Montreal, September 2024

I got to travel to Montreal this fall for a Shopify burst (meeting with the teams I lead).

I left home early to land still in the morning so I could explore the city a bit. I took a ride share into the downtown area and it was pretty empty. I walked for a bit and found a boulangerie, picked up a sandwich on fresh baguette, and ate in a sunny city park.

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I walked all the way to the waterfront and still the spaces seemed relatively empty for a populous city. There is a lovely play of thriving parks next to some very old industrial land at the edge of the city, though.

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I was walking without headphones, recovering from the night before and trying to soak in the Canadian French. A few people asked me directions to one park or another, but I was unable to help. I just told them which ways I had seen people biking or running.

I looked at the map again and saw the Mont Real park, big and green and inviting an afternoon walk. So I trekked back through the city, through the university campus(es?), up the mountain.

And that’s where I found the people of Montreal. Everyone was on Mont Real, lapping up the sunshine and last summer breezes.

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And I got to join them. I claimed a picnic table and read The Power Broker for an hour or two while squirrels dug in the leaves around my feet. IMG_3712

As the evening fell, I too followed the locals back down the mountain paths, back into the city. I found a lovely sushi joint and basically had the place to myself. The crab handrails were divine. L1080872

I strolled back to the hotel happy and healed by the wonderful city park. Best city park I think I’ve ever seen.

The rest of the trip was the normal fare of productive team sessions and evenings of camaraderie. We even got to see a Habs hockey game (in the highest row possible)! It was a pre-season game but the arena was still sold out and there were several fights in the game. Both more lively and quieter than other American hockey games I’ve been at in the past.

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I loved the city. Once you’re inside, it’s extremely walkable and there’s a lot to explore. I spent one morning running further along the waterfront and it just kept opening up to me.


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www.joshbeckman.org/blog/traveling/montreal-september-2024