Time in Montreal, and On The Road Again

Sat, Sep 7

The next few days were spent with Marilyne in Montreal. Not nearly enough time, but I’m grateful for every minute we had together.

A close-up of a delicate white flower with a bright yellow center, surrounded by blurred green stems and leaves in the background, with hints of pink and purple flowers peeking through.

A vivid pink flower with a yellow center standing out against a soft background of blurred greenery and other pink flowers, with flower buds in the foreground just starting to open.

We went for a walk, and I couldn’t help but notice how the garden cosmos are really blooming in the city! The vibrant colors really caught my eye.

A small church with a domed green roof and a white steeple topped with a cross, seen from a straight-on view. The path leading to the dark wooden doors is cracked and weathered, flanked by green grass and small shrubs. The sky above is overcast, casting a soft light on the building.

We passed by Saint Brendan’s Catholic Church of Montreal, and its architecture stood out to me. It’s got an interesting shape for sure, but the stucco walls? Definitely a… choice.

A woman with short hair smiles softly, wearing tortoiseshell glasses and a bright red sleeveless top. She has a fall leaf tucked behind her ear, and she’s accessorized with gold earrings and a pendant necklace. She’s standing against a dark background, with warm lighting illuminating part of the image.

During our walk, I found a beautiful leaf and gave it to a beautiful lady. It perfectly matched her outfit.

A hearty breakfast plate featuring scrambled eggs, golden brown breakfast potatoes, three sausages, and a fresh fruit-topped waffle. The waffle is garnished with strawberries, cantaloupe, and honeydew, drizzled with cream, and accompanied by a slice of lemon on the side.

A woman with glasses and a red dress smiles softly while sitting in a restaurant. She has a fall leaf tucked behind her ear, and her hand rests against her chin. In the background, other people are dining, and a sign on the wall reads "Chère semaine de stress, notre histoire s'arrête."

The same woman, now wearing a denim jacket over her red dress, sits in front of a hearty brunch. She is smiling and gesturing excitedly. Her plate includes sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, sausage, potato wedges, and a crêpe drizzled with chocolate and topped with a strawberry. The restaurant background features a sign with the phrase "Chère semaine de stress, notre histoire s'arrête."

Brunch at L’Oeufrier with Marilyne was wonderful, as always. Good food, even better company.

A tall stone church tower with a statue of a saint standing in a niche partway up. Above the statue is a large, modern cellphone transmitter, creating a striking contrast between the historical architecture and contemporary technology. The transmitter is prominent and unadorned, sitting visibly at the top of the tower.

One thing that struck me was the church we passed. Outside of it stood a tall tower with a cellphone transmitter sitting right on top. It’s kind of ironic, don’t you think? A building meant to honor someone, and then there’s this huge transmitter towering above the statue of whoever they’re honoring. It almost makes it look like the building is dedicated to the transmitter itself!

I’ve seen transmitters disguised better than this—sometimes even as statues themselves! I think more thought needs to go into how we integrate infrastructure into the environment, especially around places of significance like this.

A smiling couple takes a selfie inside what appears to be a movie theater lobby. The woman is wearing a black leather jacket and the man has a thick beard and is wearing a patterned shirt. The background is lit with colorful lights and displays, likely from arcade games or movie posters. The atmosphere suggests they are about to enjoy or have just finished watching a movie.

Later in the day, we went to Starcité Montreal to see Alien: Romulus. Terrifying—but really good. Honestly, the Alien movies seem to get better with each installment.

A poster for the movie Alien: Romulus features a dark red background with a detailed, close-up image of a human head being enveloped by the long, spindly legs of an alien facehugger. The creature's tail is wrapped around the person’s neck. The movie title "ALIEN ROMULUS" is displayed in bold white text near the bottom of the poster.

I do have one critique though. They introduced an android character named Andy, and it felt like they were starting to lean into the “Magical Negro” trope—like in The Legend of Bagger Vance. The trope usually involves a Black character whose sole purpose is to move the plot forward for the main (white) characters, without any real depth of their own.

A scene from Alien: Romulus featuring actor David Jonsson. He stands in the middle of a futuristic, dimly lit spacecraft corridor wearing a grey spacesuit. The corridor is sleek, with metallic walls, red doors, and panels with control consoles. Jonsson's character appears serious and focused as he looks straight ahead.

But then they flipped it, giving Andy a much more nuanced and developed personality, which made him the best character in the film, in my opinion. So maybe it was a bait-and-switch, like a subversion of the trope? Either way, it did leave me wondering.

Either way, David Jonsson’s performance was excellent. He stole the show.

Sun, Sep 8

Two pairs of matching yellow moccasins with intricate beadwork on the top, featuring a blue, red, and white floral design. The moccasins are being worn by two people standing on a light wooden floor, their feet positioned towards each other. The moccasins are traditional Naskapi footwear, beautifully crafted.

Norma Einish made matching ᒥᔅᒋᓇ (moccasins) for me and Marilyne. They fit perfectly, and I love that we have a little piece of my home to share between us.