July 04, 2006

Beep beep !!!

By the way, this weekend was Canada Day, on July 1st. The Library Bitch wrote a wonderful blog entry about this obscure holiday which I don't really celebrate, as it is, in Quebec, the official moving day. Nevertheless, I am Canadian and want to wish a belated happy Canada day to all my compatriots.

Monday was also the 4th of July, so Happy independance day to any American visitors. My buddy Saur wrote good wishes which I will extend to you through this blog.

NOW, DOWN TO BUSINESS !

I have never been much of a soccer / fussball fan. But being in Montreal (of all places) where there are italian, portugese, french, brazilian, greek and german diasporas is making this otherwise uninteresting event very real to me, as CQFD's appartment is right at the heart of the italian/portugese neighboorhood, otherwise known as Little Italy.

So my quietness is periodically invaded by waves of honking and more important by face-painted, flag-bearing supporters who feel it necessary to scream their victory at the top of their lungs. And don't forget the whistles !

But is it really their victory? Is it something worth embarassing yourself publicly ? Supporters don't really ACHEIVE anything, do they? The team they cheer so avidly for is unaware of their existence. The World cup hasn't even been won, for heaven's sake !

This being said, if you are for Italy, congratulations. If you're not, my sympathies. Personnally, I couldn't care less. Just, please, be happy, or sad, without producing decibels under my window.

BUT ENOUGH RANTING !

So what have I been up to since I've been back on my feet ? Not much really. I still sleep 12 hours a night as a rule. I nevertheless have started going out and seeing friends, and have recently enjoyed a lot of sushi at Kaede's (2073, St-Denis), (hmmm sushi). Kaede is a new Japanese restaurant in downtown Montreal. The business is japanese owned, japanese-managed, cooked and served. This is possibly the best (and cheapest) sushi I have EVER eaten.

There is this particular sushi called Osaka, which involves smoked salmon, shrimp, avogado and in which the nori algae is replaced by soybean foil. When I eat it, I feel what I can only describe as a mouth orgasm. Even burping feels good after you eat this sushi. Hours after you leave the restaurant, your mouth suddenly remembers its taste, and you get a second sushi-gasm. Even the word Sushi itself carries the delicate nuances of the dish.

I think by the way that Sushi is now my favorite food. I could probably eat it every day and not tire of it. Maybe I should move to Japan or something.

Anyway, I also went to a few movies (including X3 and Superman returns) - which I have nothing interesting to say about - and more importantly, I've been reading a heck of a lot.

I read, for example, Life of Hunger (La biographie de la faim) and Acide Sulfurique by Amelie Nothomb. Did you know that she almost got the Goncourt? I'm also in the process of reading a brick written by a french canadian lady, La femme de la Fontaine. It's quite taking and will be worth a review when I've gone through its 450 pages. Unfortunately, nobody has yet had the courage to translate it....

I also spend ridiculous amounts of time at the Great Library and periodically clean up the appartment, a task CQFD would do only twice a year in my absence.

I see friends and attend the wonderful Montreal Jazz Festival.

I'm also learning Indonesian for my next mission which is now in less than 4 weeks. I'm happy to be home and to have an extended stay, but I already feel my heart, yearning for the adventure !

The Beaver

Thank you Der Hadji in Afdirtistan for posting on my guestmap ! My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!

Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !

9 comments:

cristina said...

I LOVE SUSHI! will now use steal that word you just invented and spread it among the european civilisations!!! SUSHI-GASM! :D
isn't it great to take time off and do stuff that you would normally never have the time to do due your your busy busy schedule?! it must be grand. I have wanted to catch up on my reading but don't have the time. At night i am just beat and end up vegetating in front of the TV or talking to better-half. Reading would require too many neurons....
hopefully there will be plenty more noise tonight - which would mean Portugal went through! Oooops, sorry, i am a believer of "your freedom ends where mine starts" and this is a typical case. You have the right to sleep in peace! :)
one of my very good friends is currently working for an NGO in Medan, Indonesia. But anyways, let me sign off before this comment becomes an epistle........

Saur♥Kraut said...

Hi hon! Happy 1st and 4th! I also am confused by people who have so much personal stake on games (football, soccer, baseball, basketball). It's most odd, isn't it? Like you, I can't have a loyalty for a team that doesn't even know I exist.

However, Ozma's entire Mexican-American family (and there's a lot of them!) is heavily into soccer. If they're not watching the World Cup, they're talking about it. Not knowing much about soccer, all I can say is "Oh, too bad," or "that's great!" One of her brothers went into a sulk which lasted for hours last Saturday when the "wrong" team won.

I adore sushi, too! Hey, if you are ever here, I expect you to let me know! I'll introduce you to some fantastic sushi which is just around the corner from me. I could eat just sushi for the rest of my life and be content. ;o)

Anonymous said...

Keep on recovering!

I'm a soccer fan and if you've watch yesterday's game between Germany and Italy you may understand why: it was simply fantastic!

Cuidate, besines!

Beaver said...

Nyasha, Thank you for always being so reactive. Never refrain from expressing yourself, your enthusiasm is always welcome!

I might go to Medan as I am actually going to Banda Aceh....

If you do want to read, get Amelie. She's very taking and will have you addicted in no time!

Saur,
Yeah I admit that I do like to complain. But I respect everyone's freedom to like whatever sport they want to :o), though I will NEVER understand the fascination for sports on TV!

K-Girl, thanks sweetie, yeah, it does feel great. But I am getting restless. I must be hyperactive or something!

G., yeah the sushi is truely extraordinary. If you come by Montreal, don't hesitate (it is only 1h drive from Ottawa). Anyway, unless you speak japanese, there will be a barrier with the waiter, since he ONLY speaks japanese and tid-bits of english. Adds to the charm of the experience, I must say!

iamnasra said...

Im featuring Amias in www.livinginpoetry.blogspot.com hope u can share your thoughts about her if any

juliana said...

I'm not a big sushi fan. I've had it many times and the more I eat it, the more nauseus (how do you spell that?) I feel afterwards.

Anyways, glad to see that you're home and enjoying yourself. Happy Canada Day. I was in Niagara falls one Canada Day a couple of years ago. We saw the fireworks there. It was nice.

So where are you headed to next? Any plans of stopping in Mali? If so, let me know :)

Anonymous said...

"In football, everything is complicated by the presence of the other team."

strudel

Anonymous said...

Beaver my beaver, soccer is the translation of war in a stadium... I guess if patriotism lays in the inner part of each and every human being, then it's better when it comes out as a party.

(Above stands the most ridiculous attempt to explain why I almost cried this afternoon...)

Hortense, française, allez les bleus, ils ont perdu, bouhouhou

Beaver said...

Nasra Thanks for the tip, will pop in ...

Juliana, you won't like sushi until you've had Kaede-san's. I used to hate it but have enjoyed a rather agreeable conversion.

Last time I checked I wasn't scheduled to go to Mali, but it could change. If I am, I'll make sure to let you know.

Next pit stops are Indonesia (Sumatra), Burundi and Haiti (again!)

Giovanni,
Congratulations.

Please be gracious and watch your language. You'll notice I never cuss in my posts or show disrespect. I appreciate reciprocation in this matter.

Hortense ma cherie, quelle tristesse, heureusement, il y a le Long Island Ice Tea pour noyer nos peines. Rappelons nous que nous sommes les heritieres de Baudelaire, et que le foot ne sera jamais aussi ethere que la poesie....