Today was simply splendid. I had a lazy morning tidying-up and doing laundry before heading out to Canadian Tire to get bike products. I needed a bike pump and washers- and my goodness, what a selection of washers they had! There were sealed, fender, bound, cut, and flat washers: umpteen kinds! I ended up having a series of hilarious text messages with Jason trying to figure out which kind to get.
I ended up getting a cut washer and met Jason at my apartment. Jason is a bike enthusiast, and got down-and-dirty with my bicycle, putting the back wheel on (it had fallen off while bicycling to work last fall) and tried fixing my breaks. Unfortunately, my breaks weren’t fixable, so we went bike shopping.
I couldn’t afford a new bike, but figured a small debt would be better than an collision with a truck. We went to a used bike shop in a sketchy part of Old Montreal. I didn’t know Old Montreal could be sketchy, but beyond the expensive condominiums and upscale buildings were run-down houses and industrial spaces nestled in with the trees.
There were two possibilities available at the bike shop, but neither were perfect. Jason tried to haggle with the sales people, and offer a trade-in for my old bike, but the best they could do was a $20 discount. So, I decided I best bike slowly instead of paying $100 for a bike in slightly better condition than my own.
We decided to go a leisurely bike ride around downtown, which then turned into a search for a bar with a terrace in the Plateau. We ended up a café instead called Maison des Cyclistes run by the Velo Quebec Association.
I treated Jason to a beer as a thank-you for fixing my back wheel, and got myself a slice of almond cake and coffee. The café overlooked the bike-path and Parc La Fontaine which was a lovely combination. We sat on the patio for a long time, chatting and people watching.
I had a serious craving for poutine (its been plaguing me for the past 2 weeks!) so we went to La Banquise, which is known for the best poutine in Montreal. I prefer Frites Alors myself, but the ambiance was far better at La Banquise. It was busy and full of attractive people for me to study their fashion styling of while we waited for our poutine.
I ordered a black pepper poutine and Jason had poutine with hot peppers and sausage on top. We took them for take-out and went down to sit by the pond in Parc La Fontaine. Unfortunately, there was little water in the pond, and what water there was covered in green algae. It was a depressing sight, but we amused ourselves watching the birds and the little children on their bicycles. There was a harp-player near-by as well which added beauty to the air. It was lovely.
After our poutine, we cycled back downtown. I savored the scent of the blossoms and the pretty houses we past as we cycled along. We said farewell at McGill and went our separate ways. Now I sit at home with a big glass of water relaxing after my exciting day. Hope you had a nice Sunday too!
The Black Beret 