Try Concordia University (just a quick trot west from McGill) and Université de Montréal. The UdM is on the other side of Mount Royal, but it’s a very nice area with easy metro access. Maybe one of those residences accepts travelers after the fifteenth. I’d recommend UdM first – it’s a French University (though pretty much everyone there can speak English); it’ll give you a different view of the city instead of the typical downtown experience.
On the other hand, if it’s just two nights, why not splurge a little? C’mon, it’s Montreal – treat yourself to something nice. It’s yer honeymoon fer crying out loud! Book one night in an el cheapo dump and then one night on the 30th floor of the Four Seasons, or the Sheraton or that hotel that looks like a cheese grater. Sure, in terms of architecture, they’re cold, unromantic hunks of concrete and glass, but boy, what a view!
Splurging is not within our budget, with the plane tix, train tix and eating a couple times a day. Two nights in a Montreal hotel would run about $300; train tix were $350 for both of us. We just need a clean place to sleep and shower where our stuff won’t get stolen, then we’re out on the town all day long every day. Maybe the night we’re back in TO before picking up the train the next morning…dunno. I don’t want to start our marriage any more in debt than we already are!
If you’re travelling by train, have you given any thought to VIARail’s overnight packages? I know there are overnight trains between Montreal and Toronto, and dining cars on some trains (Montreal-Halifax and Toronto-Vancouver specifically, though there may be others, especially on overnights between Toronto and Montreal). In addition, VIARail operates a “Romance Package,” which might be nice if you’re honeymooning. I don’t know if you’ll be on any trains on which the Romance Package operates, but if you are, you might like that for a honeymoon idea–saves you a hotel or hostel night, and gives you a little extra-special treatment.
I’ve travelled Canada’s trains pretty much coast-to-coast, both in coach and in first-class. Either class is a great way to travel. But one of these days, I plan to do the Romance Package through the mountains with my wife between Edmonton and Vancouver. It sounds quite nice, and might be a good idea for our tenth anniversary. But I kind of wish we had been able to do it when we got married. Maybe you can, though.
We now operate a light, airy second-floor dungeon with stale pesto omelettes, if it makes you feel any better. And we now have a special “opt-out” feature on the mandatory sodomy.
I’m not sure. Certainly, all I ever did was pick up the phone and ask the reservations clerk for a ticket to ____ in ____ class. The clerk quoted a price. There was never a mention made of a “rail cruise.”
I do recall many tourists on one of the Toronto-Vancouver train trips I took (though that trip, I was only going as far as Edmonton). Anyway, these tourists were British and American, and seemed to be under the impression that it was some sort of rail cruise–they were surprised that I, and the other Canadians on the train, were not part of a tour group and were actually taking the train to get someplace. As always, I had booked my trip over the phone and paid the quoted price for my fare. But if these tourists had been sold a “rail cruise” package by a travel agent back home, then I imagine they paid a somewhat different (and undoubtedly more expensive) price than I did.
No, they tend to hang out one block up. I see them at Jarvis and Carlton all the time (late at night). And in the summer there’s almost always a couple on the corner of Church by the restaurant that used to be Mocha Joe’s… What’s it called now? Eggstacy? (Also late at night.)
I’ve never seen working girls near the Harvey’s either. But I’ve been told they had a greater presence in the 80s and 90s when “The Hookers of Jarvis” documentary was filmed. I don’t think they’e been around the Harvey’s much since the Leafs moved to the Air Canada Centre.
There were a lot more when I moved to the neighborhood than there are now. They add a splash of color to the neighbourhood, but I’ve never felt their presence was “dangerous” in any way. My neighbor chats with them a lot (no not in smutty way, he works really, really late and they bum smokes off him on his way home.)
Hey, if you walk your dog around the Allen Gardens, we’ve probably crossed paths.
We decided early on that the train travel itself was an important part of the trip for us; seeing the sights in another country and hopefully learning things along the way. It wouldn’t do for us to sleep through it. Geeks that we are, infrastructure is fascinating to us.
Those brave enough to face the Toronto Doper crowd should check out this thread, for a possible group celebration* of NC’s honeymoon.
Not that I’m suggesting anything untoward go on. I mean, we’re pretty sedate here, which is why the city used to be called “Toronto The Good.” Well, sex clubs are legal in Canada, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need to visit one every time we get together. Or even ever! It’s not like we’re in the crazy city of Montreal, or anything. I mean, have you ever spent much time there? I have. That’s one sexy city. Sexy sity? Cexy city? Must be French.
OTOH, if it’s name really is “Dsiscount Hotel”, you might want to avoid it :). In Sarasota there used to be a flophouse on Osprey Avenue called The Ospery Inn that looked like a place to avoid, at least by the look of the people living/hanging out there.
My girlfriend’s dog is a wolfhound/bouvier mix (big). When we’re at my place (we’re renovating a house and not presently cohabitating due to pet issues) we usually walk the pooch in Riverdale. We’ve both taken up running, so it works out better to head east.
I’m familiar with a lot of dogs at the gardens though, like the Bassenji with the Chihuahua. And little Lola, the ancient Datschund.
We picked the Gîte du Parc Lafontaine to kip at in Montreal. We’re hoping to meet up with a Doper for deli (DeliDope?) on maybe the 23rd or 24th, should any FrancoDopers or AngloDopers wanna join. Our train leaves MTL on the 24th at 17:00.
