The dreaded photo post! Part 1

*Dun dun dun!*

Well, after the many woes we were having with the internet and the computer earlier, I know have fast internet and wireless is now set up in the house. Yay! (No Skype until my box of stuff arrives. My headset is in it)

The photo above, I took at the Calgary airport (The beep was on) in the Westjet terminal which is perhaps the best terminal on earth if I do say so myself.

And so it begins:


This was along the bridge as we made our way from Île-Pierrot south-west of Montréal Island










I tried several times to get a nice shot of downtown Montréal. The picture fails to capture the bigness of downtown Montréal. You need panoramic lenses or camera in order to capture it.

The photo on the right is a nice shot, but you get silly reflection from the window =(











This is as the train was pulling into Gare Centrale. You can see them I don't think here but there's cables above for the commuter trains headed for Deux-Montagnes (though I have no clue if those cars are still in use). Speaking of the train, they're expanding it all the way to the Couronne Nord (north-east of Montréal.). That's pretty far.


DAY 2


My street, yep...The sign right near our old appartment at Côte-St-Luc and Clanranald in NDG. Well, it's my home and an avenue where I spent the better part of my life exploring. It was along this street that I learned how to ride my bike, where I walked down to Queen Mary, where I frolicked in the snow and just jumped in the multicoloured leaves and picked the dandelions. My most vivid and best memories were lived on this street. Good times.

4635 Clanranald. Such a great appartment. We lived here on the top floor (4th. you can kind of see it) on the other side of the building. Outside my window, I had these HUGE maple trees. Huge. So I could watch the leaves go from green, to yellow and red and orange and brown, see the frost all over the branches and the buds. But then they cut them down and built houses where they once stood. Me=not a happy camper. :(


I wish I had taken a picture of the sinegogue further down but anyways, along Claranald there's a beautiful church made of grey stone followed by a sinegogue. This church is located on the next street over on Earnscliffe but I used to pass by it lots with mum and dad.








MacDonald Park. It's a small park that's the length of a block. They've changed it since I was here last. That red-blue jungle gym wasn't there before. The swings were moved and only 4 of the maybe 8 or more see-saws are still left. The swings are still the same. I loved this park. Much fun. My favorite tall yellow corkscrew slide was gone and replaced with a red one though. *laughs*



The wading pool! Though, if you heard on the news (don't know if it made it that far) you'd've heard about the pools in Laval and Montréal being filthy (Only 6 pools out of the 30+ maybe 50) but TQS and TVA the last two news stations I would ever watch did an undercover investigation of pools in the city and found many of the pools' bacteria levels were dangerously high So lots of pools were shut down for a bit while tests were conducted. This pool gets filled from lion-mouth fountains on either end. ( I could be wrong...)

DAY 3


This is Sainte-Catherine Ouest basically the so-called heart of downtown. The underground city, Eaton's Centre, Place Montréal Trust, Le Faubourg (which I didn't get to go to), the shops, the random strip clubs, good restaurants, a random 24hr Second Cup, Place Cathédrale, everything below ground and above is a must-see (aside from the strip clubs...). As you can see, it's not busy. From 4 until 6-7, this street is congested to the max.


This is a picture of McGill University (series of castle-like buildings with the red-white flag) from Av McGill College (still along Ste-Catherine). That huge mass of green over there? That's a tiny little bit of Mont-Royal. Keep in mind, we're still relatively far from it. (McGill is located on the Plateau methinks)

Picture of the entrance to Place Montréal Trust from the side in front of the Indigo's bookstore.

More to come tomorrow!

Day 7+8: Reunion, la rentrée and la cimétière Mont-Royal + The Return to Ottawa

So recap of yesterday while I'm here in the Eaton's Centre dealing with pains in my stomach...ow. (I've got 2hrs to kill before I walk back through Place Ville Marie and back to Central station)

DAY 7
Decided that maybe yesterday I was going to bring my laptop with me up the mountain (Mont-Royal technically qualifies as such) in case, after I had time to go downtown or something. Big mistake. Ended up walking for much longer than I probably would've liked, with my shoulders in immense pain.

On my way to Edouard-Montpetit station, a STM officer (transit police--they wear bullet proof vests btw) asked me while I disembarked at the Snowdown station to change to the blue line about my France football bag (which was holding my laptop) and if I knew what it was (since most girls these days randomly get merchandise with BRAZIL and the football crest just to look cool. Shame) and I said yes and we had a random discussion in French in which we talked about the French football team. That was awesome.

When I got to E-M station, the Université de Montréal was holding orientations for first-years. (The two stations E-M and one appropriately called Université-de-Montréal both are in front of the University) One group's guide was like *checks the street* Ok! Traversons! and the students were all "Hahah...ouais...lol*impatient driver honks horn*". Another group was just as special, they were singing oh...can't remember but I used to sing it tons as a kid. Just to think, in about 5 or 6 days I'll be going around partaking in orientations.

Anyway, I made the long walk along Mont-Royal Boulevard with my heavy bag (it's mostly uphill) and that maybe took me an hour at least. Finally got to the cemetary after almost nearly walking into the Jewish one. Anyway, about the cemetary; it's located around an area (a rather large area) of Mont-Royal. Now, this spot is huge, maybe not as big as the other sides with the tourist and picturesque views.

So the secretary gave me directions and so I commenced my march up Mont-Royal.

Had I not had my bottle of water, I would've collapsed.
If none of you feel comfortable reading this you can by all means, skip :)

Anyway, after another 45mins of walking, taking a break, walking, I walked into a circle of tombstones. The area where mum and grandma were buried is called the Mountain View. It litterally is a mountain climb you're doing. Without a car, you're in for a long walk. Past the trees, there's a fantastic view of the south of Montréal, really a sight to behold.

Well, I walked abit to the third row in and looked and the first stone that caught my eye was a black, shiny granite tombstone which read Joan Kaye and Anne-Harvey. I guess I kinda just broke down there an then and had trouble getting myself to move closer. I sat for maybe forever staring at the thing. I guess it was time I faced a bit of my reality and that was the way I had to do it.

