# Things I learned visiting Montreal last week as an American **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2015, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700 "2015-08-24T07:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/21 "2015-08-24T17:26:51Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > 1. You don’t swipe your own credit card, or give it to restaurant staff to run it for you. They pull out a old-timey calculator type device which you can even punch in the percent tip on it, then hand it back to the vendor. This was with hotels, cab drivers, tourist shops, everywhere. The “old-timey calculator type device” is actually a new-fangled wireless terminal that is pretty much ubiquitous across Canada and was introduced after chip cards with PINs became universal. Another feature I like with smart credit cards is the contactless RFID feature at store checkouts – for limited amounts (typically under $50 or under $100 depending on merchant type) you just hold the card near the terminal, it beeps, and you’re done. > [@russian\_heel](#): > > 1. Downtown Montreal is vibrant, young, energetic with amazing architecture. I’ve always loved Montreal’s architecture. Much more elegant than Toronto. I hope you made it down to Old Montreal – lots to see and lots of great restaurants there. > [@russian\_heel](#): > > 1. Despite how much Canadiens laugh at us Americans, there were a surprising amount of homeless people in Montreal. Montreal’s economy has long been affected by the political situation in Quebec, where among many other things many major companies moved out to Ontario. Surprisingly, though, there’s a thriving aerospace and pharmaceutical sector. ---
**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/22 "2015-08-24T17:59:07Z")
I’m guessing you stayed away from the strip clubs and seedier bars. The people there are extremely good at separating you from your money, whether through simple high prices, or more blatant tactics like intimidation and grab and run theft. Spent a New Years eve in the city recently with some guy friends (ages 20ish to late 30’s) and have a long night’s-worth of stories that are all sad. The only fond memories I have of that trip occurred when the sun was up and everyone was sober. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/23 "2015-08-24T20:42:37Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > The people there are extremely good at separating you from your money, whether through simple high prices, or more blatant tactics like intimidation and grab and run theft. Spent a New Years eve in the city recently with some guy friends (ages 20ish to late 30’s) and have a long night’s-worth of stories that are all sad. A friend spent a year at McGill and reminisced fondly about her evenings spent patronizing “the ballet”, as she called it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/24 "2015-08-24T22:42:20Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > A friend spent a year at McGill and reminisced fondly about her evenings spent patronizing “the ballet”, as she called it. Yep, and a lot of the places are very upscale with gorgeous women. So I hear. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/25 "2015-08-25T03:24:52Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > I have Grade 9 French, tops. One time in Montreal I asked at a restaurant “Pardon moi, ou est la salle de bain, sil vous plait?” (Excuse me, where is the bathroom, please?) The server answered me in French but when I just looked at him wide-eyed he said in English “Upstairs on the left.” 😃 Well, “salle de bains” isn’t really the word you were looking for,\* and “pardon” isn’t a verb, but none of that should have been all that confusing to anyone. It would mark you as someone who doesn’t speak French all that well, though. [SUP]\*You wanted “les toilettes.”[/SUP] ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/26 "2015-08-25T04:29:58Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’ve spent a couple vacations in Quebec - mostly Quebec City, but a bit of Montreal, Mount Tremblant, and other smaller towns. I found that as soon as they found out we were Americans, English was fine. They were, however, pissy at the thought of other Canadians not speaking French. > > Last time we went, about 2 years ago, we couldn’t get anyone to even speak French to us, which was a bummer because we wanted the practice. Same here. The waiter at the hotel stuck to French specifically because we told him we would like to try and of course he wanted to humor the paying guests, but he definitely slowed down and Paris-ified his accent for us. We had a lady come up to us on Rue St. Catherine and start jabbering at us in French about how she couldn’t find her hotel and could we give her directions, yadda yadda. We understood her just fine and my French is passable enough to give basic directions, so I nodded reassuringly and turned to my mother and asked her in English to let me have our map to show her, and as soon as the lady heard us talking she switched over. I was so disappointed. Most places would greet us with “Hello bonjour” and then wait to see which language we answered in. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/27 "2015-08-25T04:36:35Z")
