Chinatown in Montreal

Packed Market

While in Montreal, we decided to visit the Chinatown. The area was at first home to Montreal's Jewish community from 1890 to 1920, but many Chinese also settled there because it was convenient for their jobs working at the railways. Over the years, other Chinese immigrants settled and opened up shops. Recently, there has been an influx of exchange students opening internet cafes, and bubble tea shops.
I tasted one of these beverages, and the bad taste it left in my mouth increased my disappointment and displeasure. After watching numerous episodes of CSI New York happen in Chinatown, I was expecting a colourful street, with colourful shops, and since it was Canada's National Day, I was expecting maybe a little parade with the people parading as dragons.

Gateway into Chinatown

Instead, it was dirty, grey and a little bit shabby, and most of the shops were closed because it was a special day. There was a packed market where people only sold electronics and bracelets, and since we had eaten not long before, we didn't even stop to eat in a Chinese buffet, but I think that even if we were hungry, we wouldn't have stopped because the shops all looked scary, with nobody in them, and flashing broken neon lights stating the name of the shop or restaurant. I was truly disappointed, this being my first time to visit a Chinatown, and maybe not all Chinatowns are like this, but no matter what they say, first impressions do count.

The only thing I liked in Chinatown. Two of them at the entrance.

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