New York to Montreal
For the summer of 2016, I had set my sights on the classic coast-to-coast train journey from east to west Canada. However, basic guesthouse and hotel accommodation were proving to be very expensive. I had used Airbnb a couple of times before, but largely as a longer-stay alternative to holiday lets and rentals companies. I checked out the possibilities and discovered that the prices to stay as a guest in someone’s house was half the price of standard guesthouses or small hotels, and affordable enough to make it viable to journey across Canada for six weeks, as well as adding a visit to New York for a week.
The eleven-hour train journey from New York to Montreal was straight forward and passed through picturesque New York State scenery. The border guards dealt with the entry into Canada on the train making entry into the country very straightforward.
Montreal
Montreal has a population of almost two million and its centre has the feel of a large city. I stayed in the suburbs which were very English to the extent that they even looked like the residential areas of Havant – near where I was brought up in England.
Montreal has plenty to offer, including the cobbled streets of the old city, the colourful Jean Talon Market, the swish Trade Centre, the beautiful Notre-Dame Basilica, spectacular views over the city from Mount Royal Park, and a bit of tranquility in the central La Fontaine Park.
