Montreal '09

It was a wonderful and interesting ten days in Montreal.  What a city.  The culture is fierce!  I can understand why Montreal is referred to as "Canada's Cultural Capital".  The shopping makes you want to go bankrupt.  The food and specifically the cheese is to die for.  However, the people?  Well, let's just say that they are very, very different from Western Canadians in oh so many ways.  In my experience, the people of Quebec seemed generally grumpy and frustrated whether they were separatists or not.  At one point, I remember thinking to myself that the woman must practice glaring at themselves in their mirrors to get the scariest scowl possible before going out.  I kept hearing my inner voice loud and clear and it said; 'Lighten up!'.  Surprisingly, the majority of people are bilingual, which is interesting considering the fact that a French language police and law is strictly enforced in Quebec.  So, you'd think that the people would be somewhat patient when you try your hand at your extensive grade 9 french that you were forced to acquire in Jr. High.  But alas, 'Je ne comprends pas' was one of the only phrases that I heard repeated back to me.  How do you say 'fine, I didn't want to speak your stuck-up language anyway' in French? 

 

Fortunately, Nate and I got to spend some quality time with two Quebecers who were extremely friendly and kind which just went to show that there are always exceptions.  Harvey and Marie-Eve showed us around Old Downtown montreal, and took us to a weekend Market place where the kiosk vendors took maple syrup and poured it onto ice forming frozen maple syrup popsicles.  We also went to the modern art museum downtown, a Quebec clothing designer 'underground' sale and a tour around the replica of the St. Paul's cathedral that we'll see in France in a few weeks.  

One of the major highlights was visiting with my brother Ted and his fiance Laura for an entire day.  The two of them took a break from their busy lives and drove the silver bullet in from Kingston.  The four of us shopped and drank and laughed the day away.  Teddy bought a beautiful black leather jacket from a posh Montreal leather shop called MO851 which made him look magnifique!   

Traveling to Montreal was a fantastic experience and it was so great to back on 'home soil' ; however, we're looking forward to being on the other side of the country in June after our time in Europe just in time for the good ole Stampede.  There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home...