(For those not familiar: There's a lot of variation in how classical works, especially solo works, are performed -- for instance, compare Yo-Yo Ma, Rostropovich, and Starker playing the prelude to the first suite. They're all good recordings, but to me, Ma is playing way too emotionally for Bach, and Rostropovich is in a bit of a hurry. The Starker is what I ended up with.)
Anyhow, the reason I picked that up (and also the Rostropovich/Karajan Dvorák cello concerto) is that I want to start playing classical music again. My double bass has sat practically unplayed since I changed from Music to Sociology, and while half of that is that I was burned out on it for a while, the other half is that it's really not much of a solo instrument.
So I think I'm going to rent a cello. There's a few rental places around here that look to be $30-$60/mo for a 4/4 cello. (I just realized that I don't know if that includes a bow, though!), and then I'd have to find lessons.
I haven't played the flute much lately. Not too much Irish music in Toronto in the first place, alas. But the flute was always sort of a fun extra thing; there's a voice in the back of my head telling me that I gave up too soon on the bass, and the cello might be a good way to quiet it.