Final Quebecophile Post: Montreal Mementos

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. 

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.

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.

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