Montreal: Food, Fun and Shopping

by Neil Woodburn on

Montreal continues to intrigue me. This little slice of Europe in North America seems to beckon from so many different travel magazines I crack open. This month, it’s Budget Travel.

As a sign of the times, Budget Travel turns to a couple of local Montreal bloggers to introduce its readers to all the best that this city has to offer, broken conveniently down to three categories: Shop, Play, Eat.

While the shopping and playing categories certainly shouldn’t be overlooked, the article hones in on that which Montreal is most known for: its restaurants. In fact, My Montreal Is Better Than Yours, is written by two bloggers who run the epicurean-focused site, EndlessBanquet.com. Because, as they explain, Montreal’s culinary scene is indeed an endless banquet of foodie delight.

The best part about all of this is that the article appeared in Budget Travel; that means that the suggestions on where to dine won’t break the old pocketbook. And, the fact that I won’t have to travel all the way to Europe to experience some old world ambiance along with my meal should help matters as well.

Now, all I have to do is get myself there. In the meantime, I’ll be stashing this article away in my Montreal To Do file.

(photo via Catherine Hine on Flickr)

One for the Road: 1,000 Places to See in the U.S. and Canada

by Kelly Amabile on

Yesterday we suggested a tool to use for logistical aspects of your travel planning. Today we overwhelm you with a list of destination choices for North America, a semi-tribute to America during the recent holiday.

Earlier this spring, Patricia Schultz, author of the mega 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, released a second version:1,000 Places to See in the USA and Canada Before You Die. So now you’ve essentially got about 2,000 places (minus the overlap) to choose from. Yikes!

This 1,200-page monster has loads of suggestions for travelers — things you can do this summer and throughout the year. The book is organized by region, and includes subject-specific indices sorted by interest — wilderness, great dining, best beaches, world-class museums, sports and adventures, road trips, and more. And hey, mom and dad — there’s also a handy index that breaks out the best destinations for travel with kiddies. Plenty to pick from in this one!

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Canada Day: Look Before Peeing!

by Neil Woodburn on

Like all foolish young men out late and having fun, I sadly contributed to the occasional act of unsanctioned public urination in my youth. Of course, by “public” I simply mean that it occurred in an outdoor location as private as possible and it was out of desperation when no other alternative was within waddling distance. And of course, I made sure that it wasn’t in Red Square, atop someone’s grave, straddling a bridge over a highway, or in some other inappropriate location.

Others, however, are less discerning in their acts of public peeing. Take for example the case of a 23-year-old man from Montreal who got so drunk he didn’t realize that he had chosen the hallowed grounds of the National War Memorial in Ottawa to relieve himself. Although this certainly falls under the don’t-pee-on-a-grave rule, the inebriated youth compounded his problems with two other factors; he did his sacrilegious peeing on Canada Day and he was photographed while doing so.

This happened exactly a year ago today and since then the guy has apologized to an understandably angry Canadian public.

And now, to deter similar urine mishaps in the future, the Canadian government has installed cameras in the area. The new pee-cams will hopefully scare away urinators and ensure the sanctity of such historic monuments.

So, next time you find yourself in a strange city and feel the urge to unzip, spare a moment to look around and make sure that something historical does not lie at your feet–especially if you’re in Canada on Canada Day.

Air Canada is Set to Ban Pets in the Cabin

by Martha Edwards on

Air Canada is set to become the first Canadian airline to ban pets from riding in the cabin of its aircrafts. This news comes after one passenger had a severe allergic reaction to the the presence of a cat in a seat near her. Unfortunately, because the air on flights is recycled, allergic reactions often won’t go away simply by moving the pet to another seat away from the allergy sufferer.

Meanwhile, Air Canada‘s competitors, particularly Westjet, are taking advantage of the ban by attempting to woo pet lovers.

I’m an animal lover but I kind of agree with Air Canada — it’s not fair for allergy sufferers to bring your pets in the cabin. It’s also not really fair to make animals suffer in the belly of the plane, but I think pets suffer from any journey, no matter where they are on the plane. Here’s my solution: leave Fido at home or drive.

Tainted Toothpaste

by Jamie Rhein on

Perhaps you heard the brouhaha about tainted toothpaste coming from China. This was in the news a few weeks ago. Turns out, a nasty chemical called diethylene glycol was found in Chinese imported toothpaste in the Dominican Republic and Panama. What should be used is glycerin. The chemical, from what I read, is used in antifreeze. Great, I suppose, if you plan to smile a lot in below freezing weather. Then it might come in handy.

This toothpaste finding was not good news for China since they want people to feel like when they come to the Olympics in Beijing in 2008, they’ll be able to brush their teeth. Not to mention all the toothpaste from China is sold all over the world. Can you say rinse and spit. . . rinse and spit. . . and rinse and spit?

Most of the time when I’ve traveled, I haven’t worried too much about toothpaste brands when I haven’t had my own with me. China is in the process of rectifying their dental hygiene situation. Still, yesterday there was another toothpaste scare. Counterfeit Colgate was found with this chemical in Canada–or supposedly, it was found. There are investigations in the works. Bottom-line, read the label. For a caution about soap, click here.