Forgive me for not writing anything during the actual trip – I’ll try to make up for it with a number of posts over the next few days.
Why no posting during the trip this year? Well, we were busy. 
It was interesting – this was one of the most relaxing of the Montreal trips, even though we did more things, and we had four friends along for the ride. Here’s why:
We didn’t go shopping. In years past, we’ve spent at least a few hours on St. Catherine, scoping out things to buy. It’s fun, but everyone in Montreal is there, doing the same thing. The result is an experience, that – even at its best – is stressful. We didn’t have to drop all shopping from the itinerary, it’s just the way it worked out. But it meant we didn’t have to brave the crowds.
Fewer activities. We’ve never stuck to a firm schedule for anything in Montreal, except dinner. But we’ve had a stable of activities, some of which have been “traditional” or considered obligatory, and for this trip, we cleared the schedule of those activities, too, primarily because we had others along for the ride. This, combined with the general ethic do what you feel like doing, led to an enjoyable vacation.
Our friends. They were so much fun, that the prospect of spending next year in Montreal without them seems kind of boring.
More specific posts are on the way, but in general, this was a great trip.