Montreal Mementos
Greetings readers, it’s been too long since I last posted,
but as the holidays creep up (They’re here!), and my last week rolls up (yes,
last week in Quebec starts tomorrow), time is flying as if Joni Mitchell’s wish
came true and she’s skating down that proverbial river.
We finally made it to Quebec City and spent last weekend in
Old Quebec, the romantic old-world, walled city along the river, home of
Chateau Frontenac (we didn’t stay there) an old-world hotel the size of a
castle, and I mean literally that size. There were wonderfully Holiday-lit
streets, lined with shops, bistros and restaurants, an unusual outdoor market
in the square where vendors had little wooden shacks, about the size of a double-wide
ice fishing hut, from which to offer their goods. There was also a custom light
show on the side of two different buildings, illuminating based on the codes
entered at control point by anyone interested in seeing them. Very clever.
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| Along snowy Rue Petite Champlain in Old Port, Quebec City |
We enjoyed some fine food, fine walks, and fine scenery,
especially just outside of Old Quebec when we walked a park built on the Plains
of Abraham. The Plains of Abraham is a famous site for the last battle between
France and England which settled, for now, who was in control of Canada. The
English won. Ironically, in this most quintessential of French-Canadian cities - where 95% of population speaks French as a first tongue -
there is a major park and historic site based on the success of the English.
Another highlight from Quebec City was seeing dozens of bronze statues, in
squares and parks, on public and private buildings, and at street corners –
including busts of Winton Churchill and Gandhi. The early Quebec historic figures
statues looked like characters from the Three Musketeers, and others were posed
as grand orators, preaching the good word of life in Quebec.
Alas, we are counting our blessings and mementos. Blessings
for having had such a good six months here in Quebec, and mementos for all the
memories and trinkets we’ll return with to Nebraska – provided we can fit
everything in the car for the return trip. It was full coming here, so
something’s got to give.
Here is a short list of our highlights of everyday life here
in Montreal, or more locally in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue where we spent the summer
and Beaurepaire where we’ve lived since mid-August. This is not the memento
list of touring and sightseeing, but the domestic list, what made our lives fun,
unique, and “Quebecois”.
Tom’s List of three:
Regular trips to the Ste Anne’s Farmers Market. This market was
held outside along the river boardwalk until November 11, then in Ste George’s
Church basement after that. Being a life-long Lutheran I like most things that
happen in church basements. I met my beekeeper friend here, William Golding,
who I talked and visited with about his beekeeping. To give you just a bit of
insight into William, he does not have an email account and still has rabbit
ears on his TV.
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| Typical market goods. The bricks in front are soap, not cheese. |
Biking and Walking to Macdonald Campus. Since we moved to
Beaurepaire in August I was able to bike to and from the Macdonald Campus where
I worked. It was great to bike along the fleuve (St. Lawrence River) in the morning
and evening. I wrote a couple poems about the experience which FB friends have
seen. More may be in the works. Busing to and walking 50 minutes home was the
routine once biking season ended. The fall color change made this walk
exceptional.
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| Saint Lawrence in the fall with Canada Geese, go figure. |
Om West Yoga Studio. I have to recognize my good fortune to
find a great bunch of folks, owners, teachers, massage “artists” at Om West
Centre in Point Claire, just a 10 minute drive away. The owner’s name is
Antoine, which here is pronounced like “Ann-twuan.” After taking one of his classes I renamed him
“Ab-twuan” for the rigorous abdominals exercise he led. My favorite teachers
were Mirabai for Sivananda yoga and Renee for restorative yoga.
Marti’s list of three:
Her bicycle. If anyone heard her talk about the bicycle she
bought here, and used to practically circumnavigate the island, you’d thing she
was describing her first car. We almost had to haul it back to Lincoln (wait,
we haven’t left yet, she still could….). Marti spent countless hours and miles
exploring this biker’s paradise here on the West Island. Montreal really caters
to bike riders.
Local Yarn Shop, “Le Coin Artisanal”. Marti did a load of knitting while here in
Montreal, most of it while on her bicycle…well, not really. Once bike season
ended knitting began. A local Yarn artist shop in Beaurepaire is only a ten
minute walk away. There she weekly spent mornings and/or evenings knitting and
visiting with local natives, and even some women from England who were here and
frequenting the shop. She loved learning about life from this group, as well as
stepping around their shop dog, a Great Dane named Becky who is a rescued dog,
and is as mellow and soft as a Great Skein of canine yarn.
The sun room. In the house we live in there is a large sun
room off the kitchen, which is an extension of the kitchen and creates the outdoors
indoors. There is room enough for a couch, two lounge chairs and a table with
four chairs, so it is sizable. The sun and moon coming in made for great atmosphere,
and the autumn changes in the yard could be viewed as if they were there within
your house. She spent countless hours there knitting and doing bike repairs.
Did I say she really, really liked her bike.
Marti recently communicated to a friend electronically, who
is a live-long Canadian, but has traveled a lot in the US. She told him it was
wonderful to be here because of all the great people we met, there are good
people everywhere. Just stop listening to the news and the politicians and then
you can notice these people (that last sentence was my editorial). I would have
to agree that our time in Quebec, while highlighted by tours and sightseeing
and festivals, was really made enjoyable by the folks I worked with at the
university and the folks we interacted with in our domestic lives. Canada is
full of wonderful, kind, polite, and caring people (just don’t talk to
politicians and newsmen).
Only in Quebec for a while yet, so my Quebecophile blog may
not get any more posts, unless I do a post-Quebec ramble. Thanks for reading and
sharing in our adventure.
Boone Journee,
Tom
