oh the torture

summertime in montreal has turned out to be exactly as described: humid, non-stop festivals, non-stop drinking, and totally and utterly exhaustingly fun. i don't think i have gone out this much since perhaps first year university. actually, i doubt i ever went out this much in victoria - i'm not sure you could if you wanted to, unless you enjoy dancing on an empty dance floor to top-20 hits at places like the red jacket or legends. shudder. there is always always always something to do, and 9 times out of 10 it's crowded and wild.

last weekend mum and dad came to visit, and kept repeating that "montreal is just so...civilsed". i think they were mainly referring to the affordability and accessiblity of liquor, and the lax laws that accompany it (drinking in parks is legal if accompanied by a 'picnic'! i have been taking full advantage of this). good ol' grays. it was a nice visit, and i saw the city through new eyes. i have been sometimes forgetting how great it is to be able to live here for a while.

anyways. montreal. every sweltering day i spend here makes it harder and harder to think of leaving. though my liver will thank me if/when i do. people are crazy here. they do nothing but drink, smoke, and eat late night poutine and bagels. stomachs of iron! it's fabulous, but i don't think i can handle this lifestyle for too much longer. you know me - i'm a hermit, a recluse, i prefer a good book and a cup of tea to a night of debauchery. and yet here i am, tired and recovering from a night of tequila shots. tequila shots! what kind of madness has come over me?

but really, there's more to this city than tequila shots. as a perk of my nannying job i ended up with a super-pass for the fringe, which was actually quite lovely. i am embarassed to admit that i had never (!) been to a single fringe show before, and i ended up taking in seven in three days last weekend. some foul-mouthed potty humor, some inspiring musings on george carlin and charles bukowski, some wild break dancing, a one-man play, and a hilarious acrobatic comedic duo that defies description. it was nice. and now jazz fest has begun - i checked out the tribute to leonard cohen on thursday and it was just lovely - though i missed buffy saint marie. and totally free. reading the music, arts, and theatre listings is overwhelming and stressful - THERE AREN'T ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY FOR ALL THIS!!! HOW DO PEOPLE DO IT???!!!

ah well. i'm enjoying it while it lasts. it is quite likely that in two months i will be back in vancouver living a totally different lifestyle. slow walks on the beach, long conversations over coffee, yoga in the morning, maybe take in a movie or dinner with friends if i'm feeling wild. it will probably do me good. but crise de batard de tabernac, i'm going to miss this city.

a pertinent comic by katie beaton