It was an experience I prefer not to repeat personally anytime soon. It was just too hard. And too wierd I found. Definately a bit on the wierd side. It's really, really difficult talking to a piece of granite with two of the people you loved lying below. I'll be honest, I tried to talk to mum but it was just...wierd. Grandma was just as wierd. They're buried next to each other so yeah.

I mean, I suppose it's good for me to do it but..I just didn't like it too much.

You can start reading again ;)
After that wierd moment on the mountain, I walked down the steep end of the path. Not fun as I almost slipped on a rock on the way down. Then I nearly got lost, but I found my way back, refilled my bottle and walked all the way back to the UdeM and the metro.

After that I litterally 'ran' to Westmount by transferring lines and then getting a bus right away. So I got to Westmount Park school and walked around to the other side and spotted my old caretaker and the lady who runs the daycare (and she's still running it after all these years...good god)

That's the "front" of Westmount Park. it's got about 3 or 4 floors plus basement and a science-type lab. Oh and it seems they've re-implemented public school uniforms here (a polo shirt with trousers or a skirt for girl with the school crest on the side) for some schools. I used to go here for pre-K, kindergarten, my extra year and afterschool care. :D

So Colleen (the lady who runs the daycare still!) remembered me and we talked for a few minutes as she got together her things as they had just closed for the evening (wow, good timing AGAIN) and I asked her if she knew anything about my old friends (I had brought some photos with me and she and I reminisced on some of them) She gave me the last name of my best friend Jordan's parents (though they were divorced I remember) so I might do a directory search. Apparently the dad is a prof at Concordia so I'll look into the prof directory there. And she gave me her card to email her about my fun stuff in University and such and just to keep in touch and such. Apparently two people whom I had in Afterschool and Pre-K are still there as well as one lady from Kindergarten. my goodness.

So I gave her my email to pass on if she finds Jordan or David or anyone else. Maybe I'll be lucky.

I also went by my old Elementary, Roslyn School also in Westmount. I wish I could've taken more than one picture of the houses because they're extravagant. and HUGE. HUGE.


This, is Roslyn School. The front entrance fails to capture the sheer size of it. It's got two floors, the gym I remember was HUGE but it might be smaller now that I'm older. Oh and we had public school uniforms but not polos like it seems to be now but just t-shirts, navy sweaters and such. I used to wear a navy skirt with navy socks and shoes with my sweater on some days.

So I tried to see if Stéphanie was still there in her house on Grosvenor but it seems they moved or moved along time ago because the house was empty. It was a bit sad but I mean, at least I have a chance to find Jordan maybe. Or something. Well, now I know that Stéphanie is somewhere but I probably won't find her for a while or ever again even. At least I can put that to rest :).

Later I tried to head to Place Alexis-Nihon to look for a gift for my godfather and his wife as a thankyou but all the stores (but Winners and Second Cup which is in front of the Dawson College (HUGE CEGEP. omg!) and a Pharmaprix (aka Shoppers Drug Mart)) were closed! Hence the stealthy attempt at getting them a present this morning (read: DAY 8)

DAY 8
I've uploaded all my photos but I don't know if I want to do the photo entry before I go or not. I've got about 62 pics but I want to stop by a music shop and buy a Cowboys Fringants CD.

Anyway today, I somehow stealthily managed to sneak a box of Laura Secord gummies past my godfather and his wife as I bought them while they were kinda present. lol I gave it to them as a thank you when I got dropped off at the gare. :D

Then I checked-in my luggage and totted my laptop throug the underground city through Place Ville Marie and into Eaton's Centre. Right now there's a bunch of University and primaire students walking about the food court as school started for most EMSB (English) and FMSB (French) schools. No idea if that expensive private school that was on the way to Roslyn is open yet or that other one past my school.

Anyway, final thoughts on Montréal?

Awesome.

My purchases?

• A Tintin wallet for 50% off as one button was broken (12$..HAH!)
• A Tintin clearfile (to hold papers and such)
• Some manga (okay...that's a lie...not some but quite a few...er---)
• A Dalia suit for 20-something dollars (70% off sales are awesome)
• A Jacob's rugby-type shirt

If you read my Day 6 entry, I got those tops and bottoms in the clothes trade with my cousin and her friends. :)

Definately forever going to love this city. There's just this...thing that makes me want to come back and live here again. I guess becuase it's the city where I experienced the better part of my life and I've got this unbreakable attachment to it because of that.

Anyway, signing off now to try and locate a music store before I get back to Gare Centrale ;D
Salut!

Day 6- Fun afternoon around Chinatown and hanging out with my cousin/friend + rant

So I spent my afternoon that day in and about Montréal's Chinatown. It's far more..."walkable" than Calgary's. There's no cars driving down it so you can walk down the streets and there's nice places here and there.

Anyway, later that evening, I got to hang out with my cousin and friend (we've known each other for years) and her best friend who recently got engaged. Then we went out to her friend's house on the Plateau to meet her other friends to do this "clothes trade" thing. It's a really neat concept. All of them bring in old clothes of theirs or their families and they pile them and they go through them, try the on and such and take some clothes home. It's a neat way to get rid of clothes. I did end up getting to pick some clothes (a nice jacket, a PJ shirt, a pair of pants and a skirt and a cheap but fancy-ISH purse) as did my cousin and her bestfriend and another friend of hers who was there.

Oh and her friend's appartment was so laidback and...cute I found. It was one of the duplex-type places that was really old but quaint. Her rooms you could tell were painted or laid with things that were in a laidback "meditative" taste. I dunno. Her appartment was vacant because she was out of town but she left them the keys.

On the way out, her friend's boyfriend was trying to remember Star Trek themes randomly and, using my crazy memory skills, managed to hum or in Enterprise's case, sing, the songs he asked. It was funny. Actually what's funnier, is that even Francophones have a hard time with my name when I say it out loud.

