The queue of people at the entrance to the Jardin Botanique stretched quite a distance. The warmth of the sun lingered, radiating from the stone of the west side of the ticket kiosk. Once through the turnstile we made our way along with several thousand other Montrealers towards the Japanese Gardens. Here the traffic slowed to a single file as we shuffled along guided by the light of numerous hanging chinese lanterns. This led us to brightly lit forms: exotic birds, colours reflected in the blackness of the lake, warriors rowing in a chinese version of the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race.
Inside a crowded Pagoda strains of a haunting melody flowed from one corner. I edged forwards toward the sound which came from one of those bowed affairs that look rather like a joke instrument. A quite beautiful chinese woman, clearly very accomplished, swayed with the music... The overall effect was quite captivating...
I realised I was lost in more ways than one as the tide of people carried me back outside into the dark. There was no sign of any other family members amongst the sea of chinese lantern viewers...
In the absence of any "phone cellulaire" I decided to just go with the flow as the mainstream would carry me back to the park entrance. Logic dictated that this was the most visible spot on the island and it would only be a matter of time before I was picked up by a search party.
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