Should I be Worried About Visiting Montreal

[Luv2play]

Sorry to hear about your experiences with Canadian immigration officers. Like any customs and immigration service, including the American, you can sometimes encounter a nasty officer. My last unpleasant experience was in Poland several years ago. I have never had a problem getting into the USA. Once I got off a plane from Tokyo at LA and I was the only caucasian on the flight. This US immigration officer, who saw me amongst a throng of Japanese disembarking from the plane, yelled to me and waved, saying, "this way sir". I just looked at him and replied "I'm an alien too" and went with the Japanese through the "alien" lines. You should have seen the look on his face!:o

[shy]

<<I have been hassled three times by Canadian immigration. One they separated me from my partner and grilled us about why we were there. Then there is that annoying tax you have to pay; it is not included in the airline ticket and they don't tell you about it until after you have checked in and gotten rid of your Canadian currency.>>

 

 

i've been traveling to toronto for probably 4 years now, quite frequently, as for the last two years i've owned a condo there. mostly i drive, but fly once in a while. the only time i experienced anything that could remotely come close to "being harressed" was when i was driving by myself, was asked where i was staying, and had a momentary mental lapse where i was struggling to remember the name of the bed and breakfast i had a reservation at. understandably, i think, i was asked to open my trunk and get out of the car. my trunk and luggage were searched, with no further problems. as with anything, if you have nothing to hide, there may be some minor inconveniences sometimes, but nothing to get upset about. as for the tax at the airport, i experienced that when i flew out of montreal back to the states mar 11th. when told i had to pay $15 i shockingly asked "wasn't that already included in the price of the ticket?", the woman answered, "not yet". it's apparently a new tax for that particular airport (which is in the process of improvements, or it might be an added security tax) that was recently added. since i always keep my canadian money for the next time i'll be in canada that wasn't a problem for me, but, yes, it was annoying at the time, thinking to myself, didn't i pay enough taxes, security fees, etc, when i paid for the ticket? again, keep in mind, this is not a canadian thing, fly all over the u.s., it's universal.

[+ glutes]

I say GO!!

Haven't been to Montreal in about 5 years, pleanty of boys to be had what a blast!!Just looked at the CBC news via CSPAN - they ARE fair and balanced in what is going on with the Iraq crisis.

[Guest Bitchboy]

I've been flying to Montreal and back for the past three years. They've had that tax ever since I started going, although it went from $10 to $15 a year or so ago. It as annoying, but now I know and am usually prepared. Believe it or not, they also accept credit cards!

 

As to the atmosphere at the airport, I've never been hassled nor stopped. They seem pretty business-like. As far as the friendliness of the Montreal people, I wish we were as welcoming in New York. Canadians seem to always be in a much better mood than me.

[Guest CTguy]

I just got back from Montreal today. It was GREAT. I love going to Campus during the day and Taboo in the evening. Everybody was very friendly. Going through customs at the Vermont border was actually easier than it has ever been. There was absolutely no wait going and coming back and I was not hassled at all. As far as the boys go they were all happy to see me. If you like the young twink boys you can never go wrong at Taboo. I find the dancers at Taboo to be the friendliest compared to the other clubs. They give the best private dances in the back room and also at your hotel ;-) The dancers at the other clubs are also gourgeous but they seem to have their limitations on what they will and won't do in private and are there just for the money. My guess is the majority of the dancers at the other clubs are straight whereas Taboo most of the boys are gay and they are there not only for the money but to have a good time also.

[+ Hoover42]

I guess I'm just a little too nervous for my own good!

 

Thanks for the all of the feedback. I have decided to go to Montreal after all. I'll be sure to submit a report when I get back.

[russ791]

In response to reply 4

 

Poor nakedtony...

I'm french-canadian and french-canadians used to be opened-mind and friendly. It's true that we are anti-war and we believe in pro-civil liberties...more than you.With such a closed-mind, stay un USA...You are so ungracious, arrogant ans snob...Peoples like you, american or not,are not welcome in Montreal. Guys like you are not welcome in any country where peoples believe in respect.

 

I want say thanks to the other guys who know that Montreal is in Canada, not in France and you can be sure that you are welcome not only four your money but because you're so nice.

[Guest Love Bubble Butt]

>On the other hand, it might not hurt to wear maple leaf

>shirts, patches and insignia when traveling around Europe.

 

I'd stay home before I would ever consider pretending to be from another country.

[Guest NakedTony]

>With such a closed-mind, stay un USA...You are so ungracious, arrogant ans snob...Peoples like you, american or not,are not welcome in Montreal.

