Montreal...!
 

Bonjour,
Who can tell me what's the coolest stuff to do in the midst of this very cool city?
We're gonna stay in the Mont Royal- Plateau area. We love the food and wine and to experience the neighborhood stuff, not just the tourist haunts. And we love parks and strangely historical offerings. Anyone have a great experience to share?
Merci!

I was there about 8 years ago with the ex, and it was a curious time. My high school French was not up to the task and sometimes it felt like I was hated for being a tourist and for trying to use the language rudimentarily. At the time I think Quebecois were being particularly separatist and my friend from Ontario hated the Montrealers for being anti-English and stupidly anti-tourist.

That said.

There is an insectarium there, or whatever it's called, a place where insects are collected and catalogued and that is pretty neat.

Every single restaurant is absolutely fantastic. There is a street lined with outdoor cafes (a few of them actually), and those are pretty good, but what are fantastic are the real restaurants. We picked ones out of tour books that had descriptions that sounded good... that's what you did in the mid-90s. Even the simple breakfast the inn offered was great.

Insectarium....check! We'll definitely hit that and the Botanical (drooling) garden.

Oh yaw I think the one might be connected to the other.

Oh and the subways. They were really really great and you could get anywhere from anywhere and they rode on rubber wheels and were pretty quiet.

ah, screw canada. you can't trust anyone who's head splits in half when they talk.

Yeah. I dont know what that means.

With their beady little eyes and flapping heads so full of lies...
(you can Google the quote above)

Oh that. Havent been able to fully enbrace the whole south park juggernaut thus leaving a hole in my pop culture reference base. Thanks for the spackle.

If you see nothing else, the movie is still worth seeing.

Old Town Montreal is _really_ cool.

The Biosphere was pretty cool.

Montreal Report:
The Rough Guide es tres bon! (emboldened bad French) Great advice, maps.
All Francophones were very gracious and patient with us.
Rue St Denis on the plateau (mont royal metro) was the perfect spot to stay.
great cafe hangouts, affordable restaurants, real people living there.
Highlights:
Great Coffee everywhere. Marches Jean Talon and Atwater
Many Eggs were consumed.
Billy Kun- great beer selection, swell bartenders, and lovely stuffed ostrich heads.
Portugese mussels at Bistro Duluth.
The Metro
Cafe Cherrier in the rain
Balconies
The mountian and Chateau vistas
Outremont- this is the neighborhood for me.
St Josephs, with a pilgrim climbing the steps on his knees.
Bagels and smoked meat.
unpasterized cheese!
Popsicles at the Jardin Botanique
Tour of the Habs dressing room!

OK, but not the greatest: Old Montreal and downtown- Cool buildings, but very touristy, expensive.