Heading to Canada

Hfx_Cdn said:

    Enjoy the east, the last I heard, lobster was selling for $3.50 a pound, which is VERY cheap

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In Maine maybe.  We paid 4.50$ at the wharf in Cap-Pel? last week for canners and 4.95$ in Bathurst on Mother's day.  Still very cheap compared to 12$/lbs a few years ago.

Tom, thanks for the link for English to French words; and thanks Steve for complying it.  I'm going to print it out and have it with me at all times.  I was just beginning to look up words and make a list of my own, but Steve's is better.

I had complied another message, but I think it got lost in cyber space during a heavy rain burst as I hit send.  Tim and I have been out of cyber communication for the last couple of days.  Basically my message said that I was gonna give it my all in Quebec.  I'm very comfortable meeting strangers, can easily make fun of myself and have a big warm smile.  Coupled with my list from Steve I think we'll be OK.

I do have a question that crossed my mind.  In the grocery stores, here in Ontario, we have found that the items are labeled with both French and English.  Is that true for Quebec?

As Tim mentioned on the other thread, we are in Vineland, Ontario and plan to stock up, check the long range weather so that we can see the Gaspe' pennisula and make sure one of our kitties is alright.  Cats always seem to spit-up, but this one is doing an excessive amount of it.  I had picked apple blossom stems to put in a vase for the coach and we've seen her eating some blossoms, so hopefully it's just an upset tummy.  If not, off to the vet we go.

BTW, rain, again, last night; but the sun is trying to shine through.  I think we'll go to a couple of wineries this afternoon....   More on the "Heading to Canada" thread.

Giles, if your sister and her husband can tackle the US with no english speaking skills, then we can do Quebec.    BTW, did you know ALL owners of Allegro Buses are great people, very friendly and very helpful.

Marsha~ Allegro Bus owner 

Hi Marsha,

I figured you had been having trouble getting online.

I had complied another message, but I think it got lost in cyber space during a heavy rain burst as I hit send.

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Next time that happens, click the Back button in your browser, and you original text should be intact. Highlight and copy/paste the text into a new message/reply.

In the grocery stores, here in Ontario, we have found that the items are labeled with both French and English.  Is that true for Quebec?

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I can't recall, but doubt it somehow. OTOH if it looks like a duck, and walks like a duck ....

You'll do just fine in Quebec. When all else fails, just remember to say "Je ne parle pas fran?ais" (aka I don't speak French) and put on an apologetic face. Just be sure to check out all the sites that various members have told you about, and I'm sure you'll have a blast.

Marsha/CA said:

I do have a question that crossed my mind.  In the grocery stores, here in Ontario, we have found that the items are labeled with both French and English.  Is that true for Quebec?

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Hi Marsha,

It depends on the product.  It is a requirement by law 101 that all products have French labeling in Qu?bec.  When I shop at Toys'r'Us.ca online, some of the toys that talk have a foot note saying they cannot be sold in Qu?bec because they are not available in French.  That's how tight the law is.

Since a lot of common products are sold country-wide, they put bilingual packaging (sometimes tri-lingual) in order to satisfy all markets.  For the companies, it's much easier to make bilingual packaging, that way they can distribute products anywhere in the country. 

If the product is made in Qu?bec and destined only for Qu?bec, it may have French only packaging.  If it's made in Qu?bec, but meant to also be sold elsewhere, the packaging will likely be bilingual.

While Qu?bec is the largest concentration of Francophones outside France, there are French regions throughout Canada.  New Brunswick is also an officially bilingual province with 33% of the population being Francophone.  So French labeling is also a requirement outside of Qu?bec, even though it's not a legal requirement as in Qu?bec.

Marc...

Ok another question,  what is the "prolatine" <spelling?> I'm supposed to try.

Marsha~

Marsha/CA said:

Ok another question,  what is the "prolatine" <spelling?> I'm supposed to try.

Marsha~

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Maybe you mean Poutine?  It is an artery clogger that comes in the form of french fries, topped with curd cheese (preferably fresh from the same day), topped with gravy.  As odd as it sounds, it is really delicious.  I would eat it regularly if it was not so fat.  That's a trademark dish in Qu?bec.

