On Friday, I got packed and headed downtown with my luggage to the bus depot. I put it in a locker and wandered around the Village and Ste-Catherine one more time. I jumped on the airport shuttle around 4pm. We left Dorval at 6:50pm EDT and I was coming into my apartment at about 11pm MDT. It was the end to a great trip, and I hope to return to Montreal very soon. Everyone there was tying to convince me to come back for Divers/cite in August, but Joe and I have already committed to going to Vancouver Pride, which is the same weekend. Next year will definitely be a consideration.

Some things I learned about les Quebecois and les Montrealais in particular:
1. If you're a pedestrian in Montreal, you can forget any inclinations you had in believing you had any right-of-way over vehicles, bikes and other pedestrians.
2. If you're an alcoholic and find yourself here, you are in BIG trouble. You can buy beer at the gas stations for chrissakes!
3. If you like rich fatty foods and you smoke, then you should be here
4. If you like lots of culture, history, art, or nightlife, then you should be here.
5. If you would like to visit a very cosmopolitan city with non-stop things to do and see, people that are friendly, accommodating, diverse and tolerant of everyone else, then Montreal is the place for you.
6. If you like paying insane amount of sales and personal income tax, then this is the place for you.

I guess it goes with all things, for the things you gain in some places, there are always things you have to give up.