Potato in Québec
Yesterday, I had a flight to catch to Quebec, and Idk what it is, but I think I was so caught up in the beauty of Niagara, that I wasn't my normal prepared, punctual, and cautious self. I just wanted to savour every minute left for me at Niagara, and I stayed out late, took another boat ride, but this time in the night.. this is when I should have gotten to my hotel a bit early to pack properly and rest a little, in preparation for my next day ride to the airport and flight. I packed funny in the morning, somehow forgot about the stupid liquid rule, and didn't remember until I was about to cross to security.. had to run all the way back to check in my bag, because it was filled with liquids! It was funny, when I was packing in the morning, I forgot the hot sauce out, so I threw it in my hand bag along with the little bottles of sanatizer and perfume. The when I reached security, I presented the three bottles, as if these are the essentials I need to carry in a bag, a sanatizer, a perfume, and a hot sauce! O.o I was so freaked the entire time that I will miss my flight, although there was plenty of time left, but I am the type that is if not TOO early to any appointment, I get anxious as hell!
On the flight, the girl next to me was just so sweet! I can't believe someone can be that sweet to a stranger..!! I was a bit anxious when we arrived, I just didn't know what to expect, and I knew I will get lost until i get my bag, and my anxiety showed.. She actually offered to accompany me until i got my bag, because I was anxious, although her way was different since she had a connecting flight. I sort of feel bad about not seeing her again.. But I guess she was just a kind passing stranger..
When I got to the airport, everyone spoke English, but the man directing arivees to Taxis and cars etc just seemed to refuse to speak in English and didn't seem very nice.. There were just so many cars with different colours picking up passengers, and I wanted a taxi, wasn't sure which one was a regular taxi 🤷♀️ I could only catch the word yellow in French from what he said, so I made my way to a yellow car, but I was anxious again.. Later I discovered they were all taxis, just different companies O.o
When I got to the taxi, I just didn't speak after that experience 😐 and showed the taxi driver the written address in an email that I had, and I got the impression that he didn't know English as he was puzzled at first, and then mumbled the address in french.. I kept silent the first 10 mins not even knowing if he knows the address in full as I could only hear him mumble the number of the street in french 🤷♀️ ..then later he started talking to me in English!! I was like, whaat? We had a chat for another 10 mins in English, until we got to the part of where I come from, and when he knew I was an Arab, he switched to Arabic! LOL. I can't believe I spent the first 10 mins so afraid to speak to him, when he knew the two languages that I speak!
Then at the hotel, at the reception, when I presented my ID and the guy saw my Arabic name, he also switched to Arabic (apparently there are many Arabs in Montreal, as opposed to where I was earlier) and was very nice.. Later, I saw a pride flag, and I took a selfie next to it.. I saw him staring at me .. I approached him as I needed to ask him about something, and out of politness I spoke in Arabic since it was the language he used with me earlier, but he responded in English, I was like; alright O.o and he sort of gave me the cold shoulder in the way he spoke O.o Maybe I am imagining it, but I felt this change in attitude had to do with the selfie I took LOL but then again, maybe I am imagining it and I just caught him at a bad moment. 🤷♀️
Other than this, I was sooo pleased with the place I am staying!! It is not a five star hotel or anything fancy. I thought it was not going to be so good, because it was reasonably priced, yet located in the heart of downtown Montreal! But it is beautiful. Since I was in downtown already, I went out looking for a place to eat. I assumed there will be plenty, but I walked for so long, until it hit me, how come there aren't many restaurants around? Well there were! But apparently I missed so many places because I was so astonished by the beauty of the old looking buildings and kept taking pictures!! I probably looked like a fool taking pictures of every and any thing, of things that are normal to people here O.o
I love downtown Montreal.. It is not like downtown Toronto... It is calmer, more paced.. umm it is just my type of busy... I like to hear some noise, see cars and people, but I don't like too loud, too hectic cities.. I look forward to seeing downtown Ottawa, because it is probably going to be the place where I will work and spend time.. Hope it is similar, and I am expecting it to be a bit similar in beauty and busy..
On the flight, the girl next to me was just so sweet! I can't believe someone can be that sweet to a stranger..!! I was a bit anxious when we arrived, I just didn't know what to expect, and I knew I will get lost until i get my bag, and my anxiety showed.. She actually offered to accompany me until i got my bag, because I was anxious, although her way was different since she had a connecting flight. I sort of feel bad about not seeing her again.. But I guess she was just a kind passing stranger..
When I got to the airport, everyone spoke English, but the man directing arivees to Taxis and cars etc just seemed to refuse to speak in English and didn't seem very nice.. There were just so many cars with different colours picking up passengers, and I wanted a taxi, wasn't sure which one was a regular taxi 🤷♀️ I could only catch the word yellow in French from what he said, so I made my way to a yellow car, but I was anxious again.. Later I discovered they were all taxis, just different companies O.o
When I got to the taxi, I just didn't speak after that experience 😐 and showed the taxi driver the written address in an email that I had, and I got the impression that he didn't know English as he was puzzled at first, and then mumbled the address in french.. I kept silent the first 10 mins not even knowing if he knows the address in full as I could only hear him mumble the number of the street in french 🤷♀️ ..then later he started talking to me in English!! I was like, whaat? We had a chat for another 10 mins in English, until we got to the part of where I come from, and when he knew I was an Arab, he switched to Arabic! LOL. I can't believe I spent the first 10 mins so afraid to speak to him, when he knew the two languages that I speak!
Then at the hotel, at the reception, when I presented my ID and the guy saw my Arabic name, he also switched to Arabic (apparently there are many Arabs in Montreal, as opposed to where I was earlier) and was very nice.. Later, I saw a pride flag, and I took a selfie next to it.. I saw him staring at me .. I approached him as I needed to ask him about something, and out of politness I spoke in Arabic since it was the language he used with me earlier, but he responded in English, I was like; alright O.o and he sort of gave me the cold shoulder in the way he spoke O.o Maybe I am imagining it, but I felt this change in attitude had to do with the selfie I took LOL but then again, maybe I am imagining it and I just caught him at a bad moment. 🤷♀️
Other than this, I was sooo pleased with the place I am staying!! It is not a five star hotel or anything fancy. I thought it was not going to be so good, because it was reasonably priced, yet located in the heart of downtown Montreal! But it is beautiful. Since I was in downtown already, I went out looking for a place to eat. I assumed there will be plenty, but I walked for so long, until it hit me, how come there aren't many restaurants around? Well there were! But apparently I missed so many places because I was so astonished by the beauty of the old looking buildings and kept taking pictures!! I probably looked like a fool taking pictures of every and any thing, of things that are normal to people here O.o
I love downtown Montreal.. It is not like downtown Toronto... It is calmer, more paced.. umm it is just my type of busy... I like to hear some noise, see cars and people, but I don't like too loud, too hectic cities.. I look forward to seeing downtown Ottawa, because it is probably going to be the place where I will work and spend time.. Hope it is similar, and I am expecting it to be a bit similar in beauty and busy..
31-35, F
