I must admit that I've always taken Montreal for granted.
For most of my life, there it was, less than 2 hours away, just a quick jaunt to joie de vivre, yet never truly appreciated nor enjoyed for any long period of time. Perhaps it was because of its close proximity that I thought I could enjoy it over a day or two at a time, but upon my most recent visit to this historic city, I realized that this is not the way to take in Montreal. Jamming in as many things as possible within a short period of time is not the way to go, even during those blistering cold, winter days.
Montreal is an interesting mishmash of culture, cuisine, fashion, history, and architecture. And that's just scratching the surface. Sure, you can visit the main attractions within a day or two but what makes Montreal, Montreal, is its people and the atmosphere they've created, and the only way to truly appreciate it is to just to try living in it like a local and stroll around, people-watch at a little cafe, take in an art exhibit at one of the many studios, browse the shops, laugh, and of course, eat, eat, eat!
Sometimes, you don't realize how good things truly are until they're no longer close.
We're now further apart than ever but one day, we'll do it right Montreal.
