Gone Walk-Aboot

Last night I walked to the northwestern edge of the city - the other neck of the river that encircles Montreal like a giant moat. It took me two and a half hours on foot. I'm just beginning to realize how vast this island is, and now I know I will not be able to explore everything in just four months. I'll have to start using the subway if I really want to cover ground. On my way back to the UQAM residence I found a beautiful empty park, the picture came out surprisingly well for lack of light.

Champlain in Montreal has just started classes, but I get the day off. Time to find an internship.

D'awww

Too adorable not to post.

More Interesting Characters from Sunday

There were a few real eccentric characters that I want to single out. A guitarist that looks like a burnt out Tom Petty, a flute player who talks to himself, and Henry David Thoreau on the saxophone. But my personal favorite is the man wearing a general's hat and a Cuban flag as a cape. What a day.

I Love This City

Four days into the semester and I'm already hooked on Montreal. The city is alive and vibrant. It breathes with every passing car and subway. Its heart beats to the sound of women's suede boots and hundred dollar sandals strutting up and down every street. Saint Laurent, Rue Crescent, Saint Catherine. There's something new and wild around every corner. You can find anything you want here.

So the other day, the Champlain crowd and I took a trip to the Tam Tam festival. It's kind of a giant mesh of drum circles, jugglers, artists, street performers, street vendors, DJs, and all around eccentric and lovely people, but to describe it in words doesn't do justice, so I took some pictures...

Adrift

Summer's gone, Fall is here!
Burlington's far, Montreal is near!

What I Left In Burlington:

My medication for Crohn's Colitis... whoops.

Great people, great friends. UVMers, Champlainers, artists, fire spinners, drummers, writers. People with tattoos and piercings and gauges and vegan diets, patchouli perfume, old fashoined bicycles. People who practice the Art of Do Nothing, people who work for a living but kill themselves working. Funny people.

I left a job working overnight shifts at a gas station. You meet interesting people in the dead of night...

I met the first person in Vermont diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome. He told me so. He's a hefty truck driver with a jovial laugh and he snorts a little piggy snort every couple seconds because he can't hold it in... because he has Tourettes, you understand.

I helped this scantily clad high-heeled Hispanic lady find her phone in her car. She gave me a bouquet of flowers... and her number. She claims her name is "Jinxie."

I made good friends with an erotic dancer. She pays for everything in one dollar bills, and by everything I mean thirty dollars worth of lottery tickets. She does this every night.

I met the slick bartender from across the street who's a bit of an alcoholic. Every night after work he buys a six pack of beer and two bottles of wine. Some nights he switches it up and buys two six packs and one bottle. You can tell he's had a bad night when he really goes overboard and picks up the thirty rack.

What I left behind... what else did I leave behind? ... Oh yeah! I left behind a very special and pretty lady named Amber, but not to worry, I'll see her soon enough. :D

I'm going to post some artwork within the next few days, but for now I'm just settling in.

Tomorrow I explore the city.

French I learned today:

Ouvert: open
Omelette du fromage: cheese omelette
Je ne sais pas: idunno
Glace: ice