| June 30, 2006
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| | thunderstorm started pelting the city. I
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| Well, as much as the walking tour through
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| | decided that rather than wait out this
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| Old Montreal nourished my senses and
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| | storm on the terrace of the Café du
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| architectural sensibilities, my stomach
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| | Chateau, I was going to use my time to
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| was in dire need of nutrition and I was
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| | actually explore the museum that was
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| debating whether I should plunk myself
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| | housed in the adjoining building.
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| down at one of the enticing terrace
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| | The Chateau de Ramezay is a mansion that
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| cafés on Place Jacques Cartier. Then I
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| | was built in 1705 for Claude de Ramezay,
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| literally stumbled over this beautiful
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| | Montreal's governor. Fourty years later
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| small park, Place De La Dauversière off
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| | it fell into the hands of the French West
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| to the side of the main square. In the
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| | Indies Company which made it its
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| southeast corner of this space is a
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| | headquarters. After the conquest in 1760
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| little gate that looked like the entrance
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| | the building was occupied by the British.
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| to a garden and with my perennial
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| | It is known that General Richard
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| curiosity I had to go check it out.
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| | Montgomery and Benjamin Franklin, among
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| The view opened up into a beautiful
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| | other personalities, have visited the
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| French style horticultural sanctuary: the
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| | Château.
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| Governor's Garden, an example of garden
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| | In the spring of 1893 the government
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| design of the New France era more than
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| | owned the building, but it had no use for
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| 200 years ago. The beautiful thing is
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| | it and put it up for auction. It was
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| that access is always free of charge and
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| | saved from demolition and has been
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| the extensive garden provides a welcome
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| | operating as a museum since 1895. For the
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| relief of nature in the middle of the
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| | last four years the building hosts a
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| stone buildings of Vieux Montréal.
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| | permanent exhibition about the history of
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| Most of the plants are derived from
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| | Montreal and Quebec, covering prehistory
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| species cultivated in New France and the
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| | all the way until the early 20th century.
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| garden is subdivided into three sections:
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| | As the thunderstorm was pelting the city
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| the kitchen garden, an orchard and a
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| | I decided to educate myself a little more
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| pleasure garden. Benches invite you to
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| | about early life in Montreal. The
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| sit down and enjoy the serenity of this
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| | exhibits include historic paintings,
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| green space. At the back of the garden is
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| | furniture, as well as everyday items
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| a ramp leading up to a restaurant, the
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| | illustrating life over the last few
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| "Cafe du Chateau", with a large terrace
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| | hundred years in what started out as
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| covered by an awning that features wooden
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| | Ville-Marie and came to be known as
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| tables. I had found the perfect spot for
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| | Montreal. The items illustrating the
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| a lunch.
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| | day-to-day life of regular people
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| So I sat down and started jotting down my
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| | fascinated me the most, such as ladies
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| impressions in my travel journal and
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| | shoes, a fireman's helmet or a children's
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| perused the menu which features a variety
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| | winter coat, a sleigh and a
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| of salads, sandwiches, desserts and
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| | "pennyfarthing", an early version of a
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| refreshments. I decided on some light
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| | bicycle, featuring an oversized front
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| fare and ordered an endive salad with
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| | wheel and a tiny rear wheel. A loom and
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| little balls of goat cheese, covered in
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| | various every-day implements further
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| pistachios, pine nuts and miniature
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| | illustrate life in the new colonies over
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| croutons, followed by a wonderful Quebec
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| | the last couple of hundred years.
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| cheese plate that featured three
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| | Until October 1, 2006 a temporary
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| different types of Quebec-made cheese,
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| | exhibition is also housed by the Chateau
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| fresh grapes, cut-up green apples, and a
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| | de Ramezay: "Gardening in Paris during
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| paste made from dry dates and toast.
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| | the Monarchy" introduces the visitors to
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| The meal was very savoury and the
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| | the formal gardens of Paris more than 200
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| contrasting tastes of the three cheeses
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| | years ago. An upcoming exhibition called
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| together with the sweet tastes of the
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| | "Crime and Punishment' will talk about
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| fruit and the date paste presented an
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| | justice in the new colonies.
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| interesting variety of flavours to my
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| | I had found the perfect way to deal with
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| palate. I was enjoying my meal and
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| | the thunderstorm: brush up on Montreal's
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| noticed that from my table I could even
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| | history at the Chateau de Ramezay. Now it
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| see the cupola of the Bonsecours Market
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| | was time to head back to rest up for my
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| peaking out between the old buildings.
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| | evening explorations of the St. Denis
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| Unfortunately my serenity was cut short
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| | neighbourhood and a tasty Mexican dinner
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| as the heavens opened up and a tremendous
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| | at La Iguana.
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