ABOUT: VPG-DVD-112 - MONTREAL Canada's second largest city, Montreal is a fascinating blend of European charm and the American way of life. In Vieux-Montreal, narrow lanes and small houses recall the past and also the lifestyle of the original settlers. In the old fire station at Place D`Youville - one of the oldest markets in Montreal -- is the Centre D`Histoire in which the 350 year cultural history of the city is on display, from the development of the Irokese Settlement, its prolific fur trade, and right up to today's shining, energetic Metropolis. Although Montreal is located 1600 kilometres from the open sea, it owes its wealth to its waterways which stretch from the country's interior, to the ocean. A trip on the Saint Laurence River with the pleasure boat, BATEAU-MOUCHE, contrasts old, historic warehouses with the highly contemporary apartment block of the Cite Du Havre Habitat. Le Tour Olympique, Montreal's " Crooked Tower", offers panoramic views which extend more than 80 kilometres from its 175 metre tall viewing platform. Next to the Olympic Stadium, the Biodome, in which exotic animals from many corners of the world roam among waterfalls and tropical forests. Next to the gleaming skyscrapers of the inner city, there are museums, churches and art galleries and, in the old quarter, there are more historic buildings than in any other North American city, not forgetting the parks and the romantic harbour. Montreal is a gem!