Snow in Montréal, Bus in New England, Rain in Boston

I will update you so far on the weather. It has officially snowed a few times lightly in Montréal, but on Thursday, it snowed rather heavily. I went to Métro (the supermarket) to grab some wine for dinner with Cameron and Lauren, and walked off the métro system to find it snowing! It was heavy enough to get my backpack wet within the few mins from the métro stop. I took a quick video of the snow from my apartment window!

Oh so I cut my finger trying to save a wine glass from an inevitable smashing. It went straight into my middle finger, and it was quite sore! I ended up pushing too hard to stop the bleeding, so I bruised it :/ Trust me!


Bruised finger in hand, literally, I left for Boston to visit Kendra on Friday morning. I took the greyhound, and the drive was fantastic! Not only did I cross an international border by land (a first), I also crossed three states in one day (also a first). Having never been to New England before, it was so cool to see Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The trip took a little longer than expected, but I took enough photos to make up for it. I got into Boston around 6pm (10 hours since departure from Montréal). Kendra, her friends and I went to a restaurant called Dick's Last Resort, in which you get abused verbally by the staff. Its quite an odd experience. I then got my first cannoli, an Italian pastry. It was quite delicious! Saturday was a wee bit rainy, but I saw tons of Boston and took tons of pictures. The history is everywhere, and the British influence on the road layout is evident as there is no layout. The road were based on old cow paths, so they just go wherever they want and make random turns anywhere. Driving would be a nightmare! Oh and I also got to see HARVARD UNIVERSITY! It was soo cool and very, very pretty. Clearly the private university tuition pays off! No closed down library for them.
Sunday we went on a Duck Tour, in which you get a bus tour around Boston, with plenty of historical references to things you would otherwise not notice. After the bus part, the "bus" goes into the river! It was a converted WWII boat/bus, and the trip in the river was definately unique! Here is a photo I took from the boat of the Boston skyline, with the Autumn leaves along the shore.

It was great seeing Kendra, but I had to come back to Montréal eventually. The way back was much faster (7 hours), and I had the two seats in my row to myself for the whole way up. I really think I might do a day trip to Burlington, VT one of these days because its only 2 hours south of here.

Well, this is my school's reading week. On a positive note, I had no classes. Unfortunately, it also means that I have to write all my papers. Hallowe'en is at the end of the week, so I can't wait for that!! Who knows what I will dress up as!?

A visit from California

Mum and Dad arrived on Thursday. I went to class in the morning and took my first test, a quiz on the types and forms of sentences, then went to the first half of my Eastern European politics course in the afternoon. After a quick walk in the underground tunnels connecting l’UQAM to the métro, I got on the train, then the bus, and then another bus. An hour and fifteen minutes later, I arrived at the surprisingly small Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport. Compared to when I waited for Lauren the month prior, I only hung around for about half an hour before my parents were visible from my point in the crowd. Soon enough, we were in a taxi (what luxury!) on our way back into Montréal. Being relatively well established at their hotel room, we bought them some tourist passes for the metro, at a relatively good price too. We passed by my place, and I showed them my room. It is, as I have mentioned in the past, nothing grand but it works for me! We need grabbed some more public transport, during which they remarked at the heat of the metro stations. I had forgotten about it, as it is something that you just get used to after a while. We soon arrived at our destination, La Croissantrie Figaro, where Gabrielle works, in the Mild End. It is quite a cute resto, French and cute all at once! The lightening is a little bit darker than most people are accustomed to, but it adds to the atmosphere. We had a great conversation, and it a lovely seeing them again. We hoped on the bus back and called it a night.

Friday, I showed them as much of Montréal as I thought possible in one day. We climbed up the mountain, which was lovely with all the leaves having changed colours. It was raining rather heavy, but it was pleasant all the same. Lunch time arrived quite quickly, so we went to La Banquise for some POUTINE! I got regular poutine with hot dog slices mixed in, while Mum and Dad got mince with theirs. A walk around le Plateau Mont Royal, followed by another walk around Vieux Montréal ended the tourist part of the day. We then met up with Lauren and her mum for dinner at an Italian restaurant, then we called it a night because we were up early in the morning for the trip to Québec City.

Saturday morning consisted of our drive up to the provincial capital. It was really, really, really pretty. My favourite childhood pastime of walking through piles of leaves was fulfilled on numerous occasions. If you ever do the trip between Quebec City and Montréal, take Le Chemin du Roy. It takes longer, but is well worth it. The capital was similarly very pretty. We finished Saturday with a walk through the Upper and Lower Old Town and some calzone for dinner. It was a great day!

