Wow!

Greetings from Montreal! I'm currently sitting on the pier with my back to the Niagara using a friend's computer while loud music pours out of a club nearby. We're definately in the big city now, which is a blessing and a curse, but mostly a blessing, considering how amazing my last few days have been.

We arrived in Montreal on Thursday afternoon after going through yet more locks (!) and then setting sail while motoring in and firing off a few carronades. It was quite a show, apparently it was on TV and in the newspapers, along with a large welcome on the docks when we got here.
There was another great surprise waiting for us too, a friend from Jamestown is sailing with us now! Emily is in Charlie watch as well, so it's great to have another girl that I know to hang out with, yay! Good times, good times.

Another thing we noticed as we came in were some huge yellow and blue circus tents, but not just any circus, Cirque Du Soliel! They're right near where we're tied off in the marina and I was able to go see a show today with one of my shipmates. It was COMPLETELY amazing. The show was "Ovo", which had an interesting storyline, it was about bugs and how they interacted and what they did when an egg shows up in their midst. It sounds bizzare the way I describe it, but the show was really amazing, and front row seats didn't hurt at all.
The costumes are beautiful, the music amazing and all the acts were mind blowing. The entire thing was so seamless it didn't seem like it could be real, like it all might dissolve if I blinked. It was so beautiful all over.

Yesterday was my day off, so we wandered around Montreal some and got to check out the city some. I love how the old and new meld here, there are some narrow cobblestone streets in the center of the city, and then ultra modern buildings around it. There are some absolutely stunning places, I wish I had forever to wander around and see everything.
We did find a nice museum that was a house of an 18th century governor of Montreal, a beautiful stone house with a lovely garden in the back that was open to the public. Though we didn't go through the house it was nice to take some time to meander slowly through a garden, lingering over favorite herbs, trying to identify others and enjoying the natural yet controlled aesthetics of an 18th century garden. A most lovely way to spend one's time, in short.

I had better go, since I'm extremely tired and still have watch, a shower and slinging my hammock to take care of.....*sigh*
But I love it all, regardless.
All the best to you all, xoxoxoxoxoxo