How-to
Visit the Library before - and after - your vacation!
I started planning my trip to Montreal a year ago. My friends and I had all read every Louise Penny mystery, and the lure of French-speaking Quebec was powerful. We wanted to practice our French, eat really good bread, see St. Joseph's Oratory, and at least in my case, visit the John Fluevog store on Rue St. Denis. And half the fun was learning about the city before we got there.
I checked out: Montreal travel guides (Montreal is 917.14 in books and DVDs), both print and downloadable e-books for my Nook. Being able to underline and bookmark spots in the electronic version is mighty handy! After I had a mass of Post-its marking the print book, I checked out a couple of city maps from the 4th floor map file, photocopied them, and started marking museums, restaurants and shops I wanted to visit. Our library maps are laminated so they travel easily and hold up even if you spill your Merlot on them. We have over 600 maps and atlases on which your imagination can run wild.
We found an apartment on TripAdvisor, booked our flights and had a marvelous six days in a beautiful and friendly city. We saw amazing sights, both planned and happenstance - three weddings in one day! Everything they say about Montreal is true, and I hope you get there some day.
And then I returned to the library. Why? Because I had seen an exhibit on the Lascaux Caves and an exhibit of Faberge jeweled treasures (what a contrast!) and wanted to learn more about both. Of course, I wanted to find a few novels set in Montreal, so I could revisit some of those beautiful streets in my imagination. And finally, I wanted to try my hand at making those delicious flaky pastries we had had for breakfast every morning. Here's part of what I took home - and I placed the holds from the Montreal airport!
- The Splendor of Lascaux: Rediscovering the Greatest Treasure of Prehistoric Art by Norbert Ajoulat
- Faberge's Eggs: The Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire by Toby Faber
- The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler (a young woman comes to post WWII Montreal, expecting to marry a stranger - who turns her down.)
- The American Boulangerie by Pascal Rigo
After your next vacation, come back to the library. Tell us about your trip, inspire us to go there, and let us keep the experience fresh in your mind long after you've put away your luggage.