Montreal Highlights

Yup.

*Blink*

It didn't take long for me to come back again and just like southern Ontario to still be hot and muggy despite having driven through two thunderstorms and weather variances today on the way back from Quebec. Here are some highlights of the trip:

1) The drive there was filled with excitement and frenzy. We kept getting lost and called the hotel innumerable times to find out the difference between service roads and actual highways, when lefts were rights, and which way to go as not to drive straight off a cliff to nowheresville. Redbull kept us awake and we didn't die in a car accident as Andy (the driver) warned us might happen. We played an alphabet game where we would go around the circle thinking of a word related to a chosen topic that started with the next letter in the alphabet. It's fun. It can be challenging. You should try it sometime.

2) We stayed at an ultra cheap motel on the outskirts of Montreal, [the sound of royal trumpets signaling the importance of the name] ~Hotel Raphael~ so that we actually had somewhere to park, and save a little $$$ too. It was nice enough to have an outdoor pool, fridge, A/C, TV, clean towels, a no cockroaches. We could go just down the street for groceries, or catch the metro downtown.

3) We went to a pub called "les trois brasseurs" (which means 'three brewers') and decided we just might have to check it out. BUT, we didn't want to enter under any non-celebrity status, so we marched up to the hostess and claimed that we three were the trois brasseurs ourselves. Her reaction was shock, and either she played along with us very convincingly to accomodate us, or didn't know whether to take us seriously or not. Either way, we were entertained, and the staff was loosened up. Our waiter talked us out of poutine "heart-attacks on plates" and into the trois brasseurs specialty, something they call "Flamm's" which, as I was informed, were NOT pizza's, though they had cheese and toppings and sour cream, instead of tomato sauce. They were very delicious.

4) Andy made up a gajillion names for our friend who's last name is Schott. If we needed to get him going, or if we merely felt like hyping him up, we shouted a list of names that ranged everywhere from 'Schottzie' to 'Schottzerama' to 'Slap-Shot.' Andy and I would say "C'mon Schottie, it's go-time!" to prep ourselves for a big hike or night on the town. We amused ourselves for quite awhile when 'one shot' was trying to sleep and we were trying to get him up to play poker. We'd swear we saw him smile just so subtly, but then he wouldn't stir. He must have hated us.

5) We found the most fantastical salsa club with little fountains and fake palm trees and squares on the dance floor that lit up in all the different colours of the rainbow. I was watching a girl who was obviously engaged in teaching her friend how to dance salsa. She'd twirl and slap her hips and pivot back and forth so fast you'd think she'd lose her dress. I eyed her greedily for information and skill until I felt confident enough to make a fool of myself on the dance floor. First I broke the convention of partners and just went solo, trying to imitate the step step forward and step step back to the synchopated rhythum. Then I ended up making some other tourist dance with me until she laughed and said that our dancing was "just bad". Ah, learning experience...

6) We went to Mount Royale, hiked on the trails, then went down to the park, were all the drummers gather on Sundays. We could feel the reverberations and see the bald patch of land where people were dancing bare-foot and losing themselves in the ritual. We walked up higher and saw some mock battles occuring. There were knights, soldiers, archers, and gladiators all armed with padded weapons to enact an assault. They would begin at opposite ends of the field, then CHARGE! Bloodless brutality ensued, and those that were hit, would walk off the field. We saw those dressed as romans, highlanders, crusaders, samaurais and even small children with tomahawks or maces. I never knew these kinds of things had such a following! Many played frisbee or guitar, or smoked various herbs or played cards. I finished 'Tale of the Body Theif' by Anne Rice and watched the one-on-one duels between swordsmen.

7) We got back in time today to relax before bed.

I have been so tired lately, I have epic plots that unfold in my dreams each night and leave me confused and groggy all day. I think all this 'go-time' is making me feel debased and nostalgic for other times. Ex I still think of the friend I lost every day. I want to talk to her and compare notes and see what it's like from where she's looking at the world, but she doesn't. I have to respect that.

Tomorrow it's back to reality part IV and now it seems the summer is over enough that the crunch is hitting me: to start job-hunting for the future and getting more practices scheduled with my band and prepared for school this fall. Yes, I'm going back to school soon and it will be getting cooler and the days will be getting shorter before long. Just you wait. So, at least it is nice to have some highlights along the way. Some escapes. It was great to get away from things this weekend as it is important to do once in awhile, so that you can come back at it with a fresh feeling.

Tomorrow we start at the new job site after having completed the restoration for two apartment complexes. This job will be over in a month now. In terms of freshness for once, that is a good start.