So we jaywalked across busy Av du Parc back to the car with our "loot" and back to my cousin's place in TMR. We dropped off our loot then went back out to this..oh my goodness...one of BEST ice cream places I have ever been to! It was Italian ice cream (not gelatto) but it was so good! We all had seconds and tried as many flavors and shared some between us. It was so yummy! I think if we all somehow got together in Montréal we should go there. The ice cream was amazing. :D

And my cousin is just purely, a great person. Almost on the same level as my brother and she's almost like an older sister to me (again, we've known each other for 19 yrs...mind I only recall 15 but she's known me since I was a baby). I mean, I have 3 others, but really...you guys know the drill, I've never met them and maybe won't for another 2 or 3+ yrs.

Sadly though night was soured a bit when I first got there. Another of mum's friends was at my cousin's house talking with her mum (again someone who knew mum). We'll call her Denise. She had called me prior to say how she would've wanted to see me and such. Anyway, when I first got into the house and the dining area was clear she sounded off on me on how I should've done better in keeping in touch with them (her and some of mum's friends) and how I should call them often and send letters to them. Well, I was ticked and wanted her to go so I wouldn't have to get mad at her but I kept a straight face, apologized, she sounded off a bit more and she left. She said some other things about how I should've called far in advance to see everyone's availibility.

Actually, mum's friends have all sounded off on me so far on this trip. Save for Patricia but the others, my goodness...I guess it's justified but..bah. Let's start this over. Wait, first, the others of my mum's friends have all told me how I should've called further in advance before booking my train ticket. Well, I believe I did so but I recall being told that I should call later in the week or that they needed a date (which would in turn force me to get a ticket because I don't have a credit card) and I had given them a possible week but they all wanted a fixed date so they could plan. Alright, makes sense. But then they all sound off on me and my bad planning. True, I have bad planning...after all this is the first time I have had to plan a trip on my own to Montréal. True, they have a right to tell me, but not like some of them have.

Before that, (back in the day :P) all I had to do was call Grandma, tell her the days and I would be set OR, mum would call and do all of it but mostly I would call Grandma and let her know. Last I was in Montréal, my cousin and her mum had both offered me a place to stay as they knew well how I used to always stay at my Grandma's. This year, I tried to do it on my own. Look, it seems I failed--I don't need you all telling me twenty times over that I did (though not all of them call each other but hell, I'm sure I'll be the topic of many conversations to come for some of them.). My godmum sounded off too, but she kind of gave me tips and suggestions on what I could do better next time.

Anyhow, most of my mum's friends i suppose are just trying to be mums for me. (Apparently Denise said that they all were. That's a pretty bold thing for me to hear from somone...maybe I would've been flattered had I not been criticized earlier.) Maybe I'm just not used to criticism but those comments dented my trip. I know they wanted to help but they way some of them did it I just didn't find appropriate.

You know, I could just skip seeing them alltogether and just do things on my own in Montréal. And I just wanted to tell them, "Despite how much I look alike to mum, I'm not her. I don't phone 5+ people everyday and weekend nor do I frequently write letters.". Mum was able to make time and call them, the last three years. Did I have real time to call them? Not so much. Calling her friends back home was low on the priority list for me during those years. I mean I wanted to call them but I either thought it too late when I got around to it and I was mostly concentrating on not breaking the eggshell-like peace in the house, dealing with dad's emotions and health and keeping my grades up while I failed 3 courses. Not that I'd tell them I failed 3 courses in High School and finished with a 75% average which is an accomplishment for me after what has gone on. Because to them, I'm supposedly an 80s student or I should be that and more as anything less would be for some of them, unacceptable or unimpressive.

I wanted to retort and mention the fact I'm almost 19 and no longer a kid with too much time to spare. I have barely any time to do my crafty cards anymore. I'm sorry but, as much as I would love to make cards like I used to, I can't.

But I suppose this is all part of the so-called learning process?

...That was such a wierd rant.

I'll make a seperate entry about today (Aug 29th's) tomorrow.

Live from downtown and Eaton Centre's FREE wi-fi

So shoot I forgot my USB cable meaning no photos =(

Not smart at all. Well, tomorrow doesn't seem like I'll be with anyone so another free day there too.

So far, I walked down a bit of Sherbrooke O. to University Ave and past McGill University which is a HUGE campus by the way. It looked like today was orientations or something because there were alot of students there and some tents up and people walking along Sherbrooke with maps of the University with them.

Free wi-fi by Eaton's Centre I kid you not....

Methinks I will grab something to eat (It's in the food court--tres handy) and bum around because my appointment isn't until noon. (I's 10:50 now. My godfather dropped me off because they had to do stuff early today and they insist on giving me lifts) Maybe I'll walk up along Sherbrooke or Saint Catherine. Or...I could surf...

Day 5 -....Rain...lots....of...rain... but then, there was Tintin!

Discovery du jour:

Saint Laurent acts as a navigational divider. Whatever is on a street (coming from the north let's say) on the right of Saint Laurent is East, whatever is left of St Laurent is Ouest. In other words, 480 Laurier O. and 480 Laurier E. are two entirely different places.

Also, in songs and by some people, Saint Laurent is known as "The Main".

Anyway, was out with Jenifer another of mum's longtime friends (yesterday was Patricia, not the one from Calgary) today. That was exciting. The original plan was to go down St. Denis but we decided to hunt for the Tintin Shop so famously mentioned...kinda. So I googled it and got a store on Tintinologist.org that was located on Laurier (On the Plateau Mont-Royal). So, through the heavy rain we trudged as she had called earlier and had been told we should get off at Laurier métro station. We do that and go one way down Laurier. The numbers go up and a few blocks later, we go from 1024 to 1190---all of them 3-floor residences (the types with spiraly staircases...should've taken a photo...but it was windy, really windy. And rainy) so we opt to head west towards Mont-Royal and we trudge and trudge through the rain and wind, our feet soaking, our pants---trousers (she's british without the accent) wet wet. On many occaisions I suggested that if it's too far that perhaps we go back or take a bus to nearest métro but we trudged on anyways.

I swear, I'm making none of this up!