Are gas stations self serve? Do most cars have block heaters? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/28 "2015-08-25T04:42:55Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Are gas stations self serve? It varies. > [@](#): > > Do most cars have block heaters? I did not know that there were cars without block heaters until quite late in my teens (grew up on the prairies, but I think block heaters are universal in Canada.) ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/29 "2015-08-25T05:00:22Z")
For $120 extra (on top of the $100 air-conditioning tax). ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/30 "2015-08-25T05:35:08Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I didn’t realize the Expos were no more. I just checked the Wikipedia article to learn they’re now the Washington Nationals. I suppose I don’t follow baseball very much. I also realize that their logo looks like a pair of cock-and-balls rubbing up against each other, although I won’t mention that if I’m ever in Montreal (and it really is on my bucket list). > > When I lived in the Toronto area for a while, a lot of the local natives taught me about their “cereal box French.” What types of things did you try to say to the locals? It sounds like it went down well. For like the third time I crash coursed the _**Pimsleur French [sound recording] : the short course. New York, NY : Simon and Schuster Audio [producer] : Prince Frederick, MD : Recorded Books [distributor], 2001.**_ I kinda kicked myself since I booked this trip months ago, and could have gone on to get the next level Pimsleur stuff, but procrastinated. Anywhoo if you making a quick trip to a French speaking country I highly recommend it because you learn the basic phrases in a week, and the focus is on pronunciation. Theres no textbook, no reading required. Like I said, I was no language seamster, but I could get out “How are you?” “I don’t understand French”, etc etc with ease. I did notice some people chuckled when I used “Pardon” as “excuse me” if I bumped into someone. Also if flying in, doesn’t hurt to look at the French side of the Customs form; I picked up French words for name (nom), country etc which helped me log onto Wifi at 3 Brasseurs! ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/31 "2015-08-25T05:37:15Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Interesting. I know some other franchise movings have caused some bitterness. Or so i hear. See Cleveland and the Ravens. The difference is Montreal had bad attendance and a bad stadium, and it was well known the Expos might even be folded for a long time so it was a inevitable the Expos were probably going to leave and the fans expected it; the Browns had a bad stadium deal but a rabid fan base, and Art Modell kinda moved them out in the dark of the night. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/32 "2015-08-25T05:40:13Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I did not know that there were cars without block heaters until quite late in my teens (grew up on the prairies, but I think block heaters are universal in Canada.) They seem to be now, but they weren’t always. They were an option. Which is why my Dad’s car never started in Calgary winters back in the 1960s–he chose not to get a block heater. To the OP: Did you get to experience genuine Montreal smoked meat? That’s a treat I always seek out when I’m in town. If you didn’t have any, then you’ll have to return someday. No visit to Montreal is complete without a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz’s. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/33 "2015-08-25T05:40:18Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I think Expo fanship covered a lot of Canada and fans from Canada come down to see Nats when they are that close. The Expos were established before the Blue Jays, and so were the first Canadian franchise; and its my impression many Canadians hate Toronto, in the same way Americans hate New Yorkers, British hate Londerers, etc etc. so I can see why some Canadians might be Expo fans, that said, if I lived in Vancouver Id kinda be a Mariners fan, no? ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/34 "2015-08-25T05:45:47Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The “old-timey calculator type device” is actually a new-fangled wireless terminal that is pretty much ubiquitous across Canada and was introduced after chip cards with PINs became universal. Another feature I like with smart credit cards is the contactless RFID feature at store checkouts – for limited amounts (typically under $50 or under $100 depending on merchant type) you just hold the card near the terminal, it beeps, and you’re done. It really makes tip giving easy. > [@](#): > > I’ve always loved Montreal’s architecture. Much more elegant than Toronto. I hope you made it down to Old Montreal – lots to see and lots of great restaurants there. I did. As a matter of