My Montreal

Welcome to my Montreal which is covered in snow at the moment. This is a painting I made of a typical winter scene in the heart of the city. The snow is beautiful, but if I'm to talk about MY Montreal, it would have to be during another season... when I scurry around the city on my bike.

From the time the snow melts (usually mid-April) until the roads get icy again (late November to mid-December) I ride my bike everywhere--to work, to the market, to the city. Montreal can't compare to many European cities, but for North America, it is quite well designed for cycling.

I live across the St. Lawrence River from Montreal which means I take the Jacques Cartier Bridge to go into the city. Halfway across the bridge, I like to stop at Ile Ste Helene which is where Expo 67 was held (nearly 40 years ago!). The Gilles Villeneuve race track is on the next island (Ile Notre Dame). This is where the Formula One race is held every year. Since the track is just a 5-minute bike ride from my house, I frequently zoom around the track if I need some quick exercise.

One advantage of living across the river from the city is that I get to see the beautiful view (people who live in the heart of the city often forget that Montreal is an island). As a major port city we get ships coming through the canal from all over the world. And sometimes THE WORLD comes straight to us. Here it is: the cruise ship named THE WORLD.