Comments on: Ottawa vs Montréal: A Day in the Life

By: hmm

hmm — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:35:16 +0000

sorry to quote you nearlynormalized but.. by
“One has to remember to “keep the puck on the ice” oh, I forgot that is Toronto…”

.. did you mean keep your stick on the ice? loll

By: Em

Em — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:36:21 +0000

Number 7 is so true! It freaked me out a bit at first.

Also, people just seem to be more eager to make eye contact in Montreal. It’s refreshing. The people of Ottawa (and the rest of Ontario it seems) aren’t big on eye contact with strangers… like when passing someone on a sidewalk, or even talking to cashiers or waiters etc. I find it strange.

By: XUP

XUP — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:36:44 +0000

OYH – I used to have a big crush on Boston when I was much younger. I can’t remember why — probably something I was reading. I managed to visit a few times and it IS a lovely city. And, no doubt the food is WAY better in Montreal than most places. I would have thought Boston could import NY goods? They’re pretty good at smoked meat and bagels. But then again, smoked meat isn’t very healthy, is it???

UP – Goes without saying — whatever city you live in, you want to be in the city, not the burbs. The Plateau is THE place to live, in my books.

By: Urban Panther

Urban Panther — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:02:27 +0000

I had never been to Montreal in my life, and now I’ve been three times in the last year. I LOVE it. I’m from Toronto, but would take Montreal over Toronto anyday. It just seems way more cosmopolitan. I do like Ottawa, but we are rather stuffy Loyalists. If I moved to Montreal, it would have to be downtown though. The Lion’s mother and brother live out in the ‘burbs. A burb is a burb is a burb. Doesn’t matter which city.

I am very intrigued by the sex shops right next to the grand churches. Sin and repent, all within a couple feet of each other. It’s great!

By: ownyourhealth

ownyourhealth — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:15:09 +0000

Forgot one BAD thing about Boston — those doughy American bagels! Love those Montreal bagels. Also can’t get smoked meat or decent pickles here. Pastrami just doesn’t do it. In fact, come to think of it, the food is WAY better in Montreal!

By: ownyourhealth

ownyourhealth — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:11:52 +0000

Boston has a very rich cultural life – so similar to Montreal in that way. It’s a very livable city, so similar to both Montreal & Ottawa. What I love most about Boston — as a medical/science writer — is the astonishingly high-level medical and research resources here. I have been privileged to co-author health books with docs from Harvard Medical School “translating” complex health info for use by ordinary folks like us!

By: XUP

XUP — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:21:22 +0000

OYH – Thanks for finding me. How does Boston compare to Montreal or Ottawa?

Jobthingy – Yes, the arm waving thing is also very European. They do everything with just a little more verve.

By: Jobthingy

Jobthingy — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:36:51 +0000

LOL! the arm waving is a french thing. i do it all the time. you dont want to be in a room with all my family. if you arent prepared youll get smacked in the face during a simple conversation about baking.

i could never live there. i am much happier in Ottawa.

By: ownyourhealth

ownyourhealth — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:08:22 +0000

I lived in Montréal for the first 20 years of my life, graduated from McGill and then Ottawa for 2, before falling in love with an American (of all things!) and moving to Boston. If I had to choose between my two Canadian home cities, it would be Montréal all the way! Love the French culture & language, food, ambience, and lively people! Ottawa was pleasant, but no comparison!

By: XUP

XUP — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:52:52 +0000

Bob – I lived in Toronto for many years. It’s a fine place for a young single person getting started in his/her career. It has many cool neighbourhoods and there’s always lots happening. I don’t think I could live there again, though — but, never say never — and it would depend on what part of Toronto.

Debra – Well, maybe you could put it on your “to do” list? I’d welcome you with open arms

Linsey – Canada is great. Parts of Vancouver are clean and nice, but other parts are totally out of control with poverty and homelessness drugs and prostitution. The weather is warmer there than most parts of Canada, but it also rains a lot. It’s probably the most expensive city in which to live in this country, as well. The provincial government is more progressive in some ways than other provinces – environmental policies, health care/alternative health care. A lot of old hippies went there to die and that’s reflected in many of the city’s and adjoining island’s communities.

NN – Hmmm. I don’t think there’s anything like New York, but I reckon Toronto would be closer than Montreal. Montreal retains more of a European flavour.

Woodsy – Well, hop on over for a weekend!

Cedar – Even before you posted in French, I knew you didn’t really mean that.