fact, our group had a dinner at a very old restaurant, where we had poutain and pork tacos. I left the event early because the food sucked, and I was getting drunk and didn’t want to make a spectacle of myself, and walked from Old Town to Centre-Villa back to Rue St-catherine to get real food. The next night a Hab I had dinner with apologized up and down, said this was not typical of the food there, and they didn’t serve us real poutain, which to me still sounds gross. > [@](#): > > Montreal’s economy has long been affected by the political situation in Quebec, where among many other things many major companies moved out to Ontario. Surprisingly, though, there’s a thriving aerospace and pharmaceutical sector. I don’t want to give the impression there were piles of homeless bums on top of one another down each alley. As a matter of fact, most of the ones on Ste-Catherine looked like washed out hipsters. But I did see my share of the skinny, frazzled homeless, including the roadside panhandlers. It should be noted, BTW that despite the political situation, Montreal’s population is GROWING again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it hit the 2 million mark by 2050. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/35 "2015-08-25T06:22:57Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > 1. You don’t swipe your own credit card, or give it to restaurant staff to run it for you. They pull out a old-timey calculator type device which you can even punch in the percent tip on it, then hand it back to the vendor. This was with hotels, cab drivers, tourist shops, everywhere. > [@wolfpup](#): > > The “old-timey calculator type device” is actually a new-fangled wireless terminal that is pretty much ubiquitous across Canada and was introduced after chip cards with PINs became universal. Swiping a credit card hasn’t been done in Canada for some years. I was quite surprised, on a recent visit to the US, to find that I had to swipe my card on a terminal affixed to the taxi that took me to my hotel. (I got out and was standing on the curb wondering why the driver wasn’t handing me the wireless device; as it turned out, I had to get back in the cab to swipe my card on the terminal affixed to the back of the front passenger seat.) Here in Canada, the driver hands me a wireless terminal (yes, like an “old-timey calculator type device”), I insert chip side first, and complete the transaction. Even on the curb. 🙂 I have noticed that all card terminals locally have swipe sides. I guess that’s for the visiting Americans whose cards have no chips. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/36 "2015-08-25T06:34:09Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The “old-timey calculator type device” is actually a new-fangled wireless terminal that is pretty much ubiquitous across Canada and was introduced after chip cards with PINs became universal. Another feature I like with smart credit cards is the contactless RFID feature at store checkouts – for limited amounts (typically under $50 or under $100 depending on merchant type) you just hold the card near the terminal, it beeps, and you’re done. I was just in Australia, and it’s the same there. Many merchants were rather bemused at my quaint American credit card with no RFID and no PIN. The US is actually the “old-timey” one here; we’re behind plenty of other countries when it comes to consumer banking tech and security. > [@Spoons](#): > > I have noticed that all card terminals locally have swipe sides. I guess that’s for the visiting Americans whose cards have no chips. Yep, same in Australia. I had to swipe, then when it asked for my PIN, i hit ENTER, and it then printed out a receipt and required a signature. My Aussie friends just inserted or tapped, and were done. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/37 "2015-08-25T08:00:27Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Do most cars have block heaters? Bloc Québécois ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/38 "2015-08-25T08:08:31Z")
Speaking of block heaters, I find we’re going in the other direction now. Years ago a lot of people had them, however as technology has improved over the last decade or two they don’t seem to be as popular. My current car doesn’t have one and I’ve had no problems starting up even at -30 C. We get the same weather here in Ottawa as Montreal gets. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/39 "2015-08-25T10:16:51Z")
In the Maritimes I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with their car plugged in regardless of the temperature. I’d estimate that only 10% of the people I know have a block heater installed. As well no apartments seems to offer a plug-in in the parking spaces. When I was in Winnipeg 20 years ago it seemed to be de rigeur. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700/40 "2015-08-25T23:23:31Z")
I don’t know much about cars, but I often have my car plugged in during the winter here in Montreal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-i-learned-visiting-montreal-last-week-as-an-american/728700.md?page=3)