Top five cool things to do in Montreal

You are an adherent art lover or frolic foodie or a seasonal tourist, Montreal has the heart for everybody. Acute Architecture, a flamboyant festival, a thing for music, Montreal intrigues tourist in several ways with 400 years of history, French culture, old world charm with merging into the modern muse.

Here are five cool things to do in Montreal:

1. Basilique Notre-Dame: Your Montreal trip won't be complete without visiting basilicas. Montreal's most iconic landmark Nortedome basilica with intricate interior and architecture. A visual delight of one of a kind, colossal symphony, and glittering windows give you the surreal experience of beauty and divinity.

2. A view from the top: Mount Royal in Montreal is the mileage of nature and human relation. Go to the top of Mount Royal for a look at the city from above. The night gives you one experience and day another.

3. Enjoy the food: Montreal food is a culture. You are vegan or vegetarian, or just a foodie Montreal gives you all kind of experience. Not just food you will witness all the quirky and classy decor.

4. Vist the Insectarium and botanical garden: Does it sound cool to you? Trust me, not just me; my five-year-old was intrigued by this insectarium. A significant collection of insects from all over the world and also the largest museum in North America. There is a large of displays of over 250,000 specimen living and mounted insects. Good learning experience for the kids.

Montreal Botanical garden: Here you are amazed by the zen garden from Japan or cactus from Mexico or tropical spices or orchids from South Asia. A trip of beauty and biodiversity from around the world.

5. Experience the underground shopping Market:  Whether you are a savvy shopper or window browser, sneak peak the world's largest underground shopping experience. Locally known as RESO, it is an underground network of shopping centers, hotels, food courts and coffee shops restaurants, exhibits.

Bihu outfit of the day and finding my way

      Every celebration in the world is associated with some kind of color. When somebody talks about Christmas, the red, green and gold always come to mind. Bihu is a celebration related to colors like red and beige (in Assamese we call it muga color). This year we visited Boston for Bihu celebration. While deciding on an outfit, I chose a muga color mekhela chadar and a red bell sleeve top. I skip the blouse because I wanted to give a modern twist.

      My love affair with mekhela chadar had started long back. But only thing stopping me from wearing it was that my plates were never perfect. When I was in my 20s, whenever I had to wear mekhela chadar, I always had an excuse for not getting proper plates.  In my 30s and now I am more comfortable, and I found my way to wear it, giving it a modern twist by either wearing modern accessories or chic blouse instead of the typical ones. Even now I am not getting perfect in wearing it but am more comfortable now.

      It was a warm and uplifting sunny Saturday on the East coast after several months of icy cold weather. The mekhela chadar is woven with multicolor threads and a hint of golden thread with typical Assamese motifs. The mekhela chadar has all sublime sunny colors on beige, and I wore it with sunglasses.

      A mekhela chadar is instantly mood lifting and happy enough to celebrate and cheer. On accessories, I took the minimal route. A high neck bell sleeve top already statement and flamboyant, for handbag a red and pink potli bag, an Assamese earing called thuria and an Assamese ring. And the high neck blouse already refuse to pair up with any neckpiece. Let me know how you like it.

Love for Bihu

Bohag Bihu or Rogali Bihu is not just a festival, it's a heartbeat that beats in every assamese heart. Bihu is an energy and spirit that carries a whole lot of assamese emotion.

Food: Bihu is happiness in eating assamese delicacies whether it's pitha(Assamese sweet fritter) or jolpan(assamese cereal). Assamese home gets fragmented by all the delicious Bihu food.

Handlooms or gifts: Bihu is the beginning of the assamese new year. Buying and gifting new clothes is a tradition. Gifting a handcrafted assamese gamosa or mekhela chadar to your beloved is always fun. Is it not exciting enough to celebrate Bihu?

Bloom: Bihu is the time of the year that witness the bloom of beauty or beautiful flowers. New leaves come during this time and transform Assam into a whole new scene. Kapau full (foxtail flower) accentuate Bihu esthetics.

Season of love or wedding: Bihu is the ultimate season of love. Bihu songs totally depict all the told and untold Assamese love sagas. Many people start a new beginning of their life including us. We tied the knot in the Month of Bohag or Bohag Bihu.

Music and Dance: Bihu, Rogali Bihu is no fun without some great music and gracious dance moves. Bihu transforms Assam into a musical telltale.  As they say,  Dhool (assamese drum) brings thunderstorms, and Pepa brings lightning, that the intensity of Assamese Bihu.
Enjoy the Bihu and Bihu season.

1st Anniversary and a Giveaway

     

Hello readers rather hello friends, Hope you all are doing great. This week is such an emotional week for me as my blog turned one year.  I can't thank you enough for your neverending support. The year of my blogging journey was not very easy one. I saw so many ups and downs, but certainly an interesting one. Every weekend I struggle with what to post next, yet your overwhelming response gives me an instant boost when I almost gave up. Every morning when I open my page or insta or facebook your message and encouragement inspire me to write and get better.
This is my first giveaway for my blog. As my blog is Acupofassamtea I wanted to giveaway something close to heart and my state. This is a handloom Eri Shawl or scarf and a packet of natural green tea sponsored by Green Moments Tea Co. With a neverending hope and love have a great weekend.