The second-largest city in Canada, largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest French-speaking city in the Western world after Paris.

Founded in 1642 and established in 1832, the name derived from the French Mont Royal ("Mount Royal"), the name of the three-head hill at the heart of the city.

Most come to Montreal because its one of the few places in North America that one can drink at the age of 18, wine and beer is also available from the local shop, frankly its just more chilled with the times . For me, Montreal is a place we escaped to have a really good time, the night life is outstanding and one is usually guaranteed to have a brilliant night, and with so much to choose it simply leaves hopping from bar to bar.

The good old days have long past and my memories of this french city are rather mixed, it can feel like a concrete world but its old parts are really something to admire, with its historic appearance resembling that of many cities and towns in old Europe, something they wish to keep unchanged.

Visiting the many cathedrals are certainly part of the experience, even if your not religious, Notre Dame is worth the look, and on Mont Royal, the cathedral there mix between a small chapel of miracles to a modern cathedral of its time and age.

Montreal is the only city in Canada to have hosted the Olympics (1966), something that city have worked to pay for decades. Though there are several sports events that bring the tourists annually.

My time in Montreal has been spent with several friends on different occasions, having even driven from Toronto to spend the night here, even on blistering winter nights. But the most memorable experience was back around 1988 when Silvana, Rosanne and I spent the weekend and discovered the most enjoyable place, Passport. Those were the days...

Photos of the Montreal Canada 1994 © Joe Mendonca