Montreal under the sun

It's Spring again! Montreal, the hub of trendy shopping in Quebec has been in Spring since the end of February. It didn't matter that we were still wrapped up to our fingertips, facing minus 15 degrees: Gap, Jacob and Mexx were convincing us that it was already 20 degrees, since their windows were dressed in candy colours and feather-light tops. Aldo and Browns had their rows of open-toed shoes ready to tempt us into splashing out our hard-earned cash.

The St-Lawrence river has thawed, changing from a pale steel sheet to glittering blue wavelets. People are smiling again. The grass in the parks hardly had time to moult from its winter skin; it's already wearing a new one: sun-thirsty people out to tan.

The terraces are opening, sundae bars recruiting students for summer jobs, trendy silk scarves still hugging young girls' necks against the slight chill, and the festivals are just beginning.

Montreal is alive again!