So we walk, after she recalled that we had to go past St Laurent perhaps where all the trendy shops and stores and restaurants were going west and that maybe that it was 1089 Laurier Ouest not East. So we continue in the rain along past Du Parc, an avenue mum and I went by on occaision, and up Laurier O.

We finally find it.

Celebration!

The store wasn't a Tintin-specialty store it was a BD-specialty store. There were merchandise from Barbarapapa (or something...I read it once or twice as a kid), Le Petit Prince merchandise (notebooks, bibs, stationary set, figures). A cute store. Maybe I'll work there someday...as a summer part-time job or something...ya know.

And then...I saw it, a little section filled with Tintin stuff. More than I have EVER seen in my life! Notebooks, stationary, pencil tins, prints (Big prints on the wooden type thing that was .5 inch thick that you'd hang in a livingroom), clear files, pencils, pens, erasers, t-shirts, figurines (shit, if they weren't 400$+ I'd buy one), keychains, a copy of the Tintin au lac des requins movie for 24$ (haven't seen that since I was...5 or 6), address books, MILOU plushies, towels, PJs---argh! So much merchandise! Oh and there were BDs, books, the EverysingledamncharactertohaveappearedinTintinEVER encyclopedia too.

So I look at all the stuff, was shocked, stared at the well-made figurines and statues of Tintin and Haddock (THERE WAS A HADDOCK BUST FIGURE MY WORD!--for.....600$?), the keychains were 12-15$ each so I didn't bother but wow. So I bought myself a Tintin wallet that was 50% off because one of the buttons was broken (pah, it makes it easier to open. Woo logic!) and a Tintin clearfile. I want to squee like a little child in a candy store, that was the iconic moment of my trip so far.

As we left, the saleslady said that they had the biggest selection of Tintin merchandise in the city. (The St Denis Tintin store---so there was one---closed apparently?) So I have a card and know how to get there next time. Muwahaha.

Then we headed to chinatown to a buffet for supper. Yum!

On the way back, I saw a pidgeon on the platform.

A pigeon.

Apprently they're quite common at Place-d'Armes station.

Oh! And I spoke lots of French today, aren't you all proud?! I am. While I was waiting for the bus, our bus the 106 stopped to drop off people and then zoomed off and around the bus circle and parked. A lady beside me started rambling and we randomly had a convo about the bus being silly and doing that. OH and we were on the métro and the stations were being named incorrectly (aka the automatic system thingy was on le fritz) so as we disembarked two ladies remarked about it saying "ben keskia avec ça?" and on my way out I said "Ça va confuser des personnes bientôt/plus tard, je crois" and they were like "Ouais, ouais". Hurrah! :D

Tomorrow involves random afternoon stuff and if it doesn't rain I'll trudge my laptop with me. I'm going ahead with stopping at the cemetary. On a happier note, I'll be hanging with my cousin tomorrow evening possibly. On a chippier note:

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGEANNE! =D <3

Day 4- So that building in the distance with the flag dotted with canaries on it was McGill?

So, two fine things I found out today:

• There is a reason why one sees McGill University along McGill College Ave from Ste Catherine's.
• For the longest time I had no idea where Place Ville Marie was. Little did I know I had been aimlessly wandering through it with mum many times in the past along with many others all this time.

Oh and Eaton's Centre has free wi-fi in the food court! Monday, after I go do stuff and if I have time and don't actually have an appointment later, I'll got o Eaton's Centre or something.

So today, I hung out with my mum's good friend today. We went down to this really cool restaurant on McGill College called Boccachino's. If any of you come down you should really go there. I had lasagna and it was yummy. The place itself is really cosy and nice. Mum's friend has a bad muscle/joint pain that's preventing her from walking properly so we couldn't do much walking. Mostly sitting and talking.

She told me good stories about mum. It was interesting. It's scary, shocking and ...cool I suppose how much I am like mum a bit. She's perhaps one of my favorites of mum's friends (and probably one of mum's closest friends). I love talking to her. (They met in McGill while they were taking night classes. Then they decided to both go on a trip to Mexico together even though they were near broke. It made me happy inside when I heard that story...)

So tomorrow, I'm going to St Denis. Mum's other friend and I shall investigate the existance of the Tintin store.

The entry full of photos may come Monday or Tuesday.

Oh and my purchases so far?

• An official WC06 France messenger bag (I could've done cartwheels when I saw it. It was on sale for 35$ from it's original 50$ and it was the last one. Only Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Portugal were there)
• Rugby shirt from Jacob (blue/green) (It's a funky shirt. It looks nice on me. I'm thinking I'm regaining my sense of style the longer I'm here)
• DALIA Brown w/cream pinstripe suit for...20$-something dollars (I kid you not. Since I was going to a high-quality event and had brought nothing fancyfancy, I had gone with my godfather's wife to the Carrefour Angrignon to look for something. Lo and behold a sale---70% off sale. Hence, the suit tallying at about 20$+. It's a cool suit and I got a pink blouse to go with it too. Sadly that wasn't on sale.)
• Various manga. (I mean, I could totally wait until going back to Ottawa but noo. It seems since I'm here I might as well get some. Geeez.)

Anyway, inspector types coming tomorrow morning at 9. So I'll get to bed in a bit.

Bonsoir!

Day 2 + 3: I wandered around my old appartment and got close to the rich

Hahah...ok.
WARNING: This entry is really long and full of random kid-memory-type happy moments. Beware.

Photos, when I have a day to myself (I'm thinking Monday...ish.) I will test out my account on Île-Sans-Fil (Island-Wireless/for free...something) to see if this free wi-fi hotspot thinger will work. This would be a perfect excuse for me to go to Westmount, take photos of my schools, the gorgeous houses, parks (the library/town clock), test my luck and see if Stéphanie still lives where she did and if Colleen is still the head of my old daycare and then, go to the Atwater library where the hotspot is (the other hotspot is in the park beside it but if I recall correctly, it's a sketchy park...even though it's in front of this children's hospital (which is in an old stone building)). I'll do like an all-photo entry.

