Montréal - Day Three

Today I explored le Réso and le Vieux Port. Le Réso is the system of underground passages in Montréal -you can be in a mall, as pictured, but you can also be in a plain corridor which nonetheless takes you to another part of the city, all without freezing. There are miles of corridors, and all of them are warm.

I traveled to the old part of town today. There aren't any subway stops that really take you there - a lot of walking was required. There are bus routes, but I didn't bother. It's cold today, really cold. Tomorrow is supposed to be even worse. I have four layers of clothing on, and that's barely sufficient.

I walked through Chinatown to reach the old part of town. It was compact, but still pretty neat.
I reached the old port and I wandered around for quite a bit. I would say that half of the shops are closed this time of year. I was keeping my eye out for a subterranean bar my friends and I visited several years back, off of a small alley, but I couldn't find it.
 
It actually took a while to wander the narrow streets of the Old Town. I stopped for lunch at les 3 Brasseurs, which is a chain of microbreweries. Here's a picture of me reflected from the copper of the bar:
Boy, my nose looks big in the picture!!

I was also able to see the preparations for the New Year in Old Town. Above is a picture of one of the venues. There are other stages being set up in other places, including near city hall. A bartender with whom I spoke indicated that the festivities in the Old Port are really for families, and not for cool guys like me. We'll see - I haven't given up hope yet!!
Many of you are wondering, I'm sure, about what Ken does after dark.  Well, last night I spent an enjoyable evening in a jazz bar not too far from my hotel. Believe it or not, Montréal is a pretty big jazz city. My hotel is in the heart of the Latin Quarter, and there are many, many bars and music venues here. 
Tune in tomorrow for another exciting day in Montréal, including the archaeological museum and New Year's Eve!