What is Montreal, QB like?

[Taverner]

I have been to Vancouver BC and think this place is heaven on Earth. Like SF with nicer people and more parks.

Never been to Toronto, or Ottowa...

But Montreal - for me - seems like the closest thing to Europe in North America. Is it?

I've never been there - but would love to go.

When, where and how is the best way to do it for a non-French speaking Californian?

[MrScorpio]

1. Everything you need to know about Montreal is right here

http://www.montrealvip.com/stripclubs/


Enjoy

[Taverner]

6. HAHAHAHA Well I'm sure I would check that out...

But I would have trouble convincing the wife that strip clubs would be good for "us" :)

[MrScorpio]

7. They take couples all the time

It's quite natural

[no name no slogan]

2. Much more French than Cali, I hear

And yes, I am a great help

[Taverner]

4. More french than SF?

[no name no slogan]

11. Well, maybe not. But much more gay

or so I have read

[Bjornsdotter]

3. Lovely

...I think Quebec City is more European than Montreal.

I love Montreal, not sure about the non-French speaking thing though...

Cheers

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. Agreed. Quebec City is more European and occupies a very dramatic location.

In hotels, restaurants and shops, most speak English. I remember being at a gas station (this was long ago and I was with my parents) and I had to do the talking because the guy spoke no English. Even his French sounded like a dialect to me.

[Bjornsdotter]

8. Oh it is so different from French

...taught in school. So many different words and idioms....quite confusing.

:toast:

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. And I had been to France before visiting Quebec....

At least I was able to communicate to the guy that my father wanted his gas tank filled.

Chateau Frontenac was filled and we didn't have reservations, so found a funky old hotel not far away. I insisted that we see the room (actually, it turned out to be a suite) before signing the register. Great old place. My parents were tickled with the European-ness of it, and since my mother had never been and my father only at the behest of the US Army during WW2.

:toast: back.

[Bassic]

10. That's funny because

the French expression for filling up is just about the same as the French-Canadian expression. We both speak French, we just have different idioms and expressions. Sometimes we use words that are considered "old" in France.

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. I took five years of French in high school and college....

learning from Americans, of course. A year before the Quebec trip, I had spent some time after graduation traveling in Europe, also spending much time with all my relatives in Luxembourg. By the time I got to Brussels to visit the Belgian branch of the family, I was speaking French with a Luxembourgisch accent. My cousins there kept bursting into laughter every time I opened my mouth, I had picked up the Luxembourgisch accent so easily.

I may still have had that accent when we visited Quebec. It's many years later, and I have forgotten so much French. :shrug:

[Bassic]

13. Still "faire le plein" is "faire le plein"

So I am a bit surprised about that.

[greatauntoftriplets]

14. That's what I said....

I think I just said it in an accent that was unfamiliar to him. It was a kid who was rather flustered after trying to figure out what my father was saying in English.

[Bassic]

15. Oh, well, teenage boys are often assholes, whatever language they speak. nt

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. True.

As I said, it was MANY years ago, but my parents definitely felt the closest to (nonwar) Europe than they ever had before. We had fun there.

[Bassic]

17. Québec City will be 400 years old next year.

AS far as architecture goes, it is probably the most European city this side of the pond.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. It's a beautiful city....

Even though we were unable to get into the Chateau Frontenac, we did stay in the old part of town.

Do you live there?

[Bassic]

19. No, I live close to Ottawa, actually

But I've been there many many times.

[greatauntoftriplets]

20. Lucky you...

I've only been there the one time.

[Bassic]

22. It's nice to visit, but I wouldn't live there.

I don't like the general mentality of the people over there. Lots of right-wing talk-radio fans, if you know the type.

[greatauntoftriplets]

23. That's too bad....

I wasn't there long enough to pick up on that, and -- like I said -- it was ages ago.

[Bassic]

24. It was different, years ago.

Not too sure what happened.

[redwitch]

21. wonderful city, it has great museums, festivals, architecture, food, shopping

I love it any time of the year. The McCord Museum of the city of Montreal, The Contemporary Art Museum, Basilica of Notre Dame, HOCKEY!, great restaurants, old Montreal, great hotels and festivals. Do a bit of research on the things that interest you and GO! You will have no problem getting by with little or no French. If you do speak some French it is appreciated but most people there do speak English.

[Redstone]

25. You're single, yes? Then all you need to know is this:

It is PACKED, and I mean stuffed to bursting with stunningly beautiful women.

I shit you not. And I probably won't be the only one to tell you this.

Many, many other good things about that city, but that's the one that I noticed first, the first time I went there over thirty years ago.

PS: I'll answer a question that I'm SURE you'll wonder about if you do go there: "Smoked Meat," which you'll see EVERYWHERE as a sandwich ingredient...is, in fact, nothing more mysterious than good old pastrami.

Redstone

[Taverner]

26. Unfortunately I am married

Or Fortunately - depending on the time of day

And I've heard that :)

[Redstone]

30. Oops. But you can still look, and enjoy, as I do (and fortunately, Mrs R does

along with me). I'm lucky in that regard.

Redstone

[SoxFan]

27. Like Boston or Chicago

A lot like Boston or Chicago, except that people speak French (don't worry, most people are bilingual).

[soleft]

28. The old part of the city by the river is beautiful

I was there over Labor Day weekend last year for a softball tourament. We stayed in a part of the city that's supposed to be akin to Greenwich Village in NY. I had to take my son shopping because his luggage got lost and we walked thru a redlight district that rivaled anything I ever saw in NY.

The night we went to the old city, there was a violinist playing in the columned vestibule of one of the court houses. he was back lit and the acoustics were phenom. We just sat across the street and listened to him for a long time.

As for the French, while everyone was certainly speaking it, it seemed most people were bilingual and we didn't have any problem.

[seemunkee]

29. Most restaurants per capita than any place in the world

Going there in 3 weeks for an extended weekend. I plan to gain weight.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

31. It has a river with an island where they run car races.

And that's all I know.