 

Sorry you had to waste you time uninviting me to Montreal. I should have more clearly stated in my original post that I will NEVER visit Quebec. Your heart-felt, honest, and blunt comments will really not influence me to change my mind. I won't be spending my Loonies in Quebec.

 

I'm sure there are many people (some even ugly Americans like me) who enjoy Montreal and have a wonderful time there. However, I usually go to places while on holiday where I feel comfortable and welcome.

 

My distain for Quebec is not recently acquired and nor a result of the current war situation. There have been several incidents over the past 15 years that contributed to my personal decision not to travel to Quebec.

 

I'm sorry you were offended when I expressed my honest opinion.

[VaHawk]

Hey dude, I'm just curious as to why you feel the way you do about Quebec/Montreal. How can you make such statements about a place you have never been, and feel you will never go?

[jack]

CTguy, Campus/Taboo. That's my itinerary. Stay at the Hotel Govenuer (with excellent in door secured Parking). Taboo, in addition to the wonderful young twinks, is a very gracious place to be -- like, they'll save your place at the bar while you're getting a lap dance in back.

 

This is rather funny. But since the guys can't leave Taboo until closing at 2am, I tell them knock on my door to wake me up. They always do, then, hop into a nice warm bed . . . with me. Soooooooo nice. Soooo hot. What a place.

[Guest NakedTony]

In all honesty, I feel my comments on Montreal were rather harshly stated and I do regret being so out-spoken. However, the French, French Canadians, and Quebec are real "hot buttons" for me.

 

My first bad experience with the French was while visiting there several years ago. I found them to be very anti-USA, unfriendly, hostile and they seemed to go out of their way to screw the Americans. (I'm sure you think my attitude may have contributed to this but I didn't seem to have any problems in Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain, or the other countries I visited.)

 

Then I worked in Toronto for a couple of years. This was during the big mess where Quebec was threatening to become a separate nation. I had some good friends from Montreal who became my worst enemies over this issue. With them, the only "right" opinion was theirs and it became pure torture just being around them. And we won't even talk about the marches and protests where I was expected to host half a dozen of their closest, militant friends in my apartment. Their protests, and my association with them, almost got me kicked out of the country even though I did not support their cause or attend their protest. I swear I'm still on some Canadian list of protestors because I'm always stopped and searched while entering and exiting the country.

 

There were other factors, much more personal (and financial) that entered into the equation and I'm won't discuss them here. But it is sufficient to say that my experience with the French Canadians was not pleasant.

 

I'm sure I've only experience a small minority of the French Canadian population. It is unfair for me to judge them all based on my experience with a few. But, once you've been burned, you tend to stay away from the heat.

 

With NYC being a reasonable alternative to Montreal, I prefer to party there than going to Quebec.

[VaHawk]

Thank you for replying to my query, which you did not have to do. I knew that there had to be a valid reason that you felt the way you do, as I feel from all your other posts, that you aren't one to rail against others for no reason. IMO, despite your bad experiences otherwise, please give the French Canadians another chance as I have always found them to be wonderful people.

[+ glutes]

Well I just watched the CBC news via C-SPAN, lead piece was the US Ambassador to Canada berating the Canadanian government and people for their failure to 'support the US'. He justified this by saying , in essence, "You are not backing us up while we are under threat, we would back up you up without condition". He went on to give veiled threats saying there would be short term repercussions, when pressed what they were he said "You'll see".

Tell the Campus and Taboo boys you were born in Regina!!!

[Guest fukamarine]

>One American student serving in a cocktail party

>told me she was Canadian, but turned red when I asked what

>city she was from. She hadn't thought through her story in

>that much detail and had to confess that she was really from

>Kansas!

 

That sounds very believable and somewhat typical. I have found that most Americans (I said MOST so don't get your knickers in a twist)have little if any knowledge of geography outside of their own country and this seems especially true when it comes to their neighbor to the north. Can you imagine this student could not even think of ONE city to name in all of Canada. She didn't have to say Moose Jaw, but would Toronto have been beyond her?

 

Is this caused by the US educational system or what?

 

fukamarine

[Guest fukamarine]

>Well I just watched the CBC news via C-SPAN, lead piece was

>the US Ambassador to Canada berating the Canadanian government

>and people for their failure to 'support the US'. He justified

>this by saying , in essence, "You are not backing us up while

>we are under threat, we would back up you up without

>condition".

 

I totally agree with him. As a Canadian I am embarrased and outraged at our governments decision not to join in the war. And it is also true that if we were threatened, the first place we would look to for help would be the USA and it would be forthcoming without question.

It's time for our ancient drueling Prime Minister to step down!

