Canada province/city impression thread

[Brisco Bold]

Are you sure I've sold you a game, Andrew? I was probably the black guy at the counter, avoiding the incoherent guy asking about the latest EA game Prince of Persia.

[Drewbacca]

I can't remember if you sold me a game or not.

As incoherant as I may be, I think everybody deserves the chance for some expensive cheese at the fine restaurant. Dare to dream Brisco, I know I do.

[Diff-chan]

C'mon DiffX... I thought it was the one thing we had in common!

I dunno Ive never been there. Nor have I ever wanted to, because, like I said, I barely ever hear from this supposed Canadian culture mecca.

And nobody is really convincing me that it is a place worth going to.

[icepop]

I can get all that in Toronto too... minus the euro-ness.

I'm sure you can. I wasn't trying to say Montréal was in any way better than Toronto. I was only defending it. It's true that there is a lot to do in Toronto and yes, yes, I admit it's only Spadina that smells really bad (and occassionally the smoggy stench that rises up over the city from Lake Ontario). Anyways, I'm not saying everyone should move on up to Montréal ... I just personally love the city and hate the French jokes. I find there's a uniqueness to the city that I have yet to experience elsewhere.

[Diff-chan]

In my experience there is uniqueness to virtually every place you go.

[Drewbacca]

A uniqueness that would make 90% of the human race feel oddly out of place because they're not used it?

In my experience there is uniqueness to virtually every place you go.

Seriously man. But if you try to ask for some cheese at the kart after dinner they'll look at you like you're out of your fucking mind. I mean, c'mon waiter, just pass the good shit this way.

[Brisco Bold]

[COLOR=Black]

And nobody is really convincing me that it is a place worth going to.

Ignoring the fact that I love the city, but it's truly an amazing place. Especially if you're coming straight from America. People are nice there (unless you meet a few club bouncers in a back alley like some guy I saw, but that's an isolated incidence...) it's hard to explain how good it feels to be there. You feel... I dunno, liberated from the hustle and bustle.

[Drewbacca]

Oh, liberated? Any drug will give you this sensation.

Also, if you're thinking about entering mail-in contests forget about it. In most contests Quebec isn't eligible. If that's no deterent I don't know what is.

[sggg]

Aside from the jazz festival, which is cool, but not unlike a million other music-related festivals in the USA (Milwaukee has a huge one, I heard about), that other stuff you mentioned isn't all that great.

Im not saying Montreal is shitty or anything, but if it contributed as much to world culture as sggg said, you know, youd think you would hear about it more... I mean I hear about Sydney, London, Tokyo, Berlin, Beijing, even like Buenos Aires all the time, but not Montreal.

I hear about Toronto and Vancouver way more than Montreal, actually.

Well, you're hardly worldy. That's why. Anyway, I'd say that Montréal has a very esteemed international reputation. It's almost always included in the lists of major international cities - both in the US and around the world. The city is one of the top tourist destinations in North America and is reknowned for it's nightlife and internationally famous festivals (Jazz, Comedy, Film, Winter, Light, there are too many to name) as well as European charm and old port.

Montréal produces a great deal of entertainment in both French and English. Québec has it's own film industry and Montréal is the centre of it. Many films receive their NA premieres in Montréal every year. Many television shows are produced in the city. Many English language films are shot in the city, where it often doubles for for NYC. A great number of authors, playrights, and musicians/bands hail from the city or have relacted there. John Lennon recorded Give Peace a Chance in the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in 1969. Montréal is home to one of the largest animation industries in the world and is establishing a reputation for game studios. The city is not quite on par with Paris or Milan but it's one of the hubs in the world of fashion. Montréal has the world's largest underground city. Montréal is one of the culinary capitals of the world, world famous for it's restaurants, chefs, and unique cuisine. Montréal is famous for it's sex industy and liberal attitudes towards sex, and tolerance towards gays and lesbians. Montréal is a centre of learning and is home to several world famous English and French universities (#1 in NA per capita), such as McGill. Many prestegious Canadian organisations are centred in Montréal, such as the National Film Board.

Montréal is acknowledged as the birthplace of hockey and is home to the most successful team in NHL history. The Bell Centre is (or "was"?) the world's largest indoor arena. Montréal hosted the 1976 Olympics and 1969 World's Fair (one of the two most successful World's Fairs in history along with NY's in 64). Many famous athletes have come from the city, countless hockey players like Rocket Richard, Mario Lemieux, and Martin Brodeur as well as F1 drivers Gilles and Jacques Villeneuve. Montréal is home to one of the most popular stops on the Grand Prix.

Historically speaking, Montréal was going to be the base for the British government if Germany had taken Britain in WWII. All of Britains assets including the crown jewels were stored in MTL during the war. When it was built Place Ville-Marie was the largest building in the world (in area). The Sunlife Building was once the tallest building in the former British Empire.

Ok, I'm getting tired of typing but you get the point. None of that really matters. What it comes down to is that you may not know MTL from a hole in the wall but it's still one of the 5-6 most famous cities in North America and the #1 city in Canada (sorry Toronto, you may have more people and more corporate HQs now, but people don't visit a place for those reason).

*yawn*

I should work for the tourist bureau.

I can get all that in Toronto too... minus the euro-ness.

Great food in Toronto?!

Anyway, I'm not taking digs at TO. It's not so bad and like I said somewhere in this thread, has many nice features like the multi-culturalism.

Well... I CAN get that in Toronto, but I have to live in the fucking yuppie-infested burbs.

Montréal has the lowest cost of living of any major city in North America.

[Brisco Bold]

Historically speaking, Montréal was going to be the base for the British government if Germany had taken Britain in WWII. All of Britains assets including the crown jewels were stored in MTL during the war. When it was built Place Ville-Marie was the largest building in the world (in area). The Sunlife Building was once the tallest building in the former British Empire.

I thought that was Camp X? That was in Ontario... sorry.