Today,
my wife and I went to the
Vieux-Montréal, maybe her favourite place in the city. We went to the
Musée de Pointe-à-Callière see
an exhibition on Quebec legends, which I had been dying to see (my wife did not share my enthusiasm, but she enjoys Old Montreal anyway). I might blog about this one day.
When I was walking around the Vieux Montréal, I had in mind those
two posts. I always liked the Vieux-Montréal, but I never thought it was as beautiful as, say, the
Vieux-Québec, or indeed any old European town. Somehow, there is something lacking. Maybe because I always have the feeling of being in a tourist trap when I go there, I feel like the place is not
genuine. Old historical buildings are next to new ones, everything is surrounded by tacky shops and there is always a bit of road that is being repaired. I always feel like the "Vieux" has the potential to be much better than it is. Oh well, at least we did not witness
anything sinister.
Back in another life, I used to see Old-Montreal quite often as I was working there. I never felt the weight of history it should have had. Now that I come back as a tourist always in company of a non-Quebecker, I feel it more. I also enjoy myself there more. Sometimes you need distance to appreciate old grounds.