With quarantine, the lives of virtually every human being have been disrupted in one way or another.
In the case of stubborn travellers, one of the hardest things has been the severe limitations with regard to international travel.
Although at the time of writing this (July 2020) in many countries the strongest restrictions have already been relaxed, there are still some limitations on mostly international flights.
To visit your city
One of the things we’ve discovered with this forced “standing still” is that we’ve looked back at the city where we’re living right now.
And you know what?
We have discovered several hidden wonders and others not so hidden that we had not had the opportunity to experience.
We have become aware of the number of people who do not know their own city, who dream of distant worlds without even stopping to think about the wonders that may be around them.
Le seul véritable voyage ce ne serait pas d’aller vers de nouveaux paysages, mais d’avoir d’autres yeux. M. Proust.-
5 benefits of doing local micro tourism
We do not know if the phrase exists, but it seems to us a good description of this activity. We tell you what, in our opinion, are the 5 best reasons to do tourism in the place where you are now.
1. Feeling of pride and belonging: Knowing the facts and hidden wonders of your city, opens your eyes to its always interesting history. Maybe to a rich tradition, which you didn’t even imagine.
2. More prone to physical activities. As the distances to be covered are shorter, we may have the will to do them on foot or by bicycle. Both activities excellent for the heart.
3. Less stress in terms of language barriers or idiosyncrasies. If we live here, there won’t be much of a problem of cultural barriers… Unless we visit a neighborhood or majority sector of some specific nationality, such as Chinatown, Irish… But in any case, those who live there should share our common culture.
4. Eco-friendly with the planet: derived from the above: by not using motor vehicles, the planet smiles.
5. Discovery and development of that feeling that the wonder surrounds us. We begin to realize that no matter where we are, we can be surrounded by wonders without suspecting it. We must only have an attentive mind and eyes wide open.
Montreal: pedestrian and cycling city
In our case, we have done some interesting activities in our current city of residence: Montreal. Being a very pedestrian city and with extensive routes for cycling, we have feasted on these activities. We want to share some here.
Bike rides
There are special routes for bicycles in many cities around the world. In the case of Montreal, you can rent a bike if you don’t have one and take a route. The following are stellar.
Île de la Visitation: To return to nature in the middle of the city! With almost 4 kms of bike routes and 9 km of hiking trails. It is a park where you can have picnics, barbecues, cultural events, etc. Here, at the time, Canada’s first industries were established.
Île de Saint Hélène and Île de Notre-Dame: are islands linked to land by bridges surrounded by the saint laurent river. Small jewels easily accessible by bicycle. On these islands you will enjoy several facilities such as the Stewart Museum, the amusement park La Ronde, and the Biosphere. And you can enjoy the fantastic views of the Vieux-Port, the Tour de l’Horte, the Place Jacques Cartier and the Basilica of Notre-Dame. And you’ll also enjoy a bike ride on the same tracks where they celebrate the Formula 1
Parc Mont-Royal Another emblematic Montreal park surrounded by green spaces. Excellent place for hiking, biking and enjoying a beautiful view of the city center. You can also tour The Beaver Lake that in winter becomes a skating rink.
In autumn the colors of the leaves of the trees change from green to the palette of red, orange and yellow colors. A spectacle, especially for those of us who come from the tropics with its evergreen vegetation.
Boulevard La Salle: with 24 kilometers for cycling, it gives the opportunity to know the history of the region and admire the natural sites.
Walking routes
Maybe a bike isn’t your thing. Here in Montreal there are routes to do on foot. The famous “promenades”. Among our favorites:
Rue Wellington: from the boulevard La Salle begins the Rue Wellington, is a shopping district and seat of frequent artistic and cultural events.
Rue Saint Catherine: 11 kilometers of shops in the financial and commercial center of Montreal.
Boulevard Saint Laurent: important commercial, historical and cultural artery. In it we can find and enjoy a great variety in gastronomy, shopping etc.
Vieux-Port: it is the historic Port of Montreal. Site with cafes, restaurants, outdoor activities of spring and summer … and even a beach, the Tour de l’Horloge!
Rue Saint Denis: area of cafes, restaurants or to taste a beer. It runs from north to south, until the Vieux-Port. With a multicultural air, typical of Canadian idiosyncrasies.
Conclusions
Getting to know Montreal more has made us love this city even more. That same feeling can overwhelm you if you give yourself to the task, in these times of limited transfers and if local laws allow you, to travel and know, truly the place where you are living.
You will surely be surprised by the hidden treasure that is perhaps under your own noses.
Maybe that old building that always went unnoticed hides a legend or a fascinating history.
A friend from Caracas frequently passed in front of an old building of peculiar architecture, but that did not attract much attention. Until one day he learned that Gabriel García Márquez, when he lived in Venezuela doing journalism, lived there and probably wrote part of his monumental One Hundred Years of Solitude between the old walls of the building.
Now he sees it differently. It’s no longer just an old building.
Have you toured your own city?
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