Bob of Montreal
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
AT&T Wireless Having Major Technical Difficulties.
A friend who called me at my cellphone number found that when I don't answer, instead of getting kicked to my voicemail, they got kicked to a general AT&T voicemail number (where they could still re-enter my phone number and get my voicemail, but that's not supposed to be how it works). I called AT&T customer service to fix this; their automated wait-time-estimator said "6-10 minutes"; in fact, I had to wait 40 min to get a customer care representative on the phone.
It took about 10 minutes for them to understand what was going on; they upgraded the problem to their technical assistance people, and said I would get called back today.
At 11:30pm, their technical assistance called me and said "Okay, let's see what happens: hang up, let us call you back, and we'll see what happens." I did, they called back, I let it go to voicemail. After 2 minutes, I had a message "New Voicemail". I called to check it--- and found that the system said that I had no voicemail account. It wouldn't even let me access it. I called customer service, but now the wait-time estimator said ">10 minutes" wait -- if "6-10 minutes" meant 40 minutes, then this was worse, and I didn't have an hour to kill. I went to bed.
I called customer service at 6:50am; technical assistance was not yet in, call back at 7:30am. After 30 minutes of their representative playing foot-tag with their technical assistance, I was told that the problem I am experiencing is a major one, and that I will be without voicemail for 3-5 days while they take care of it.
Monday, December 29, 2003
Canadian Tourism
There's an ad by the Canadian Tourism Commission on TV, which gives all the great things one can do in Canada. In one shot, it shows a middle-eastern young man, who embraces his father in an airport, saying to the camera: "I can show my family they're welcome here." And I thought, "How silly is that? Where aren't they welcome?", the not-so-obvious answer being: The United States.
How did that happen? The US borders have become difficult to cross for tourists, businessmen, scientists, people of all stripes who come from countries the US holds as suspect. I was at gamma-ray burst conference in New Mexico last summer, and was quite surprised to hear that 2 Chinese astronomers were barred -- no, they're paperwork was not delayed, they were told they could not come -- by the US State department, for a scientific meeting.
So, Canadian tourism is selling itself on its openness as a competitor to American tourism, by being an open, welcoming place, as opposed to the US where, it is implied, such people are not welcome.
Sunday, December 28, 2003
Cars and Snow Removal
Nearly all of the apartment rentals I looked at downtown had the same response to the question "Is there covered parking?", which was "No. You won't find a place with covered parking downtown." This was about 95% true -- I found only a few such places downtown.
Having lived in Cambridge for 6 years, on my way into MIT in the morning, I would pass people digging out their cars from under a foot of wet snow, using the seemingly inadequate stick stowed for the purpose to alternately brush accumulation from the roof and crack ice off the windshield and windows. This would be followed by frantic shifting reverse/drive, rocking the vehicle back and forth to get it out from compacted snowfall beneath the tires. Never a once did I hear these people absently singing as they pleasantly went about their work. Car diggers were surly -- resigned, but surly -- and more so than the usual Boston surly.
And the dubious prize for the unpleasant task of digging your car out after a snow storm is driving a car which is freezing cold.
Oh, but that's half. Snow in Montreal is 84 inches, compared with 44 inches in Boston. The snow removal technology in Montreal is more developed in Boston, which was entirely snow-plow and bulldozing into trucks. After major snowfall in Montreal, the city sends out groups of about 7 trucks -- usually 2-3 tiny bulldozers to clear the sidewalks, a large bulldozer which pushes street snow to the side and then there is a huge truck with a chopping unit in front, about 6 feet tall. The chopper runs through the piles made by the large bull dozer, and the snow is pushed into a tub and out a chute on top; meanwhile, a large freight truck runs along side, and the chute shoots the snow into the freight truck, which carts it all away. Usually, the group has 2-3 freight trucks to keep the chopper fully employed.
Oh, but how do they get all this done with cars on the street? Prior to the snow cleaning, a truck drives through the neighborhood with a piercing, undulating horn. When you hear that horn, you have 12 hours to move your car before the snow team comes by (they also post signs so that the affected areas are clear). You have to move your car to an unaffected street, and just as everyone else is doing so too. Otherwise, they tow your car and leave it someplace on a nearby street (and you get to go find it). Oh, and they cite you. I've heard one in my neighborhood as late as 11pm.
