Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Isn't it an old joke that they roll up the sidewalks in Ottawa at 5:00 pm?
I lived in Ottawa for four years and, yes, it is not as exciting as nearby Montreal, but it does have a certain charm. It really depends on what you like to do. If you like museums then Ottawa is for you, if you like politics then Ottawa is for you. If you like an extensive nightlife scene then it probably isn't for you. For someone who likes museums and politics, it was fine for me, a person who was there for school. An extensive nightlife scene did not matter to me. There were more than enough pubs for me.
Isn't it an old joke that they roll up the sidewalks in Ottawa at 5:00 pm?
I lived in Ottawa for four years and, yes, it is not as exciting as nearby Montreal, but it does have a certain charm. It really depends on what you like to do. If you like museums then Ottawa is for you, if you like politics then Ottawa is for you. If you like an extensive nightlife scene then it probably isn't for you. For someone who likes museums and politics, it was fine for me, a person who was there for school. An extensive nightlife scene did not matter to me. There were more than enough pubs for me.
Very true. I used to skate down from the Laurier bridge down to Lansdowne Park and back. I also enjoyed walking down past the last set of locks of the Rideau down beneath Parliament Hill and the National Archives, crossing the bridge into Quebec, walking along there and then back on the bridge that passes the art gallery.
Ottawa felt like a big city to me (which it is because it has over 1 million people metro) but it felt interesting like I was in a tourist town. Even more interesting than Vancouver. There were museums everywhere walking distance to each other, the parliment building, the market. It really blew me away, Ottawa is very underrated. The billingualism was cool too. I think the only people who call Ottawa boring are those who like clubbing, which there isn't a lot of in Ottawa. I don't like clubbing or partying, I love politics, french, and billingualism so it is the most interesting city in Canada to me.
Ottawa felt like a big city to me (which it is because it has over 1 million people metro) but it felt interesting like I was in a tourist town. Even more interesting than Vancouver. There were museums everywhere walking distance to each other, the parliment building, the market. It really blew me away, Ottawa is very underrated. The billingualism was cool too. I think the only people who call Ottawa boring are those who like clubbing, which there isn't a lot of in Ottawa. I don't like clubbing or partying, I love politics, french, and billingualism so it is the most interesting city in Canada to me.
Well, I love walking around and exploring interesting neighborhoods. There were a few, but after a couple of hours we ran out of things to see! My girlfriend loves those commercial streets with a bunch of boutiques and whatnot, but we couldn't really find any at all.
Ottawa has some good things going for it, and it's certainly not some hick town, but I think it's a stretch to say it's the most interesting city in Canada for the vast majority of people, and definitely unfair to say that the only people who call Ottawa boring are those who like clubbing.
I know I mentioned it before in this thread, but I still can't get over how much of a letdown Sparks Street was There was almost no retail.
As an aside, Ottawa didn't really seem all that bilingual to me, aside from signage. Sure, there were a few people speaking French right downtown, but I never even got a "hi/bonjour."
Ottawa has some good things going for it, and it's certainly not some hick town, but I think it's a stretch to say it's the most interesting city in Canada for the vast majority of people, and definitely unfair to say that the only people who call Ottawa boring are those who like clubbing.
As an aside, Ottawa didn't really seem all that bilingual to me, aside from signage. Sure, there were a few people speaking French right downtown, but I never even got a "hi/bonjour."
The fact it is the place where laws get made in Canada alone makes it the most interesting city in Canada to me. I don't care about shopping and if I need to see a show on occasion Montreal is 2 hours away and Toronto about 3 hours away, so perfect location for big city stuff. I love walking too and the Canal is perfect for walking and cycling, plus skating in the winter. It's also close to great parks and lakes.
To me Ottawa felt very billingual. I heard a lot of French being spoken on the streets and on the bus. A guy in front of me in Subway also even asked the workers if they spoke french. They didn't speak it but I don't know how common it is for customers to ask workers if they speak French in Ottawa? Maybe someone living in Ottawa can answer that for me. It was certainly new to me because that would never happen in Calgary. I can understand if people asked if they spoke English in Quebec, but never knew francophones ask people if they speak French in Ottawa. Was this just a special case or is that common?
The fact it is the place where laws get made in Canada alone makes it the most interesting city in Canada to me. I don't care about shopping and if I need to see a show on occasion Montreal is 2 hours away and Toronto about 3 hours away, so perfect location for big city stuff. I love walking too and the Canal is perfect for walking and cycling, plus skating in the winter. It's also close to great parks and lakes.
To me Ottawa felt very billingual. I heard a lot of French being spoken on the streets and on the bus. A guy in front of me in Subway also even asked the workers if they spoke french. They didn't speak it but I don't know how common it is for customers to ask workers if they speak French in Ottawa? Maybe someone living in Ottawa can answer that for me. It was certainly new to me because that would never happen in Calgary. I can understand if people asked if they spoke English in Quebec, but never knew francophones ask people if they speak French in Ottawa. Was this just a special case or is that common?
In Quebec, most people don't ask if you speak English. They just blurt out whatever they want in English and expect you to answer back in that language.
They didn't speak it but I don't know how common it is for customers to ask workers if they speak French in Ottawa? Maybe someone living in Ottawa can answer that for me. It was certainly new to me because that would never happen in Calgary. I can understand if people asked if they spoke English in Quebec, but never knew francophones ask people if they speak French in Ottawa. Was this just a special case or is that common?
As for asking for French in Ottawa, yes I suppose it's fairly common for service staff to be asked this. Though admittedly a lot of francophones don't even bother because the answer is so often "no" (and it's not always nicely stated or even apologetic). I hear people asking that fairly regularly when I am there, but it does not seem to register that maybe they should hire more bilingual staff.
