[JimJohnson]

I was born in southern California, lived on the east and west coasts. In 1965 dad was transferred to NAS Whidbey. Save for two years, 68 and 69, I have been living in Washington state.

Any time I travel to other parts of the US I get asked if I am Canadian, because of my "accent".

I suppose if I traveled abroad I could pass for Canadian, eh?

Ah the hazards of being out and aboot, eh?

Honestly, neither my wife nor I use the commonly parodied bits of Canadian brogue. Nor do we seemingly use the 'Finnglish' brogue often heard in Michigan's Upper Peninsula - but people still hear what they think are Canadian inflections in our speech. [Michigan's Upper Peninsula has the densest U.S. population of people of Finnish descent - my wife is 50% Finn / 50% German. There are many people around here who grew up speaking Finnish at home, but visitors from Finland say they are hard to understand because it is 'old' Finnish.]

[lesmore49]

Way back when I turned 18 we would go up to Vancouver, British Columbia on weekends as the drinking age was still 18 there. At the time the provincial laws prohibited liquor sales on the Sabbath. Although I don't recall if sales were also prohibited on holidays, but it was a possibility.

So I suspect the reason was that it was a holiday and licenced premises were closed.

My birthday is in April and I had waited ...somewhat impatiently...to reach the age of 21, to be able to be able to drink...legal.

The day arrived and some fellow employees I worked with, took me out to the local pub to celebrate. I remember the pub, it was called the Fox & Hounds.

Fast forward a few, short months. The provincial government brought in some legislation to make drinking ...legal...if you were 18. I thought, geez why didn't they do that a few years before, when I was 18.

As far as buying liquor on the Sabbath in my province that was the way it was probably till about 25-30 years ago. The only place you could buy liquor was at a provincial liquor store, and as far as beer was, only could be bought at either a provincial liquor store, or a licensed public house, beer vendor.

Wasn't a huge deal, we just had to make sure we had beer in storage.

[lesmore49]

Pretty much all alcohol based beverages in Ontario at least, are sold through province controlled outlets. Thanksgiving being an official holiday, none of the outlets were open.
The Niagara region is noted for its wines, yet difficult to impossible to purchase in the U.S., and since we were in the area at the request of our German relatives...

That whole trip was a hoot. These were first cousins to my father-in-law and having lived in East Germany since the war, their first trip to North America. They spoke precious little English and we spoke precious little German. Still we got along very well. We asked what they wanted to do while here? Niagara Falls. They had NO concept of the size of North America compared to Europe. They assumed our discussion of distance was exaggerated and/or mistranslated to metric. It is a 17-hour drive between our home and the Falls - and that is the shortest route cutting north of Lake Erie through southern Ontario. They couldn't truly comprehend the distance as Michigan borders with Ontario. After nearly a dozen hours with short meal and sight-seeing stops and still driving in Michigan, they began to understand we weren't wrong. We arrived well after dark and they stumbled exhausted into their hotel room. They were not at all disappointed with the Falls area the next day, in spite of the holiday crowds, but were not looking forward to the return trip to our home.

---------- Post added 10-09-21 at 11:28 AM ----------



I know living close to the border along Lake Superior has some impact. My wife and I have been privileged to have traveled in three continents. Inevitably somewhere on each trip we have been identified as Canadians rather than Americans based on our accent. WE can hear the difference between our speech and our neighbors' - and vice versa - but it isn't always apparent to people from outside our two countries - including other English speaking members of the Commonwealth. Or in fact, some Americans.

I remember the first time we were visiting the UK. We went to some castle ruins. The local guide came out and gave us a tour and told us the tale of a former resident, the Wolf of Baddenoch, I believe. He asked us which part of the States we were from. I said we're Canadians, not Americans.

He replied, 'same difference...Canadians, Americans...you're all colonists from the Americas. '

Another story.

We had been driving all day through England and finally made it to Scotland in the evening. We were starving and went to a pub, got something to drink and asked the bartender if we could get something to eat. He said sorry, but the British rules only allow them to serve food during certain hours and we are not within those hours.

He asked me why we were in Scotland. I said we are Canadians of Scottish ancestry and are exploring our Scottish roots. He immediately brightened and said in a heavy Scottish brogue...'Well if that is the case, then to H@$$ with the government rules, they're English laws anyways !!

" I'll bring you out a nice Scottish meal. He arrived a few minutes later with two steaming plates of 'Scottish' lasagna ".

I had neglected t o tell him, when we told him we were looking up our Scottish roots, that we were also looking up our English roots. Upon reflection I think that was a wise course of action.

[StiffLegged]

Well it looks like my home town has been appointed the Bacon Centre of Excellence. I'm guessing for the....World !

https://globalnews.ca/news/8250494/winnipeg-jobs-bacon-centre-of-excellence/

I was going to say congratulations, then I read the blurb: microwavable pre-cooked bacon??? Is nothing sacred? Bacon should be grilled, fried or wrapped around less tasty foods. Or laid lovingly beside mushrooms, pepperami, peppers and cheese on home-made, home-baked pizzas like my sons cooked us this evening. A bit of a speciality for them, they get better with every occasion.

Les, you need to talk with Mark; he'll set you right!