However, once you get to the Maritimes, the Acadians also have a dish called Poutine, more commonly called Poutine Rap?e, which consists of a boiled potato dumpling with a salted pork filling; it is usually prepared with a mixture of grated and mashed potato.  The Qu?bec style Poutine is also available in a lot of restaurants that sell french fries.  The Poutine Rap?e is limited to the Southeastern, NB, Kent county to be specific.

Marc...

John,  I'm not gonna miss Quebec.  I've decided I can be "bigger" than the english-french issue.  I'm nervous, but then I'm nervous with a lot of new situations....it's just me.

My husband and I have been practicing french and actually having fun.  I'm sure our pronunciation is not correct, but I plan to laugh at myself when I mess up and hope that the person I'm talking to will laugh also and help me with the correct pronunciation.

Marsha~

Thanks Marc,  We'll be sure and at least try it.

Now the Acadians' dish of Poutine Rape'e sounds very much like Poutine that the "Cajuns" prepare in Louisiana.  And if my memory is correct, the Cajuns are transplanted Acadians.  The word Acadians was difficult for the Louisiana folks to pronounce, so the name was changed over time to Cajun (sounds like ca jan  with a "long" a) We love Cajun dishes, so we'll be very happy, although artery impaired...

Marsha~

Marsha, you are absolutely right about the Cajun origins.  They were deported though, not transplanted  ;D.  If you are interested in history, you can read more here:  The Deportation

    Marsha, when you get to Nova Scotia,  there is a National Historic site in a place called Grand Pre, it is just outside of Wolfville, in the Annapolis Valley, about 60 miles from Halifax.  That is the Deportation site, and there is quite a nice museum the old church, etc.
    I have been bighting my tongue a bit, but given how long this has gone on, I will make the following point.  Although, there are some areas of Montreal that are tough neighbourhoods, and you not want to go out alone at night, for the most part you will be safe from physical harm virtually anywhere in Quebec, and certainly anywhere outside the center core of Montreal.  You can not say that about most of the east coast of the US.  So, in perspective, maybe a little language frustration is worth not having to be concerned that you could be in great danger if you take a wrong turn.

Ed

We have noticed many of the lakes in this area have a reddish/brownish tinge to the water color.

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Tim,

That color probably comes from the Tannin in nearby trees.  We noticed it in Michigan's Upper Peninsula at Taquemenon Falls and there, at least, it's natural because of the nearby forests.  Since then we've seen it in other places.

ArdraF

    Have you tried the Quebec website?  If not here is the hyperlink:

http://www.quebecregion.com/e/

Ed

Thanks Ed,

We had been warned (can't remember...old timers striking again) not to stay in the heart of Montreal.  It's kinda like mentioning to people not to stay in bad areas of Los Angeles.

Sorry we couldn't meet up with you both while we were in Ft. Wayne.  As we were driving into Ft. Wayne on Thursday afternoon, my sister called and ask me to pick up my mom who has Alzheimers.  She was in a behavioral evaluation clinic on the south side of town and I needed to take her back to her living facility in Angola.  I knew we couldn't get time to meet you guys.  Tim and I ended up stopping at a nearby rest park, unhooking the tow car.  He went onto Angola to set up the coach, and I retreived mom, who btw, didn't recognize me or remember me...<sigh>

Hopefully you'll be in town when we are in Halifax and we can at least meet for a coffee.

Marsha~

Marc, now that is interesting that they were deported.  What we read in Louisiana and were told by locals is that they moved there to avoid persecution, not forced to move; but moved voluntarily.

I'll definitely will check it out and the link you gave me was very interesting.  What we humans do to each other...<shaking my head>

Marsha~

Grand Pre is not to be missed if you're in that vicinity.  It's a real eye-opener!  Be sure to go inside the chapel there and look at the six huge paintings that have to do with the expulsion of the Acadians.  This is a very sad part of history.  The area had been settled by the French but then taken over by the British who took the French lands and pushed the people out of the area.  Families were split up with mothers, fathers, and children put on ships to different parts of the world.  Some went to Louisiana, some to Maryland, some to India, and many other countries.  It is their descendants worldwide who funded the building of this chapel.  The six paintings depict the six phases of this era and are quite moving.

