,
It’s amazing that I never noticed. It’s as if I had been stumbling with blinders
on for most of the first 25-odd something years that I resided in la belle
province, oblivious to the architectural wonder of this French Canadian
metropolis. It’s amazing that when
you’re a local, you quickly acclimatize to the sights, sounds and wonders of
your hometown as you scurry on by, without even batting an eyelash, let alone
stopping to glance at this or that monument or place of historical
interest. Yet, when you’re a tourist, or
even a “pretend” one at that, you rapidly
acquire a keen appreciation of your surroundings as you immerse yourself in the
feel and culture of the present locale, as if viewing it all for the very first
time.
Camera in one hand and pen and paper in the other, I
embarked on a shutterbug journey along the paved rues, striving to document curious
places of interest as well as snapping pics of visually appealing landmarks,
when I was abruptly halted in my tracks by the mesmerizing sight of………you
guessed it……..staircases! Yep, that’s
right. You read this correctly. Staircases? Like, seriously? But these were no ordinary set of steps….
The kaleidoscope of painted stairwells added just a hint of
embellishment to the countless residences that peppered the tree-lined streets,
spirals of wrought iron practicality unique to Montréal. Spellbound, as if transported back in time to
a by-gone era, I remained transfixed to my spot on the pavement, marvelling at
the sense of awe that a set of steps was able to evoke. Perhaps it was the turquoise hued balcony, a
splash of colour amid the concrete greys that first piqued my interest, or
perhaps it was the set of curvaceous stairways that caught my eye, nonetheless,
I had succumbed, seductively seduced by these elaborately formed escaliers.
An extension of the personality of one’s abode, these
architecturally pleasing exterior balconies personify the soul and charm of the
city, and are, if I dare say, works
of artistic expression.
With that being said, the not so ordinariness of the
colourfully painted steps sent me on a mission like none other, as my
pink-sneaker clad feet spent the remainder of the day darting up and down the
boulevards, eager to add image after image to my ever expanding digital portfolio. Needless to say, languishing over a vino or
two on a quaint outdoor patio was not meant to be, the promise of a refreshing
beverage now relegated to late afternoon, a much anticipated reward for a bevy
of National Geographic worthy snapshots.
And, hey, if that watering hole just so happened to be on
either the second or third level, accessible only by one of those wrought iron
spiral set of steps, well, golly geez,
what’s a pink sneaker clad ol’ Auntie to do but make that mad dash up…and then
down…and then up again…. and well, you get the picture….
So, come meander along with me on my jaunt around
la ville, a wacky ol’ Auntie on the hunt for ornate and elaborate Crayola
coloured balconies and staircases, on a digital journey of Montréal’s much-beloved wrought
iron escaliers.
Next blog will be be posted on Wednesday
August 27th, as per my summer-time posting schedule.
Where oh where in la ville de Montréal will
my pink-sneaker clad feet take me?? Stay
tuned!!
All posted pictures have been photographed by me and my handy dandy point and shoot camera - Miss Pink Sneakers photographer extra-ordinaire!!
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