Oratory. It is a minor basilica in the Roman Catholic Church, built just before World War II. The picture is a little tricky because the building seems like a smaller one built at an exaggerated scale. The windows and doors across the front are several storeys tall. To reach the building required - you guessed it - more stairs. Once inside, there were escalators. I believe they were the first I have ever encountered inside a church! The interior of the Oratory failed to wow me, unfortunately, but it sure is an impressive building from the outside!
Olympus E-PL1: f10, 1/400 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Olympus E-PL1: f9, 1/320 sec, ISO 200 // IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
After my stop at the university, I circled through the posh Outremont neighbourhood to re-enter the park and begin my climb back over the hill. Eventually, I reached its highest point. According to local legend, in 1643 a founder of the city placed a wooden cross at the top of Mount Royal as a thanks for deliverance from a flood that threatened the fledgling town.
Three and a quarter centuries later, Montréal is still afflicted with floods, but has nevertheless flourished. The wood cross has been replaced with a huge, illuminated metal one.
The 3D map below conveniently notes the places I visited on my big walk. You can see the steep slope below the Kondiaronk Belvédère to the left of the large "you-are-here" arrow.
Olympus E-PL1: f8, 1/200 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Olympus E-PL1: f10, 1/400 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Colour Balance
A few weeks later, I started my Sunday at St. James' United Church. It was fascinating to attend the service there. In some ways it is very much like the St. James' in Antigonish, while in others it is different.
Olympus E-PL1: f10, 1/400 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Compared to Antigonish, Montréal's St. James' is larger, but with a smaller congregation. In addition to prayer, there is some in-depth meditation. Rather than a choir there was a tenor and soprano duet, and in place of the brass band was an outstanding organ.
Olympus E-PL1: f8, 1/320 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Olympus E-PL1: f6.3, 1/160 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Not far from the church is Phillips Square, which is centred on a statue of King Edward VII. Around the base are a series of life-size statuary vignettes. They all depict humans, except for this one of an angel who represents liberty. The contrast between the strength of breaking the chains and the softness of his wings is striking.
After passing through the square I made my way to Chinatown, where I enjoyed a bubble tea and did some people-watching. Even with plenty of people around it felt quite relaxed and peaceful.
From there it was a brief stroll to the Congress Centre, which has a courtyard planted with apple trees. They were just past full flower, and though the trees were still filled with blossoms the landscape below was blanketed in a soft pink snow. The perfect spot for a Sunday stroll!
