19990706T0001

Plan for Wednesday (0707):

• Parc Olympique
• Jardin botanique
• Île-Ste-Hélène

Plan for Thursday (0708): Québec, Ville de

0706T1240 Woke up at about 0650. Did laundry. Walked with Ngô· Bok-su to Vendôme.

Used my pidgin French to figure out that I had to go to Berri-UQAM for the tourists pass.

So I started at Vendôme, asking "Un carte tourisme pour trois jours, s'il vous plaît." The gentleman looked confused. He opened the door so I can speak more clearly. I asked again "Do you have the tourism card for three days?" Another gentleman told me, "Non, monsieur, . . . [French, 'we don't have it here, you have to go to'] . . . Berri-UQAM.''

So I walked around the station, rehearsing and gathering my courage, and made a second foray: "Une billete pour Berri-UQAM, s.v.p.", throwing my coins across the billeterie window. The gentleman again looked confused, and said something in French; but finally gave me a ticket. I said, "pour la Métro!?" He nodded. After some confusion, I was able to get to Berri-UQAM.

At Berri-UQAM, I asked the billeterie gentleman, "Un carte touristique pour trois jours, s.v.p." He said, "Trois jours?" "Trois jours." "That's twelve dollars." "Twelve dollars eh." Apparently he spotted that I am anglophone. Well, I did ask for a carte touristique.

Got to Berri-UQAM & did the whole thing. Went to Musée d'art contemporain only to find it's not open.

I asked one of the jazz festival staff members: "Où est la billeterie pour cette musée?" I used 'la' and 'une' for most anything, regardless of the gender; 'la' from the experience of Esperanto, where it is the only definite article; 'une' because I like the /ü/ sound. ". . . Musée d'art contemporain?" "Sí", I said, almost immediately realizing my failure. He pointed the direction for me, and said something to the effect of "it's right over there". But it's not open yet.

Went to McCord to see the Iroquois beadwork & simplemente Montréal.

Looked at a bit too much art to digest, both contemp and aboriginal.

Went to Musée d'art contemporain circa T1130. Good stuff.

Inspired by the bilingual explanation earphones of McCord:

Travel/Travaille dans Canada, MCMXCIX

Plan:

on a Map of N. Am.:

• Iqaluit: stationary mike
• v.d. Montréal: stationary mike
• v.d. Québec: stationary mike
• Hollywood: megaphone pointing northeast
• microphone taïwanaise avec moteur: moving from Québec towards southwest
• small microphones in southern North America
• hole for audience/viewer: middle North America

• Megaphone Hollywood: McDonald commercial coke commercial &c.
• M.-p. DC: Declaration of Independence
• Iqaluit: Lord's Prayer in Inuktitut
• Montréal: 2 microphones
  • 1 with label Iroquois, slient
  • 1 with Lord's Pr. in French
• vd Québec: Lord's Pr., French
• South N. Am. microphones: Lord's Prayer in Spanish

T1249 Place-des-Arts, Montréal, Québec, Canada T1250 T1548 Ate at Tim Hortons near Concordia. Concordia somehow gave me this impression of "heck with Francophony" attitude. I am sure that's just me.

Two guys, well dressed academics talked between themselves in English was standing in front of me in the line at Tim Hortons. But they ordered in French. I don't understand the language choice . . .

Québécois seems to be trying to get back to Europe . . . No North Americanism Websterism I can notice except for the capitalism . . . .

Palais de Congrès

I am getting tired of the trial & tests of Québec.

Sigh.

Is it language domination (no matter which side that's the problem?)

Bunch of dudes pretending they are still in Europe . . .

Make me think of the practicality of bilingualism . . . T1554

Bilingualism Nord
Bilingüelismo Sur

T1556 Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, Québec, Canada

cartes de poste à

• Dennis
• Sophie
• Dann
• Michaël
• Ken
• Famille

T2020 Went to the Centre canadienne de architecture.

Went to Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Vieux-Montréal.

Now, I am in Gare centrale, just had a baguin chocolate and a cappuccino glacé from Tim Hortons.

Now I just have to buy my copy of Chatelaine and eat some poutine. T2023

Plan

• poutine
• Uygur resto
• Chatelaine
• PFK

Resto review

T2148

I am now in the ville souterrain, near Place-des-Arts, eating some poutine.

Tried to go to that free jazz concert (the only free event in the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal). Of course I was not able to get in, as should be expected.

Poutine = french fries + cheese (swiss?) + gravy. Mm-mm. T2151

Resto revue:

T2248 Now on the Green line to Lionel-Groulx.

Just went out again.

1. they were playing some african jazz
2. I definitely smell pot. Why wouldn't I?

(To Dann: Il-y-a beaucoup filles celtiques dans Canada)

(To Sophie:

I am tired. | Je suis fatigué.
Everything here | Toutes les choses
is written twice | sont écrité 2 fois
in Montréal | par ici dans Mtl.)

T2339 Now I have 623.16 CAD
From 0705T0819 approximately 710 CAD
to 0706T2342 623.16 CAD
Spent approximately 86.84 CAD

T2342 Wrote some postcards at the Métro. Got back to Rev Wu's.

Observation: When I had to say "Oui", I often say "Sí" instead. T2342