a few thoughts from Montreal

- walking through old Montreal feels like one is walking through parts of Europe.

- the rolling postal strike is an interesting idea. basically the workers strike for a few days in one city (for example Ottawa) and then they go back to work and a week or so later they strike in another city. this means the mail is slowed but not stopped and it means that if you aren't paying attention to what is happening you may show up at the post office to find a sign saying they are closed until they open again. oh and the sign is in French, this is Montreal you know. as of a few days ago all postal operations were suspended until an agreement is reached or back-to-work legislation is approved.

- public transportation should be efficient, clean and clear. thankfully that is how i would describe the Montreal system, especially the subway.

- Bixi bikes are the best! it's the public bike rental system and it is fabulous!!

- after a few hours here in Montreal i decided

the few words i remembered from my college French class were not going to cut it, especially since we are here for about a month. i opted to attend French classes at a language school in downtown Montreal that caters to foreigners with a desire to learn either French or English. my class was 2 hours each morning and included 12 students from: China (2), Saudi Arabia (3), Canada (1), Pakistan (1), Korea (2), Ukraine (1), Brazil (1). the curriculum was helpful but the best part was what i learned from the other students.

- we were trying to figure out if there are other cities in the world where you can speak (and thus learn) 2 languages with such ease?

- Little Italy is a cool place to hang out, especially if you like gelato, espresso, pasta or grappa.

-Marche Jean Talon is a fabulous market where we have easily spent half the day purchasing fresh produce, eating fresh oysters, sipping cappuccinos, wandering through the rows of herbs and plants, and people watching. currently, every day is market day!