The place that gave the world Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion and smoked meat is exuberantly the best of Canada. Jazz and tango, fur and biosphere, voyageur and bon vivant, hockey and elegance all meet in Montreal. And for a metro area of 3.6 million, it doesn't feel crowded. Don't mix these up: The Metro is the subway, fast and efficient. The underground is 19 miles of subterranean sidewalks and shops. "Quebecers spend the equivalent of two weeks per year on their balcony," according to Tourisme Montreal. There are 1.5 million balconies in Montreal. And a lot of civilization. Here are some inside tips: The customary way to greet friends in Montreal is to kiss them on both cheeks. Montreal may be in Canada, but look around. Customs, social mores and lifestyle are not like anything else in North America, everything is in French. That means all the signs, most TV and radio stations, and most conversation on the sidewalk. Nearly 70 percent are native French speakers. But most people in the city center are bilingual. If they realize you are American, they will feel sorry for you and switch to English. In Montreal, women wear fur without guilt. Everywhere you look, there's a university or college. And the top of Mont Royal has the best view of the city. Montrealers like roaming around in the streets without any particular purpose, just for the fun of being with friends. The lavish cathedral in Old Montreal is not just a nice church. It is a heartbeat of history ingrained in every Montrealer. The cathedral is also a celebrity magnet - it was the site of singer Celine Dion's wedding in 1994 and former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's huge funeral in 2000. Visit during a mass or an evening light show, just to hear music echoing off the colorful gothic walls. Some Montrealers also enjoy wild boat rides on the Lachine Rapids. Relax instead on a bateau-mouche French-style tour boat from Old Montreal's port. You'll pass the dimpled Expo '67 Biosphere and other sights along the St. Lawrence, but you can also laze around sampling lunch or dinner on a one- to three-hour cruise. With the highest number of tango dancers on the continent, Montreal is the tango capital of North America. Montreal has thousands of shops. Special is the Marche Bonsecours indoor market, which features Quebec-made art, clothing and gifts. For Montrealers, the weekend often begins on Thursday night. Nightlife, centered on Crescent and St. Laurent streets, often goes until 3 a.m. The Vocalz Karaoke Bar is a Montreal hangout for would-be stars, and it has more than 3,000 songs to choose from. More sophisticated tastes are satisfied at the Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill, a small Montreal club with great live jazz.

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