MONTREAL Je t'aime - part II of III

Here is part 2 of our great Montreal expedition. We're still in the park in this entry. Jim and Rod are at our little picnic site and you can see the trees behind them. If you look real close at the tree on the very left you'll see a band around its base and a guy standing to the right. The band connects a slack line to the tree between the whirlygigs that Jim and Rod are holding up.

This is what happens when you put the lines up, give people the opportunity to drop in a little coin into the box (which you see on the far right tree) and let them go at it. If you have a drop of acrobatic blood in you, and I do, you'll find this irresistible. No, this is not me. I did take my shot at it though and Jim has the pics in his camera, which, if they're not too unflattering, I promise to post when I get them.

And this is what happens when you get really good at it. This guy is just coming down from a jump. He was jumping and dancing and running across the thing like there was no gravity. On another line a young woman in a simple summer dress, in bare feet, looked like an angel simply walking with such control, posture and grace that it took my breath away.

Meanwhile, in a field up the hill a battle was raging. Maybe raging isn't the right word; notice the smiles on the combatants faces. Anyway, these "re-enactors" were having a great time with their home-made weapons consisting of foam and wood and lots and lots of duct tape (Red Green would be proud). Two groups gather at either end of the field and then begin to advance.

They pick their target, the dust rises as they move closer and the battle begins.

If you get hit in the arm you have to put it behind your back and use your other one. If you're caught in the leg you have to jump around on the "good" one and continue the fight. And, if you're mortally wounded you fall where you were struck down as war is waged all around you. Once a side is defeated everyone regroups and it all begins again.

I swear, everyone was enacting their fantasy that day or at least letting the child in them come out and play. So I took out the juggling balls and amused myself. People watched, they enjoyed and then moved on. I was just one of the gang of all ages having fun.

TO BE CONTINUED...