A visit to a virtual Montreal

(Map icons use typical symbols for such categories as restaurants, parks, shops, etc. but you won't be able to differentiate them until the chart is at a fairly high magnification. And since zooming in to and out of interactive maps frequently results in the original points of interest straying out of frame, the text list also includes a "Center on Map" button to zero in on the current waypoint.)

Every feature article operates in the same manner, and once you're satisfied with a specific itinerary, you can print a list of the stops or email it to some distant vacation collaborator or friends waiting in Montreal. Sadly, neither the print nor email options include captures of the interactive map, so you'll have to replot your routes on paper after getting some old fashioned, dead tree charts.

Having familiarized yourself with MTL's pre-fabricated tours, you may want to try your hand at building something more personal, and "Create Your Own Itinerary" reveals what the slot machine preload was alluding to back as the site first loaded.

Using MTL's proprietary "Itinerator" (insert dramatic music here), the surfer can select from a series of hierarchical, context-sensitive pull down menus - eg., I WANT: "to shop" "for books" "that are new" "in English" or, I WANT: "to listen" "to music" "that is jazz." Share up to eight such aspirations with the Itinerator (insert dramatic music here), click Go, and MTL will map a route that includes one exceptional choice for each desire.

For multiple stops based on a single theme, "We Recommend" offers more prefabs based on such topics as "Fresh Air," "Family Time," and "Unusual." Finally, a keyword search lets you plug in whatever terms come to mind and then see how many related suggestions MTL can draw from its database.

While the site will entice as much with its technical achievements as its content, the production is not without its occasional problems. Some of the slide shows seemed...skittish (loading and playing erratically), while others operated without a hiccup, albeit at a higher refresh rate than I would have liked. (I encountered one example of each at the Cinema Du Parc waypoint, and if both of these shows play well for you, you probably won't have any problems.)

Videos and their audio files also seemed prone to playback interruptions - though this latter problem will be more irritating for those who speak the language of the soundtracks, ie., French, and therefore will have some idea of what they're missing.

But against that are the beautiful touches that enhance an already impressive production, some of which I probably still haven't discovered. But as an example, if you decide you want to change the order of a given itinerary, you can simply drag and drop the waypoints in the text index - and the changes will be instantly reflected on the map's routes. An estimated tour time also updates with every addition and deletion.

Visually, in terms of design, this site is a work of art. This is truly an impressive variation of the theme of the 'Come and visit ___' website. It wouldn't be the only site you'd need to consult before a trip to Montreal, but it shows points of interest that others might miss, and it will almost certainly do more to put you in the mood to visit Montreal than any of the other guides will.

MadeinMTL can be found at http://www.madeinmtl.com/.

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