(no subject)
Montreal was fun.
On Friday morning, it never occurred to me that there might be frost on my car. So, I had to scrape the ice of with my Shaw's card and let it idle for a while. Mom said that she would call me when the bus got to South Portland. Since I hadn't received her call yet, I decided to stop at Dunkin' Donuts for a coffee. And, smart girl that I am, I went to the DD at Shaw's and bypassed the long lines at the actual DD shop. Then, I didn't know which lot was the Park and Ride. Long story short, I went to the wrong one and was late to meet the bus. I was really embarrassed when I finally got there.
It was a little weird on the drive up to be on a trip with people I hadn't seen in ages. I didn't know what to say, or how to act. When we first got to Montreal, we were set loose to go wherever we wanted. We went shopping at Place Dejardins, the underground shopping mall right under our hotel. I got some copper earrings. We also explored the Place Des Arts, right across the street. We decided to culture ourselves and see a show. The one we chose sounded cool, at least in the French blurb. Supposedly, it explored the relationship between light and shadows and the dark nature of shadows and nightmares. When we went on Saturday, it was freakin' weird. It was a one woman show with a bunch of different colored lights. She did some wreathing on the floor and called it art. There were a few parts that were cooler than others. At moments, I even was enjoying myself. But on the whole, it was just weird; I wouldn't go see it again.
It was very intimidating to be thrown in a place in which no one speaks my language. I know many people in Montreal are bilingual, but many aren't. If I was to get by, I needed to learn the language. I would love to do a language immersion again. It seems like the only effective way to learn a language. Anyway.
On Saturday morning, Mom, Carla, and I got some breakfast at Les Cafes Second Cup (Carla and I got quite a kick out of the name!) I ordered my "cafe regulaire avec creme et sucre et un muffin bluet" in French. I was so proud! The tour of the city turned into a bust. We saw the Shrine with lots of stairs, but it was just a photo opp, we couldn't go inside or climb the steps. Then we started up Mont Real. At the top (lucky timing, really,) our bus got really quiet. We were stranded at the top of a mountain, far from the city. Our bus driver thought that the brakes still worked (emphasis on thought,) so we cruised down the mountain a ways to the scenic overlook. Until a second bus came to take us to the hotel almost an hour later, we chilled out and took pictures. The rest of the day was shopping. We stopped in Chinatown and took pictures by the gate. We ate supper at the Baton Rouge. Danielle had a $27 steak. I wanted so badly to order a drink, since it was legal, but I abstained. It didn't seem wholly appropriate.
Sunday we went out to breakfast together in the Place Dejardins. I had "un cafe fort" and a bagel. Then it was back on the bus for us. The trip was way too short. I was finally getting the hang of French by Sunday. It seemed normal to hear it all around me and I was starting to grasp the concepts I needed to speak it. I wish I could have stayed longer and become more comfortable speaking. Carla wants to apply to McGill, one of the English speaking Universities in Montreal. I told her I would go visit her every weekend if she goes there.
I really want to go back.
On Friday morning, it never occurred to me that there might be frost on my car. So, I had to scrape the ice of with my Shaw's card and let it idle for a while. Mom said that she would call me when the bus got to South Portland. Since I hadn't received her call yet, I decided to stop at Dunkin' Donuts for a coffee. And, smart girl that I am, I went to the DD at Shaw's and bypassed the long lines at the actual DD shop. Then, I didn't know which lot was the Park and Ride. Long story short, I went to the wrong one and was late to meet the bus. I was really embarrassed when I finally got there.
It was a little weird on the drive up to be on a trip with people I hadn't seen in ages. I didn't know what to say, or how to act. When we first got to Montreal, we were set loose to go wherever we wanted. We went shopping at Place Dejardins, the underground shopping mall right under our hotel. I got some copper earrings. We also explored the Place Des Arts, right across the street. We decided to culture ourselves and see a show. The one we chose sounded cool, at least in the French blurb. Supposedly, it explored the relationship between light and shadows and the dark nature of shadows and nightmares. When we went on Saturday, it was freakin' weird. It was a one woman show with a bunch of different colored lights. She did some wreathing on the floor and called it art. There were a few parts that were cooler than others. At moments, I even was enjoying myself. But on the whole, it was just weird; I wouldn't go see it again.
It was very intimidating to be thrown in a place in which no one speaks my language. I know many people in Montreal are bilingual, but many aren't. If I was to get by, I needed to learn the language. I would love to do a language immersion again. It seems like the only effective way to learn a language. Anyway.
On Saturday morning, Mom, Carla, and I got some breakfast at Les Cafes Second Cup (Carla and I got quite a kick out of the name!) I ordered my "cafe regulaire avec creme et sucre et un muffin bluet" in French. I was so proud! The tour of the city turned into a bust. We saw the Shrine with lots of stairs, but it was just a photo opp, we couldn't go inside or climb the steps. Then we started up Mont Real. At the top (lucky timing, really,) our bus got really quiet. We were stranded at the top of a mountain, far from the city. Our bus driver thought that the brakes still worked (emphasis on thought,) so we cruised down the mountain a ways to the scenic overlook. Until a second bus came to take us to the hotel almost an hour later, we chilled out and took pictures. The rest of the day was shopping. We stopped in Chinatown and took pictures by the gate. We ate supper at the Baton Rouge. Danielle had a $27 steak. I wanted so badly to order a drink, since it was legal, but I abstained. It didn't seem wholly appropriate.
Sunday we went out to breakfast together in the Place Dejardins. I had "un cafe fort" and a bagel. Then it was back on the bus for us. The trip was way too short. I was finally getting the hang of French by Sunday. It seemed normal to hear it all around me and I was starting to grasp the concepts I needed to speak it. I wish I could have stayed longer and become more comfortable speaking. Carla wants to apply to McGill, one of the English speaking Universities in Montreal. I told her I would go visit her every weekend if she goes there.
I really want to go back.