remember...
Ever since i came home my memory of the wonderful 11 days i spent in Montreal creates a more vivid and coloured image. I now start to feel proud on the fact i undertook this major voyage into the unknown on my own. No help, nobody to assist, just me and arrangements i made in the Netherlands. Just taking it for granted that all arrangements were made in Holland and counting on them to be valid and trustworty. I mean even the hotel was a 'wild guess' because i didn't knew the City of Montreal or the venues of all outgame activities. So in retrospect i grew as a person a little bigger.. Good for me..
money money honey...
So just when you think it is all over, i decided to write another post...
Did you know a total of 10,248 athletes took part in the Games, while 1,516 attended the human rights conference and 835 took part in the cultural component (one of them is me..) Accordingly to the Montreal Gazette...(it is acclaimed that 33% of the athletes were Dutch. This lead to the conclusion it must have been a real money maker for all those who were commercially involved. However, some consider to put a claim at GLISA for 3000 canadian dollar, for missing incoming money at Sqr Viger, it was promissed to be THE place were all and everybody would meet, and even medals would be presented to the athletes. This did not happen and the attending crowds did not meet the expectation of the forecast numbers of people visiting the square. But even inpspite of this, i am convinced (by the stories many men/women told me) that the whole of Qeuebec and Canada will profit. Most people prolonged their stay, because the expences for travelling to Canada were allready made, so they threw in a few extra days, at another location in the beatiful country of Canada, or even spend an extra week in the States (renting cars, bicycles, hotel/motels/ eat and drink and visiting sites and museums)
Forgetting things?
You know the feeling, you walk up a stair to another room to fetch something, when you arrive, you''ve forgotten what is was that you came for.. Well that is mild form of jetlag. I myself am again 20 hrs on the go: best thing is a night in a airplane eastbound only last six hours. And if your lucky 4 of them you can spend sleeping. I made it to 3 hrs. So i can't complain. Walking out of the plan was still allright. But my watch's alaram went of this afternoon (lokal time) at 2. '0 clock PM, telling me to wake up, afterall 8.15 am is a nice time to get out of your bed. I've had my lunch (or should say breakfast) just now, and i am feeling great... The journey went without any difficulties, easy custom out of Canada en into Holland. Suitcase was labeled directly to my final destination, and did arrive. So i am totally happy. Execpt for the fact that it is really over.
the dream has ended..
Oh yes am i in a sentimental mood. Feel like wanna cry. Because now it is offical. The 1 outgames ever, are declared closed. The chairman (a woman) actually cried when she read the declaration. Mark (the cofounder of the games, cried to). It was emotional. Aspecially for all present. A nice bidbooklike film was shown about the wonderful city of Copenhagen, and it was well adjusted to a gay way of living. It was wel done. Met some Belgium guys, And Australians aswell. And now i am prepairing for the big take off, I have to pack my suitcase, do easy on the alcohol, and earlier this afternoon purchased my busticket. So tomorrow we won't have all the stress for that item. My sunglasses were retrieved by security, it was found in the basement, next to my bike. I've returned the bike, but the guy in the shop, didn't said a word about us not meeting, and i wisely didn't neither.
Looking back, i should/could have made a remark, but i didn't find it wurthwhile anymore. Returning the bike was another crack in the painting, and i felt sad that it had to be done. But life goes on.
Lisa Minelli was great, she worked the audience, and song a few of her best known songs, including two songs of Cabaret, and Lisa with an 's'. New York New York was also sang. She was great.
wrapping it up..
Dance Dance Dance Dance that's what i did last evening. There was this lady was singing in a Karaokebar. And when i say singing, i mean singing.. Unbelievable. She sang for 3 hrs on row. Okay at the end it was all a bit downhill, but still: amazing. I was dancing like i had golden feet. My body took the rythm in, and just went off. I've danced with several guys and we had a goooood time. And just around 3 i was in my lillte sleepingbasket, dreaming only sweet dreams. Today is my final and last free day, and little cracks start to appear in this lovely painting wich i call my week in Montreal. i start to think more and more about what to do to get my home trip organised. Making decisions about what to see, and how to plan thing. But i don't want to think about leaving, but more and more cracks appear. reality is hitting in, and we can't deny that at some point your feet must touch ground again. Still we have a closing ceremony to attend, it will start at 4 'o clock. So let's get this old goat moving and start with the plans of this day..