So, all this bears with Gail Samuel's advice to me when I said that I was looking for an apartment with indoor parking, but that I was bending on that point because it seemed hard to find. Gail, who had lived in Minnesota, replied "Oh, you want to place a strong premium on that." So, I did, and was glad when the apartment I most liked downtown also had attached indoor heated parking.
Even so, I still get to wake up when I hear the undulating horn. Of course, I get to forget about it, turn over, and go back to sleep.
Saturday, December 27, 2003
House Chores
They're not fun, but they are necessary. After nearly a month of being introduced to my neighbors by their being able to peek in on me as I sleep, I'm putting up the bedroom curtains today. The first attempt yesterday failed, as the drywall anchors on one post didn't seat right, and, when the curtains went up, they pulled out of the wall, leaving two gaping holes where the screws used to be.
That was how I discovered there's a Home Depot only 6 klicks away. And after the sundry purchase of plaster filler, and some new anchors, I'm back at it. Followed by wallpaper stripping in the front room.
Oh! But first, the baseboard mounting in the fridge covey comes out, so that my fridge can take its place, and stop hogging 2/3 of the rest of the kitchen.
This, after sitting on my couch, watching the few hundred kids sled down the run on Mont-Royal a few hundred feet away. Sigh. I suspect the best sledding is in the future, though. You should see the crowds -- if the landlord knew, he would have upped the rent, it's so terribly Norman Rockwell/Charlie Brown picturesque.
Thursday, December 25, 2003
Christmas Day
After the international move December 1st and, already, flying back to the Bay Area for my brother Bill's wedding Dec 11-15, I decided to stay in Montreal for Christmas and New Year's.
I missed out on my family's traditional celebration -- dinner out on Christmas Eve with the kids and grandkids (seven, now) followed by scones (by Bob) and presents at my parents. And, I'll be missing out on the New Year's Eve slide show at Wally and Elizabeth's -- I think this is the first year in 10 I've missed.
Christmas in Montreal had me waking up to warm weather (low 40's and grateful) with the snow melting off the ground and the sidewalks iceless. I got down to the Ritz-Carlton for brunch (first time I'd had venison pie), and headed out for a film, only to find the movie theater stayed close 'tiil 3pm (Christmas, don't you know). So, cafe for a few hours; and, okay, back to the Ritz for afternoon tea (I was in the neighborhood; but, it was great for tea, but I had expected more on Christmas than the usual fantastic sandwiches, cakes and scones. On the otherhand, Isabella -- who does special events for the Ritz -- had really knocked herself out for the Brunch, so perhaps an over-the-top Christmas tea would have been a bit much). Then, LORD OF THE RINGS, and MONA LISA SMILE (see 13 Dickinson St. for the non-scoop on films).
I emerged from the theaters to find the 40-degree weather hand sunk to the low 30's and it was snowing. You know, it snows here like the snow I imagined in childhood -- that is, before I got to MIT. It seems perpetual, oscillating from wet stickies to light ice flecks and busy flurries. And now, the day ends on my couch as I watch the wet stickies fill up the woods.
Tommorrow: back to the trenches, car-shopping wise.
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Just Puck It.
Nike does (what else?) hockey commercials up here.
I'm sure I never saw hockey ads from Nike in the US.
The Ethereal Madness
The first 10 feet of this message's travels to you, this Christmas Eve, is being made through the air between my couch and my Airport in my living room.
Wireless Montreal. Life is good.
On Christmas Eve
It was a quiet day in Lake Woebegone. I'm waiting today noon-5 for the cable company to come for the hookup --- after which, I will no longer have to occupy the free wi-fi hotspots in local cafes -- I can write my screeds from home.
I went out this morning to do some Government paperwork, but found the first Government office closed -- and I assumed the rest would be too, so I dropped the enterprise, ran a bank errand and came to my wifi cafe.
The remarkable multi-lingualism of the city impresses through to Tuesday. In this cafe, I am right now hearing French, English and Spanish. I am typically addressed in French, but the speakers swaps into English as soon as they realize I have the French skills of an area rug. My French books aren't pulled out of the box yet.
And tomorrow, on Christmas, I made an appointment for an early Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton (about 1 Mi from Chez Robert), and, actually, a reservation for tea at 3:30 (same place).
omygosh! I just realized that I have a working fireplace this year! Which means, MAYBE SANTA WILL COME DOWN IT!!!!!
