dernier weekend a Montreal! :(

Friday

After finishing up the last day of my internship, James and I got to look forward to a visit from one of James's college friends, Jody. He came in around 8:45 pm on Friday, and we promptly took him to our neighborhood sushi restaurant to enjoy their sushi for the second time. After sushi we stopped by a nearby bar on Avenue du Mont-Royal and had a good time talking and getting some drinks. We got to sit in the outdoor sidewalk seating area, and as a result learned that after midnight you can't consume alcoholic beverages outside in Montreal--who knew?

Saturday

What a day! I started off by picking up breakfast for everyone at our corner bakery, and then James and Jody went to Energie Cardio to work out. Once they got back and showered, we headed out on this HOT day to Schwartz's to introduce Jody to the smoked meat sandwich. We had to wait in line, but it didn't take too long, and the sandwiches were as good as ever. James experienced the pangs of jealousy however when he saw a guy next to us get something called the "Grande Assiette" (Big Plate), which is just a plate full of the sliced smoked meat and a pile of bread so you can make A LOT of sandwiches for yourself. He was upset that I didn't tell him that was available (for the record, I didn't know!), and I'm sure that will be his order if we ever come back.

After Schwartz's we hopped on the metro to visit the Olympic Park and Tower north of the city. We took the funicular up to the top of the tour (which is the highest incline tower in the world) to get some spectacular views of the city. It cost $15.25/person, but I would say it was worth it. We then walked around the stadium for a little while and then hopped back on the metro to go to the Underground City. Jody bought a couple of T-shirts, some popcorn, and some candy, and I took notes for our big shopping day on Monday :).

We then went home where I made burgers and corn on the cob for dinner, and we all enjoyed some much-needed rest from the hot day. We did head back out on the metro to go to Parc Jean Drapeau to see Canada's fireworks display in the International Fireworks Competition. We had never gone out to the island before to watch the show, but MAN was it worth the distance! We were so close, and the fireworks just filled up the sky. Canada had a very impressive show, and I wouldn't be surprised if they won!

Sunday

We all enjoyed a little later wake up times on Sunday after an exhaustive Saturday, and then headed to L'Oeufrier for brunch. After brunch we headed up Mont Royal for the last time, and Jeter once again got to join us. Still an exhausting 3 hour hike, but still so worth it for the views of the city and the beautiful park. Needless to say, a hike up Mont Royal always equals a low-key remainder of the day, which was a nice treat after such a packed weekend.

going for baroque

This Saturday we desperately needed groceries, so that was our main activity for the morning. We were able to get things to make several meals for just over $40, so we feel like we're finally getting the hang of eating semi-cheap in Montreal! Unfortunately it started POURING on our way home with our groceries, so we ended up having to take everything out of the soaked cardboard packaging and trying to scrounge up enough Tupperware for it all!

After drying out, we started out on our 1 hour walk to the Old Port for Arion's 30th anniversary concert. They played at the Marche Bonsecours as a part of Montreal's Baroque Festival. The festival's theme was "The Seven Deadly Sins", and Arion represented Gluttony. In between the orchestra's pieces we were served little "gourmandises", which was a nice addition to the classical music. My task at the concert was to sell CDs, and I feel like I did a pretty good job! I also felt a lot more comfortable speaking in French that evening, with strangers and my colleagues, and I got really good at switching between the two as needed to talk to customers.

After the concert, James and I ate at Bella Vita, a tourist-y Italian place in Old Montreal. The pizza was good though, and we finished just in time to make our way to the Old Port for the fireworks competition. China's entry was on display this weekend, and we rated it a 6 out of 10--some memorable moments, but not a very strong finish.