Montreal - Part One

Wednesday, February 10th

School was closed for a snow day so we gathered at Mariemont High School at 1:45 p.m. to give the orchestra time to run through their Mozart once more. As the kids arrived we collected their information and passports and were ready to board the motor coach when it arrived. We left the school grounds just a bit after 4:00 p.m. and headed for Erie, PA where we made our first driver switch at 11:00 pm before heading east to Syracuse, New York, then north into Canada.

Thursday Morning, February 11th

We made it to the Canadian border at 3 a.m. and everyone was asked to wake up and sit with passport in hand as the customs agent came through the bus. She asked a few questions and then sent us on our way. We made our last driver change in Brockton. The kids loved John, the driver who would be with us for the rest of trip. As he got out of his car, the kids noted his pony tail, his boots and his cowboy hat and for some reason he was dubbed "Chuck Norris". He fit the bill with his long rider coat and his deep voice. As the trip progressed, he definitely lived up to the name as he maneuvered us through some mighty tight streets and highways.

We picked up our tour guide, Gary Mandel (yes, he is related to Howie), who first took us to breakfast at Brisket Montreal just a bit after 9:00 a.m. The restaurant was ready for us and served up plates of steaming french toast and fruit.

After the museum we were dropped off for some free time in Old Town Montreal where we strolled the cobbled streets and checked out the many shops. Even though we had just eaten, the kids decided to stop in at Crepe Suzette, a little restaurant with mouth watering crepes and soups.

We met up with our bus and drove to the Hotel du Fort to change for dinner at the a LeBifteque Butchershop for a marvelous steak dinner.

Last but not least for our first day in Canada, we were treated to a concert by the Arion Baroque Orchestra at Redpath Hall at McGill University. The musicians were so precise it could have been a recording but not only did they play beautifully, the stories with the songs sounded much more intriguing due to their heavy, but lovely, accents.

Finally, back to the hotel for some much needed rest.