Montreal Tower Observatory

This morning we headed up to Parc Mont Royal, to see the view over the city. Unfortunately, by the time we got up there, the early morning sun had given way to cloud and the visibility wasnt very good, so we moved on to St. Joseph's Oratory, a Roman Catholic basilica on the northern slope of Mount Royal. It is built in the Italian Renaissance style and comprises the lower Crypt church, built in 1917, with a seating capacity of 1,000, and on the top the huge basilica, built in stages between 1924 and 1967, seating 2,200. The church had originated as a small chapel, founded by Brother André Bessette, of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, in 1904. However, it wasnt long before the growing number of visitors made it too small, and even though it was enlarged, a larger church was needed. The Oratory's dome is the third-largest of its kind in the world.

By this time the weather had improved again, and we went across town to the Olympic Park and went up the Montreal Tower, which is incorporated into the Olympic stadium. The Montréal Tower Observatory is the highest inclined tower in the world, with a 175-metre elevation and 45-degree angle. You ascend the tower by a two-level funicular, the only one in the world that works on a curbed structure; a hydraulic system allows the cabin to remain horizontal at all times as it glides up the back of the Tower.

By this time it was late afternoon, and so we headed out of Montreal to Bromont, where Roger was to be working Monday through Thursday. Bromont is just a fairly small village, with a couple of businesses, but best known for its ski slopes. We were staying in a nice resort hotel, facing the slopes.