Sunday was a similarly fantastic day, albeit cold. We did some more historical visits around town, then we went to Montmerency Falls. The waterfall is 1.5 times the height of Niagara, and it was really quite spectacular. You get a gondola up to the top, walk over the falls, then you take the steps down the side of the cliff. The views were great. After the falls, I wanted to see l’Île d’Orléans, so we drove through that. The village of Ste. Pétronille is relatively well known for being picturesque, which is most certainly was. Our dinner back in Québec City was in the more locals-focused area, and the dinner was delicious. It also started snowing!!!!!!!!!!! It was my first snow in Canada, and I have a video uploaded to prove it!

Coming back was still a great drive, and we arrived back in Montréal around 5pm, as did the groceries and MICROWAVE that Mum and Dad got me! It has been put to good use, no need to worry! Tuesday morning included a lovely breakfast at their hotel, then some lunch at a quirky restaurant that I really enjoy in the Plateau. I continually forget its name, but I know what it looks like J They left on Tuesday afternoon, and I can’t wait to see them and the rest of the family at Christmas!

Here is quick photo to give you an idea of the leaves!

Canadian, Please

No matter your political opinions, please watch. Its quite funny. Just click 'play'!
N'importe vos opinions politiques, regardez s'il vous plaît. C'est très drôle. Juste cliquez PLAY!

Aussie say what? FRIENDS THAT'S WHAT!

Well, picking up where I left off in my previous entry...Saturday. To begin to describe my incredible day that was Saturday I must first start by saying that I spent the entire day doing homework. The end.


Actually, no, it was not the end. I did, however, spend the day doing homework. Not a problem necesarily, as I did get a lot done that I no longer have to do (which is making this week easier). Saturday night was different story all together. Got all done up, as is custom, and went over to Sarah and Ashleigh's place (the Aussie girls). Sarah got ready while I watched a slightly odd, slightly graphic zombie movie, and then we headed out to the CLUB! It was defined as a "hors-village club gai", or a "gay club outside the village". It was a cross between a bar and a club, and it was a lot of fun. People were there to meet people and make new friends, and the free drinks before 11pm was a fantastic bonus!!! Anyway, Mec Plus Ultra (the name of the event) was a definate success. More dancing, and we made a few friends, although the outgoingness of Sarah was hard to match. Alcohol may or may not have played a part. Jury is still out. Anyway, due to the fact that it was 3am, the club had closed, and we weren't tired yet, I bet you cannot guess where we went?? POUTINE OF COURSE! Lovely stuff. So, poutine-filled, friends-made, and sore-feet having, we made our way home. Great night, or morning. Depends on your defintion of the time after midnight ;)

Sunday - more homework, but this time I went to a café with Leah over in Côte-des-Neiges and had a café-au-lait à la homework. Really great time, and I find her neigbourhood quite pleasant to be in. As we discussed, its in Montréal, but has the feel of being its own seperate town. Homework complete, I jumped on the métro and went over to Lauren's. We made some pesto pasta dinner avec une salade, and watched Mambo Italiano. It's a movie set in Montréal, about an Italian family, and their gay son. Its really, really, really funny, and is only slightly homosexual. The Italian jokes are far more frequent, and you spent the vast majority laughing your butt off. I recommend it!

Monday- Class on the UN in the morning (although, it was on the League of Nations today. Great professor, bad time....pre-noon). Afternoon- productivity and shopping with Sarah :) We went to H&M (two of them actually, like 5 blocks apart). Then La Baie (The Hudson Bay Company, your standard department store founded in the 1800's...along the lines of Macy*s). Then Centre Eaton. Not only did I find my winter coat for the coming snow for only $80 (in which I look slightly like KGB officer or something because I am so puffy.....photo included),



but I also got my hair cut! It needs not be said that Mum was happy. Its shorter on the sides, but long enough on the top that I can do something with it. 4 hours later, I get home. I havent left since. My feet still hurt a wee bit.

Slowing down, to live and to reconsider

Wow. I can't actually believe that it has been almost a week since my last post!!!! This would clearly imply that I have been up to my usual antics and going crazy every night. I hate to be a large disappointment, but my life has been taking a turn for the less-expensive recently, and I am not partying it up in Montréal quite a much. I am taking this as an indication that I am beginning to settle in completely, and starting to form more permanent habits. Since my last post was last Saturday, I will do my usual résumé of the week.

