Montreal

[PHV]

Mr. Checks, by panhandlers do you mean performing musicians (however good or bad), or do you mean homeless people begging?

I've lived here for two years, and the same homeless people, and panhandlers have occupied almost the EXACT same positions for the entire time I've lived here. On St. Catharine, there are maybe 10 people panhandling. Half of them are actually good.

There are far more homeless people in New York per block and in many of the other cities I've been to.

Most people like pan handling. Go to Europe. In cities like Vienna, pan handling is what makes the street experience special. There's some decent musicians performing on the street in Montreal. How that is "falling on hard times" I really don't know.

All I know is that there are more nice restaurants, hotels, stores, and arts institutions than there have ever been. But maybe I'm blind.

 

[Agreeable]

Quote:

(Agreeable @ July 05 2005,16:13)

Originally Posted by PHV,July 05 2005,15:09

Originally Posted by Mr Checks,July 05 2005,12:51

I would second the vote for Mount Royal itself, and add the extensive gardens too. Â I'm not into plants or gardening, but the gardens there are on a grand scale and very well-done, with representations from all over the world. Â This is a big, half-day trip. Sadly, the city seems to be falling on hard times a bit recently. Â Lots of panhandlers and poutine-resellers.
Fallen on hard times?? It's growing faster than ever with high dollar condos and the like...
Mr. Check...Since you obviously come from a hole (MidWest)..how can you possibility criticize Montreal and claim that it is undergoing "hard times"... I mean really Montreal is currently beginning to "boom" with new expensive condos being built left and right Like any other major city, Montreal does have homeless people who wander the streets and as to the poutine comment... it is illegal in Montreal to have street vendors, which makes it somewhat unique as in all other major cities there are hot-dog stands everywhere... Mr. Check failed to check the facts
Agreeable: #1. Â Change your name. #2. Â The "poutine" comment was based on an earlier comment in this thread. Â If you read the thread, you would have known that. #3. Â You caught me: I did not complete a study of the entire Montreal economy prior to my post. Â Instead, I relied on my eyes as I have perceived the city over the 23 years I have visited. Â I stand by the comment. #4. Â Â If you don't think that Montreal has a lot of panhandlers and is rough around the edges, then you are blind. Taste The Poutine
Is that you in the picture?

 

[Mr Checks]

PHV:  I love the city, which should have been clear from my first post (recommending the scnupe visit the botanical gardens), and I share your love of the restaurants, etc., but I have to admit to really being dismayed at my last visit in summer 2004.

At that time, the unemployment rate was about 8.0 (high by Canadian standards), the city seemed, well, dirty, and we had several people per (short) block begging for money, most of the them young and apparently able-bodied.  I'm not talking about the street/music scene, just druggies seeking money.

The area we were in (to the right (east?) of McGill) looked dangerous, in a way it had not in the past.  Hence my comparison in the offending post.

Agreeable:  yes, that's me in the picture.


Taste The Poutine

 

[PHV]

PHV:  I love the city, which should have been clear from my first post (recommending the scnupe visit the botanical gardens), and I share your love of the restaurants, etc., but I have to admit to really being dismayed at my last visit in summer 2004.

At that time, the unemployment rate was about 8.0 (high by Canadian standards), the city seemed, well, dirty, and we had several people per (short) block begging for money, most of the them young and apparently able-bodied.  I'm not talking about the street/music scene, just druggies seeking money.

The area we were in (to the right (east?) of McGill) looked dangerous, in a way it had not in the past.  Hence my comparison in the offending post.

Agreeable:  yes, that's me in the picture.


Taste The Poutine

Well, I will have to agree to disagree. The area to the right of McGill is the student "ghetto", which in fact has many nice buildings.

Also, Agreeable, who is French, might construe a slight xenophobic flavour from the poutine comment.

 

[Agreeable]

PHV:  I love the city, which should have been clear from my first post (recommending the scnupe visit the botanical gardens), and I share your love of the restaurants, etc., but I have to admit to really being dismayed at my last visit in summer 2004.

At that time, the unemployment rate was about 8.0 (high by Canadian standards), the city seemed, well, dirty, and we had several people per (short) block begging for money, most of the them young and apparently able-bodied.  I'm not talking about the street/music scene, just druggies seeking money.

The area we were in (to the right (east?) of McGill) looked dangerous, in a way it had not in the past.  Hence my comparison in the offending post.

Agreeable:  yes, that's me in the picture.

 

[PHV]

....

 

[j]

A new record - banned twice in one thread. Don't come back, ever, under any name. I wouldn't want to have to ban the IP range of all of Quebec.

 

[Mr Checks]

Oh, yikes, what have I done?

I really do like Montreal, and was just sounding one cautionary note. Please, do visit the Botanical gardens and be amazed, as I was.

PHV: I'll take your word for it that things are getting better: as indeed I hope they are.

 

[tattersall]

I wouldn't want to have to ban the IP range of all of Quebec.

At the risk of starting another flame, there are times when the rest of Canada would like to do exactly that.

I love Montreal and go every year. I'll echo the recommendation to visit L'Uomo for fine clothing; the Ritz is a perfect place for an elegant lunch; decide for yourself if St-Viateur bagels are better than Fairmount bagels (and whether both are better than NYC bagels...); lots of good shops and restaurants and bars on rue St. Denis; and, I could spend hours walking the narrow streets of Vieux Montreal.

 

[Fabienne]

At the risk of starting another flame, there are times when the rest of Canada would like to do exactly that.

This would please the QuÃ

becois to no end.  Unfortunately, the allophones prevented that from happening with the last referendum.

 

[tattersall]

This would please the QuÃ

becois to no end.  Unfortunately, the allophones prevented that from happening with the last referendum.

To some extent - the Michaud contingent in the Bloc continues to blame the immigrant population. This, to me, is hilarious because PQ is the only province with its own immigration requirements that favour French language speakers.

 

[Fabienne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fabienne,July 08 2005,09:59
This would please the QuÃ

becois to no end. Â Unfortunately, the allophones prevented that from happening with the last referendum.
To some extent - the Michaud contingent in the Bloc continues to blame the immigrant population. This, to me, is hilarious because PQ is the only province with its own immigration requirements that favour French language speakers.
It's not about blame, it's looking at how the population voted. *What I mean is this: in such a referendum, votes espouse linguistic borders; most anglophones were expected to vote no to the 95 referendum, and most francophones yes. The allophones, and to a lesser extent the Amerindians (whose participation was unequaled), were the wild card. But it was so very close. Incredible participation rate, though, in the low 90's, if I remember correctly. Bravo. Among my francophone QuÃ

becois friends, I guessed correctly what they had voted. For example: The older, richer, less educated couple I know in Quebec city voted no, whereas the younger university professors who are close friends of mine voted yes.* An Allophone is a person, in QuÃ

bec, whose native tongue is neither French nor English. Â But it is a sweet deal for immigrants to be given French lessons and (last time I heard) be paid for it. Â

*Edited for clarity.

 

[clarinetplayer]

When strolling down Ste Catherine, a stop at the Anglican Cathedral--above and below ground--is a must. What an engineering feat it was to hoist the cathedral on stilts so that underground shopping could be be built. Click the "development" tab. Cathedral on stilts