But I don't ask for French when I am in Ottawa and neither does my wife. It's just a hassle I don't need. Sometimes people will pick up that we are francophone and switch to French, and that's nice when it happens.
Though... when here in Gatineau I always speak French everywhere right away and don't even ask if the person speaks French even if she was speaking in English to someone else before me.
Gatineau to me is "home turf" for francophones. Ottawa is not.
Yes, I can endorse this post as I live in Albuquerque. I like it well enough (for now) because it gives me access to all the spectacular landscapes and natural superlatives of the Southwest, the big skies and horizons, and the weather here is fantastic pretty much year round. Those kind of things are good for the soul. I'm doing well in my career here and its a friendly place so I'm staying a little longer than planned. New Mexico attracts a certain ilk of transplants like myself that want out of the rat race (former Bostonian). But yeah as a city, most of Albuquerque is low rent sprawl, save a few interesting blocks around Old Town and the UNM campus and a few wealthy suburban neighborhoods. But as a city well, there's not much to do here. One must drive 6 hours to Denver for any sort of urban fix.
Ottawa doesn't have this problem. Granted it is quite low key and small for a national capital. However the core is fairly dense and very walkable, it has a nice public market area, interesting architecture, and a wealth of museums to visit. I haven't been in a long time, but I liked it well enough. I pairs well with a trip to Montreal as a side excursion.
(btw fusion, I'm toying with the idea of taking my first trip to Toronto for a few days next summer).
Well I might have been hard on ABQ (according to your colleague) I was lol.. It just didn't strike me as interesting to visit as other places. For me N.M will always be a place to visit for striking landscapes, beautiful vistas and just a unique overall State culturally. I really have a soft spot for N.M so yes, ABQ at least on the surface doesn't seem to attract a visitor vs other places that surround it.. You sort of rent a car - sleep the night and than drive but this again is coming from a visitors perspective!! It did strike me however as a very sprawly place overall that was for sure but not to say it wouldn't be awesome to live there! I'd love it just due to the limitless roadtrip options so i'd be far from be unhappy living in ABQ.
I believe you are a sister of Dorothy Desert lol.. If so I think if you come to T.O, let it coincide with pride festivities. Pride week in Toronto is an awesome time and not only is it great for the parade, but also for gay threatre and a host of other events. If that isn't what you're looking for than post in the T.O forum what you are looking for. I'd say if you haven't been to the T.O - its def worth a 3-4 day visit and close to N.F's - one of the worlds truly great waterfalls.. The city of N.F's is kitsch to say the least, but the Falls themselves are worth the trip - especially if you haven't witnessed a truly massive voluminous Falls in the tier of Iguazu or Victoria.
Albuquerque has plenty of unique charm, beauty, culture and history of its own. New Mexico's blending of Anglo, "latin" (actually Hispanic) and Native culture permeates and defines Albuquerque. And beautiful landscapes abound in this city, so I don't agree with you at all there. As for urbanity, is it the most urban place in the world? No. But it has enough to offer on that front as well.
For culture, it has been home to and produced many artists, writers, etc. yet, because it's a far larger city than Santa Fe and especially Taos and Ruidoso, much of that has gone unnoticed.
Have you ever heard of people like Wilson Hurley, Pablita Velarde, Rudolfo Anaya and Tony Hillerman?
Albuquerque can offer just as much culture and wonder as all those smaller New Mexico cities, plus it offers an actual economy not dependent on tourism where normal people can actually make a decent living and afford to live.
As for Albuquerque being boring, there is plenty to do here. Every night and day there is something going on. There are art openings, live theater, concerts, festivals, etc. always happening. Are most of those things as big, exciting or of the quality of bigger cities? No, but they are things available in this city for those of us who live here to enjoy.
I live in a neighborhood of Albuquerque which has a great little indie art scene going on, Barelas. Every weekend there are shows and art openings on South 4th Street in my neighborhood. Is attending those events akin to going to a Broadway play or the Whitney Museum in New York City? No, but it gives me something to do and enjoy right here in my own neighborhood. Sorry, but to me Albuquerque is anything but boring.
As for interesting places those offerings extend beyond what that other poster from here offered up. Those places he mentioned are just the safe, cliched semi-urban and unique places in Albuquerque. There is much more to be found for those not afraid to venture into places outside their comfort zone or which don't fit their preconceived notions.
And as for Albuquerque being among the most suburban-looking cities in North America, I guess since you've only been through our airport you aren't familiar with the many unique residential areas in Albuquerque.
Places like Corrales and the North Valley, with their upscale rustic, pastoral vibe or the South Valley with its Northern New Mexico-esque rural feel which also has a similar rich Hispanic culture to that area of New Mexico.
Even many of the suburban areas of Albuquerque are given a unique New Mexico flavor to save them from being anyplace, suburban North America. I doubt the suburban areas filled with adobe casitas would be found in many places outside of Albuquerque. Well, I guess in Santa Fe, but wouldn't that be a mark against that town in your eyes?
I think that you actually don't know much about Albuquerque outside of our airport.
Oh sheesh man - you live in one of the most beautiful places on earth - excuse me for not being enthralled with ABQ lol.. You have to admit to a visitor - it doesn't exactly scream i'm urban and interesting visit me - its pretty sprawly and spread out even close to the DT core and not easy for a visitor to at the very least be visually intrigued by its urbanity which seems almost oxymoronic with ABQ. With that said, no I don't know the city like a local so if I upset you with my ignorance I apologize lol.. Perhaps there might be a dose of that with you regarding your quip to me about T.O... hmmmm
Last edited by fusion2; 10-02-2015 at 03:42 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There was almost no retail. 