ArdraF

Would you believe I am Acadian and never went to Grand Pr?.  And it's only 5 hour drive from where I live, or 3 hours on a ferry followed by 1 hour drive.  Sometimes, we take the stuff too close to us for granted and don't appreciate it.  Same with Fort Beaus?jour and Fort Louisbourg, I never visited either.

  Ardra, there is no doubt that they we "expulsed".  Historically what occured was that there was another England/France war brewing.  Even though the Acadians had been living in peace, and respecting the government, they were suddenly required by the governor to swear allegiance to the British Crown.  When they wouldn't, they were gathered together, put on ships and sent where ever the ship took them.  No care was given to allow families to be together, and it is likely the lower echelon soldiers separated families just to be mean.  As for where they went, the majority went into hard to reach areas of Atlantic Canada, for example the east coast of New Brunswick has a large Acadian population, and most of those descend from those shipped out of Grand Pre.
  Marsha, we ended up staying in Fort Wayne until the following Wednesday.  Donna was having so much fun doing research that I couldn't take that away from her.  We've both spent a lot of time in Archives and Libraries, she more than I.  All I can say is that the Allen County Library has to be the best thought out library I've ever seen.  Not only the genealogy section, but the whole rebuilt library.
  As for meeting up, depending on when we get fed up with the kids, and the grand children wear us down, we will bail out of Ottawa.  I expect that will be mid week next week, which may well overlap with you in Quebec City, or down the Gaspe.  FWIW, the drive along the St Laurence river on the north side from Montreal to Quebec City, and on the South Side really until past Rivere du Loup is worth the extra time.  I'm referring to the 2 lane road, not the 4 lane divided highways.

Tim Lassen said:

I wonder now if we make such distinction in our State and National campgrounds for seniors.

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Senior discount at national campgrounds is for U.S. citizens only. Many states also give discounts to seniors who are residents of that state, others give any senior the discount.

Wendy

      Wendy, I share the sentiment, last week when I crossed back into Canada, I was appalled at the price and service offered by the Province of Ontario.  We have a short rig at 34 feet, but when we went to book at our first choice, a note came up saying that we were too large, and that they'd take our money, including a $12 booking fee above the camping fee, but would not guarantee that we would fit, and NO REFUND if we didn't.  So I called, and was told, that although we would fit, don't bother coming to that park as we were too much trouble to accomodate.  So, we checked with another Provincial park only 20 or so miles away, they were very accomodating, but I had to use the on line booking, yes to the tune of $12.  So, I check,and according to the website, there are only 2 electric sites available, ie book on line or risk not getting in.  We arrive one day early, the drive being a little shorter than anticipated, and low and behold we are the ONLY campers in the park, and for the week end it was less than a quarter full, there was no need to pre-book.  I HATE getting "jived" and that's what happened.
      On the flip side, it was a delightful park, only an hour or so from my daughter's house, which allowed them to leave work and be htere in time for supper at the coach.
      I wish I could tell you how the Provincial Parks will be on the rest of your Canadian visit, but it has been so long that I can't say.  I do know that there are quite a few Passport Parks throughout the Maritimes, hopefully you will find those more to your liking. 

Tim,

Hope you enjoyed Niagara on the Lake, it is one of my favorite areas.  From there heading towards Hamilton are some lovely farms where you can pick all sorts of fruit, although it may be a bit early in the season for that.  We used to enjoy just taking a day to drive around and explore the side roads.

I didn't realize there were non-resident fees in Canadian parks, i'd only heard of that in Africa.  We recently booked into Masaai Mara game park for this coming December when some relatives are coming to visit.  Their package is about 4 times more expensive than ours.  There are three price schedules here, one for Kenyans (park entry fee $5), non-Kenyan residents (park entry fee, $10-12), and non-residents (about $60).  Here it is in order to get money to support the parks and to allow locals to be able to afford to go, and mostly because they can get away with charging foreigners more.  I have no idea why there would be a difference in Canada, all i can think is Canadians pay taxes which may go to support the provincial parks.