Back To "Reality"...

Well, we made it back to Schenectady--bit of a long drive last night, partly because we didn't want to leave...

We spent a final day/night in Montreal--it's a creative, friendly, sexy city, filled with a lot of history--it gets better each time I visit, and we definitely covered a lot of ground on this trip. 

Yesterday's highlights included another street festival (seems like every day in the summer), joining a student-led protest (against the controversial Bill 78), shopping around the city's eclectic neighborhoods (including Chinatown), and taking in a bit of an African music festival. I find the city quite welcoming and possessing a certain bohemian vibe, which is really refreshing--I hope we can go back again soon... maybe for our anniversary!

Today it's back to reality... sorting through my things, bills, and making plans for the coming weeks... I'm about to get busy in a different sense. There's still a bit of a high though... and our wedding presents to unwrap later tonight! So in that sense, the "honeymoon" continues...

Magnifique!

Sights of Quebec City... felt like we were transported to Europe! The sounds weren't bad either--whether it was the rush of the largest Canadian waterfall this side of Niagara (Mont Morency), or jazz and folk musicians playing in the city... we also could hear Roger Waters playing Pink Floyd's "The Wall" in its entirety... kind of special to hear this around the fortress of Old Quebec... "all and all it's just another brick in the wall..." What day is it again?

Je pourrais danser avec vous toute la nuite!

Ok, now our French translation guide is coming in handy... we arrived in Quebec City late yesterday afternoon-- it is a beautiful city, and even more French-based than Montreal... we speak very little, but I was pleased that I managed to order grapefruit juice during breakfast this morning (jus de pamplemousse)!

Another highlight of this trip was the opportunity to finally see a Cirque du Soleil performance-- there was a free(!) show in the city last night, which amazed with high-flying trapeze, acrobats, and colorfully costumed characters... it continues the artistic, weird vibe that we have encountered several times on our trip--the kind of thing that seems more rare in the U.S., but here seems much more appreciated on a large scale.

We walked around the city a bit, hiking up a very steep incline to reach the outskirts of Old Quebec City. It was getting late and after the long-drive from Montreal and some shopping during the day, we didn`t last long... wè`ll head back over there today... as well as checking out a huge waterfall that we have learned about... need to keep that theme going... it`s our honeymoon after all!

Sightseeing

Mont Royal... Saint Joseph's Oratory... absolutely beautiful! A good hike and plenty of inspiring views in this city... there's no excuse for not going to church in Montreal!

For Better or Worse

We`re having a wonderful time in Montreal. Last night we caught a live theater show, which in some ways was wilder than anything that took place during my bachelor party-!... Canadians seem to have a lot less hang-ups than their North American counterparts. We have also been enjoying some amazing meals... usually served with fruit, which is ok by me.

Of course we keep thinking back on our wedding--in some respects it all seems a little surreal... having all of our loved ones in attendance... having all the attention focused on us. We have been so happy to get a sneak preview of photos, and can`t wait to see what our professional photographer and videographer have come up with.

Having said that, there are things I wish could have gone differently (damn melancholy). We received a bit of rain, but there`s nothing we could do about that, and it seemed to add to the poetic nature of the ceremony... starting almost on cue, and then clearing up not long thereafter (there was also a rainbow at the end of the day). People tell me it is good luck, so I`ll keep that in mind... at the moment, I just wished I had a handkerchief. I have to remember to be more vocal about what I want... not be concerned about coming off too pushy... I mean, this was our big day!

Most everything went off without a hitch, but I do have some mixed feelings about the music. We had compiled a huge list of songs, and it seemed like many were ignored. I don`t know if it was poor communication on our part, or the DJ didn`t have the songs... but this went differently than I had expected. I`m not saying it was all bad... our guests were having a blast, but again... it was our big day--once I realized it was the last song, I felt a little cheated. We`re thinking about throwing a big dance party to make up for it, and celebrate our wedding and my upcoming birthday... maybe I`ll look into renting the dance club where we met.

Of course we`ll look back and have the fondest of memories, but right now the perfectionist in me is trying to get over a few sour grapes- a reminder not to rely on others for the fulfillment of what you want out of life. I think it might be harder for people who are sensitive... but this also makes our intuition stronger, and I am never wrong when I listen to that.

One of the highlights of our trip has been a trip to the botanical gardens yesterday... you could spend a full day in this beautiful area of the city, not far from where the Olympics were held. Sarah wanted to visit the Japanese garden, and it was a real treat--it was partnered with a Chinese garden, and an insectarium. Walking around these beautiful gardens had a real calming effect on me, and reminded me of the value of getting out into nature, as well as the power of feng shui--I believe very strongly in the effect that your surroundings can have on you, in both well-being and creativity.

How can you not feel creative in this city? As an English-speaking American visiting a largely French-speaking area, it is a lesson in seeing the everyday in new eyes... and I`m finally getting the hang of the French-Canadian keyboard! More adversity, more challenges to conquer... in my life it seems unavoidable, but the benefits of perserving are ultimately quite rewarding... like a kiss in the rain...

Karnaval!

Montreal sure knows how to party!...

Olde Songs

Our honeymoon begins in... Montreal! What a beautiful city. Today we enjoyed crepes and a walk around Olde Montreal... felt like we were in Paris.

We stopped into the Basilque Notre-Dame, an absolutely stunning church. I have included a photo of the sanctuary... we just sat and soaked it all in... must have been sitting there close to an hour, and were treated to a beautiful organ performance... my father, a church organist himself, would have loved it.

Tonight we're going to check out some African music festival taking place right on the streets of the city.

Looking forward to a week of adventure, and getting lost in Canada...