[StiffLegged]

We had been driving all day through England and finally made it to Scotland in the evening. We were starving and went to a pub, got something to drink and asked the bartender if we could get something to eat. He said sorry, but the British rules only allow them to serve food during certain hours and we are not within those hours.

He asked me why we were in Scotland. I said we are Canadians of Scottish ancestry and are exploring our Scottish roots. He immediately brightened and said in a heavy Scottish brogue...'Well if that is the case, then to H@$$ with the government rules, they're English laws anyways !!

" I'll bring you out a nice Scottish meal. He arrived a few minutes later with two steaming plates of 'Scottish' lasagna ".

"Scottish" lasagna? And why not? There has been a sizeable Italian-descended population in Scotland for many years. Someone once volunteered that they were mostly PoWs who decided to stay in Scotland after the war, to which the retort was "Which war was that? They've been here for more than a century!!

In the interests of international understanding, I should mention the food laws as pertaining to pubs are much less exacting these days, mainly because many pubs make much of their income from food. You would have no trouble getting fed now.

[robtcorl]

Haggis lasagna would be right down @Bertwert's alley, I suspect.

[bertwert]

Haggis lasagna would be right down @Bertwert's alley, I suspect.

Sounds pretty good if you ask me!

[lesmore49]

I was going to say congratulations, then I read the blurb: microwavable pre-cooked bacon??? Is nothing sacred? Bacon should be grilled, fried or wrapped around less tasty foods. Or laid lovingly beside mushrooms, pepperami, peppers and cheese on home-made, home-baked pizzas like my sons cooked us this evening. A bit of a speciality for them, they get better with every occasion.

Les, you need to talk with Mark; he'll set you right!

I've never been a big bacon fancier. I prefer kobasa or kielbasa for breakfast meats.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8...W_Udt0uhJB99s5

[Parallax]

Haggis lasagna would be right down @Bertwert's alley, I suspect.

Sounds pretty good if you ask me!

I'm probably going to regret saying this, but it actually sounds interesting.
Only if properly boiled, of course.

[Parallax]

Haggis lasagna would be right down @Bertwert's alley, I suspect.

Sounds pretty good if you ask me!

I'm probably going to regret saying this, but it actually sounds interesting.
Only if properly boiled, of course.

[bertwert]

I'm probably going to regret saying this, but it actually sounds interesting.
Only if properly boiled, of course.

Interesting enough to be posted twice even!

[lesmore49]

"Scottish" lasagna? And why not? There has been a sizeable Italian-descended population in Scotland for many years. Someone once volunteered that they were mostly PoWs who decided to stay in Scotland after the war, to which the retort was "Which war was that? They've been here for more than a century!!

In the interests of international understanding, I should mention the food laws as pertaining to pubs are much less exacting these days, mainly because many pubs make much of their income from food. You would have no trouble getting fed now.

One set of my grandparents immigrated to Canada, from Scotland back around 1910, 1912. My Scottish grandfather would never call lasagna , Scottish food. Nothing wrong with it, I quite like it, but Scot's fare. Nope.

Last time we were in the UK (1977), we stayed at a B & B, food was great, except for the cold toast.

The owner was a man who was originally a WW2 Italian POW. I recall his wife telling us, that he had been in a Northern Italian Alpine regiment and eventually ended up for part of the war, in a British POW camp. She met him after the war and the two fell for each other, and got married.

He liked the UK so much that he never did go back to Italy.

In my province during WW2, there was a German POW camp in Riding Mountain National Park. It was pretty isolated back then, long, heavy snowed in winters, etc. Lots of bears, wolves, moose, buffalo in the park, and still are, to this day. Not much in the way of attempted escapes. In fact there were no prison fences, which was unusual, even in Canada.

A lot of the German POW's from this camp, after the war, liked the province, and stayed here after the war.

Here's some info.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8...oAuhccFT6szpsl

The park itself is quite interesting. I've been there a number of times, over the years, camping, staying at rented cabins, etc. I recall one evening having to make a fast trip to my city, as I had a warranty problem with my small outboard, and had to get it in before the warranty was over, which only had a few days left.

The sun was setting as I drove our station wagon through the park. I recall thinking, I wonder if I'll see any wild animals as a lot come out around dusk, there. I remember seeing some Elk, and then about 10 minutes later rounding a corner on the isolated road and right in the middle of the highway, was a huge, Bull Moose. They get really big out here and he had enormous antlers. He looked at me, as I just sat in my car. I was parked about 20 feet away from him.

I didn't honk, didn't move the car, just sat. I didn't want to trigger any aggressive charge from him. After a couple of minutes he just sauntered down to the lakeside, through the bush.

I drove on with that memory.

[lesmore49]

Haggis lasagna would be right down @Bertwert's alley, I suspect.

Haggis is a nice meal. I've had that.

Y'now, # 2, given your gourmet tastes, that might appeal to you too. Perhaps may replace your yen for bacon.

[StiffLegged]

Perhaps may replace your yen for bacon.

So the Japanese like bacon too? They’ve gone up in my estimation.


Oh. Just a mo…

[Parallax]

Interesting enough to be posted twice even!

This has been happening fairly regularly on the forum lately. I don't know what the issue is.
(for the record, I'm going to click "Post Quick Reply" only ONCE.)