The end of summer, a year in Montreal 3 September already, summer is spent at full speed and we expect the already another winter with a mixture of expectactive and impatience.
Between moving a bit chaotic and a lot of work
, summer in Montreal we nevertheless seemed very sweet, far from pollution and stress of Paris and in good humor and candor of the first French-speaking city in North America.
In April, Montrealers wake up.
The sun gradually returns to its rights snow, heat rises quickly - very quickly. Everywhere picnics improvised shots to the Portuguese chicken Duluth
the tom-toms thundered recover,
warriors Mont-Royal relapse into their war interrupted by snow, squirrels
quick quick exit from their nests of leaves to pick up some seed before the hot weather.
In May, beyond past few scattered piles of dusty black to pure white, snow is long gone and the sun is already strong. Within weeks, we went from minus 15 to 25 degrees. The trees are budding, Montrealers come plant some flowers in their gardens or on their doorsteps, some getting down to the hard work of spring cleaning and scrubbing the windows darkened by dust and salt thrown up by snow plows and a few weeks earlier. Most, however, does not bother. Summer is too short to go to work so bad, you'd better hang on port or wander Mount Royal: cleaning wait that is dead.
In June, it takes its habits. The parks are crowded, the grass still green carpet of flowers for a few fallen trees attract thousands of gay lads in search of relaxation that install savagely hammocks between the trunks of trees. Petanque, People against all odds, welcomes the 20-35 years old rings Hockey La Fontaine Park. The tennis courts are stormed, pools free or almost free open their doors around Montreal, Quebec play volleyball, badminton, frisbee. For a bit we thought we were on vacation and we want more and more "real" Montrealers to leave the office when we leave 17h between 19h and 20h.
early July, this is real life begins. The Jazz Festival is thrilled Montreal for two weeks. Rue Sainte Catherine blocked throughout the downtown, the alcohol sold in the streets, which does not fail to surprise in a country where every bottle of wine must in principle be carried in a brown paper bag to avoid be visible to the innocent little eyes that wander the streets, concerts which follow and overlap, a few blocks from each other. A giant festival of outdoor music that lasts 10 times longer, without the vagaries of thugs and excited, which is why are completely absent in this city candid. Following is the series of festivals. Francofolies, Montreal Film Festival, Just for Laughs, we stopped counting and it does not even know where too start when and which end when. We simply ask whether we still have the strength to go out at night or the weekend comes, and it takes a street at random to come across a band or a sketch of the street. Meanwhile, on June 24 celebrated the Quebec and July 1, Canada Day, saw the traditional parade of moves, a little less dense than usual this year obviously. Then the holidays are coming. The last 2 weeks of July, Montreal empties for the traditional "construction holiday", so called because they were first initiated by the construction sector, where the summer heat forced him to close the site. This year, once will not hurt, they were poorly chosen name. Every morning, on "Rhythm FM", the Montreal radio presenters lamented the rain keeps falling only during the 2 weeks where everyone went to ride in the countryside. Then it
August August's sweltering heat, 35 degrees, damp, wet, unpleasant. Some remain on vacation. Others remain at home. The festivals are further apart and away, Montrealers subside gradually their frenzy from start to summer, kids are on vacation. It takes time to walk, we go on weekends at the cottage as a family, we make trips to the beach with children, lakeside for those who can, opposite the casino of Ile Notre Dame for those who have no other choice. In parks, people no longer play volleyball or boules, they sleep. Squirrels do not go running out, overcome with heat and sun-sated. It rests.
And here already again in September. September 1st marks the end of the summer working with the party that brought us this year a weekend of 3 days. Then the next day, back to school. Children head back to school backpack. Again, we see throngs of kids hanging together by red backpack straps and all wear armbands to their schools, preceded and followed by their instructors or their instructors. The extra-curricular activities again, football clubs are reopening and parents also resume the way to work. Partners wake up, remind us, we want to see. In the evening, the streets are less populated and people keep their sub after follies of the summer. Soon, the leaves begin to brown. A nice and short Indian summer will close this beautiful and long summer Montrealers and groundhogs resume rackets for nice walks in the snow in all the corners they have discovered this summer. Tomorrow it will
a year since we arrived in Montreal . There is still much to discover!