Yesterday`s Events

So what happened on Saturday, March 18 - St. Patrick`s Day?

Overall, it was a pretty good day. We had an excursion to both Chicoutimi and Jonquiere (because both places are so close to each other) and we didn`t even need write an excursion plan because it was within our pentagon, according to Katimavik conduct. Anyways we were all supposed to leave at 9 am, but most of us (Zach, Rebecca, Cynthia, Rebecca, Cheryl, Charles, me) were a tad late with various reasons and when we got out of the house...that`s when we found out she drove away with Mike, Maxime, and Stephanie. We all waited for approximately 25 minutes before she came back and during the time we all thought she drove away to prove a point to us, because she is a stickler for punctuality and we thought she was doing that to give us a taste of our own medicine. Personally I thought she just went out to pick up some stuff...and if she really was then she is not using the right method, haha...because I didn`t feel punished in any way shape or form. But she came back...and we drove off into the distance, with gentle snow softly cascading the surroundings around the van...oh yes I found Maxime`s fake ID and bank card (she lost her wallet last Saturday) tucked in a pack of gum when I crawled into the back seat...I was like "Who the heck is Alexandria Cynthia Fortier?" loudly in the van, and Cheryl who was sitting next to me said "Psst, that`s Maxime`s fake ID" and immediately told Maxime that we found her ID, which made her happy (something she needs a lot of these days)...and I took 2 pieces of gum from her since I didn`t brush my teeth that morning, hahahaha

1 hour later - we arrived in Chicoutimi, and we first went to the look-out point where we can see a good part of the city. On this viewpoint there`s this giant white cross with a red heart in the center...kind of creepy in my opinion but the view itself was pretty cool. It`s basically trees, then houses, then buildings and churchs and other things plus a river and bridges...plus it was snowing which made it look like winter wonderland, although the cloud factor kind of ruined it.

We then went to La Pulperie de Chicoutimi, which is this old mechanical pulp factory back in the day turned into a museum of the city and region. It was pretty cool, and they featured things about the history of the city (the forestry and pulp industry), to architecture in Quebec (such as the Montreal City library, which I have been told is extremely cool looking), to artists in town (apparently this famous Canadian artist named Arthur Villenvue lived there...and he painted his whole house with his art...his whole house is in the museum and they showed how they transported his house into the museum, which was pretty cool. Although honestly, I am not a big fan of his art...I much prefer his son Michel Villenvue, which was also displayed there. We must have spent almost 3 hours there before we left, and I personally could spend another hour there (only because I really take my time when I go to museums).

After that we drove to La Petite Maison Blanche, the only house that survived a flood with pressure as strong as the Niagra Falls back in the day...so that pretty much made in the oldest house in the city. Unfortunately we couldn`t go in because it`s not open to the public in the winter, so we just took some photos and left.

We drove to the Jonquiere Katima-house for lunch, but we didn`t lunch with them because they were off in an excursion to Quebec City (which Maxime is working on, thank you very much!). So lunch happened...chickpea salad and one slice of bread (sometimes I feel like we are the orphaned kids in Oliver Twist with free labour and limited food)...but Valerie/Cheryl/Cynthia came back with pizza...yay! Then after I was done lunch (I was the last one as per usual) I offered to shovel the driveway in order for us to be able to clear out. I did that but I had to go back out again and shovel the driveway wider because Valerie doesn`t think she could get out...finally that was done and then we all left the house to go to our next destination...but not before Valerie had trouble backing out and we all had to get out and push the van out of the driveway...Katima-effort, I tell you!

So next we went to this art gallery with this exposition by a lady named Helene Roy...the art was interesting, abstract, a bit dark and mysterious...left a lot of space for us to question things. Zach/Rebecca/Me/Stephen kept trying to guess what we saw in the pictures and what it means. After half an hour, we left the exposition and originally we were supposed to go on a small hike at this park but because we were running late (it was already 5 pm when we left the exposition and we were supposed to head out at 5), we decided to skip that and go to a cafe in downtown Jonquiere instead. The cafe we went too was really cool, and although the ambiance is not like Cafe Sofa (it doesn't quite feel like a place you want to lounge in), their selection and prices are better and greater, plus the music was rather electic (they actually played a chinese pop song, hahaha). Everybody got tea (one tea selection for 3 people...the anglos chose Chocolate spice and St. Petersburg), and played games offered in the coffee shop (first it was UNO, then Dominos which Stephen taught me at home before...Zach picked up the game very quickly and now can kick Stephen's ass). And yay, the tea is covered by Katima-budget!

We left the cafe at 6 pm and drove him...while in the van in downtown Jonquiere we kept waving to random pedestrians, who were pleasantly surprised (for the most part, there are some that give us weird looks) and waved back. We got home around almost 7, and then we had tacos for dinner that night (courtesy of Rebecca and Charles). Originally I planned on tagging along with whoever had plans that night (watch some form of music performace, bar, dancing, whatever) since it's St. Patrick's day, and I really should party more and stay home less. But after finding out the cafe that usually has performances didn't have anything happening that night, plus rejecting Cheryl's invitation to the bar (I was planning to tag along with Rebecca/Cynthia/Mike/Zach to a bar/dance place) and after no one ended up going to the bar/dance...I just chilled at home and read a National Geographic, took a shower, and went to bed at 11 something...yes I know I am so boring, but might as well because I intended on waking up early...and I did! 6:30 pm...

So there...and now it's free time and I am just chilling in Cafe Sofa

1) Starting tomorrow, Stephen and I are house managers...should be fun and interesting, since we get along really well and we have different work styles
2) I can't believe it, starting this Thursday we are doing billeting. It's so early! And I think Valerie found a family for all of us already. So 2 weeks of billeting, then right after we take our 72 hours...I plan on going to Montreal to visit a friend of mine and just enjoy the city...ethnic foods...can't wait!
3) Oh yes, I have uploaded more pictures and even created a video account in Google Videos...I am not sure when you can see the videos but check them out! I probably need to do some clean up on them though...

Later days!