May 30, 2023 – Montreal

I’m back from my extended long weekend in Montreal! It’s the second most populous city in Canada behind Toronto. Even though French is the city’s official language, around 60% of the population is bilingual and able to speak both French and English. Montreal was founded in 1642 and named after Mount Royal, a triple-peaked hill that the city was built around. It’s hosted many international conferences and events, including the 1967 World’s Fair and the 1976 Summer Olympics. It’s actually the only Canadian city to host a summer Olympics, and Canada is the only host nation that didn’t win at least one gold medal in its own games. They won a total of 11 medals that year, 5 silver and 6 bronze. Hockey is a huge part of the city’s history. The first official hockey game was played in Montreal in 1875 and the NHL was founded there in 1917. Their NHL team, the Montreal Canadiens, has won the Stanley Cup more than any other team. The Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal was the site of John Lenon and Yoko Ono’s famous “Bed-in For Peace” in 1969. During their 7-night stay, they wrote and recorded the song “Give Peace a Chance”. Learn more here.