Montréal

Ughhh j'aime parler français! I finally made it to Montreal after an 18 hour bus ride, which included one transfer in Albany, NY and a 4 hour layover. When I was crossing through customs to get into Canada, an elderly Quebecois man approached me and we began talking in French. Suddenly, he noticed my passport, and was taken aback that I was American. Shocked, he asked, "Americaine?" He had thought I was French because of my accent. It was such a compliment. When I arrived to Berri, the metro/bus station in Montréal, I was feeling somewhat lost. I had been planning on walking from the station to my hostel, La Maison du Patriote... But, things look much smaller on a map, and my calculations on how long it would take to walk were just a tad off.. I probably looked like a lost, pathetic American because a Canadian woman approached me and asked, "English?" I muttered, "Oui." She handed me a FREE metro card that would last me until Friday, and I could have unlimited accesss to both the metro and busses. She said she didn't need it anymore, and I looked as if I needed a little help. A slight understatement.. Haha. So I hopped on the metro, and went one station over. My hostel was much closer at this point in tme. I wandered around a little bit, attempting to navigate the streets. I walked past men breathing fire, and a sort of Chinese dragon parade; the streets of Vieux-Montréal are so entertaining and lively. Finally, a kind restaurant worker directed me towards my hostel and I walked in. Note to self: I thought I was a light-packer, however, carrying only a 70 lb. duffle bag and a backpack still doesn't feel light.. I was literally sweating when I made it inside the hostel. La Maison du Patriote is probably the cutest and cleanest hostel I have ever seen. And everyone is beyond friendly. I have already met two people from England, one from Australia, and many from France :) More updates to come soon. I am going to explore now!