(...that's in Canada!)

[altogetherisi]

I am sitting in a library right now while N takes a Spanish test. I think it is actually a theology library :) Montreal is a lovely place - essentially, it is very relaxed, which is nice.

Some things that I have noticed, but are too silly to really talk about:
* The vast majority of cars here only have number plates on the back, but still have the space for a number plate on the front, just it's left as a blank space. Which looks odd - kinda like seeing a face where instead of a mouth, there was just smooth skin o.O
* All the toilets here have the flush handle on the left, (whereas in the UK they are always on the right) so I feel like an idiot each time I instinctively reach for the wrong side
* Montreal is on a grid system, with blocks. This is very strange to me.
* Because of the grid system, people walk and drive in straight lines an awful lot, and cars turning actually hardly seems to happen. People just keep going in a straight line for ages. And pedestrians are constantly crossing these square intersections, which is a weird thing to think is noticeabe I guess, but yeah. All the time.
* They have bendy buses here. I'm not entirely sure why, since they hardly ever go round corners. Also, they don't use the space on them very eficiently in the number of seats:space on the bus. Plus, the bus fares are about as much as they are in London, which surprised me because everything else here is quite cheap generally. I wonder whether the taxes are very low or something.
* There is a big and very liberal drugs culture here, which I knew before I came but is different to witness in person, but there is far less of a drinking culture. Essentially, most of the students I have met have at least tried weed, if they don't use weed and shrooms and painkillers regularly, but when I explained that I didn't really like wine or beer much and instead mainly drunk vodka and gin (and tequila, and sambuca, and... :P) I got a slightly weird look. That they use the word "liquor" here is in itself kinda odd to me.

One of the things I think is really lovely about Montreal is the vibrant diversity and the complete lack of tension between people (that I have noticed, anyway.) Racially and culturally, with Jews and Chinatown and the Greek quarter and the different types of Muslims and Italians around and so many other ethnicities and types of people, and there are people that only speak French as well as people that speak French and English, and there are so many students because there are four universities. And there is such an amazing gay culture here. I have met so many skinny hipster gay boys since I got here, it's crazy. And there is just a complete and utter lack of any kind of tension or intolerance or irritation or anything negative toward anyone, and it's wonderful, and somehow, kinda hopeful to me, because it really demonstrates that it is so totally possible for people to really happily and comfortably live together as just people, seemingly not just without hatred but without any kind of resentment or . OK, I'm probably seeing this slightly rose tintedly, and it's very possible that there could be tension beneath the surface or whatever, and maybe people get more irritable when the whether isn't as nice as it is right now or whatever. But this is one of the major things I have noticed about Montreal. Everyone is super relaxed and comfortable in a way I didn't really realise the UK wasn't.

Having said t his, I have been warned that the police here can be horrible. Though, come to think of it, I don't think I've even seen a police officer since getting here.

Also, there a lot of good quality thrift stores that are like looking for treasure.

I'm having a really nice time, I'm so glad I came here :)

Comments

[elfgirljen.livejournal.com]

WHAT? Bloody hell I live in Dorval!
How long are you in town for?

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I didn't realise! I'm here until Sept 6th, I'm staying with my friend who goes to McGill. It's so cool here :)

[arkeiryn.livejournal.com]

Glad you're having a good time! *hugs* I am jealous, I want to visit Canada at some point. I am going to Greece next week, though, so yay! ^_^

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Canada is awesome, but so is Greece! Where are you going in Greece? I am going to Greece in Sept, but if you are going next week you will prob leave about the time I get there. Have a great time though! (and don't let them rip you off too badly :P)

[arkeiryn.livejournal.com]

We're going on the 8th. Haven't actually booked it yet, but we're trying to get it as cheap as possible. We're going to Kos, I believe, I'm slightly tipsy so my memory might be off. Where are you going, and when?

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Oh I haven't been to Kos, but I hope you have a great (and inexpensive!) time there! I'm going to Hydra, where I always go, on the 9th. :)

[arkeiryn.livejournal.com]

Cool ^_^ have fuuun!

[everworld2662.livejournal.com]

YOU'RE IN THE THEOLOGY LIBRARY?! Do you mean...the Birks Reading Room? Because I love that place. I love it so much I used to sneak in there at all hours. You should see it in winter; looks even more Hogwartsy. *___*

Ahaha, it's summer; that's why everyone is all nice and friendly. The mood deteriorates rapidly with the winter, believe me. Although overall, yeah, Montreal is uber relaxed, which I found quite startling too.

And yes, the police are complete douchebags. AVOID. They will especially torment you if you don't speak French, with their mandatory ghastly accent :((

...and now I'll stop blathering. I'm so stupid. As soon as I leave Montreal I start liking the damned place. :(

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

YES it turns out I do mean the Birks Reading Room (I checked) and in fact, I am right there right now. Picture me - I am sitting at the computer terminal nearest the librarian, who is the nicest and coolest and most bearded librarian I have ever come across. I spent a long time hanging out in the office of the McGill Daily the other day, did you ever go there? I think I like it better in here, quiet with hardly any people, though I'm not using my own computer.

Do continue to blather! Blathering is nice. I have mixed feeling about Montreal - sometmes I think, wow, this is so amazing, and sometimes I think, omg this place is so big and weird and ugly I wanna go home. But I will be home in less than a week, and mainly I just feel very happy to have come to visit at all.

