Going to Europe?

[claude]

Firm offers "Go Canadian" package

By LESLIE HOFFMAN - Associated Press

This advertising package released by Mountainair, N.M.-based T-shirtKing.com, shows the "Go Canadian" package which includes a Canadian flag-T-shirt with the words to that country's national anthem, "O Canada," a Canadian flag lapel pin, a Canadian patch for luggage and a quick reference guide titled "How to Speak Canadian , Eh?". (AP photo/T-shirtKing.com)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Planning a European vacation and don’t want to talk American politics with an inquisitive foreigner? A New Mexico T-shirt company suggests going Canadian.

For $24.95, T-shirtKing.com offers the “Go Canadian” package, full of just the kind of things an American traveler can use to keep a vacation free of U.S. politics.

There’s a Canadian flag T-shirt, a Canadian flag lapel pin and a Canadian patch for luggage or a backpack. There’s also a quick reference guide — “How to Speak Canadian, Eh?” — on answering questions about Canada.

It is the brainchild of employees at the Mountainair, N.M.-based company known for comical T-shirts it sells worldwide on the Internet.

“It’s not meant as a slight against the United States or Canada,” explained T-shirtKing.com President Bill Broadbent. “It was meant as something Republicans could give their Democrat friends to say ‘C’est la vie.’ ... But maybe not c’est la vie because that’s a French word.”

This isn’t the first time the company has poked fun at politics. They held a political slogan T-shirt contest for the election. Among the favorites: “Might as well vote Republican, because they’ll say you did anyway.”


The “Go Canadian” idea emerged while Broadbent and several co-workers were chatting about a possible product to fill the gap between the end of their political slogan contest and another contest they plan for January.

One of Broadbent’s colleagues had heard of someone harassed about U.S. politics during a recent overseas trip.

Some people might not mind, but others “just want to be on vacation,” Broadbent said. “So we were joking that they could just go as Canadians, and that just kind of evolved.”

The package went up on T-shirtKing.com’s Web site Nov. 12 and the company sold a couple hundred — in New Mexico and elsewhere — in the first two weeks or so.

When lifelong Democrat Dani Delaney saw the package, she was immediately sold. After the general election, she said, “if I could move to Canada, I would.”

“I admire their liberal, progressive stand on things,” said the 57-year-old writing instructor at the University of New Mexico. “And I thought, ‘Well, that’s a good way to peacefully protest.”’

Sylvia Dawson’s boyfriend has been joking with the Ontario native that she needs to find him a Canadian flag for an upcoming trip to Spain. That’s after his daughter, who is studying there, warned that he might be questioned about politics.

So the 45-year-old Bernalillo resident bought a package.

“I said, ‘What are you going to do if someone asks you about the prime minister of Canada?’ And he said, ‘I’ll study up,”’ Dawson said.

[Pete C]

With a weak U.S. dollar, Europe is now prohibitively expensive. The Euro is now $1.34. Even if the Canadian dollar is no longer $.63, it is still under $.84. Quebec City is the most European-looking city I've seen in North America, outside of colonial Mexico. And Quebec ice cider is amazing stuff.

[Uli]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Quebec City is the most European-looking city I've seen in North America, outside of colonial Mexico.

But I've heard it's rather boring. Ain't that so?

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Uli

But I've heard it's rather boring. Ain't that so?

I wouldn't want to offend Jazzzoline.

Montreal is more interesting, but Quebec City is extremely pretty, and great for walking around. One can go to both.

[Uli]

Originally Posted by Pete C

I wouldn't want to offend Jazzzoline.

Montreal is more interesting, but Quebec City is extremely pretty, and great for walking around. One can go to both.

Yeah, I have been in Montreal and would go again anytime. Have never been to Quebec City but I sure had my share of pretty European lookin towns.

Maybe we should work on an Italian t-shirt for our French visitors. They probably wouldn't even have to study up on anything what's going on in Italy.

[Pete C]

By the way, Uli, --no offense intended--your homeland is full of pretty towns, but the only ones I didn't find boring were in the Ticino. I love Lugano.

[Uli]

Originally Posted by Pete C

By the way, Uli, --no offense intended--your homeland is full of pretty towns, but the only ones I didn't find boring were in the Ticino. I love Lugano.

