Montreal, a port of call

A vista point on Mount Royal offers a panoramic view of the city. Photo by Raymond Zhou / China Daily

The streets are lined with fine French dining establishments, with subdued traditional decor and quality food and wine one would normally associate with Paris. Well, Montreal is the largest French-speaking city outside of France with a total of 3 million people living in the metropolitan region.

Another thing I like about Montreal is a downtown that's within easy walking distance.

After tasting some great French cuisine at Old Montreal, you could saunter across a narrow street to the Old Port, where you can gaze up at the Clock Tower or relax on the sandy beach. Yes, there is an urban beach by the St. Lawrence River, where there is live entertainment in the early evening - classical music for Sunday and pop, jazz or electronica for the rest of the week - and sometimes fireworks at night.

One day, I walked all the way up into Mount Royal Park, through McGill University.

There were lots of people who rode bicycles up the hill. The footpath cuts through the trails up to the Kondiaronk Belvedere, a magnificent vista point that overlooks downtown Montreal.

A phalanx of spectators stood at the balcony, snapping pictures. The platform also housed a piano. Those who got tired watching the view could sit down and listen to the pianist.

Montreal is a great city for cyclists. It has a network of bicycle lanes, and you can rent a bike from one of 405 stations. Called BIXI, a blend of the words "bicycle" and "taxi", the service is a local innovation whose popularity has helped it spread to cities on three continents.

Special bike lanes lace Sainte-Helene and Notre-Dame Islands, two small islets in the middle of the river. Some bike lanes resemble an auto-racing circuit. So, you can ride as fast as you want.

Speaking of the islands, they were the sites of the 1967 World Fair. Many of the structures have been preserved - for instance, the US pavilion has been converted into Environment Canada's Biosphere, a premier venue for raising public awareness on air pollution, climate change and sustainable development. Plaques commemorate the locations where the original buildings no longer stand.

Montreal also hosted the 1976 Olympics, and the stadium is now a tourist attraction.

You can ride a cable car up to the observatory, which is the world's tallest inclined tower. I guess it was designed by an artist.

There are many things in Montreal you'll notice that are unique in subtle ways, as if local people do not have patience for conformity but want to imprint their city with a touch of personality.

That little something makes you linger while walking down the street or through a park.

And, of course, the rich variety of performances, including those on big screens, contributes greatly to the luster of a 371-year-old city.

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