Struggles on the Northern front
This week I am in Ottawa, Canada undergoing some training for my job. But that part is boring. The real interesting stuff has been my rent-a-car I got at the airport.
Getting in late at night, finally getting through customs with a stern Canook (I thought these people were supposed to be friendly) I find the Hertz rent-a-car place so I can get my car and go to my hotel, wherever the hell it is. "I'm sorry, Mr. Butler. Seems we are out of mid sized vehicals but we are willing to upgrade you." Outstanding, I think. I'm getting a sweet sports car or something. Wrong. They give the keys to this GMC Yukon. This thing looks like it was meant to crush cars while shooting flames out of the tailpipe! So I take the thing and make my way out to the road not really knowing where I was going.
Before leaving the US I did one of the smartest things I have ever done...I brought my Garmin GPS with me in the hopes that it covered ALL of North America. Turns out it does. I had my doubts because it didn't work at the Airport but started working once I left (must have been all the radio frequencies and whatnot from the airport) and found my hotel. Three days later, which is today, I did make a breakthrough. I finally figured out how to turn on the Air Conditioner! Seems like it would be an easy thing but it's very, very different in Canada. The dash is like nothing I had ever seen before with NOTHING labled A/C (or heat for that matter). Today I finally cracked the code. When I first got the vehicle I saw a button that had the symbol of the Sun on it.
"Well, I certainly don't want heat", I thought, so I didn't press it.
My second day in Canada I started looking closer at the symbol and it started to look more like a Star of David.
"Well, I certainly don't want to be Jewish", I thought, so I didn't press it.
Today I looked at it more closly and thought...could that be a poorly drawn snow flake? It was, and cool air materialized. Ah, Canadians! Of course they would have a snow flake representing A/C. But only out of one vent. I still haven't figured out how to make the A/C work the other three vents. That can be my task for tomorrow.
The radio presents problems too. I still haven't learned how to search for stations. Only today did I find the pre-set stations that offer a variety of European disco, 1940's French songs, and Country. Surely there is a Rock station here in Ottawa. But for the meantime, I listen to Country due to the fact that it is better than the other two alternatives.
Another oddity I have noticed are the Canadian garbage trucks. When backing up, they do not make the standard Beep Beep sound. It's more of a chirping sound, which I found myself enjoying entirely too much; no one should be in awe of a garbage truck going in reverse.
As far as Canadians being friendly, I find them to be as friendly as Americans. They also suffer from road rage as well. While in downtown Ottawa, I had this bus honking at me to move forward as people were crossing the street. Did this Canook really want me to mow down his fellow countrymen in order to expedite his journey? Then again, he night not have seen them due to the fact than I am driving this massive tank on wheels.
Though as much as I do complain about this land yacht, I know that once I get back to the States my Nissan Sentra is going to seem a bit lack luster. Damn you, Canada!
Getting in late at night, finally getting through customs with a stern Canook (I thought these people were supposed to be friendly) I find the Hertz rent-a-car place so I can get my car and go to my hotel, wherever the hell it is. "I'm sorry, Mr. Butler. Seems we are out of mid sized vehicals but we are willing to upgrade you." Outstanding, I think. I'm getting a sweet sports car or something. Wrong. They give the keys to this GMC Yukon. This thing looks like it was meant to crush cars while shooting flames out of the tailpipe! So I take the thing and make my way out to the road not really knowing where I was going.
Before leaving the US I did one of the smartest things I have ever done...I brought my Garmin GPS with me in the hopes that it covered ALL of North America. Turns out it does. I had my doubts because it didn't work at the Airport but started working once I left (must have been all the radio frequencies and whatnot from the airport) and found my hotel. Three days later, which is today, I did make a breakthrough. I finally figured out how to turn on the Air Conditioner! Seems like it would be an easy thing but it's very, very different in Canada. The dash is like nothing I had ever seen before with NOTHING labled A/C (or heat for that matter). Today I finally cracked the code. When I first got the vehicle I saw a button that had the symbol of the Sun on it.
"Well, I certainly don't want heat", I thought, so I didn't press it.
My second day in Canada I started looking closer at the symbol and it started to look more like a Star of David.
"Well, I certainly don't want to be Jewish", I thought, so I didn't press it.
Today I looked at it more closly and thought...could that be a poorly drawn snow flake? It was, and cool air materialized. Ah, Canadians! Of course they would have a snow flake representing A/C. But only out of one vent. I still haven't figured out how to make the A/C work the other three vents. That can be my task for tomorrow.
The radio presents problems too. I still haven't learned how to search for stations. Only today did I find the pre-set stations that offer a variety of European disco, 1940's French songs, and Country. Surely there is a Rock station here in Ottawa. But for the meantime, I listen to Country due to the fact that it is better than the other two alternatives.
Another oddity I have noticed are the Canadian garbage trucks. When backing up, they do not make the standard Beep Beep sound. It's more of a chirping sound, which I found myself enjoying entirely too much; no one should be in awe of a garbage truck going in reverse.
As far as Canadians being friendly, I find them to be as friendly as Americans. They also suffer from road rage as well. While in downtown Ottawa, I had this bus honking at me to move forward as people were crossing the street. Did this Canook really want me to mow down his fellow countrymen in order to expedite his journey? Then again, he night not have seen them due to the fact than I am driving this massive tank on wheels.
Though as much as I do complain about this land yacht, I know that once I get back to the States my Nissan Sentra is going to seem a bit lack luster. Damn you, Canada!