Goodbye in Montreal

Ryn and I just returned from a final weekend with Jim and Tessa in Montreal before they leave for Shanghai. We set off around 7pm on Friday, a six hour drive from Massachusetts, through Vermont, over the boarder into Canada, and on to Montreal. Arriving late Friday evening, we were greeted by a happy but spaced out Jim - the travel vaccinations had taken their toll! We caught up, dropped a beer or two, then hit the sack.


Soph, Cam, Jim, Tessa, me and Ryn.

The next day, after some tasty brekkie (including Montreal bagels, thinner and denser than their NY counterparts), we hired some bikes and met up with Cam and Soph for an afternoon's biking around Montreal. It was a gorgeous day, as we meandered through parks, the old city, the waterfront, Chinatown, front and back streets of the city. With the F1 in town, lots of streets were closed for cars and stalls and F1 sponsor promo outfits take over.


bike ride through the streets of Montreal

After dropping the bikes back at the rental company, I gave Jim a hand moving his large wood framed bed over to his friend Steve's. A complete mission just getting the thing down the stairs of Jim's apartment block, the meat of the trip was carrying a bed through around a mile of Montreal streets - Flintstones style! It seemed to amuse the locals no end, as Jim, Steve, and myself lugged this thing down the road - stopping at traffic lights and allowing cars to overtake us.

One particularly excitable group of local lads in their flashy car couldn't resist taunting us further - stopping alongside the bed one of them leaned out and gave Steve's arse a good grope whilst shouting something incomprehensible in french. With both hands busy supporting the bed frame, Steve could do nothing but allow this cheeky buffoon his fun, much to the amusement of Jim and myself! A congratulatory beer once the bed was delivered to it's new home, and then out for a fun night with Jim, Tessa and their friends.


Ice ice baby

A great weekend, tinged with sadness at seeing Jim and Tessa for the last time in a while. Moving to China from North America is like moving to Australia from Britain - literally the other side of the world. Unfortunately my meagre vacation allowance doesn't stretch that far this year, but I'm already starting to plan a visit early next year :)