Bonjour Montreal !

Ben and I had a great trip to Montreal this weekend for his annual
"Academy of Management" seminar. Every year they host it at a different city,
and this time it just happened to be in Montreal.

I had no idea what Montreal was like when Ben mentioned we should
both go there... but I came to find out I really like it a lot!

Some highlights of the trip included:

-Paying $2.50 for a toll bridge

-Relying on and figuring out a GPS for the first time

-Paying $4.11 per gallon for gas (converted price from liters to gallons)

-Subway, metro rides around the city

-Ben's credit/debit card being denied at the subway station and ATM

-Me figuring out Montreal on my own while Ben had classes in the mornings

-Cobblestone streets

-A tour from a friend who's a "local"

-Squeezing in the crowded Shwart's restaurant (smoked meat sandwiches and fries... YUM...obviously eaten quickly)

-Hiking up Parc Mont-Royal and the view of the city

-Montreal's bagels at St. Viateur's (chewier, sweeter, better)

-Being unsure whether to approach the people in English, or try using French

-Ben couldn't get enough of the BIXI bike rentals all around the city

-Oh yeah, and I liked them too

-Parc Jean-Drapeu's bike/car track and view

-Yummy restaurants with high prices for little portions

-Poutine at the restaurant Banquise... yes that is fries, gravy, cheese curds. Surprisingly good.

-Free outdoor music/performances at Parc LaFontaine

-Saturday night firework show in Old Montreal

-Trying to find the local LDS church and being unsuccessful... but going to the art museum instead

-and much more....

Ben stayed at the conference for the next two days but I had to get home to work and such. It was cloudy/rainy Sunday afternoon... so I decided to hit the road and head back to New York. I was a bit worried about the drive in Canada and across the border alone... but I made it just fine (with the help of an apple, cheezits, tootsie rolls, bagel, cheese popcorn, and granola bar of course)

TIL WE MEET AGAIN MONTREAL... A REVOIR!