We are here in snowy, cold, Montreal exhibiting our wares at the NSIA Snow Show. Canadians might be used to this frigid weather, but I assure you, I am not! Temperature outside was -2 this morning. Luckily for us, we are staying at the Queen Anne Fairmont Hotel. We can walk underground to the convention center and never go outside!
Montreal is quite an interesting city. We just came back from a stroll near McGill University that we took after the show ended for the day …. all thru tunnels underground. There is shopping galore to be found and a wonderful food court with every ethnicity represented. The racial makeup is similar to New York City — so on one hand it felt like home.
On the other hand, most everyone we met speaks both French and English. What struck me the most was how open and available items are from the stores we passed. Probably because it seems that no one steals anything. Now that must be wrong, but it surely seemed that way because stores had things out on display, without any visible means of protection… and no one abused that trust. Same goes for the convention center. I did not have to worry that someone was going to run off with one of my helmet covers that I left out on display if I walked away for a moment. Quite a difference from the Denver show. Every night I have locked up and/or hid things at the end of each day. I anticipate the need to continue doing that when we arrive there next week regardless of the security guards there are, posted at every entrance to the trade show.
So, it is with a fond “adieu” when we leave on Wednesday. I’m going to miss your fabulous cafe latte with vanilla flavoring! I’m going to miss those fabulous pastries that I pass every morning! I’m going to miss all the friendly people I say “Bonjour” to each day.
Yes. I want to come back to Montreal. Beautiful and gracious city.
