I never thought I would appreciate so much the dryness of the Prairies. Trying to do your hair and make-up in a small bathroom with the humidity as high as it is here, is like trying to do your hair in a sweaty club. It's just not gonna work and you might as well stop trying. I really hope that it just takes getting used to and my hair will somehow adjust? If not I'm going to need some amazing product to help.
Last night we ate at this restaurant called Le Georgia. Paul's choice, it was a Russian restaurant; my first. The atmosphere hits you as soon as you walk in. The red velvet curtains and tapestry, the Russian violin player in the corner, the decor and vases, the server, even the other tables. I tasted the first borsht that I actually liked very much, and had the most amazing beef stroganoff I've ever tasted. One thing the restaurant did accentuate, more than Montreal itself does, are the great culture differences. The couple at the next table were Russian upper class. Everything from their table manners to the minimum 15-20 year age difference between them struck me. The difference isn't simply found in the amount of cultures coexisting here, but in the way of life itself. In Saskatchewan a Russian couple would be greeted in surprise, followed by questions of what brought them here, where they are from, etc; questioned for the differences. They would also largely be expected to speak english. Although here, they were greeted in Russian. Granted it was a Russian restaurant, the point is that there are so many different cultures, different languages, even different french dialects, co-existing to form a new culture in which many of the differences are appreciated and further contribute to the diversity of the city.
These cultural differences are very noticeable upon comparing the multicultural and immigration policies of the Prairies and Québec. However, the vast differences between the two cities seems to come not only from the diversity of cultural make-up, but of the cultural history as well. In the Prairies the lifestyle was and is much more homogenized, as it was formed of poorer immigrants and pioneers who took up farming and colonized "the west". Whereas in the east here, the city was already in place leaving room for a greater focus on the culture. The difference is shown today in the great number of people that can be found relaxing in a park sipping a drink, chilling on a terrase sipping a café, or wandering the streets smoking. In Saskatchewan there seems to be much more of a concrete purpose and goal to the activities than there are here.
Speaking of purpose or goal-less activities, after supper last night we watched the 3rd night of the International Fireworks competition thinking they were the Chinese, and were disappointed when they weren't mind-blowing. Turns out it was Poland. As there is always something going on here, we spent the rest of the night wandering through Le Village and the Jazzfest. Now it's about 1:30pm, and we're about to head out soon to Piknic Électronic, this all day rave/party in the park on the island every Sunday. I love Montréal.