Day 2
So, the day after I came in, I asked my godfather and his wife if I could be dropped by my old appartment complex--4635 Clanranald (Apt. 419 ;D). So they did and I went about my afternoon on my own. They were suprised at how much I remembered of NDG and downtown. So as soon as I was dropped off and they left, I looked up my old appartment building and nearly cried. Everything looked so much smaller than I remembered! But that wasn't why I nearly cried. So many memories...the times I had fun going to the mailbox to get our mail (It was like a little hall with hundreds of boxes--brass boxes--all along the walls) and fighting my apparent lack of height to try and open our mailbox, the steps, the lobby, the holiday decorations that went up all the time, the elevator...pah, I still remember our hallway.

Oh on the way there, I noticed the old Esso gas station beside the taxi station (we got our taxi cab in mere seconds! =P) was torn down and replaced by condos! Ahh! The jewish school was still on CSL (Côte-st-Luc), as was the funky restaurant. The trees in front of our appartment were bigger than they ever were! So I spent 10mins debating if I wanted to head down to MacDonald park or go to Queen Mary Rd (which is along the way) or Monkland (opposite way). So I opted to go down Clanranald further to MacDonald Park. I spent most of the time looking up, left and right and around in awe---I loved Clanranald. I used to bike on my pink bike all the time! So I get to the corner of Clanranald and Queen Mary and I notice that the restaurant that was surrounded by Jasper bushes was gone and lo and behold there was a daycare in it's place! So I look in awe at the daycare, the look ahead and see the Couche-tard (...there's one in Calgary...Winks I think? It's like Mac's but it's got a winking owl and they sell/sold good bread) and the used bookstore are still on the opposite corner and my first bank--Canada Trust was still where it was.

So I continue further along Clanranald (after much hesitation on whether to jaywalk or not---I opted for the green light). And so I continue! And well damnit!

The rest of the street was far less steeper than I remember it being.

I used to end up blazing down it at crazy speeds as a kid. Pssh, this hill was no hill! It was a small incline...ramp...thing!! So I continue down it, hearing English, Hebrew, French etc. being spoken, looking in awe, and I spot the old sinegogue. It's a cool sinegogue. There was a fellow with a leaf-blower who was turning off his blower as I approached and he looked up and went "Oh my goodness! My apologies! I didn't mean to aim the leaf-blower at you!" and kept apologizing and I just told him "No worries! You missed" and we laughed. Yay sociableness!

Then I went to MacDonald park. It's changed, but it's still the same. They moved the swings a bit and the big yellow corkscrew slide was gone and replaced by a red one attached to a little jungle gym. They had about 4 of the original 8 see-saws left and the outdoor wading pool was still there! (Though, I recall it rarely being open---or well it was, but I never went as oftern as I would've liked to) so then I went across the park to go up Earnscliffe and back up to CSL and Clanranald to go to Monkland. MacD park is a very family friendly park. Families come everyday and amazingly they still do! :D

Went past QM again and then noticed as i went along the bloc to go up Clanranald again that THEY BLOODY CLOSED THE ALLEYWAYS! It's all been planted over with resident-friendly stuff! *looks on in shock* I mean, it's pretty, there's little benches at what used to be the entranceways but no alley with partly buried rail tracks (likely from the old tramcars/trolleys in the 40s). Sigh.

Monkland was nice. My favorite kids store was still there as was the Provigo (grocery chain), but much of it has changed though =(. The old ice cream place was gone (it was my favorite). After that I decided to walk to Villa Maria métro (originally wanting to take the 60 along through Westmount and the Boulevard but opted for the métro). Niftyest station. Métro came as I was coming down the steps so I bolted (The doors are automated--no buttonpressing) and caught it. Then took it south to Lionel-Groulx to take the Honoré-Beaugrand train on the green line which also came as soon as many of us got off (a handy thing for commuters as you just head across the laaarge platform and you can transfer lines while waiting only a second or a minute or two to catch the connecting train--many downtown commuters come from the orange line in the Bourassa direction, get off at Lionel-Groulx and transfer like that). Random memory moment: If I had a day off and dad I were headed to Le Faubourg (so I could have a muffin while he discussed Ethiopian politics with buddies at the Al Van Houte) or just downtown, we'd accompany mum to work by taking the Henri-Bourassa bound train from Snowdown (which we usually walked to, even though it was far) or we'd take the bus--the 102 or the 63--to Vendôme station (usually done if I had to be dropped off at daycare) with mum but on the Métro we'd take the train down to Lionel-Groulx or if I begged enough, Bonaventure where Gare Centrale is and near where mum worked. I loved trying to commute with mum to work just because I'd miss her throughout most of the day. (Not that I didn't like dad's presence. Back in those good ol' days, I loved hanging out with dad.) So I went and got off at McGill and went into Eaton's Centre, Complexe les Ailes and looked about.

Eaton's Centre's foodcourt has changed. This makes me sad because my favorite places ---a Frank's hot dog that had Slush Puppies and this pizzaria--- weren't there...or well, in their usual spots (They could still be there but I'm not sure. I didn't explore much) Anyway, I looked about...wished I could've gone to all the floors but didn't, went to Place Laurentiens and through a bit of the underground city before going "Snap, I should head back to LaSalle before I'm late!". I did walk above ground after I stopped at an Indigo (and an Archambault earlier) back to the Eaton's centre to go back down to McGill and home.

Luckily I missed the squish-as-many-people-as-humanly-possible-onto-the-métro rush. On the way to the metro, I spotted to my delight a Bubbletease. A Bubbletease. For simplicity's sake, Bubble tease is a bubble tea stand/shop place that makes all kinds of bubble tea. The last I had bubble tea from there was when I was in Toronto and I first tried bubble tea. I was addicted. Their litchi bubble tea is amazing. Though I have been informed by an online friend in Montréal (St. Laurent actually) that there's a bubble tea place in Chinatown that makes delicious bubbletea. This I must investigate.

The métro is louder than I recall...this could however be because I haven't been back in so long. Anyway, métros=awesome.

Oh and on both floors of Lionel-Groulx, they replaced the old stores (there's shops, vendors, musicians etc. etc. on the métro platforms and in the stations) with Couche-Tards. I was amused.

