I had a very strange experience in Quebec City. I was writing a national licensing exam which was taking place at the main hopital in the city. I arrive at the hopital and asked the receptionist at the emergency reception desk if she she could help me find the location of the exam. She just looked at me with a blank expression on her face! She could not speak a word of English -- not a single word! Other staff members appeared and they could not speak English either! It was very shocking. These people were the admitting staff in a main Canadian hospital. If I were seriously injured I would have been in real trouble.
Montreal is such a nice city! There are tons of things to do, you'll never get bored there! Plus people are generally super nice!
I'm from Montreal so I don't have any good tips about specific hostels, but I do recommend staying in the Plateau or the Quartier Latin. The areas are much more fun and atmospheric than the western parts of downtown, and there's so much to do, especially in summertime! Be sure to check out our many world-famous festivals including the Jazz Fest, the Comedy Fest, the Film Fest, and more. For scrumptious hot chocolate and sinful desserts, check out a little spot on St-Denis called Juliette et Chocolat. Oh, and be sure to visit Les Deux Pierrots in Old Montreal if you want an authentic Quebecois music night, complete with singalongs.
Montreal is really cool! Really cool bars and old Montreal is really quaint. I'd recommend Montreal and Quebec City, they're much nicer than Toronto!
Montreal … This is the best city in Canada. Period. Come as soon as possible.
Quebec City … People in Quebec speak French, not English. Yes, Quebec is part of Canada, but not every part of Canada must be English. If you only spoke French and showed up at a Toronto hospital, you would get the same treatment.
Quebec City … I stayed in Quebec during September 2005 and would advise enyone heading to Quebec during summer and warmer months to book a room at least 4 days in advance in Quebec. The hostels get very full so book ahead or you will spend a few nights without a bed like I did.
Val-David … I stayed here a few years ago for a week, and it is truly gorgeous and picturesque. The only thing is, it's kind of in the middle of nowhere -- which is a great part of its appeal. If you're up for some hiking and nature it's perfect. Don't expect to see too many people there though -- fellow travelers that is! Although I stayed in the summer, it might be quite different from the winter.
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