Sponges are members of the phylum Porifera family. They are multicellular organisms with bodies full of pores and channels, making them excellent at absorbing liquids.
'What do you think it is?'. 'No idea'. Theories range from half-complete abandoned building site, to reminiscense of fire extinguishing foam, to the favourite, a colossal sponge. We stand befuddled at the foot of this gigantic wall of ochre foam. It is mid April in Montreal, Quebec, and we have been puzzling over the purpose of this building-sized structure for some time, still under the influence of some considerable jetlag. Springtime. The city is slowly emerging from hibernation. Some streets entertain joyful piles of trash, others are sweeped clean. Montreal is defrosting, as streams of dirty snowmelt revive the concrete and tarmac. It is my family and I's first visit to this mesmerizing city. None of us googles why such strange sponge-like structures are found dotted around the city, we decide we much prefer the mystery and thrill of the unknown, reveling at these monuments of our cross-Atlantic odyssey. We soon discover we have landed right in the heart of a giant sponge, a living, breathing organism which has over centuries absorbed a breadth of cultures and customs from far and wide, the metropolis of Montreal itself.
Montreal is located in the francophone Canadian province of Quebec, and was officially declared a city in 1832. Before European contact, this area of North America was inhabited by the indigenous St Lawrence Iroquoians. Following French expansion, the fortress named Ville-Marie preceded Montreal, and became a centre for fur trade. It was surrendered to the British in 1760, and further British immigration boosted the population. The city continued to grow, becoming the capital of the United Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849, and continuing to expand into the cultural and ethnic melting pot it is today. I believe a colossal sponge really appears to be the most appropriate metaphor for the city, reflecting its absorptions of so many peoples, ethnic groups, cultures and languages over its history.
Montreal today boasts a population of over 4 million. Diversity is foundational to the demography here: only 44% of inhabitants are considered 'Canadian', with the city home to thousands of immigrants including French, English, Italian, Moroccan and Haitian, Chinese and Irish, to name only a few.
So here we are, back at the sponge.
Enthralled by this multi-faceted friendly giant of a city, I felt very at home in its buzzing atmosphere. A few memories stand out to me, most notably the fusion of cultures: Americanized hyper-city lifestyle marrying old-world European aesthetic. Lashings of cream cheese spread over freshly-baked blueberry bagels. Joyful canary-yellow American school buses against backdrops of Victorian-style townhouses and rows of coloured terraces. And beyond the historical charm, something entirely new and fresh: murals of unique street art, an otherworldly Quebec-franco-american accent, the mountains of thick fries, gravy and cheese curds that make up the notorious Poutine.
The city tells of the many peoples who have come and gone. A bustling Chinatown quarter, thousands of international students which fill the inviting coffee shops. And on the outskirts, past the ominous highways, settlements of native Canadians, perhaps a more poignant reminder of the city's scars and inequality.
A fascinating destination for sure, imperfect yet charming, colourful yet foreboding, icy cold yet welcoming. Much like its randomly peppered sponge structures, a prodigious porifera.
Memories of Montreal. April 2015.
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