The open air..
Here you can see us warming up our voices. Yes ladies and gentlmen, in the open air on Sqr Viger, The womenschoir is already performing and we are just warming up. You can see, the atmosphere is relaxed, everybody is at ease. It was a great succes and even some people that I talked to earlier this week,showed up and that's really nice of them. I' am going now for a big lunch (we weren't allowed any alcohol yesterday and the evening before yesterday) at my favorite internetcafe, near Rue de st. Catharine... I'll have a new salade and quess what i'll drink ??
This afternoon at 5 'o clock is planned for a visit to the Dutch outpost, the Holland Park (don't think too much of it..) and meet up with some guys. Goodie goodie..The nice part of it is, every day this Holland Park is open, and honours the medal winners. Live entertainment is also provided and the foreigners don't understand even one thing of it. Dutch songs, half translations and the next line in Dutch, it is a complete grazy mixture, and that;s why it works so well..
Allelujah, Allelujah
Well, the tension is gone now. The members of the choir are all at ease, we did a good job yesterday. We performed like a true professional choir. Our conductor was marvellous. Imagine that this "put together all male choir' rehearsed for just 10 hours, and singing 5 songs in four voicestones. Besides this effort he also conducted the rainbow orchestra (including rehearsals) and the mixed choirs.
Besides this effort of our performance, the will to succeed, to try and make the best of it, and pay real attention during the rehearsals and still find some time for small jokes, was a great sensation. The bonding of all those men, that never met before, was really taking off.
Today we will, as a matter of fact within halve an hour, we will give a free performance at Sqr Viger, were as you might know by now the Rainbow'city' is located. I am sure that this afternoon, (we all will dress casual) wil feel good, because the tension of the 'real' concert is over now. The weather is really great but moisty, but a lot of sunshine. Although i have still 1,5 days left, i already feel sad to leave.. Sniff sniff..
Shit, and just when i thought it was a easy task..
My bad luck..
I've registgered as a volunteer (bien volee ) and when i accreditated myself, there was no direct need for a volunteer. Today i've received an email asking 1000 volunteers to assist during the marathon of augst 5. And the worst part of it is:
you have to report at 06.00 am (that is in the morning, or should i say night...)
Still i think i'll go, it the last thing i can do in return, afterall wehad some fine days here in Mounted Police country..Yeppie
Now and forever..
It is all going to be a memory soon. Just a few hours and it will be over. A short perfomance that only lasts 5 numbers a total time of 15 minutes. And from that point on it is all history and will only live in the minds of those who were there. Isn't that preculiar? We trained now for 4 days on row, two hours long. And than is will all disapear into thin air, in notes sung out of 50 throaths. One of those songs called "keep the flame alive" is written by two American guys, aspecially for the conductor of our 'put together choir' who is conducting in Paris, with 'Melow Men' It is about people who inpire you in your lifetime, people who are no longer with you, for what reason ever, but they've kept the flame alive, now it's your turn.. (something like this..) and quess what, a year later both writers were killed on 9/11. isn't that sad. And although i have a free open air concert tomorrow in Place Viger, we'll sing the songs again, it still feels a bit sad already, a sort of saying goodbye and of letting go.
But for now a show has to be performed: starting at 8 o'clock this evening in La Salle de Piere Mercure....
Sold out house 850 people will hear it, and that's mighty fine..Mimimimimi, lalalal
yes, but how's the weather?
Eating outdoors is a privelege of summer. So i eat out now. On august 2 i started eating a lovely goat cheese salade avec des fruits... It was my second visit to the internet cafe.
(pricewise they have the best salads and 1/2 merlot for under 30 can.dollar, wich is less than 21 euro's. Well how about that then...Never mind. I was eating at 2.15 o clock and it was almost unbearable, the temp and humiditiy was extreme.
And there is was...
Straight falling rain, in larges droplets, and before you knew it, it was a hard to see through mussoon.
I was neatly sitting under a large umbrella (parasole) and at first it was okay. Although people were running for shelter, I was at my best... Just sitting and eating and enjoying my merlot. Isn't that great????
But ofcourese it good only last this long, before my umbrella slowy gave in to the water, and i was forced to get indoors as well.
Early symptomps of autumm??