THAT WAS DAY 2. Today wasn't eventful so it won't be long.

DAY 3
Today I went shopping for some nice things to wear to this thing with my godmother. It was some gathering/conference for consultants for this cosmetic company called Mary Kay. The outfit I got was awesome. I love it. The show?...it was at the Hilton. Mary Kay equals 4th on the Forbes 500. It was mostly a "Look I stayed with MK for so and so long, made X money and got to the top!" celebration for one of the employees and a recruitment drive type thing. My godmum is part of it. Just so she can make some extra $$ (Teachers in Quebec aren't paid so much). I agree, it's a way to make extra money but most of what was going on, the speeches, the language, just didn't sit well with me. Maybe when I'm old and 40+ I'll consider it. Either way, most of the people present, the top seller employees (forgot the term for them...anyhoo) probably were living in Mount Royal's or Outremont's huge mansions or Westmount's castles...or were in big houses in the banlieues ...or were making large disgusting amounts of money and living in mansions and maybe were making more than 70K working for this company.

Though, I almost won myself some perhaps expensive stuff in the random draws but lost to a lady sitting behind me with a ticket stub that was off by one. (winning number was XXXXX066, mine ended with 067) Ah well. *shrug*

But in a technical sense, I was in the same room as people who made 6-figure incomes probably. Or...something. So going by that, I was technically rubbing shoulders with the rich (but not famous).

Montréal highways...I love them. They like snake around and through the island in huge networks that sometimes sail hundreds of feet above you.

TO Lisa, and SOCCERFANS,
If I can find it, there's a street here called Shevchenko here in LaSalle. There's even a busroute too that runs by here. I thought I'd let you know (Hey! You read this far and this much too! woah!)

Tomorrow I hang out with another of my mum's friends whom I get along best with. Yay!

Also, I think the day I go to Westmount, I'll stop by the cimétière Mont-Royal on the way.

It's a long walk through Outremont which is beautiful btw, to the cemetary (...honestly I want to stand in there tomorrow---it's the day the Jewish go for sinegogue. There's many Jewish families who walk down almost every avenue decked in tradition garb. It's a sight to behold!--if you want to read about it, read Mordecai Richler's books. One of them takes place in Outremont methinks. But anyway, in some parts of Montréal you can see families going to church, to sinegogue, to temples to mosques...it's like seeing the world almost. Hahaha)

Don't know where exactly they were buried, but maybe I can get a ride from one of the employees again because I know it was on the top of a hill--a steep, hiking-like hill. Hey, I can take photos of L'Oratoire St. Joseph, it's on the way. It's a cool church and really pretty at night.

ANYWAY! It's late. (11:42) and I must go!

Bonsoir!

Ici, Montréal (LaSalle more precisely)

Got into Montréal earlier this evening. It was something. As soon as the train pulled into Gare Central, (or well, came closer to Montréal downtown) hoppipolla by Sigur Ros appropriately came on. Even though the song title is Icelandic for puddles or hopping puddles, the notes struck by band's melodies fit the situation I was in nicely. The Réné Levesque tower, the de La Gauchétiere in the back of the collection of buildings was something. I just got the vibe that I was home. Like when I spotted the STM busses and the AMT trains, the back up highways, roads, the network of highways and expressways hundreds of feet above us, the people, the buildings, I think I had this wierd grin slowly begining to dress itself on my face.

So I got upstairs to the main level of Gare Central, and wow...it was busy with workers commuting home, families going on or returning from vacation. Saw my godfather's wife and went and hugged her. But wow Gare Centrale...L'essence was there of Montréal rush hour. Don't ask why I like it, it's just fun to watch sometimes. The architecture of Gare Central is just something to behold. It's so elegant (they got rid of the random Bureau En Gros aka Staples in Calgary methinks).

I did take pictures but they're on my laptop. Not everyone has wireless (I'm using their PC) =P

As for tomorrow? No idea what I'll do. Maybe explore downtown or get a hold of my cousin (she's actually a good friend to be with) or go by our old appartment, my schools? Try and risk embarrasing myself by seeing if one of my friends still lives in her blue-painted ivy-covered house beside our school? (If I can find a free wi-fi I'll update with pics--depending how i feel about luggin my laptop about)

Oh the train ride was fun. There was this cute little kid making fun statements like 'THERE'S A TRAIN!' and I would answer 'Where?' and he'd be all 'There! There!' or he would peek from around his seat at me and giggle. So adorable. The guy beside me was on business calls the whole time but hey, Quebecois French, I can still understand it---this is something miraculeux considering how long I've been in Calgary for.

Should mention, calling a dépanneur a 'corner store' in public is a crime punishable by beheading---or a look of WTF. Or so I hear. lol

Yes I did practice a tiiny bit of French on the train ride but moreorless a 'Merci' 'Un verre de ginger ale svp' and 'Svp' yada yada.

I think I want to take the métro tomorrow. Just for kicks. Don't ask.

Hope everyone is doing well in Calgary, I hear it's cold and it's thunderstorm after thunderstorm or sumthing. It's getting cooler here too and it's not too humid.

I <3 old Montréal-style houses. Or just Montréal homes in general.

Anyhow, Bonsoir!

I'm in Ottawa

So, quite obviously I wasn't attacked by snakes and no one was there cursing profoundly while killing said snakes. *dodges rock* Anyway, I'm really really tired right now so let's summarize the excitement that happened today:

• I saw a small fire in the middle of the tarmak (?...dunno if that's the right word) being put out while arriving in Toronto
• My 2nd suitcase was lost so we reported it then my aunt and I decided to wait till the carousel started for some random flight that wasn't listed on the highly advanced display monitor thingy. This is where the term 'Good things come to those who wait' applied here as my suitcase came --nearly got dragged trying to get it but a nice gentlemen got it for me---along the...carousel thing. Aunt and I had a nice laugh afterwards :D
• Whilst waiting for lost luggage, there was this couple's child standing beside them pantsless. Needless to say I was like ".....righto"
• Ottawa's newly built airport outclasses Calgary's renos by a landslide. There's two waterfalls in the arrivals area/departure area and omg, FREE wi-fi in the departure gates areas! Why don't Pearson and Calgary have free wi-fi (or any) at all?D=

To finish because, though it is only 9:10 I am feeling tiiiired, it really doesn't feel like I'll be living here for 4-5months. Very unreal. I leave for Montreal on Wednesday!