Sunday - Biodôme with the Canadians (Leah and Alex) and Bonnie. It was an odd cross between a botanical garden, a zoo, and an aquarium, but all the better because it was free for international students :) I love all the student discounts in Montréal, an indication of the province putting education first, something lacking in the States. Anyhoo, Monday involved some class and rain. More rain. Lots of rain, rain, oh and did I mention, rain? It makes me slightly giddy everytime I wake up with the rain falling outside. I am definately more suited to living in a climate that actually has weather! Tuesday meant homework in the morning, and class all day. Wednesday meant doing homework also. Thursday was a pleasant day. I started it off in my french syntax course, a nice break for all my political science courses. I really appreciate the teaching style of my professor, she is neither condescending nor overly sensitive. If you make an oral error, she corrects you by saying what you said in the form of a question with the correct grammar clearly audible. I enjoy this because it keeps that mistake in your head, so that you do not make it again. I also enjoy that class due to the subject material, which I find oddly helping my french enormously. It is reminding me to slow down a little bit, and to not forget my grammar rules. I apply everything I am learning in my french courses to my other ones, not to mention outside life. After a month of school, the readings are not quite as difficult to get through, but my next challenge will be the writing. I know this is going to present more of a mountain than a simply incline of a challenge, but I am ready to improve my french to the same drastic degree. Thursday afternoon was my Central and Eastern European politics class. The professor has a very strong Québécois accent, in an endearing way. She's a petite lady, with big curly hair and a very pleasant personality. The other weeks I have been worried due to the lack of powerpoint, but beginning the other day and from now on, she will be using them! I am so happy because it allows me to understand the material so much more. 3 hours talking about democratisation and the Berlin Wall, then I am free for the weekend! I headed over to Lauren's house with Morris, another Californian, and we made steaks, salade, and mashed potatoes à la wine rosé. It was quite lovely, followed by another expedition to the dollar cinéma. This time we saw The Ugly Truth, and I loved it just as much as the first time (with the extreme price reduction a certain bonus). Friday- Woke up (interesting, I know!). Started on some homework, then went and saw an amazing documentary on separatism in Québec, Scotland, and Catalonia. All in french, no subtitles. It was very interesting, as it presented the movements as all related in almost sneaky, hidden ways. I enjoyed it immensely, and the thoughts running through my head on the walk home were plentiful. I ate a wee bit, then went to the library to open an account and work on homework. I have offically found my favourite library ever. Its very, very modern (glass lifts and a lack of dampness). It has a great movie collection, tons of CDs, and so many books! I grabbed a quick one, but I know that I am going to spend a lot of time in there. I would have placed some photos from it on this blog, but its forbidden to take photos inside. I dont want to risk my membership (which, by the way, is free to all residents of the province of Québec). I left around half past nine, having completed my homework quota for the day, but I did grab some items to check out on the way out, including a guide book for next week when Mum and Dad visit. I went over to my friend Cameron's house, and drank a beer and ate crisps with him, our friend Alex, and his french-canadian roommates. The girls asked about the American Dream, and we had a great convo comparing our visions of what it is and how they visioned it etc. Short walk home in the.........rain.......bet you couldn't have guessed that one.....and I was home. Great week overall, and I am ending it with some soft pop-ish québécois music I got from the Grande Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales. Getting some thinking done as well, just for fun!

Staying out late. Very late. Quite possibly ridiculous late. Verging on early...

This week, along with just about every week since I have gotten here, has been a lesson in staying out late. Vie à la Québécoise means that clubs dont start getting really busy until close to midnight, and you stay until 3am.....usually followed by some late night snack. Wedneday: grabbed drinks with some friends that I had met from Vancouver, BC. Thursday night: Same people, plus some Aussie and Americans mixed in - drinks + poutine though. Last night (Friday) - Same group as Thursday, plus more Americans and Québécois....only later and more poutine!! I got back to my house around 5am this morning.......therefore, I did not get out of bed until 2pm. What a weekend! Topping it off? I'm writing this, about to head out again! I am justifying it through extra studies next weekend. I think its equal, right? :)

Quick Montréal Rain Storm

I thought I would upload a quick video of the rain in Montréal today. I found it particularly interesting, largely due to the heat wave that has hit California. Only downside: it's ridiculously humid outside!