Montreal just looks cool.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
bouillabaisse
What I have thoroughly been enjoying about Montreal is it’s walkablity. Yes, the hills can be tough, but the bus and the metro (similar to the subway) are easy access with our passes. The metro is also located where most of the underground shopping is. You see, Montreal is known for its frosty, snowy, and downright dangerously freezing winters, so for the sake of its residents many stores are located underground so they don’t have to brave the blistery weather and stick their heads above ground before the groundhog does.
These last few days have been of exploration. Earlier this week a group of us wandered down Rue Saint-Denis for some hours. It is a colorful street filled with cafés and unique shops. The store fronts are colorfully painted upon old brick buildings and the window displays beg you to come in and see all of the wonderfully creative things they have to offer. Montreal truly does have fantastic shopping. We then stumbled upon an empty art studio where we proceeded to take pictures of ourselves just for kicks. Time passed and we realized we had been out for a while and decided to venture back to McGill only to discover we weren’t quite sure in what direction to go. But no worries, we found our way home.
One of our “field trips” was to Canada’s capitol, Ottawa. We took about a 2 hour bus ride down to Parliament and proceeded to go on tours of Parliament and learn about how this country governs itself. It is a unique country; having so much diversity yet somehow managing to keep such a peaceful environment for its people. Learning about the politics and political history of Canada has made me realize how differently this country is run from the U.S. I also am fascinated by the conflict the French and English have had with each other beginning on the Plains of Abraham, and how Quebec has yet to sign Canada’s constitution. A quick glimpse into this conflict would be to watch Bon Cop, Bad Cop. Montreal with its flare and ferocity has been the center of many Francophone revolutions, yet as an English speaker I have yet to feel any hostility directed towards me.
Au Reviour,
Amiliah
PS—If you ever get the chance, go to Montreal during the International jazz festival. It is absolutely beauty to the ears. Music, I believe, is the closest thing to experiencing magic.
These last few days have been of exploration. Earlier this week a group of us wandered down Rue Saint-Denis for some hours. It is a colorful street filled with cafés and unique shops. The store fronts are colorfully painted upon old brick buildings and the window displays beg you to come in and see all of the wonderfully creative things they have to offer. Montreal truly does have fantastic shopping. We then stumbled upon an empty art studio where we proceeded to take pictures of ourselves just for kicks. Time passed and we realized we had been out for a while and decided to venture back to McGill only to discover we weren’t quite sure in what direction to go. But no worries, we found our way home.
One of our “field trips” was to Canada’s capitol, Ottawa. We took about a 2 hour bus ride down to Parliament and proceeded to go on tours of Parliament and learn about how this country governs itself. It is a unique country; having so much diversity yet somehow managing to keep such a peaceful environment for its people. Learning about the politics and political history of Canada has made me realize how differently this country is run from the U.S. I also am fascinated by the conflict the French and English have had with each other beginning on the Plains of Abraham, and how Quebec has yet to sign Canada’s constitution. A quick glimpse into this conflict would be to watch Bon Cop, Bad Cop. Montreal with its flare and ferocity has been the center of many Francophone revolutions, yet as an English speaker I have yet to feel any hostility directed towards me.
Au Reviour,
Amiliah
PS—If you ever get the chance, go to Montreal during the International jazz festival. It is absolutely beauty to the ears. Music, I believe, is the closest thing to experiencing magic.
Jazz FestivalSunday, July 5, 2009
First Days...
Oh Canada...
My first week here in Montreal has been amazing. Flying in on the city was my first glimpse into its character and lively personality. The old French buildings combined with new world architecture peeked through the clouds and as the plane lowered I could see rivers sprawled everywhere only to be surrounded by greenery. To add to its physical beauty, the personality of city itself is a mix of eccentricity that only the French could bring, and a bit of British sophistication. I absolutely adore how easily people here switch from French to English and vice versa.
I am staying at McGill University (the Harvard of Canada) which is located wonderfully next to Mount Royal (which Montreal is named for). There are 11 other students here with me from the Univeristy of Portland, and I have to say, they are all cordial, wonderfully nice people. To be plain, we all get along great.
My first day here was spent getting settled in and grabbing some groceries and fell asleep listening to Stevie Wonder play live from my window (the Jazz festival is going on right now). The next day was Canada day and we went down to the waterfront to see some of the formal events going on, which involved Mounties!!! (Yes, they do exist and are not just mere Canadian legend). I was also spotted to be in a picture book about Canada called, "the Faces of Canada." I wasn't really sure what was going on except for that a man with a huge camera handed me a business card and began talking to me in French and taking my picture. Montreal also hosted an odd but cool ‘Water, laser beam, dance, firework’ show, which turned out to be fun but the only people who seemed to truely enjoy it were some rockin’ old ladies who were persistant in trying to get others, including myself, to dance to the techno beats.
I only have three hours of class a day, so the rest of the time is used for whatever we want, which includes spying on our neighbors...who turned out to be three very friendly Canadian students staying at McGill on their break from the Armed Royal Military College. We ended up going to a pub one night with them, and the next night to Australia’s showing in the international firework competition that Montreal is hosting, followed by going to the Jazz festival where we heard some fantastic music by a lady with the most fantastic afro---If your afro is that good, your music can only be great.
That leaves me with today! Today we went to St. Joseph’s Oratory for mass and to this little french bakery where I was able to order my food completely in french! From St. Joseph’s you can see Montreal at its finest. St. Joseph's isn't bad either; with lush gardens and an astounding building.
I will post pictures when I have them.
Au Reviour
amiliah
My first week here in Montreal has been amazing. Flying in on the city was my first glimpse into its character and lively personality. The old French buildings combined with new world architecture peeked through the clouds and as the plane lowered I could see rivers sprawled everywhere only to be surrounded by greenery. To add to its physical beauty, the personality of city itself is a mix of eccentricity that only the French could bring, and a bit of British sophistication. I absolutely adore how easily people here switch from French to English and vice versa.
I am staying at McGill University (the Harvard of Canada) which is located wonderfully next to Mount Royal (which Montreal is named for). There are 11 other students here with me from the Univeristy of Portland, and I have to say, they are all cordial, wonderfully nice people. To be plain, we all get along great.
My first day here was spent getting settled in and grabbing some groceries and fell asleep listening to Stevie Wonder play live from my window (the Jazz festival is going on right now). The next day was Canada day and we went down to the waterfront to see some of the formal events going on, which involved Mounties!!! (Yes, they do exist and are not just mere Canadian legend). I was also spotted to be in a picture book about Canada called, "the Faces of Canada." I wasn't really sure what was going on except for that a man with a huge camera handed me a business card and began talking to me in French and taking my picture. Montreal also hosted an odd but cool ‘Water, laser beam, dance, firework’ show, which turned out to be fun but the only people who seemed to truely enjoy it were some rockin’ old ladies who were persistant in trying to get others, including myself, to dance to the techno beats.
I only have three hours of class a day, so the rest of the time is used for whatever we want, which includes spying on our neighbors...who turned out to be three very friendly Canadian students staying at McGill on their break from the Armed Royal Military College. We ended up going to a pub one night with them, and the next night to Australia’s showing in the international firework competition that Montreal is hosting, followed by going to the Jazz festival where we heard some fantastic music by a lady with the most fantastic afro---If your afro is that good, your music can only be great.
That leaves me with today! Today we went to St. Joseph’s Oratory for mass and to this little french bakery where I was able to order my food completely in french! From St. Joseph’s you can see Montreal at its finest. St. Joseph's isn't bad either; with lush gardens and an astounding building.
I will post pictures when I have them.
Au Reviour
amiliah
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