Montreal VS Sydney

Lili and I were in Montreal last weekend. I must say, I have never had a bad time there. My friends are tres excellente. They really know how to show us a good time and get us to experience the great vibe of Montreal. Highlights included a housewarming party with a zillion different wines to taste, followed by 3am drunk golfing at a 24 hour, stadium-lighted course. It's pretty crazy walking off the 9th hole as the sun is rising. Lili spent 4 1/2 hours getting her hair chemically straightened, while I enjoyed the most amazing 1 hour massage by my Russian masseuse, Okzana. No, there wasn't any 'happy ending' (hi, Rhands!). But, I did euphorically gaze at the ceiling after my massage and wondered, "what the hell are those hand rails doing up there??". I guess I overlooked that added option on the spa price list. Old Montreal at night is a blast, especially in the summer time. Everyone is out drinking and dining on different terasses (yes, pronounce 'tur-ASS'...hi, Ray!). The pastries are sick. Thank God, I'm not a diabetic yet. We even saw the 'Body Worlds 2' exhibit at their Science Centre (that's some crazy shit right there). It's just too bad that I didn't retain much of the french I learned in school. It would have come in handy. It's weird being a foreigner in your own country. Here's a few sites from Montreal:

AMAZING patisseries that could put you into a diabetic coma. The chocalitines or chocolate croissants are dynamite!

Me and my $1.50 mini gelato cone. I ordered 3.

The famous Basillique Notre Dame

Taking a stroll in Old Montreal

The girls enjoying 11am Lechee Sangrias on the terrasse (terrace in English)
at Jardin Nelson in Old Montreal.

Maria, do you have a long-lost brother in Montreal that we don't know about???

Well, I decided to do a comparison of Montreal, Canada and Sydney, Australia. I find these two places to be quite similar. I have great friends in both cities, and if I had the chance to, I'd definitely live in either of the two.

	Sydney, Australia	Montreal, Canada
Friends	Wonderful, good natured, goofy, fun, adventurous, hospitable. My friends here call me Brox.	Ditto…or, Une Ditto. Except, my friends here call me Bro (Chris is already taken, and gets very confusing)
Alcohol consumption	Wine lovers. They drink on days ending in ‘day’. They say, “Cheers, mate!” (or is that Cheese tart?). Bunch of fuckin’ drunks. hehehe.	Also wine lovers. Best sangrias, ever! “Happy Hour is anytime you want it to be”. They say, “Salute!” Un paquet de drunks…tabernac! Honh honh honh.
Food	Ethnic food abound. Australian meatpies and sausage rolls kick Chuck Norris’ ass.	Very European. Tonnes of bistros. There is no chocolate croissant better outside of France.
Landscape	Located in tropical weather and next to the ocean, how can you go wrong? Absolutely breathtaking.	Very charming, warm, old-European feel (cobblestone roads and all).
Hospitality	Very, very welcoming. With ‘no worries’ or ‘no dramas’ as their mottos, everyone is so laid back and easy going. People say that Canadians are generally nicer than Americans, but Australians are even nicer than Canadians. They specialize in customer service.	Some of the francophones are a bit snooty towards the Anglophones, especially from Ontario. Maybe it’s the language barrier, or maybe some want to separate from Canada. Customer service is hit or miss, but I found most were friendly. It helps to have French speaking people in your party.
Fashion	Like their attitudes, very laid back. Jeans and nice top is the common wear. You’ll also feel out of place without your thongs (flip-flops) or Tevas.	Everyone and their moms are dressed so damn chic here. I’d go broke if I lived here and tried to keep up with the fashion styles. Most lineups at clubs look like a Zoolander movie.
$$$	Even though my CDN dollar is worth more, mostly everything is much more expensive. I’m not used to spending 10 bucks on toast and coffee (aka Turkish Pide and a Flat White).	Same currency, and very reasonable for a metropolitan city. Sales tax in Canada sucks donkey balls, period!