This year, I decided to spend Christmas in Montreal with a stopover in Dublin.

The choice had been hard: fly to Asia, stay in Barcelona or choose a completely different plan. Well, I have a solution for tough decisions and it never failed me. I assign a number to my options, and I get a friend to pick one. That is my answer.

It only works on superficial issues. Do not use this technique to decide to marry, get a mortgage, or buy a house. In summary, for anything that involves heavy investments. You might lose a few feathers along the way.

In my case, the outcome turned out perfect, and I happily purchased my ticket to go to Canada.

Day 1: arrival in Montreal

My first day was a happy reunion day since I came to visit close ones.

Day 2: visiting Montreal city

Points of interest

The Underground city

On day 2, we went to Montreal to find out about the Underground City. We were intrigued by it. What does it look like? How do you access it?

Montreal’s underground city is a serie of interconnected office towers, hotels, shopping centers, and many buildings in Downtown Montreal.

The old town

I did not find it easy to get a sense of Montreal as a city. However, it has some highlights. The main one is the old town with its picturesque streets. St Paul was my personal favourite with its lovely winter lights.

I also liked Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal with its stained glasses and altar. It can be visited for 5 CAD.

Plateau Mont-Royal

Another favourite aspect of the city is Plateau Mont-Royal, the bohemian district with its quirky shops, hype eateries, and colourful buildings characterised by iron staircases.

The area’s walls display astonishing murals. The neighbourhood hosts every year a festival of urban arts called Mural.

Plateau Mont-Royal also has several parks, perfect for picnics, barbecues and walks.

Poutine, a local culinary specialty

We did try a local Quebec speciality: poutine, a dish of fries served with gravy and cheese curd. It’s quite nice although heavy on calories. We walked it off in the streets of the city. 3º C is not that cold if you get your layers sorted. Well, kind of. In the open, if you keep moving, you keep yourself warm.

Day 3 to 10 aka the rest of the days

Dinner conversations

Alcool monopoly in Quebec

Over the next few days, we had Christmas celebrations with all the food, drinks, fun and gifts that follow.

In Montreal, for dinner conversations, you can talk about how expensive alcohol is. And the fact that it is only available in government-owned shops called SAQ, Société des Alcools du Québec ou Quebec Liquor Corporation in English.

Separate checks for the same table

You can also request separate checks for the same table. Whether you are two or twelve, everyone can have their own bill. In Spain, that is something unthinkable in most places. We tried.

UPDATE 2022: you can now ask to pay separately for the same table in some restaurants of Barcelona. The bill is the same for everyone but you can only mention what you ate and pay for it wheres in Montreal you can ask for your own bill if you are in a group.

Sex change formalities

I also learnt that if you change your sex, you can inform your employer that you want to become a man if you are a woman or vice versa.

Your employer sends a letter to all your colleagues to inform them about your “transformation”, ask them to be nice to you and voilà, your new “you” can show up on Monday without being afraid to be judged or rejected or both!

Nota bene, this is the simplified version of the sex change process. And I could not double check this fact. So take it carefully.

Prices without taxes

Then there is the eternal debate on misleading prices in the shops because they are shown without taxes. And the tipping policy. Why do I have to pay a mandatory 15% especially if the waiter has not been particularly nice to me? And why does it have to be 15% anyway?

I found the pressure high around tipping in North America. Sometimes the waiter circles around you until you pay. If you have been generous, you will be rewarded with an appreciative smile. If not, leaving the table feels a bit awkward. I prefer the system where the staff gets a fair wage and the tip is used to reward good service.

Winter activities during our Christmas in Montreal

Despite dreading the cold, I wished for a true white Christmas. I prepared for it. I invested in good winter boots, fleece and thermal clothes.

This Christmas turned out to be the warmest winter in many years. The temperature was “only” at -12ºC. It was bitterly cold outside however there was no snow in sight. Sigh.

Day trip to Mont Tremblant

We got to do winter activities though including a day trip to Mont Tremblant, a ski resort two hours drive from Montreal with a Disneyworl-like atmosphere: colourful houses, loads of decorated Christmas trees and enchanting squares.

Snow tubing

We also tried snow tubing at Saint-Jean Matha. It actually looks more impressive than it is. Snow tubing is a recreational outdoor activity. You hop on a tube that looks like a big tyre and ride it while gravity pull you down a slope.  It is even more fun when you are a big group as gravity makes you go faster!

A fantastic brunch

Quebec’s gastronomy has not really impressed me. It is what it is.

However, we had a fantastic brunch at L’Avenue, a very popular spot in Plateau Mont-Royal. We queued in the street for thirty minutes by -12ºC before getting a table. It was worth it.

I got the complete brunch menu. It included one fruit skewer, some really nice potatoes (they know how to cook their potatoes in this place), french toast and pancake with maple syrup, eggs and bacon, cheddar and cretons (a French Canadian pork paté).

The mocha was so creamy. One of us tried a smoothie of strawberry, raspberry, litchi and basil. It was so tasty and refreshing.

Finnish spa

Our last trip was to Le Spa Finlandais, a Finnish spa in Rosemère, about a half-hour drive from the city.

I am from a tropical country, I live in a warm country, I wore five layers of clothing the entire time I was in Canada and here I am now in my bikini heading to the sauna, out in the open.

But the most insane thing I did from my standards of insane things was to plunge into icy water, by -12 degrees (just in case I did not repeat enough how cold it was). I could not believe I did it! And I did it a second time. It was refreshing, energizing and such a cool experience.

I am dreaming of a white Christmas

I had a fantastic time in Montreal with all of the wonderful people I met. I have opened up to new experiences and enjoyed pushing myself to new limits: I can now swim in icy water at -12ºC and appreciate it. The most ironic part of the trip? On our last day, it started to snow. I am dreaming of a white Christmas.