Bon Cop, Bad Cop was amazing. I shall go see it again in Montreal.

I'm missing you guys so, so, so, so much right now. *long distance hugs*

'night!

And now, a break from all my business

*collapses*

I had a feeling this would happen---the whole run-around-in-circles thing. Plan for today was to go to the bank to pay my tuition, then go to the Optomitrist, go get stuff from Market Mall (That I should've gotten last night. Yarr), go to Northland, then to Lens Crafters, then to Best Buy, then back to Lens Crafters and home.

Only got to the bank, the Optomitrist (found a pair of frames that were pretty...kinda was really indecisive on if I wanted them.), Northland where I went to Best Buy and bought myself my laptop (2400$ after all the extra stuff and yes, I had to buy it myself.) then tried to find ink cartridges and found one in BB and the other in Future Shop. Tried to buy the photo one from FS but looked and got the "Limit exceeded" message of supreme evil. I forgot my limit was...2500$ or something. Go me! I got to Lens Crafters only to be supremely undecided again when we (dad, clerk and myself) had found these nice Prada (250$...) frames. So I have two frames on hold. They're both classy and chic etc. but I don't know why, but I've become extremely nitpicky. (Mind the trip at the Optomitrist was funny. Steve, the fellow who was helping me look around, and myself and another lady who joined us later, had found about 10-ish pairs of frames and it took a while for us to narrow it all down but we had to be super picky of the faults because all them were admittedly very nice)

Maybe I'm unaccustomed to...flattery and beauty? I was highly unwiling to have any makeup of sorts for grad but mum's friend told me I should. (I'm generally unwilling to wear any sort of makeup period.) and I have no real willingness/i have a fear of getting clothes that'll really look nice on me or I just prefer simplicity? I get the "You're going to university! You should get some lovely/cool clothes to go with it" banter lots. I mean, it makes sense---I can't really get away with turtlenecks, blah pants, hoodies and polo shirts for 4 years. Or, like what happened recently where I tried on this shirt I didn't really have any liking for and everyone, random parents and such were like "It looks beautiful on you! :D" and mum's friend was in agreement and I was like "...Idunno...".

Must be the moving/packing stress getting to me. Hm.

Anyhow, tomorrow morning we're picking up the laptop, buying the ink cartridges, perhaps buying the frames (whichever I choose--Lens Crafters (249$+...300?) or Optomitrist (316$ total)). Probably might stop by Market quick on Sunday or not at all and also ship off my box(es) of stuff.

Oh speaking of why I need said cartridges, remember that project for Mme Cox? I was planning to have it finished tonight/tomorrow and deliver that on Sunday to her but due to packing, overall laziness and crazy-householdness + ink cartridges puttering out as well as combined chickening out when trying to phone her, I haven't been able to print out these remaining 9 photos (+ 3 more). I feel sorry about it taking this long guys.

Anyhow, back to packing!

Or something ressembling it and cleaning both rooms

EDIT I forgot to mention, I'm staying with my godfather in LaSalle. Save, had I known I was staying in LaSalle I should've gotten tickets to Dorval rather than Montréal. Doesn't help either that I'm coming in smack dab near the latter half of rush hour traffic. Should be interesting...

Woé

I am a fantastically terrible shopper. This is shall now be a fact. I'm either too scared of looking really nice or something or I must be nit-picky...or summat. Maybe I'll ask my cousin to help me shop around in Montréal or something.

Oh and my plans for Montréal are kind of falling through. Sillyness that is Montréal's early start times for school/return to school for teachers is foiling my plans so badly it's funny. See, every one...or most of mum's friends are teachers. I was going to stay with one of them but she's just found out she's busy busy the week I'm coming in. My cousin is having a friend over still methinks.

What's left is my godfather in LaSalle. I'll have to see...there's that and my dad's friend in Somerled--whoo cultural immersion--OH! I totally totally forgot about my tonton. Egads...that's traumatic...actually, it's sad. Or, if I can get ahold of my brother in BC, we could attempt to get in touch with our sister in Montréal (Long story short, she's lived in Montréal since before I was born (she's maybe in her 20s/early 30s) and I wasn't told about her existance in any way...or well, that and the fact she's lived in Montréal all her life. For all I know she could've been a 10min busride away like granma was and I could've met her when I was say 4 or something. Bitter? Me?). It'd be silly and awkward for me to do that but I suppose I could meet her instead...or something.

The irony du jour? After all the fuss and such with dad, I managed to get the train tickets earlier today before this happened.

The good news for all of you? I could pay the penalty on my plane ticket (if any) and move my leave date later if this doesn't work at all.

Oh in said shopping venture that faaailed, I found myself a nice pair of glasses frames that I may purchase in Ottawa. If I still go to Montréal, I could look for some there.

And I found a laptop I may get tomorrow. It's a really good HP.

Haven't updated in forever, oh my!

I shall chronicle the week then.

Tuesday

Hung out with Vanccie downtown. I bought a cute pencil/pen case for university with little black and white pigs on them. Then through our travels in Chinatown, I kept running into various paraphenalia with said little pigs on them. (HUGE moshi pillows, plushes, keychains, wallets, socks etc.) Ended up partly giving in and buying two cellphone swing thingies for 10$.

Then I had supper with Vanccie's little sister and her mum where we went out for sushi and nearly scared the poor waitress when she almost took our tray with yakitori sauce. Vanccie's mum suggested we guard the yummy yakitori sauce with our lives.

Wednesday

Went out for lunch with Lisa to return Phantom to her and get my umbrella back (which I nearly lost the same day---eek) then went to Prince's Island Park to see Two Men of Verona at Shakespeare in the Park with Georgeanne and Lisa. Lovely thunderstorm followed afterwards.

