(no subject)
Drive in Quebec and think in French - As soon as we crossed the Vermont/Quebec border, everything is in French. I dusted off my French skills and put them to work. The roads were in terrible condition for a while, until we got close to Montreal, and the speed limits were all in km/hr, so I had to pay extra attention. No accidents and no speeding tickets, though, so it all worked out ok.
Hotel Chateau de L’Argoat - renovated row houses tuned hotel. Rooms very cute with unique character. Free upgrade to a larger room when we got there. Free breakfast included Maple Muffins, Chocolate Croissants, and good coffee.
Ice Skating in Parc la Fontain - The skate rental place was closed, surprising Montrealers and tourists alike, so Rick and I took turns using his skates, which are way too big for me. I managed to make do anyway, and we enjoyed watching kids and adults skate around the plowed lake. One couple was pushing a baby carriage around in front of them. So cute!
Walking on Rue St. Denis - We saw the shops and restaurants and got a sense of the character of that street of Montrealers. We stopped in a French only bookstore and I bought a children’s book written by someone from Montreal. The book is called Tohu-bohu au Pays des lettres, by Josee Larocque. The characters in the book are letters of the alphabet, and the capital and lower case letters are arguing with each other.
Ate dinner with a friend - I saw Merrill, who was a co-worker of mine from Pinewoods Crew 1997-1999, who I haven’t seen since 2001 or so. It was so great to see her and find out about her current musical pursuits!
Walk by the St. Lawrence River - The river was so big! And there were big chunks of ice floating in it! We saw some up close that had submerged ice that stuck way out beyond what you could see on top. Now I really understand why ships get hit by icebergs if they’re not careful!
Went to a museum about Montreal - In the Old City there is a smallish museum that is dedicated to Montreal history. It’s really well done and we enjoyed learning about the social, political, and cultural history of this old city.
Wandered in the RESO - There is an extensive system of underground walkways connected to METRO stations so that you can travel significant distances throughout the city without ever coming above ground. The hallways are different in different places - some are artfully decorated, and some seem purely utile.
Took the METRO - Montreal’s Metro is very fast, and each station is uniquely decorated. We saw one where the benches were make out of the same bricks as the wall, and looked like they were emerging from the wall, rather than attached to it. Another one (nearest our hotel) had pieces of purple plastic hanging under the lights so the whole ceiling glowed lavender - hard to describe.
Listened to and played along at a Quebecois music session - The small, trendy bar Vices et Versa hosts a Tuesday night jam that packs the place. Some of the best Quebecois musicians in existence gather to play tunes there each week. It was a rockin’ session, and it was really a treat to be there. R played along a lot, and I played along a little bit.
Visited Jean-Talon Market - An area with lots of fresh food and meny vendors, it was fun to see. There was a Moroccan tea and sweets stand at the entrance to the market where we had tea and Shebakia (well, I didn’t have that because it is made with nuts and sesame). Then we bought produce, eggs, and croissants to have brunch.
Ate lunch with the band Crowfoot - We shopped with them at Jean-Talon, then created a delicious meal to munch on before returning to Vermont. They are friendly and we sang a song before leaving. The end.
Hotel Chateau de L’Argoat - renovated row houses tuned hotel. Rooms very cute with unique character. Free upgrade to a larger room when we got there. Free breakfast included Maple Muffins, Chocolate Croissants, and good coffee.
Ice Skating in Parc la Fontain - The skate rental place was closed, surprising Montrealers and tourists alike, so Rick and I took turns using his skates, which are way too big for me. I managed to make do anyway, and we enjoyed watching kids and adults skate around the plowed lake. One couple was pushing a baby carriage around in front of them. So cute!
Walking on Rue St. Denis - We saw the shops and restaurants and got a sense of the character of that street of Montrealers. We stopped in a French only bookstore and I bought a children’s book written by someone from Montreal. The book is called Tohu-bohu au Pays des lettres, by Josee Larocque. The characters in the book are letters of the alphabet, and the capital and lower case letters are arguing with each other.
Ate dinner with a friend - I saw Merrill, who was a co-worker of mine from Pinewoods Crew 1997-1999, who I haven’t seen since 2001 or so. It was so great to see her and find out about her current musical pursuits!
Walk by the St. Lawrence River - The river was so big! And there were big chunks of ice floating in it! We saw some up close that had submerged ice that stuck way out beyond what you could see on top. Now I really understand why ships get hit by icebergs if they’re not careful!
Went to a museum about Montreal - In the Old City there is a smallish museum that is dedicated to Montreal history. It’s really well done and we enjoyed learning about the social, political, and cultural history of this old city.
Wandered in the RESO - There is an extensive system of underground walkways connected to METRO stations so that you can travel significant distances throughout the city without ever coming above ground. The hallways are different in different places - some are artfully decorated, and some seem purely utile.
Took the METRO - Montreal’s Metro is very fast, and each station is uniquely decorated. We saw one where the benches were make out of the same bricks as the wall, and looked like they were emerging from the wall, rather than attached to it. Another one (nearest our hotel) had pieces of purple plastic hanging under the lights so the whole ceiling glowed lavender - hard to describe.
Listened to and played along at a Quebecois music session - The small, trendy bar Vices et Versa hosts a Tuesday night jam that packs the place. Some of the best Quebecois musicians in existence gather to play tunes there each week. It was a rockin’ session, and it was really a treat to be there. R played along a lot, and I played along a little bit.
Visited Jean-Talon Market - An area with lots of fresh food and meny vendors, it was fun to see. There was a Moroccan tea and sweets stand at the entrance to the market where we had tea and Shebakia (well, I didn’t have that because it is made with nuts and sesame). Then we bought produce, eggs, and croissants to have brunch.
Ate lunch with the band Crowfoot - We shopped with them at Jean-Talon, then created a delicious meal to munch on before returning to Vermont. They are friendly and we sang a song before leaving. The end.