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Post by misaki on Mar 18, 2008 16:36:41 GMT -5
Dunno what Quebec City's like (apparently they're all French snobs there and no one will speak to you in English is what I've heard), but some people (including me) have mentioned Montreal. That's where one of the Warped Tour stops is. It's a pretty nice city. Most of the people there are bilingual (although they'd rather speak to you in French, lol). If you go, and want to do some nice photography, try the Botanical Gardens (they also have a bug museum, lol). There's also a theme park (can't remember the name) and the Biodome (my personal favourite). @maya: Sorry, but Vermont's maple stuff is the best ever.
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Post by Aindel on Mar 18, 2008 16:58:30 GMT -5
Oh! Sugar-beet syrup! I know what that is. But I've only ever had my aunt's home-made stuff, and even then it took a while to get it past my lips. If it has the word 'beet' in it, chances are I don't like it. I was right.
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Post by rosuu on Mar 18, 2008 17:11:06 GMT -5
shussssh. i didn't know where montreal was/i read these topics until 3am when my brain fries.
Just mentioned canada to my mom and shes like stay out of quebec! they hate you if you can't speak fluent french! she wants me to go to alberta 'cause thats where she lived. looks like i'm going to have to be plane/coach hopping a lot to see everything i'm being told to. V_V. which means ill be in canada til probably christmas or something XD
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Post by Clover on Mar 18, 2008 18:55:57 GMT -5
"Oh, I probably should have asked before... what are Canadians like with foreigners? Are they as friendly as Americans?" If anything, I'd have to say more. I think it's because of the differences in the way that Canadians approach their backgrounds--a lot of the times when I go to the states, I can ask someone who's so obviously a first generation immigrant their nationality, and they look at me like I've grown a third eye and respond (quite tetchily), that they're "American." Here, you ask anyone their nationality and it's like, you get a family history dating back to the fucking Potato Famine.
Rule of Thumb for Canadian Travelling: Do say please and thank you. It's not demanded, but it goes a long way to getting along better. Do tip your servers--15% is customary, though it is dependent on service rendered. Do ask for directions--people are surprisingly eager to help someone out, especially if its obvious they are lost. Do enjoy yourself; we're a friendly people as a general rule. Do use a cute brogue, if you've got it--you will cause a bit of a kerfluffle as people all fawn over it. Do be tactful---I've noticed we tend to be a lot more sensitive about things then the Americans. Yes, we get our sophomoric idiots, but they're not considered 'cool' by any means. A handy rule of thumb is, if you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't say it behind their backs.
Do not compare us to Americans--we're sensitive about the America Jr moniker, and it will not make you friends. Do not call native american folk "Indians". Here, "Indian" is reserved for people from the Indian Subcontinent. Calling a Native that is seen as kind of..classless. Should the situation call for it, "First Nation(s)" is an exceptionally appropriate term (and will earn you brownie points for being sensitive). Do not mention Quebec Seperatism while in Quebec. It's just not done.
Other then that, s'no biggie.
And Rosuu, it'll be cool to chill with you, definitely. We will get watermelon and veg in the park and watch the Kensington Street Crowd. Maya, totally come chill with us--I'll see if I can arrange an outing or something. After all, Canadian hospitality is world-famous.
You know what might be cool, Rosuu? I dunno if your finances allow it...but why not look into a trip by rail? That might be a lot more pleasant then traveling by coach, and probably cheaper then flying around. And it'd be a good chance to experience the countryside. VIA rail is quite good for that, actually, especially if you have an International Student Discount Card (or whatever it is its called).
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Post by naoise on Mar 18, 2008 23:45:40 GMT -5
I go everywhere on VIA. It has recently been having some service issues, so expect a late train every now and again, but on the whole it is pretty good. I can go from kingston to ottawa for $31 with my ISIC card.
(to get an ISIC card just bring your university/school/whatever ID, an ID sized photo of yourself, and pay them $20 - simple!)
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Post by rosuu on Mar 19, 2008 5:06:15 GMT -5
Clover: wow, thank you, a lot. i'm actually taking notes. this is more informative than school ! Generally saying please/thankyou/speaking in a cute brogue/tipping/being tactful is just the kind of person i am (even when drunk) and i havent called a native an 'indian' since i was 6 XD Theres so many sub-con Indians in Britain that it's just too offensive. <-- does not even know what Quebec separatism is. hanging out? yayyyy! you might regret the watermelon thing though. i'm a 'messy' eater. >:3 i probably will travel by rail, because i'm am a complete advocate of trains. they're almost as cool as boats ( almost.) naoise: school ID? FFS I've never had one. It must be too late to get one 'cause i've only got another 6 weeks of college. I can get an IYTC but i don't even know if that will help with anything.
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Post by alba on Mar 19, 2008 5:18:58 GMT -5
Trains are cool. I got overexcited when I took one up to Aberdeenshire with my friend over reading week and he laughed at me.
One thing I forgot to mention is that in pubs you tip the bartender/server (they do table service a lot of the time), which you don't do in Britain.
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Post by naoise on Mar 19, 2008 6:59:10 GMT -5
rosuu: Anything that proves you are in school and is dated works for via, for instance a print out of your schedual, or possibly your tuition receipt thing.
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Post by acilf on Mar 19, 2008 9:30:30 GMT -5
Rosuu, if you do come to Vancouver Island, which you should (makes my stalking easier) DO NOT try and convince someone you came over on a bridge. Even if for some reason you smashed your head and are convinced you did YOU DIDN'T. I just had to rant this because I have had many tourist ask me where the bridge to the mainland is. There isn't one. One such person got so pissed at me saying how i was trying to trap her on my Island. grr....
When were you planning on coming to Canada again?
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Post by naoise on Mar 19, 2008 11:25:15 GMT -5
I think you should try to convince tourists that the ONLY way to get off of the island is to hijack a ferry - Vampirates style.
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Post by alba on Mar 19, 2008 11:40:14 GMT -5
naoise: I agree wholeheartedly. No one *pays* for the ferry, they just hijack it ^_^
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Post by rosuu on Mar 19, 2008 12:41:17 GMT -5
*eating ice lolly* :B I'll be going to vancouver mainlanddndagad for definite cause my friend Marshall lives there and I promised I'd go see him when I went to Canada. And well, I'm hoping to come in august and stay until september (bscly a month). I'll plane/bus/train my way to the east after a week or two in vancouver and edmonton. naoise: vampirates style? is that where you hold up the ship with a water pistol? and bribe the crew into smacking the captain with a piece of wood? i'm game for doing that at some point. new game plan, guys and girls. instead of having a forum meet in NS or toronto, we'll steal a ferry, sail around canada and pick everyone up, and have a massive fucking boat party. I CALL CAPTAIN.
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Post by Jones on Mar 19, 2008 13:32:43 GMT -5
Here, you ask anyone their nationality and it's like, you get a family history dating back to the fucking Potato Famine. I just have to jump in with this, Clover - when I moved to Ontario, pretty much the first thing a stranger asked me was what my background was. D: I was like "... Uh... Can...adian...?" I was flustered because I didn't even know myself, so, lol. Maybe it's an Ontario thing. In NS everybody's British/Scottish/Irish/etc. and nobody really cares. This thread makes me want to travel. T_T
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Post by rosuu on Mar 19, 2008 14:54:54 GMT -5
do it jones. do it. travel. live a little :B!
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