One fine flamenco evening

There is a tall Spanish man, with gypsy inheritage and a splendid nose who walked the street of New York on the 9th of May this year. 

Ten days later there was a Finnish woman and a Dominican man walking the same streets of New York.

This Finnish woman had only a few weeks earlier held a presentation in Spanish about this same man at McGill University. The presentation being level 1 Spanish with level 10 enthusiasm for the man. So who is this man and what was he doing in Nueva York? 

He is the man who snaps his fingers on stage and makes you feel he is sharing the very profound wisdoms of life, while sitting on his bar stool looking tremendously majestic. He walks and sings under the name Diego El Cigala and is both called the "Prince of Flamenco" and "Sinatra of Flamenco" and is claimed to be the greatest Flamenco singer alive. I believe every word that is said about him and the very little I understand about what he is saying and singing. When I for the first time heard him sing "En esta tarde gris", I wanted to start every sentence in Spanish with it, that is why I was ever so happy when I figured out to start a sentence during my presentation with it. He sold out at Carnegie Hall in New York city. Impressive indeed. 

We, the Finn and the Dominican where however far more impressed by Diego El Cigala and his raspy but velvet like voice on the 6th of May. We got to be not only in the same city and that being Montreal but as well under the same roof at a concert hall at Place de Arts and enjoy his wonderful show. 

My Dominican was ever so sweet to get tickets to see this wonderful show but as well very sweet to get us red roses to make us fit this tango and flamenco flavored event.

A wonderful night that will remain in our memories forever. His music came alive in our hearts this fine evening and his flamenco fire will keep on burning way longer than the roses and his picture will stay up on our wall.

(All pictures of Diego El Cigala are taken from his Facebook page and therefore by great world class photographers) 

The lady in the corner

One year ago, I slept my first night in Montreal. For the first time I was lying there in bed and beneath me was Montreal. I'm thinking I probably had a glass of red wine to help me sleep and I know I used to sleep well in my tiny apartment with a single bed. One year has passed by. Can't say I regret my decision of leaving past in the past and see what Montreal has to offer. 

I had a dream, a plan. It was to live in Montreal and make it on my own. I succeeded, I'm still alive, I'm still here. 

My apartment wasn't big but it was a great spot to start. I remember the view from the 8th flor and my talks with my female neighbour, who later became a great friend.

I didn't have internet in my apartment so I would have to go to the closest wi-fi café. Felt like a student. Sat there so often that I got to know the owner of the place pretty well and his nephew was the one who later on sold and delivered the furniture to my new home. It's in this spot I found my job I now have and the home I'm living in. I would always choose this spot in the corner, the owner would call me "the lady in the corner".

The only thing I have left from my pre Montreal time in Quebec, are my clothes and my computer. The rest I lost one way or the other. The last thing I had was my bike but even that came to an end. A bitter but sweet end, just like the rest of it. It's like two years just vanished up in thin air. Have nothing but the memory of what it used to be.

Thankfully part of the memory still comes back once a month to remind me that not everybody abandoned me in the "Quebec country life past", I still have one loyal hairy friend out there, who is more than happy to come and visit and share my present.

That's a little something other than a bike ride on a path called memory lane. Had a fantastic year and I love Montreal just as much if not more now that I know the city way better.

Love you my Montreal!

bike thieves and blisters

It has been over a month since I wrote. Plenty has changed weather and mood wise. It's amazing how much lighter your heart and soul feel after you put away that winter coat. We went from -30°c to +30°c and now we seem to have landed somewhere in between. 

As I put the winter coat away, I took out my high heel and not so high heel sandals. Along with them a dozen of matching summer dresses and then I guess I just started sipping on wine. Red, rosé and sparkling. I don't know if the time flew by or I drank it up or if it's hiding in my 1000 blisters.

What I do know is that the pink balls are back in my gay village and under them pedestrians and bike thieves can walk freely. 

I had the privilege to enjoy plenty of wonderful moments underneath these balls and then there was this moment when I realized my bike was not at the place where I left it and I walked home with only a helmet in my hand. 
This is why I now match my high heels and summer dresses with this kind of handbag, while I accessorize my bike with all kinds of chains and u shaped metal.  

The great thing about accessories like this is that you have the choice of leaving the helmet on, carry the basket under one arm, while gripping the bike seat the same way you would grip an axe if you where the bad guy in a horror movie. If you are equipped with a morbid humor like me, you might get a certain amount of pleasure out of the situation.

To summon up my month that flew up in sparkles and landed in way less money, I guess I would use words like; wonderful, eventful  surprising and all this in in splendid great company ... well that excluding my bike thief and all these darn blisters covering my feet.