Sorry for my lack of updates folks. I am blogging from Montreal this Easter Sunday, and I have been here since Friday. I heard it said somewhere that Montreal is a great city because Europeans always feel like they are in North America and North Americans always feel like they are in Europe.
Truer words were never spoken. I feel like I am smack in the middle of Paris or some other European city right about now; but that`s cool with the field. A little change of culture is a good thing. I also have to say for the record, that the people here are great. It`s a very cosmopolitan city with just about every race and nationality in full effect. Lots of museums and great restaurants if you are into that type of thing, and the scenery is all that.
So I am having a good time. No complaints from the field about this trip...well, (like you didn`t see this coming) although its`no biggie. Yesterday my lap top started acting up, and when I tried to sign on to the kiosk Internet machine in the Complexe Desjardins, I noticed my URL was blacklisted. Like what the f**k? Asa, lord omar, and the rest of my Canadian buds will have to tell me about that one. Maybe it`s just typing in the word Negro that sent some sort of block on that bad boy. (Just a case of the Canadian PC police gone crazy) Who knows; but now my curiosity is peeked.
But that`s it, my only complaint so far, that and the high taxes on clothes. You have to understand, I live in Pennsylvania where there is no tax on clothes, so that took some getting used to. Unfortunately, it more than ate up the difference in my favorable exchange rate on my dollars. But hey, it`s all good.
Anyway, I will be home tomorrow, and I have a few things on my mind. I can`t wait to be back in the comfort of the fields where I can speak my mind to my hearts content.
Oh, there is one other thing I love about this place, there is no FAKE NEWS here!
We could learn so much from the Canadians.
Au revoir! And Happy Easter to all the Christians in the house.
I am glad that you are having a good time. I want to see much of the world. I will have to add Montreal to my must visit list. Happy Easter Field Negro.
ReplyDeleteIve always wanted to visit Montreal, mostly for the reasons youve stated, lol. I hate the cold, so Id wait til the summer or early fall.
ReplyDeleteL
Happy Easter to you, Field. And I'm so glad you're enjoying Montreal. My family lived there for a bit when I was little and I go back every few years. It's got a great vibe as long as it's not the dead of winter when everyone's freezing!
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what the black-listing of your URL is about. I've been accessing your blog (which is fantastic, btw) from my home in Canada with no problems whatsoever... maybe it was a block the wireless provider-kiosk put up?
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed Montreal. Yes tax can be quite the hamper here, but I'd rather pay more for my shirts than worry about how I will pay for a broken arm! (Such a typical Canadian response, no?)
The news in Canada is very point blank. During some of the the Hurricane Katrina aftermath/fiasco I was in Toronto & the news reporting was raw. I mean I preferred to stay in the hotel rm to watch the news rather than go out. It was like they reported in ways that were unbiased & they definitely were not afraid to dog out our government.
ReplyDeleteI feel you on the taxes, they can be wild. I brought a pair f Pumas last year while in Toronto & I swear there was at least 17 dollars in taxes; never again.
Safe Travels,
Bygbaby
I wonder do all Canadians speak French as their first language. Glad to read you having a great time in Montreal.
ReplyDeleteI heard Banff a beatiful place to visit and speand some quiet time. Maybe that be a cool place to visit next time...
Have a bless and great weekend.
=:O)
Happy Easter, Field!
ReplyDeleteAgain, I laughed out loud when I heard that term "patio negros." There was a report of Brazilian television today about color-aroused bias, and a Black Brazlian said he had to cut off his dreadlocks to get a job as a security guard in a mall. We had a good discussion about that with my older daughter.
Even as the story aired, I was hitting the post button on my blog article entitled, "Free Your African Hair!" , for which my wife agreed to be a role model.
I was a little bit afraid to "go there," but so far the response has been good.
"See you" soon!
The majority of Canadians speak English as their first language. The federal government recognizes both English and French as official languages, but New Brunswick is the only province that officially recognizes bilingualism with roughly a 50/50 split of Anglos and Francos. Quebec, with its Bill 101, is at the other end of the spectrum recognizing and fervently promoting French while suppressing English. This is done under the guise of language preservation, but has many ramifications around the country where it is felt to be xenophobic and high-handed. I am conversationally passable in French, but am embarrassed by my inability at being fluently bilingual. Employment wise, Canada is your oyster if you are fluent in both official languages.
ReplyDeleteLa belle Province is a jewel in the North American crown to be true. Appréciez.
Yo Field good post hope you have been enjoying Canada
ReplyDeleteYo man, Montreal ain't really Canada. All of Quebec is pretty much an accomodation after the French lost the whole damn thing in the French & Indian War in the 1750s. Go out to Calgary, etc. and you'll see plenty of folk who pirate the Fox New signal from across the border...
ReplyDeleteYo man, his story is only half correct. Indeed you will likely find plenty of folk with pirate Fox News 'out west' as western Canada is where our right-wing fruit basket flowers, but as far as being in the real Canada? Yo, Field, you in it. 400+ years of Eastern Canadian culture and economy trump anything served up on the century old prairie.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Montreal for 28 years. I love the city. I miss it everytime I think about it.
ReplyDeleteMontreal in the springtime is the best. I hope you took some time to enjoy the nightlife. I know I would've! heh