Thursday

Forgot what I did for most of the day...*thinks* but later that evening I went out for supper with my mum's friend and former co-worker from CP along with another of my mum's friends (one who I know the most). We went to Moxie's and it was my first time going there and the food we had was pretty good. Lots of fun stuff and we talked about mum and such and what I was doing---all that jazz. After dinner, we did some shopping and I got a new pair of jeans (I own 2 now. Shock!) and two nice shirts.

Friday

Finally got together with Mike to give him his rather late birthday present :P. Then we proceded to go to La Librarie Monette down in Britannia where the storelady was rather friendly (there's another lady...she has grey hair, she's really mean sometimes) and I got some tips as to some more places I should go see when I go to Montréal (like this Tintin store down on St Denis). I ended up getting another Tintin comic and a DVD with Les 7 boules de cristal + Le temple du soleil. Shame that there were no Petit Nicholas books because those are something.

Later we got people to join us for Taste of Calgary which was very much fun :D. I'm craving more Ting. I love Ting. Oh wait, but before that Mike wanted to go see the downtown Sears to see how much better it was in comparison to the NW Sears. Then we went back to Kensington to wait for Joe and Devon and then we went to Taste of Calgary in Eau Claire where other people met up with us. Okay, I remember now.

Then we saw Dorian Blues which was a very good movie I must say. It was special. *nods*

Mike, can I take Unless with me to Ottawa? Because I can't speed read in 6 days (BTW, you still have my Kingdom Come)

Saturday

Went over to Vanccie's to play videogames. I'm greatly amused. We (Vanccie, a friend of hers and I) played...or well, it was mostly me who played but occaisionally the other two played, anyway, we played Kingdom Hearts II until 5am.

Yeah.

I can now say that I've played a videogame for more than 10 hours. *laughs*

Woke up at 1pm today. I just got home after her mum dropped me off. I'm seriously going to miss her alot.

In the end, I have to say that Google Calendar (accessible from Gmail by clicking a link in the top left corner) has saved me many times. I have never been so busy like that before hanging out with friends. It's an interesting experience.

Moving...
Pff. I'll start moving clothes into my suitcases. At the moment it looks like I'll only be using one suitcase and one mini suitcase but I still need to take my coats so I think my second one will be used. Plus, old shoeboxes=good CD/DVD/photos/books holder.

So the thought that I would be moving away hit me yesterday morning. Just kinda woke up and immediately got hit by that pang of reality and cried for a bit.

I've probably got a ton of random crap to do during this final week. I still need a laptop because I don't have much time left to transfer XXGBs of stuff (unless I go find a network cable), need to haul myself downtown to BMO, find out when I'll get my Ralphbucks exactly, (not that I'm going to spend all 400$ of it on Tintin-related items. No, really I won't.) and I have to book an appointment with my optomitrist so I can shop for some frames in Montréal (Well, I could look for some here. I kind of did. If my appointment is like, Tuesday and I run down to Chinook to get the frames I saw on the same day, I could have new glasses before I leave) yada yada yada.

*sigh*
Hm.

For today's randomness, there was a Tintin musical made 3 years ago. Dupont and Dupond's song Contrôle total is special and I mean special. Capitaine Haddock's song "Mille millions de mille sabords" amuses me. I think if I can find the CD/mp3s I think I'll get it.

http://www.musicalkuifje.com/fr/flash.html

Ah darn

First, Bon cop/Bad cop....I really want to see that while I'm in Montréal (It's been released nationwide--in Québec. Yeah. I know. Personally, I think it'll be a hit if it's released around the country.) the trailer's special, the Ontario cop is played by the fellow who played Trudeau in Trudeau. (Colm Feore) But I can't for the life of me figure out where I've seen Huard before...Anyway, there's tons of bilingualism, Quebec vs Ontario, "Quebecers like to own the road", French-Quebecois and such jokes in the movie judging from the trailers.

Fun humour aside, it looks really good. (There's the original French ver. and the English ver. As the movie's bilingual but there's mostly subs in the French ver. (some "dubbing" from the original actors for the French ver) Don't think the English ver. has subs)

Trailer 1
Trailer 2

PS. Rick Mercer and David Bouchard (the "bad" cop) slap each other and then fight on TV. :D

Other than that, I seem to have lost all desire to continue folding clothes or clean my room. I absolutely hate it when that happens. I looked at the basket of clothes and I mean, it could be the heat, but I didn't want to do anything related to packing. Oh and today I hung around Chinatown with Vanccie and went out for sushi with her, her little sister and her mum. That was fun. I think we nearly scared this poor waitress who almost took away our dish with yakitori sauce because we loved the sauce. Good fun.

August 21st:

August 21st. That's the day I'm leaving. I'll be in Montréal likely on the 23rd until the 29th. Then I'll have the 30th-4th to settle down, unpack, buy books (I could do that on the 22nd), hang out with my aunt, do some baking...wait, maybe not. Too hot..Stir fry and shishkabobs could be out of the question too =(.

Still doesn't feel like I'm going to be leaving.

Anyway, packing status: I'm still cleaning my room and moving my really, really heavy dresser into the closet. I'm begining to hate my room's carpet even more. Then I'll pick up all the garbage and such and throw out what I don't need while at the same time gather books to take. Then I'll spend a day gathering all the important documents I'll need. (Birth Certificate, Passport, documents I might need with me, OttawaU stuff etc. etc.)

This means my computer room has/will become the "Sorting of Stuff to Take" room.

So, anyone looking to get together (including you Mr Maher...I still have your birthday present to give you!) I'm doing stuff on the 10th with a friend and fmr. co-worker of my mum's and then possibly a 8hr+ videogame type thing with Vanccie and her friend. (Haha..should be fun. Doubt I could last 8hrs playing one video game) and other stuff.

Oh and yesterday I went to Amy's and I got Stoppblewafles (spelling probably off not by mere inches but perhaps miles) that she got while at a soccer training camp in Amsterdam and it's rather difficult to not stop eating them. They're so yummy! :D