My 7-week stint with Phantom ended last night in Fort Lauderdale. I played the opening week here.
Although we’ve been here exactly a week, it has felt twice as long because the experience has been very unpleasant.
Way too much traffic…obnoxious tourists with a sense of entitlement…pushy snowbirds from the Northlands…hot and humid weather, very UN-Christmas-like.
Southern Florida is a very strange place.
The RV park where we are staying has about 250 lots, all crammed together. On our strolls up and down the narrow byways, bristling with speed-bumps and mobile homes and trailers nearly touching each other, we’ve noticed that more than 80 percent of the park’s vehicles’ license plates are from Quebec.
What’s up with THAT? It’s amazing. I feel like a foreigner in my own country. The Quebecois seem to be an extremely reserved group, almost dour. At least, this is my perception as someone from the United States. Perhaps they are very nice people and I just don’t understand the culture.
I’m just bowled over that the vast majority of the people staying here are from one particular province. In all our travels, I have never seen this phenomenon at an RV park until now.
We’re driving to Orlando today to visit some of James’ friends, since he lived there for most of his life. We’ll stay a couple of days.
Then on to James’ Aunt Pearl in south Georgia (his birthplace), where we will spend New Year’s Eve.
I’m looking forward to seeing all these folks.
On New Year’s Day, we will begin our nearly 3000-mile drive back across the country to the Left Coast, where we belong. It will be HEAVEN to be home, for the first time since September!
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December 28, 2009 at 8:33 am
heartinhand
No offense to Tornwordo, but Quebec is one of the nastiest places in Canada IMHO! I’ve been across Canada a couple of times and Quebec people are very rude and act like they are special. I personally think it’s because our country has made them all feel so defensive because of the whole English/French thing. I mean, what do I know? I do know if I ever drive through there again, I’ll rely on a GPS if I get lost because you can be damn certain no one will want to help you, even if you can speak French.
Oh god, I think we may have touched a nerve with the whole Quebec thing. And so early in the morning too! LOL!
It looks like “someone’s” hair is growing faster than “someone else’s” hair! :)
December 28, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Cameron
I figured that one (or more) of you Canadians would respond to this post! :)
I hope that Tornwordo does too! And I certainly don’t mean any offense either, but I must admit that I was a bit taken aback by the Quebecois’ attitude. Maybe he can enlighten us!
I am the “someone” whose hair seems to be growing faster. However, James’ hair is growing as fast, but he has finer hair.
December 28, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Cynical Queer
I would think you’d be acclimated to feeling like a foreigner in your own country having lived in Arizona and California for so long.
I came back to California, and it’s not the place I left 13 years ago. Big D and I can’t wait to move out.
December 29, 2009 at 5:46 am
Cameron
CQ, being in that RV park with such a concentrated foreign population was quite different than living in Arizona and California. Now if I’d lived in east L.A…..
Yes, CA has changed over the years, but so has everywhere else. I’ve traveled all over this country, seen many places and I still prefer living in CA, hands down. It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
So where are you moving to?
December 29, 2009 at 5:12 am
Lemuel
For some reason I was amused this morning to see your hair pictures and note that the two of you are becoming “mirror images” with respect to how you part your hair.
Re: Quebecois. I have been in the province at least three times. Yes, you can find ‘tude there, but I have also found some very kind and gracious folks. In addition my older son’s SIL is married to a Quebecois (living in the US). I’ve met her husband and his family and they are very nice. I’m wondering about the subset of people who can afford to travel so many miles to stay the winter in FL. Perhaps there are characteristics of these people other than their land of origin that makes them so rude.
December 29, 2009 at 5:48 am
Cameron
Thanks for the info, Lem! I was hoping for additional perspectives.
I was very tempted to ask the folks in the RV park office how it came to be that so many people from Quebec stay at that particular location (advertisements? word of mouth?) but thought it might be an inappropriate question to ask.
December 29, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Urspo
heavens, I go off line for a wee bit and I come back to see you two looking like wild men from Borneo.
All that hair seems to be making you manic some – get some lithium asap or a trim.