Friday, July 18, 2008

Canot Camping in bon Quebec

IMG_2569


IMG_2583Protecting our food from non-existant wolves and bears
IMG_2582Marilyn enjoying two days camping in the rain



The real French define their nationality by their language. Many of them speak English but choose not to. The lure of the tourist euro often overcomes this French nationalism. They will even speak in English to the arrogant tourist who assumes its OK to walk in a bar without as much as a 'bonjour' and demand 'full English breakfast'

We know that Quebec has a problem with federal Canada and that its French heritage is so very important. We can of course understand why they are so upset that Englishman Paul McCartney is playing for free and worse singing in English to celebrate Quebec's 400 year anniversary on the Plains of Abraham - where they got beat by the Brits. But they are a minority in an English speaking nation and next door to the biggest (quasi) English speaking nation on earth. So we assumed everyone in Quebec spoke English even if like the French they choose not. But its not the case. Finding a person who can speak good English is rare. Even in the tourist industry people have no or only rudimentary English.

Language apart its wonderful to find a 'European' attitude and culture in this North American desert. Especially after spending time in uptight Toronto where booze is treated like a hard drug and can only be bought from official government sanctioned drug dealers.





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