 

fukamarine

[Luv2play]

I think reasonable people can differ on the issue of whether the USA was under "direct threat" from Saddam Hussein. After 12 years of sanctions, and the recent campaign of UN weapons inspections, there was no "direct" evidence that Saddam was re-arming, and there still is not any evidence after US forces have been on the ground for 5 or 6 days. Some people seem to think that Bush's doctrine of pre-emption gives the USA the right to invade anyone they perceive as a "threat". I don't think the rest of the world sees it the same way. Anyway, like any new departure in foreign policy, it is difficult to see where all this will take us. But there is much unease, to which the US Ambassador to Canada should be sensitive. But like all ambassadors, he's just saying what he's told to say by Washington.x(

[+ glutes]

L2P, I agree.

Where this war will take us is what scares me, as it should alot of people. WHen those precision missles fell into Iran I remarked "Oh they must be for the next war"

I'd like to hear from other Canadians on the US Ambassador issue from yesterday, and Hoovers question.

[Matt_Vancouver]

>I think that this may be the first time ever that someone

>expressed a nervousness about Canadians.

 

HEY!!! We are tough up here...

Matt(training an elite fighting force of.... beavers)

[Matt_Vancouver]

> I swear I'm still on some Canadian

>list of protestors because I'm always stopped and searched

>while entering and exiting the country.

 

I'm Canadian and I still get pulled aside and searched every time I enter the country.

As for being pulled aside exiting... well that would be the US customs agents, not the Canadians... and to be honest, I've had better luck with them than the Canadian customs agents.

 

Basing your opinion of about 8 million Canadians on your experience with a few, during a critical time for our countries unity, when 30 million people where looking at a potentially massive transformation in our nation, is ludicrous. It was a pretty volatile time for Canadians, and a touchy issue for a lot of people. You can't base an opinion on a persons behavior in times of stress.

It would be like me saying all Americans are racist towards people of arabic decent, because of a few scattered incidents of violence towards middle eastern people post 9/11.

 

Quebec is a great part of our county, rich in culture and history, not too mention a whole lot of HOT HOT HOT sexy french men. The American dollar goes far anywhere in Canada, so get up here and spend, have fun and don't forget to make your way to the west coast.

 

Matt(tourist attraction)

[Matt_Vancouver]

>I have been hassled three times by Canadian immigration. One

>they separated me from my partner and grilled us about why we

>were there.

 

OK first of all how many times has America accused Canada of

'being an easy access point for terrorists entering the US'? Being told that we need to tighten our borders and change our immigration policies.

Now there are complaints about the hassles you get when entering our country??

Complaints about 'security' taxes? How much is yours... like 5 bucks?? Ours is close to 30 per flight...

Can we ever win?

 

As for supporting the attack on Iraq. Our government has done what the majority of the population wants, and that is to follow the united nations lead. But even this had caused issues in our House of Commons, where the leader of the opposition has accused the Prime Minister of some sort of french Canadian allegiance to France....: ) Whoa, what an intellect on that one: )

Matt(anti-stupid)

[VaHawk]

>>I have been hassled three times by Canadian immigration.

>One

>>they separated me from my partner and grilled us about why

>we

>>were there.

 

I haven't been to Canada since 9/11 but will be going to Montreal in June, but of the many times I have been there the only hassle I ever got was from American guards when coming back to the U.S. I had to go to the security office and be personally searched, have everything removed from my bags and grilled with many insulting questions, such as "what the hell were you doing in Canada?". Well pardon my surprise when they found my unused condoms and asked "What are these". My reply was "They are condoms, and if you had a dick you would know what they were without asking". To say that response did not go over well, would be an understatement.

 

>OK first of all how many times has America accused Canada of

>'being an easy access point for terrorists entering the US'?

>Being told that we need to tighten our borders and change our

>immigration policies.

 

Good point! I do believe the terrorists from 9/11 just waltzed in thru the U. S. borders didn't they? Didn't they take flight training in Florida, party in Las Vegas for a goodbye to life and half of them get driver's licences right here in good old Virginia?

 

Bush and the current administration are just so totally pathetic! When they start to attack Canada, it is past time to question their legitimacy as a voice of the American people.

:-(

[DallasTony]

"Then there is that annoying tax you have to pay; it is not included in the airline ticket and they don't tell you about it until after you have checked in and gotten rid of your Canadian currency."

 

It was discontinued on 1 April 2003 when the new Transborder Terminal Gates opened. Even more strangely only a few weeks before the airport had intoduced ATM style Tax Payment machines for Credit and Debit Cards, wonder what happened to them...But then Montreal Dorval Aiport is managed by The Irish Airports Company Aer Rinta.