When we do enter the rapids, which our guide names Hawaii and the Rollercoaster, we’re advised to hold on, keep our mouths shut, and enjoy the ride. We drop in and out of massive waves that flood the boat up to our knees before quickly draining out. I’d be terrified if I didn’t know that millions of people have taken this ride over the years, that jetboats are remarkably robust machines, and that Saute-Moutons has an excellent safety record.
It’s a lot of excitement for one day, but summer nights in Montreal come into their own. Outdoor patios are bustling, bars are buzzing, and music hums in the humid air. We get tickets for AURA, a dazzling nightly laser and light show inside the Notre Dame Basilica, produced by the internationally renowned Moment Factory (founded and based in Montreal). The studio also produced a ground-breaking interactive LED lighting system on the Jacques Cartier Bridge that tracks various data points and changes colours in response to the pulse of the city. AURA is a stunning, twenty-minute show, and despite the imposing church setting, the range of ethnicities and religions in the audience speaks to its global appeal.