And I am back...

After four days of sensory overload and too much people (I am really out-peopled by now), I am back. It'll take me a few days to recover and try to blog about everything I did/see in Montreal, but bear with me :)

Things that I really appreciated during this trip:

• The hospitality of Nomade Moderne and his parents, who let me stay at their place.
• The kindness, sweetness and overall super energy from SF, my friend who recently moved to Montreal and who treated me to drinks, dinner and lots of fun.
  
• The overall beauty of the city. This is such a great city, and there is so much to do here.
• Saint Denis. This street is so vibrant! Well, all the city is vibrant for that matter.
  
• Being able to function in French again. I rarely have to speak French in Vancouver, so it was great to force myself to do it.
  
• The ability to travel lightly. I have traveled so much that I now know how many clothes I have to pack, and I have now a super sturdy backpack that allows me to carry my laptop with me everywhere.
  
• The intellectual discussions. Ah, it's fun to be paid to learn.
• Montrealers. They were so sweet, so understanding when I was not speaking French properly, so patient and such good sports. I really love people from Montreal.
• The architecture and the city in itself. Can't beat this city (well, maybe Quebec City?) on that account.
  
• The transportation system (particularly the Metro). It was a breeze to get from point A to point B in no time.
  

Things that I did not like during this trip:

• The guy who wanted to fight with me on the street right across from Concordia University. You know, I could've kicked his ass with my right hand tied to my back, but just the thought of a mob attacking me after having fought with this guy was a bit too scary.
• The annoying second-hand smoking. God, does every person in Montreal smoke and do they need to do so right in front of me?
• The lack of respect for people crossing the streets. I almost got run over. Ten times. That's a little bit too much.
  
• The weather, because was a bit too hot and humid. And I had to wear a suit as I had to present at the conference. Not fun.
  
• The forced tips. "My service is not included in the bill" WHAT?
• Food and cab prices. OMG. This city may be cheaper in regards to housing, but as far as food and cabs, this beats anything I've seen recently.
• A screaming kid on the plane on the way to Montreal and the guy who took over two seats in my row on the way back. Not nice.
  

What I would do differently next time:

• Give myself two days to recover from sensory overload. But I will stay in Montreal, because I am sure I will appreciate the city more if I rest a couple of days and then hit the streets.
• Practice my French a few days before I head to Montreal.

Overall, it was great. I had a fabulous time hanging out with SF and I really enjoyed the conference. Now back to reality!