Posts tagged with “Friends”
I've met some people along the way, Some of them split some of them stay, Some of them walk some walk on by, I've got a few friends I'll love till I die From all of these people I try to learn, Some of them shine some of them burn, Some of them rise some of them fall, For good or bad I've known them all
Montreal
The frigid temperatures of Montreal, Quebec set the stage for this past weekend's adventures. It all started last Friday after work when Lucas and I decided to drive five and a half hours north into Canada for a couple of days checking out what our northern neighbor has to offer. The adventure started off on an exciting note with my little car coming close to running out of gas somewhere in the middle of Vermont… at ten o’clock at night… during a snow storm!
Never the less, my little car made it’s way across the border into Quebec finally stopping in a snow-accumulated Montreal just before one in the morning. Luckily for us, we made it just in time! As the hostel where we stayed at, the Alternative Backpacker’s Hostel, locks their doors at 1am.
We did a lot of exploring in this great little city. Due to the freezing temperatures, the majority of the exploring was done via the very convenient and very much appreciated "underground city" (locals call it the RÉSO) that sprawls for kilometers and kilometers under the city providing easy and warm access to just about anywhere in the city. The downside to the “underground city” is that it feels like the entirety of Montreal is one huge shopping mall.
The Auberge Alternative du Vieux-Montréal was located in Old Montreal and was a great price for a cozy little hostel at a great location. It was a couple of blocks away from the underground city and had some great cafes near by. The for a dorm bed was CA$20 which is about US$16 a day… can’t beat that price! And I personally really enjoy the hostel atmosphere where travelers are abundant and friends are easy to make.
During the trip, we visited the spectacular Musée d'art Contemporain de Montréal, where they had a great exhibition on the ever blurring relationship of art and music in our modern times of rock and roll. The exhibition was called “Sympathy for the Devil” and included the distinct interaction of art and rock in the different scenes through out the world, such as New York, London, Continental Europe and West Coast and Midwest US, amongst others. Lucas had a field day taking pictures with his IPhone as the museum security folks followed us around.
We also got a chance to meet up with some of the “frenchie” folks from the guild at an Irish Pub where the beer flowed and the WoW references never stopped! It’s always so much fun to meet the folks behind the keyboards and see how great people they really are. I’ve met a bunch of them over the past year or so and I have yet to be disappointed by the their warm hospitality, great company and interesting conversations.
Winding Down
I've been in the wonderful city of Ho Chi Minh (aka Saigon) since late Sunday Night and I have been having such a wonderful time! A great friend, Sean, an American Expat musician, has called Saigon his home for the past two years and we've been adventuring around Che Guevera style on the back of his moto. My time in Saigon has been great, not only because the city is great to wander about, the people are kind and warm, but the company of Sean has been absolutely spectacular. As far as the hospitality and the company, I truly could not have of asked for better. I am very fortunate.
I have been uploading pictures as I get a chance... I will eventually go through them and give them proper descriptions and organize them so they are all easier to digest. I have filled up a 2GB memory card that I left home with and have purchased a 4GB card to keep the pictures flowing. I have learned that just taking pictures and organizing them properly on Flickr is infinitely better than me trying to translate my experiences into clumsy words that would never capture the feel or the emotion of the moment.
Tomorrow, I will head to Laos for a couple of days. I'll probably try to hit up some day trips before heading back to Bangkok where I will be catching my flight back home on the evening of September 1st.
As it comes to all things, my little adventure in South East Asia is coming to an end. With all of the ups and downs, this trip has been absolutely amazing, and I do not regret anything about it. I know the things I've gone through both internally and externally has changed me in ways I have yet to discover. And while things were always in a constant state of flux, I rarely new where I was going to end up next, it has all been part of the package of the unforgettable experience.
I will be home in no time, I miss you all, though I am also sad that my adventure is over. I look forward to great adventures back home.
Sweet Tea
That's what I tried for the first time last weekend, Sweet Tea. I had flown down to the Raleigh area to visit my great friends who all have recently (1-2 years) moved to North Carolina. I had tons of fun and a very relaxing Memorial Day weekend. The vibe down there is a bit different. While it felt a lot like the north east, things were definitely slowed down a bit, and I could certainly see why folks move down there. Oh yeah, and the weather is gorgeous!
The hospitality was superb and the company was even better! You guys are awesome!