Acrobats in Red Leotards and Other Images from Montreal

I'm hesitant to write another post, because the dispatch previous to this one is so epic that I can't bear not to have it first on this blog.  But life goes on.

Particularly when the passport is involved.

Chris and Mike said they were going to Montreal for the Fourth of July weekend.  Montreal?  I've never been there before!  It's only 5 hours from Ithaca!  They speak French up there!  And they have poutine.

mmm...  poutine...

I am SO in.

Montreal is a very livable city.  Not sure I'd want to live there, but still a very comfortable, pleasant city to visit, even in the heat and humidity of July.  Coming from a lady who doesn't like cities, that is a RINGING endorsement!

Here's a quick photojournal:

Day One: we walked around Old Montreal, Chinatown, went for a dinner in a fancy French restaurant, and caught some excellent music at the International Jazz Festival.

graffiti, a sleeping bum, and a delicate fresco

mangoes in Chinatown

artist's alley in an old courtyard

fancy dinner

street scene

jazz festival

Day Two:  back to Old Montreal to visit the Basilica, the archaeology museum, and the International Fireworks competition in the evening.

very, very beautiful and ornate architecture

archaeology museum built right over the ruins of the oldest parts of the city

not gonna lie...  ithaca's fireworks were better.

walking home through gay village...  such a cool neighborhood

Day Three:  farmers' market, Kate/ Tim/ Chris join us after the Tough Mudder, and the most amazing random acrobatic show!!

excellent produce at the jean talon market

eating lunch when suddenly street theater was right in front of us!

we followed the acrobats over to to the back side of a Metro station...

...and then to a park...

...and then to one of the best shows I've ever seen.

wow

and wow 

Day Four:  more walking (so. much. walking.), repeat of the Jean Talon market, slacklining in Mt. Royal, and finally home.

view from mt. royal

:o)

Good times!  More images here.  The highlights of the trip...

• The acrobats!  Montreal Completement Cirque at Place Émilie Gamelin, performing "Babel"
• Finding a great place to stay on airbnb.com
• Jean Talon market
• International Jazz Festival

And I'm oh-so-ready for another adventure.  Sigh.

2010 in Music

Per tradition, I've put together my 2010 playlist.

It was harder than I expected, because I listened to less music than usual this year.  No cooking in a kitchen, no hanging out with friends, none of the typical activities that call for music.  On long bus rides, I listened to podcasted radio shows from NPR.  It made me feel like I was connected to the United States somehow.

I'm not thrilled with the result, but overall, this is what 2010 sounded like.

January:  Bad Romance - Lady Gaga*
February:  Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
March:  Windy City Nights - The Winter Sounds
April:  Blessed - Brett Dennen
May:  Ragged Wood - Fleet Foxes
June:  Say Hey (I Love You) - Michael Franti and Spearhead
July:  Go Do - Jónsi
August:  To the Ghosts Who Write History Books - The Low Anthem
September:  Present/Infant - Ani DiFranco
October:  Waiting - The Cat Empire
November:  Rengarenk - Sertab Erener
December:  The Sea Is a Good Place To Think of the Future - Los Campesinos!
*Oh yes I did, and oh no I'm not ashamed!

The Year in Soundwaves

Do you remember the songs you listened to on the radio while driving to high school?  Do you remember the songs you listened to while hanging out in your college dormitory?  Do you remember the song playing during your first dance with your new wife?

Humanity has invented a time machine:  music.

It takes you back, reminds you of who and where you were, what you were doing, how you were feeling.  A song is like a little time capsule:  play the song; open the time capsule.

Some time after the end of college, I started making year-end playlists with the intent of summarizing the previous year with music, instead of words.  I put the finishing touches on the 2009 playlist last night.  This was my year, in soundwaves.

2009

1. Everything is Borrowed - The Streets
2. Life Less Ordinary - Carbon Leaf
3. Smiling Underneath - Ani DiFranco
4. Old Dan Tucker - Bruce Springsteen
5. Mi Amor, Mi Amante - Grupo 5
6. Te Regalo Amores - Rakim y Ken Y
7. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
8. Lisztomania - Phoenix
9. Daylight - Matt and Kim
10. Skinny Love - Bon Iver
11. Roll Away Your Stone - Mumford and Stones
12. The World at Large - Modest Mouse

For you stalkers out there, click the link below to see 2008 and 2007.