Let's watch.
Sunday, December 21, 2003
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Are the Churches Closed Sundays?
I head to the Toyota dealer to do my first test-drive today at 2:00pm, only to discover the Toyota dealer is closed Saturdays (in fact, on weekends). Show up weekdays until 9:00pm.
"...and I'm not talking 'bout no paper cup, I'm talkin' a GLASS OF BEER." Yes, it is the little things. Of couse, I didn't check the other dealerships yet. Maybe it was just that ONE Toyota dealership.
Day on the Town
As I've mentioned before, one of the more remarkable characteristics of Montrealners is the enormous pride in their home town. It is marked not by chauvinistic pride (I haven't heard anyone disparage another city yet), but a genuine love of the city.
This is not remarkable because it is unbelievable -- thus far, there seems to be much to love about the city -- but because it is a universal characteristic which, combined with the friendliness of people, reminds me much of Californians before the dot.com boom.
In addition, people here dress fashionably and fastidiously -- quite a lot like Munich. I'm sitting in a Cafe'Starbucks (free Wi-Fi! and until my apartment is outfitted with a cable modem on Dec 24th, I hunker over here, just 4 blocks away, but past 4 other cafes) and it is full of fantastically dressed people. I feel like a bum in my 13-year old Lands End parka. Here's a woman in full furs, with a tall fur hat. Everyone's hair is styled and cut well.
Perhaps I'm over-romanticising. I've just arrived here, and the city and it's people still hold mystery, due in no small part to most everything being in French (and my French still being weak).
Note to self: Banks are closed on Saturdays (and Sundays of course) and are open 10:00-4:00 on weekdays, but only talk to customers until 3:00pm.
Friday, December 19, 2003
Bob Moves In
Okay, so I took the more practical apartment. And I'm glad I did. It turns out that it's an easy 4 blocks from an outstanding late-nite cafe street. I walked it during the first major snowstorm in Montreal (Monday) and counted about 6 which were open. A few were only open until 11pm, but others seemed to have the late-night thing going on. They ranged from trendy to grungy -- and even included "Pi", a cafe where the chess-players hang out. I popped into Pi, and found about 12 games going actively. I've never played chess (well), and frankly, it's always seemed to me like one of those high-performance skills which requires enormous capability, which nonetheless doesn't translate into anything else useful -- perhaps like curling. I dunno, let's watch.
Back to the apartment: it's a second story, 2 bedroom/1 bath condo with balcony, working fireplace, on the edge of Jeane Mance Park, and with a great view of the park and the mountain. I'm liking the hardwood floors, but the previous tenant was into this "jungle" theme -- so I have a crown wallpaper with a repeating african safari theme. Gosh, how figuritive. So, next week, I learn how to take down wallpaper. And how to match colors on the previous paint color. I'm a 2 block walk from the nearest market, which turned out to be pretty good (I didn't check it out prior). It's about the size of Whole Foods, and has a reasonable selection of olives (VERY important -- once you've got the olives, everything else follows, like a good pair of shoes).
This weekend: the car.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
My name is Bob Rutledge, and I just moved to Montreal, Quebec from Pasadena, California. The two places could possibly be more different, if Pasadena were in Germany. But it's not; even so, the two are quite different enough.
I'm looking for an apartment this week. It seems Montrealners (which I'll use until I actually find out what they call themselves) all change apartments on July 1, due to an old law (repealed a few years ago) that the COULD NOT CHANGE ON ANY OTHER DATE. You gotta love socialism. Anyway, it seems that I'm the only one on the market this month, and so all the open apartment people have been calling me to say "We're dropping the price over what we discussed yesterday." Never had that happen in Pasadena. I've gone through a list of 52 apartments, called 30 of them, and seen about 15. Today, I have 2 more, and I think these will be my last two. I've already found a place which suits all my apartment needs, except it is not within 5 min of the metro, and does not have a great shopping street just around the corner. Its address is: 385 Avenue du Mont Royal . My second option is at 221 De La Commune , which is much much nicer, but far less practical, as there's no parking attached (so I do without a car?). It's in the cobblestoned part of Old Montreal, surrounded by the landmark buildings of the city. It would be harder to get to work than from the Mont Royal site, but it's right on the port.
Decisions, decisions.
