Montreal, Canada is still a rather interesting city. Although the city is not as large as the cities in China, the air and environment here are truly something that most cities in China cannot match. Here is a travel guide to Montreal, Canada for you.
After attending my daughter’s graduation ceremony, my friend drove us to Canada.
My classmate and friend, Xiao N, had driven alone from Niagara Falls to Pennsylvania two days ago to attend his daughter’s graduation ceremony. Today, he drove our whole family to Canada.
From Bethlehem to Montreal, Canada, the journey took 7 hours. Along the way, we stopped and went, which was quite relaxing. Although the scenery along the way was beautiful, due to the continuous travel and time difference, we couldn’t appreciate the beautiful scenery. Our family slept in the car, while Xiao N, who had been traveling for 10 days, couldn’t relax at all. He drove steadily, with a pot of tea and some classic old songs that we rarely listened to, accompanying him all the way to keep us safe.
Xiao N’s home is in Montreal, Canada. He and his family immigrated to Canada 8 years ago. Actually, Xiao N is not young. He is only one year younger than my husband. They are classmates and friends who have known each other for many years, so they speak to each other without reservation or restraint. Especially when they tease each other, it’s like telling a cross-talk, their coordination is excellent, and they often make us laugh. My husband has always been sarcastic, Xiao N is quick-witted and talkative, so listening to them talk about everything under the sun and banter with each other, my children and I had to admire their “talking skills.”
After five hours, we reached the US-Canada border. This was the first time we crossed the border by road.
According to the usual procedure, we needed to go through the US customs to clear our departure procedures first, and then go through the Canadian customs for entry check. Before reaching the customs, Xiao N repeatedly told us about the things to pay attention to when exiting and entering the country. So, we were a little worried and nervous.
However, to our surprise, the US customs checkpoints at the US-Canada border had been withdrawn, with only Canadian customs stationed there.
The Canadian customs officers questioned us first, then took everyone’s passports and looked at them left and right. We thought we would need to get out of the car for inspection, and also need to take the luggage out for scanning inspection, but to our surprise, we didn’t get out of the car, and they didn’t ask us to take the luggage out of the car for inspection. After five minutes, we passed through customs smoothly.
Such smooth customs clearance was beyond even Xiao N’s expectations, who frequently travels between the US and Canada. So, the two of them started bantering again, and then started singing along with the music in the car.
This was my son and my first time in Canada. Although we only saw the outskirts of Montreal on the road, judging from the characteristics of the buildings, they were similar to the US. Therefore, I didn’t feel that the scenery was particularly attractive to me, but I was very interested in Canadian culture and history. After entering Canadian territory, the talkative and knowledgeable Xiao N showed no sign of fatigue from driving all the way, and he excitedly introduced us to Canadian history and scenery. My husband seems to know everything about world history, and the two of them told us about it, occasionally arguing with each other jokingly. We were repeatedly amused by them.
We soon arrived at the hotel. It was 8:30 pm, and Xiao N’s wife and children were waiting for us at home for dinner. Therefore, after we checked in and dragged our luggage to the room, we immediately went to Xiao N’s house under his guidance.
Xiao N’s home is very close to the hotel, only a 10-minute drive away. We quickly arrived at his house. Since the two families have always been close, everyone, adults and children alike, couldn’t stop chatting once they met. Especially my son, when he saw his brother NX, he couldn’t let go of him, and their closeness was really unbearable. Fortunately, NX has always been good-tempered and patient, otherwise, he would have been scared away.
Xiao N’s home is very cozy, and the surrounding environment is also very good. The large balcony attracted our whole family. We stood on the balcony watching cars coming and going, watching the soft streetlights illuminating the streets at night. There were no tall buildings in the distance, and no obstructions nearby. Most of what we could see was green trees and lawns. What a peaceful, harmonious, and comfortable neighborhood.
Considering that we were tired from the journey, Xiao N’s warm and considerate family ordered us a table full of Northeastern dishes from a restaurant, which made us instantly hungry and we ate everything without hesitation. This was the most delicious meal I had had since I left Shenyang.
Later, we ate at this restaurant for two consecutive days for lunch. This restaurant also has a relatively approachable name: “Fu Jia Zhuang.” The restaurant is not big, but it is clean. The owner and his wife are kind and approachable, and they speak with a pure Dalian accent, which makes us feel even closer.
On the second day in Canada, we followed Xiao N to have a look around Concordia University, where his daughter will be attending. Concordia University is located in the downtown area of Montreal, next to the famous McGill University. Due to traffic congestion and difficulty in parking, we only took a general look in the car and then drove out of the downtown area and went directly to the surrounding residential areas.
Xiao N drove while enthusiastically introducing us to every place we passed, including the historical background. He was simply a local expert.
Eight years of immigration, for a man with family responsibilities, from the initial unfamiliarity and pressure to the current confidence and composure, his efforts must be much more than those in China. Perhaps, this is a must-go-through process for every immigrant! Now, Xiao N’s family has achieved success in their careers and studies, and their life is peaceful, stable, and happy, making me very envious. The hardships behind have become the past, and the future will only get better.
Over the past few days, Xiao N has taken us through the streets and alleys of Montreal, giving us a deeper understanding of the city and laying the foundation for our future stay in Canada.
For two consecutive nights, Xiao N’s family took us to eat at the most famous western restaurant and seafood restaurant in the area. After eating and drinking to our hearts’ content, my husband said that if we continued to be treated like this, we wouldn’t leave. He also said: “I finally lost a few pounds, and I’ve gained them back in these few days.”
But jokes aside. What made us most uneasy was that from the time Xiao N went to the US to attend his daughter’s graduation ceremony, he had completely put his work aside to accompany us for all these days. Xiao N’s wife and children worked during the day, and almost every night they accompanied us until late at night. We are truly grateful, and we don’t know how to express it.
Tomorrow, we will leave Canada and end our four-day trip to Canada.
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