Villo and my quiet weekend

I realized this week that out of the 8 weeks I've been here I've had one weekend when I wasn't either entertaining or off somewhere and the weekend I was here the Friday night somehow I ended up going out until 3 AM and the Saturday until 6:30 AM....yes it's juvenile and I should start acting my age but whatever I've been having a blast.

However I have been feeling very tired and I was determined to spend a more quiet and relaxed weekend.

2 weeks ago:

Me: Ah il y a une systeme de truc de velos ici, on a ca a Montreal aussi c'est nouveau ca s'appelle Bixie.

Monsieur a cote de moi: Oui oui il faut devenir membre sur internet, vous recevez une carte et vous pouvez aller ou vous voulez.

Moi: Ah cool!

A few minutes later I was online singing up for the city bikes. How cool I'm not even a member in Montreal but I will be here! A few days later i got my card and this Saturday I figured I'd ride a little around town, go to the weekend flea market have brunch there, it's a great place to people watch. Then take my bike go to the shopping district and get a few things.

Friday night, how about a movie night?.... Inception??? looks good, 2 mins later I look it up on the net, playing time at 10:30, it's 7PM I could walk around alittle and slowly make my way there. Ok so I take off, I get sidetracked by the smell of baking Belgian waffles and some street musicians playing Vivaldi and Mozart..... I linger, admire the Grande Place yet again, get lost in the little streets and waves of tourists hidden under their umbrellas.....and i end up in l'avenue du roi where there's a little movie theatre, a kinde Theatre Outrement or Cinema du Parc place and what should they be playing tonight? Some like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe! How can I say no? It was one of the favourite movies when I was little :) So oldies movie it is and my quiet weekend alone was off to a great start!

Saturday morning

9AM determined not to get up too late I wake up at 9 and think ok 30 more mins....I turn left and right and it's 11!!!! Ok it's ok I hurry to get dressed and run to the pool for a little swim (I so need to get back into some sort of physical shape) I come home have a little something to eat and then I'm off to take my first Villo.

I get to the Villo station, read the instructions.... and damn I don't know my "secret code!" I come back home check my account online, ok Ihave my code I still have time ot ride to the market and have a late lunch there. Ok go back to the Villo station it starts to rain..... ok run home get an umbrella. I"ll WALK then! get home the rain stops..... ok Villo FINE.

I get on the city bike and ride towards the market, it's slowly ending but still people and still lively. Ok now where's the docking station, I see some yellow in the distance....hm it's full! Can't leave the bike here, ok I'll ride around alittle, I find 2 other full stations!

Bon ok I'll go towards the shopping district and have a little something to eat and shop. For about 50 mins I look around for an empty spot to leave the Villo and everything is full. I call the friendly help line which like your friendly bank is open Monday to Friday from 10 to 2PM with a lunch from 11 to 1:30 in between. "Merci de bien rappeler!" Beause weekdays between 10 and 2 is when people are cycling around the city the most (did I mention these are not for tourists but for local use)

Finally, I spot someone taking a bike out and park mine in. Ok let's have lunch, I find a nice little place with a terasse, I sit outside and contemplate the menu, mmm i want to big sandwich and a beer.

Waiter: Non madame nous ne servons pas de repas entre 14 et 17hrs!!!!!

Ok so I order a cheese thing and bread which I devour like I haven't eaten in months and have a beer. Then quick shopping for a few things i needed and by this time i just want to go back home. To villo or not to Villo? That is the question? There are 2 stations even 3 not far from my place so let's take a bike. I get back on the bike and i notice that I live quite uphill..... Now I never really had a bike as a child and never biked much (my mom is scared to death to this day about the entire cycling thing) and although I consider myself a relatively strong person.....on a bike I'm a sisi! But no matter uphill....uphill ok a little rain.....ok we're close to home. Station 1: Full! Station 2: Full.....Station 3: FULL!!!!! 45 mins later back at station one and about to take an axe to my Villo someone leaves and one spot is open!!

I get home starving, wet and dead tired so I've decided not to spend anymore weekends without visitors or claiming to relax!