I returned to Montreal recently for the first time in more than 30 years. I discovered the city has changed a lot since my high school days at Lemoyne d’Iberville School in the south shore suburb of Longueuil.
 

    I think the changes have been for the better.Those changes I thing are largely due to Quebec’s language law, Bill 101, which, among other things, requires all signs be predominantly in French.
 

    When I lived in Montreal, the language of business was English, and English-language signs dominated the landscape.  Today, you are greeted in French, but merchants quickly turn to English, if they discover you are English-speaking.
 

    Many of those merchants, particularly in the hotel and restaurant industry, seem to be immigrants, who have come to Quebec since I left in 1966 for university studies in the United States. They seem to be equally conversant in French and English as well as in their first language.
 

    I took my wife, Melanie, and 11-year-old daughter, Annelise, to Montreal with me. They spent the day exploring – visiting the many museums and tourist sites (like the Botanical Garden, the Biodome, and the old city) – while I was in meetings. For $12 each they got a week's pass on the Metro and soon learned to ride the subway everywhere. In the evening we typically went out together for dinner at one of the many restaurants.
 

    Montreal’s downtown bustles with activity any evening of the night, unlike Edmonton where I live, which is dead in comparison. Hundreds of restaurants offer a variety of ethnic foods. We ate Greek, Italian, traditional French, Jewish, and Chinese. We were tempted but didn’t get to try the Lebanese, Turkish, Polish and many other restaurants. We found the food was delicious and substantive, but expensive. We couldn’t get used to paying 15 percent tax on top of the cost for the meal and 15 percent tip.
 

    Our first night we went out for dinner about 9 p.m. We tried to get into a Turkish restaurant off St. Catherine’s Street, but found it was too small to have a separate non-smoking section. Instead we went next door to an Italian restaurant. We were the only customers and were treated like royalty.
 

    Sunday evening we walked up St. Laurent Street to Prince Arthur, which is lined by mainly Greek restaurants that offer a two-for-one luncheon. We dined at La Cabane Greque on calamari and souvlaki. With an appetizer, salad and dessert, it was more than we could eat, but also more than we wanted to pay. Guests brought their own wine or bought it across the street at a convenience store.
 

    Monday friends recommended we go to Schwarz’s Hebraique deli on rue St. Laurent. It was every bit as good as described. We ate huge smoked meat sandwiches (medium because lean they said was too dry), French fries and pickles. It was “a man’s meal,” our friends said, and I guess it was. My wife and daughter brought half of their sandwiches back to the hotel. People line-up to get into Schwarz’s. Fortunately we walked in and were seated immediately.
 

    Lunch at Restaurant Marché Mövenpick in Place Ville Marie was a fun experience that turned out to be expensive. Diners go from stall-to-stall where their meals are prepared as they stand and watch. I ordered soupe chino, ratatouille, bread and cheese, and my daughter had pepperoni pizza, fruit juice, and patisserie. Our bill with 10 percent tip included came out to $34.19.
 

    In Vieux Montréal, the old city, we sampled the table de hôte for lunch at and later in the week at. Chez Queux was classy, but expensive. At Restaurant Papillon the prices were right and the food was delicious. Dishes were attactively arranged to look like birds or fish, and garnished with wheat spouts and rice crackers. Fun. We started with Greek salad and finished with a mousse for dessert. They provided my daughter the same poulet parmigiana (chicken) as her mother for half price. Melanie’s dinner cost $10.95. I ate filet de morue sauce meunière (a kind of fish) for $11.95. It was by far our best meal.
 

    For me, my return to Montreal was a great experience. I enjoyed practicing my French and to my surprise did better than I expected.  Anglophones have emigrated from the province in thousands, some after many generations. I am told that residents who don’t speak French or don’t try to learn are not welcomed. In the 1960s, when I lived in Montreal, the English minority seemed to dominate commerce and many other aspects of Quebec life. That has all changed. And I think it’s a good thing.
 

    For tourists, Montreal is a unique place to visit. And the signs, although in French, seem to say Bienvenue.
 

   Click here to see pictures of Montreal.

For information about Montreal go to http://www.montrealcam.com/