Café Névé.

Things you find at the girls bathroom (casa de popolo)

Bagels and Cupcakes

Uusi viikko, uudet kujeet. To be honest it feels a bit weird now that IF3 ended. Its back to reality, back to school, and finding something else interesting to do. Of course this city is full of things to do and people to meet. We set out with Natalie to try out a good breakfast place, go eat at our favorite cupcake place-as of now, and visit china town. Too bad we "didnt have time" to visit the contemporary arts museum nor the grand library, but next time we continue our little tourist sightseeing tour. 

The breakfast place we chose was called Santropol. I had spotted it a while ago, and thought it looked like a really interesting and colorful place. You have to look closely since the outside of the cafe is not very visible to the street, and the terrasse is well hidden behind a fence. We sat outside in the garden, it was very colorful and full of flowers. The food and drinks we had (bagel chips+dark bread and sun dried tomato and garlic cream cheese, fruits+yogurt+honey, and chai tee + coffee) were super delicious and looked nicely set out too. 

The MIA gig was a big disappointment. The concert was really short, badly mixed and really noisy. However, she looked gorgeous as always, looked like she had a really good time and the dancers were amazing. I hope some day ill see a better performance from her. Next weekend possibly The XX. 

Santropol

Cupcakes. 

Chinatown. Playing around with the camera

M.I.A

Tonight MIA at Metropolis! Dont have to feel
bad about missing her at Flow :)
I hope its gonna be a good one. 

Snow, winter, I want you, now!

This week and weekend was amazing. Most of it was spent with IF3, quests from Finland and enjoying the feeling of fall. Summed up in the photos below.

Still few flowers left of summer 

IF3 - 4th edition, 16.-18.09.2010

 I hope that Ill be able to ski at least a bit this winter 

WE HUNT NIPWITZ SOCCER MOMS

We had the best team to build the festival with 

NS Awards

MONT ROYAL METRO 13.00 ! 

The last battle

 

The climb up Mont Royal

Time to go back to school and back to Finland 

Last year, same time

Same time last year at home it looked like this. 

Weekend of new friends

This weekend caught both me and Natalie (who spent most of it as well) by total surprise. We thought it was gonna be a chance to get out batteries charged after these past two weeks, and get ready for the busyness of next week. Well, as the weekend processed we found ourselves doing things, meeting people and going to places that we had never thought possible, and which filled our "peaceful" weekend with lots of activities.

On Saturday, we headed out to our favorite (hahah, like there is many) windsurfing spot in Lachine. Due to the lack of wind that day, windsurfing turned into a boat ride on the lake. We made a deal with the workers of the sailing school that I would teach them how to surf on Sunday, and in exchange they would teach me how to sail. Well maybe we'll go sailing later, if the weather is nice enough, but in the meantime we got to see the island of Montreal from another perspective :DD I think it was a pretty sweet trade off.

Quite exhausted from this surfing trip, and the journey there (metro + bus one direction about an hour, ahh the way back always seems to last forever!) we were to meet Natalie's 'landlord' and their friends, and head out to a Quebecois Octoberfest (http://oktoberfestdesquebecois.com/). We had absolutely no idea what  that wasgoing to be about. Nevertheless we ate up got dressed and hopped in the car. The car drive to the city of Mascouche, took a good 45 minutes with few wrong turns, dark roads, and a stop to a Couche-Tard (local gas station) to get some candies and sandwiches.

According  to Natalie (who is half German) this Quebecois festival resembled an actual German "kyläjuhla" with its beer, sausage, pretzel, cider, chocolate, and poutine stands(poutine = a local version of pyttipannu, with french fries, gravy and cheese bites). Along with traditional dances and German slogans and music everywhere . There also was a local band playing which seemed to be the highlight of the festival at 9.00PM. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bLuSbQ2P_s&feature=related.

It was interesting to walk around and look at the different stands, talk to the local producers, and obviously taste some of the local beers and ciders (it was an Octoberfest after all  ! ) However, we both hadn't realized that this time of the year the nights are pretty cold, and maybe walking around in a sweater isn't the best thing to do. So as the festival came to the end around eleven, we were all happy sitting in the car to be heading home to Le Plateau.

This morning despite a sore throat, lack of sleep, and a nice dream, we were eager to go surfing for the last day (today was the last day the sailing school was open for this season). The wind was perfect in the morning for "my four students" to get into the water. Unfortunately the weather was a bit chilly, but everyone was super excited. Natalie got few really nice tacky-turns in a row, way to goo! After the lunch break at a near by boulangerie, the wind had picked up quite a bit! But it was so much fun to finish the season with a good surf session. (I hope  it wasn't it, but you never know)

We finished the day off with a walk up Parc Mont Royal, with "my" puppy TG (my roomate's 5 month old puppy). Along the way, we heard the TAM TAMS (drum show performed every Sunday), medieval role players, and saw Montreal almost from a 'bird's eye's view'. Despite the rain, it gave the day a feeling of a lazy Sunday afternoon. 

Right now, after makaronilaatikko (we decided it was time for some food from home), a bit of writing, candlelight and tea, I think its time to get to bed. Next week might not start with a great load of energy, but at least we had a fabulous weekend . 

10. September 2010.

Le Plateau, Montreal, QC, Canada: 


Ok, so Ive spent already almost a month here in Montreal.. so I guess its time to start writing in this blog that I promised I would start. I think Facebook is a great way to show everyone quickly what you re up to or what the place looks like, but after few days the pictures are already surpassed by new pictures and news feed. Maybe this way I can look back on what I did on this exchange and people who want to know more can read these little stories that Ill write here !


Life here is quite vivacious, and everyday is full of new surprises and new places. I think the best way to discover a new place is to walk around. Its fun to notice that even walking on the same streets everyday you see cafes, little stores, parks, and people  that you've never seen before!


By the way, leave some comments if you feel like and if you wanna give suggestions of what I should do or not do here. Very much appreciated !


Maria