No offense taken, Pete, I can live with the Swiss being seen as the master bores. Lugano is great. Have you ever been to Biel/Bienne or Neuchatel? In terms of least boring that's probably where I would go if I'd ever go back to live in the old country. Lugano i could definitively not afford. Maybe somewhere in the vallies in the Ticino.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Uli

Have you ever been to Biel/Bienne or Neuchatel?

No, but actually Lausanne is OK. Lucerne is a picture postcard--a pleasant short visit. I do intend to return to your home town, Bern, when the Klee museum is completed.

[clinthopson]

Q City is interesting, we've stayed there twice, but Montreal is a helluva lot more fun.

Toronto has its moments.

All in all, I'd rather be in Oaxaca.

[Jazzzoline]

Originally Posted by Uli

But I've heard it's rather boring. Ain't that so?

Québec is a government place, like Ottawa.. and others

Those places are usually boring.
It's a beautiful city though, very small too.
And people are getting .. old.

And no Pete, you didn't offend me at all.

[Enforcer]

Québec City is where my parents had their honeymoon. They never stopped raving about what a beautiful place it was.

[A. Kingstone]

Canada is alright but everybody looks like Claudes avatar.

[Jazzzoline]

Originally Posted by A. Kingstone

Canada is alright but everybody looks like Claudes avatar.

Well,, French canadians don't!

[Enforcer]

Originally Posted by Jazzzoline

Well,, French canadians don't!

[A. Kingstone]

Originally Posted by Larry Nagel

Granted all French Canadians are lovely. Except the one in this picture.


I like getting scolded by Jazzzoline.

[jesus marion joseph]

I've been many times to Montreal and Q. City. Both are great, but I lean more toward Montreal for several reasons, including:

Greater variety of restaurants
bigger city, better shopping
shorter drive for me (by about 4 hours)
killer botanical gardens


Quebec City is more visually pleasant. The Isle of Orleans is great; Montmorency Falls is a cool place just outside the city; the view from the fort on top of Cap Diamant is great, and the view from the eastern end of Orleans is even better.

The Old City section of QC is bigger and more authentic, mostly because the wall still surrounds it, and St. Alexandre's Pub is a great place to drink away an afternoon (or evening). That said, once you leave the gates, the "new" section of the city is pretty unremarkable (except for the Plains of Abraham), but pretty. Jazzoline is right; it's more of a "government" type city.

I like them both a lot, though. Actually, I like every place in Canada I've been to, especially Banff and Whistler.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by A. Kingstone

I like getting scolded by Jazzzoline.

And the great thing about Jazz Corner is it's free!

Windsor, Ontario, baby.

[Bluebrew]

What is Toronto?
What the Lone Ranger calls his Indian friend when he's had too much Canadian Club.

[A. Kingstone]

Originally Posted by Bluebrew

What is Toronto?
What the Lone Ranger calls his Indian friend when he's had too much Canadian Club.

Ha!

Any Canadian Club is too much.


Single Malt Baby!

[Enforcer]

Originally Posted by Ed the Happy Clown

Windsor, Ontario, baby.

Devonshire Mall, Mother's Pizza and Bentley's Roadhouse, motherf**kers.

Remembering the many weekends he spent there in his 19th and 20th years when he could drink alcohol in Canada but not in the States,
Larry

[Deke]

I'll wouldn't work. You guys may not realise it, but you have completely different accents.

[Jazzzoline]

Seen in the newspaper this morning:

(They'll never guess we're Americans!)

[Pete C]

Are all Canadians svelte?

[Jazzzoline]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Are all Canadians svelte?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Actually, after all the things that have been said, you're the first one who asks. No comments so far about that.
Actually, Canadians in general are just a tid bit behind you Americans as for being overweight.
There is a difference between French and English Canadians though. French are smaller and thiner.. the canadian race that followed has that caracteristic.

[Enforcer]

That comic is pretty hilarious. The map of Paris is the best part.

[A. Kingstone]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Are all Canadians svelte?

Never svelte better.




Fa da bah crash!

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by Jazzzoline

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Actually, after all the things that have been said, you're the first one who asks. No comments so far about that.
Actually, Canadians in general are just a tid bit behind you Americans as for being overweight.
There is a difference between French and English Canadians though. French are smaller and thiner.. the canadian race that followed has that caracteristic.

Thanks for the skinny.