Oh Canada

Here are a couple of quick observations about my time in Canada.

If you think cigarettes are expensive in the States, don’t come up here. I was at a connivance store yesterday and the lady in front of me got a pack of Belmot’s. It was $10. That is 50 cents a smoke. Of course that money that smokers pay goes into health care which of course would never go over in the good old US of A.

Canadian’s recycle. Everywhere I go I see recycle bins. Hell there is one in my hotel room. They talk about green technology and I had a lady when I asked what printer she prints to tell me she doesn’t print anything out as it is not environmentally conscious. That was quite refreshing.

One word, diversity. Toronto at least is beyond diverse. I live in Chicago a pretty diverse city but, like most big cities ethnicities tend to stick to the same part of town. The Irish are on the south burbs, the African American’s have their territory on the south side of the city, the Mexicans population has Pilsen, the Jewish have Skokie and so on. So far whenever I go anywhere I see a rainbow of people and that is pretty damn cool

I try but every time I hear “Eh” from someone here all I think about are Bob and Doug Mackenzie. The Mackenzie Brothers for those that were having sex in the 80’s were an SCTV skit portrayed by Rick Morains and Dave Thomas. In it they used to end every sentence with “Eh.” Well, not everyone but, I have caught a lot of the locals using the “Eh, and I find it endearing.

The beer is definitely stronger. I felt like a lightweight the other night. I had two pints of Molson’s with my dinner and on the walk back to my hotel I kind of started to get the feeling of lightheadedness. That just should not happen. The beer is stronger here, and Molson is damn good.

People seem friendlier. Maybe it is just me but, man everyone here is so fricken nice. I mean they go out of their way to be pleasant. From the guy at the rental car agency to the concierge at my hotel to everyone in my office I haven’t run into one asshole yet. That is saying something, as usually I run into a least a couple on my day to day activities back at home.

The food is not great. Maybe I am just not eating at the right places. But so far, none of the meals I have eaten have blown me away. Maybe I am spoiled living in Chicago, which I consider the best food city in the States, but Toronto from a culinary perspective hasn’t wowed me. One lunch in particular was brutal. I am trying to find places on yelp but even with that so far, not so good.

It is nice not seeing a strip mall, a Starbucks and Applebee’s on every corner. One thing about traveling at home is that no matter where I go, there is this growing sameness look. It is like suburbia living has taken over and you see the same five corporate restaurants wherever you go. Everything has this same look and feel. I like seeing buildings and places of business that are not McBox stores. Here in Toronto you get that. (With the exception of a Tim Horton’s on every corner, but their Timbits rock so, it is all good.)

The rumors are true they love their hockey up here. The NHL is the equivalent of the NFL back home. I like hockey myself so, it is all good. I realize it is still spring training but in the paper there is very little in the sports section regarding the Blue Jays. It is all Maple Leaf’s, all the time. The sports radio is all hockey and even had a professional curler interviewed, but very little baseball chatter. Kind of like hockey in the US, I guess.

They move slower up here. Maybe it is just me and my fast paced usual hyperactive self but, the people just don’t have that sense of urgency I am used to. Not saying it is a bad thing, it just is. I ordered dinner the other night, and I had time to shave by the time my roasted chicken got to me. I’ve had similar experiences wherever I have eaten at. It must be a Canadian thing.

The Metric system. The metric system is a tool of the Devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead and that’s the way I likes it.

They speak two languages here and gasp, everyone lives just fine with it. I was told Toronto is mostly English speaking and it is. However, I have heard some French here and there and I see a lot of signs and what not in both languages and I don’t think anyone gives two shits. It just makes those in America who get their balls in an uproar over the whole Spanish thing look foolish.

As much as I like Canada and Toronto it isn’t home. No matter where I travel to and no matter how nice it is where I am at, after about 3-4 days max, I am missing Chicago. This is why I could never move away. I miss so many things and my routines. Politically I despise a lot of things that go on in America but, I still despite what the right will try to tell you, I am a USA loving, pinko, commie liberal. I love America despite its faults and I know this may be hard to grasp, but yes we do have faults. We are not perfect and I think we could learn things from other countries and ways of life to make things better. We are not always wrong, but we are not always right either. Sometimes, I think people have a hard time coming to that conclusion, which is the root of a lot of our political discourse.