I am yet to try poutine, but my friend does agree with you that I must do so at some point :0

[hanelissar.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you're having such a fun time! AND OMG SO JEALOUS ABOUT THE THEOLOGY LIBRARY! Grrr why can I not have one?!

Though I did discover an amazing second-hand Theology bookshop in Oxford the other week which my gran is taking me back to on Friday. So I cannot really complain. But still. *COMPLAINS*

xxx

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

WAIT WAIT WAIT.
AMAZING SECOND HAND THEOLOGY BOOKSHOP IN OXFORD?! WHERE OMG.

I know there's a Christian bookshop I go past all the time, on St Clements, it has an orange awning, but if there is really a complete gem of a second hand theology bookshop which is not the Christian bookshop and which I have completely failed to realise exists I shall do some kind of celebratory dance. Or maybe just go to it a lot. And, you know, enjoy Oxford lol, think of me wandering its streets!

...you don't have a Theology library at Bristol? *headtilt* Do you just have one big library?

[hanelissar.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not a religious studies bookshop, it's definitely a Theology bookshop with mainly Catholic texts (though not entirely, they've got a tonne of stuff on the Tracterians and the Oxford Movement which I wish I'd known about last year as I did my Christian Theology exam on that!) but it's still awesome! And the manager is bringing in a book for me on the Dead Sea Scrolls which he had at his house, which is why I'm going back on Friday. They're really really nice in there.

Anyway, it's called St Philip's Books and their address is 82 St Aldates, it's down this road with a tiny little plaque for a sign, you can hardly tell it's a shop at all. I only know about it because my uncle (who lectures at Oxford) mentioned it. You should definitely go. It's brilliant.

And no. We don't. We're included in the Arts and Social Sciences library. We have one stack of shelves in the short term loans section and about four double-sided stacks upstairs. Our lack of books is the big woe of my life and the one downside of THRS at Bristol. It's tragic. You have to reserve them about a month in advance when it comes to essays - the fact that if I don't get it done straight away there's a good chance I won't have the books is my big motivator for writing essays well in advance of the deadline!

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

That sounds excellent! I think I know which tiny off St Aldates street you mean, and I will definitely be checking this shop out. Uh, in October probably, but whenever I can. I've never really investigated for theology shops like that, because I was interested but not quite so keen when I was in school, and now I'm a student I have a vacation bod card so I can use the Rad Cam :D

I HAVE JUST HAD AN AMAZING THOUGHT. Tell me you've read Good Omens?! Yes, good. So now, I am imagining it is Aziraphale's (second I suppose) bookshop. Don't dissuade me of this image, it's beautiful.

I have had another thought (shocking isn't it). I was going to say, I love that Oxford is full of these gem like shops, and my absolute favourite is the stationery (kinda) shop on Turl street. I don't know whether you've been there/how much time you spend in Oxford? But if you haven't been there, you must, seriously, because it sells these wonderful leather bound notebooks and feather quills and glass pen things and is tiny and gorgeous and I spend my life (and my savings...) in there. All my important writing notebook come from there. You, possessing yourself a love of writing, and so I assume also a love of high quality stationery, would totally love it.

Your library situation sounds highly tragic D: If you ever can't find a book you really need that I can get out of my college or the div fac library I would totally mail it to you (recorded delivery!) or photocopy bits or whatever, and I can renew stuff indefinitely basically. (Assuming I do make it back to Cambridge at some point :S) Everyone should have access to books. All of them preferably.

[hanelissar.livejournal.com]

It is excellent! :D I haven't investigated either, it was just my uncle mentioning it that tipped me off. Ooohhh stop making me jealous with your access to all those lovely books! I may have to take you up on that offer, if you don't mind - it's really really sweet of you! Thanks so much love. :) And I absolutely agree, we should be able to get ALL the books ALL the time. It's only...fair? God I wish I was at Cambridge! :P

I am afraid I am useless and haven't read Good Omens. (Though it is on my Amazon wish list!) But YES. OF COURSE. JUST LIKE THAT! EXACTLY.

I have spent shamefully little time in Oxford, I'm afraid! Last time I went was about four years ago. So I shall seek that stationary shop out, it sounds amazing! I get excited just walking into Smiths with their generic notebooks and pens, that shop sounds magical! I will convince my gran that we absolutely must visit! :D Thanks for letting me know!

*does a happy dance over the sharing of knowledge internet-style* \o/

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

Books are amazing. If I'm not at Cambridge at the time it would be a bit tricky, but we all get friends at other colleges to get us books from their college libraries if they aren't in ours, and I know you would always take good care of such things, so I think it would be totally fine. Or, if no one can find a borrowable copy of a book I would be willing to photocopy chapters from the UL. Knowledge is good, but sharing knowledge is better :)

If you haven't read Good Omens, then I am sorry, for you do not even realise how empty your life is. But don't worry! It is very easy for your life to improve! BY READING THIS BOOK. As a theologian, you have a duty to be interested in a demon and an angel trying to track down the misplaced antichrist in time for the Apocalypse to occur. Also, it is seriously awesome. One of my top books of anything ever. I may buy a third copy soon actually, because the covers keep being worn out in our house due to mad book love.

I didn't think you spent much time in Oxford, because surely you would have mentioned it and we would have had many a fun time drinking coffee and buying notebooks together. Do visit the magic stationery shop! It is on Turl street, which links the high street and Broad Street. I am a massive sucker for gorgeous notebooks and pens and this shop is just tiny and wonderful and smells amazing and is HEAVEN.