Montreal: Mount Parc du Royal, Notre Dame Cemetery, & Notre Dame Basilica

Sunday began with crepes.  I wish every Sunday began this way!  I kept it simple and had a Nutella crepe and it was divine. 

After our decadent breakfast we headed to Mount Parc du Royal.  It was quite the hike getting to the top which including LOTS of stairs and several breaks to admire the view and catch our breath.  One of my favorite moments during the walk was when we found a prayer tree.  It was so unexpected and I was really touched by it.  It is such a simple act to write a message on a piece of paper and hang it on a tree but it is such a powerful gesture to see the hopefulness of people putting their prayers out into the world and into God’s hands. 

Once we reached the top the view was breathtaking.   After taking in the view we walked around the rest of the park including the lake and several walking trails.  The park was a flurry of activity and it seemed like everyone was enjoying the beautiful weather with their loved ones.  Behind the park is the Notre Dame cemetery.  It is incredibly expansive and has some beautiful monuments.  I get a bit uncomfortable in cemeteries but this one was full of history and was quite beautiful in an eerie way.  We had expected the Notre Dame basilica to be in the cemetery and were disappointed when we realized we were wrong so we finished the afternoon back in old town (we took the train again) and visited the basilica.  It was well worth the trip.  It was so ornate and beautiful on the inside.  It smelled of wood and candles and had a beautiful glow from the rose glass windows in the ceiling.  The woodwork, stained glass, and paintings were incredibly detailed and meticulously maintained.  At the back of the church was an organ with over seven thousand pipes that only a master of the craft could play.  The tour was very interesting and gave a great history about the architect, the materials used, and the history of the basilica. 

We finished our last day at a wonderful restaurant and splurged and tried Iced Cider (a Canadian specialty).  Ice wine and ice cider are made by harvesting and fermenting the fruit at extremely low temperatures (-9 degrees Celsius or lower).  They are served chilled and are really delicious!