Work Woes

[clivehorridge]

Hello Clive not trying to push you or anything but have you got any photos of the trails and mountains from you hire truck yet

Sadly, I don’t have enough time or motivation I’m afraid Steve.

Maybe I’m passing off too many opportunities, but work is taking it out of me 8 till 8 every weekday, and all I want to do at weekends is crash after doing my washing and domestic stuff.

Plus, Montreal seems to be in a flat area, guessing that’s the river’s fault, because there’s no geographical relief as far as I can see from my 29th floor window.

I’ve done some goooogling and even on the forums, it seems that those that know keep trail info very close to their chests.

The 2 car&truck rental places I called won't allow renters to do anything off the highway and refused to advise of any means for me to get a day out.

Plus, most of the inter-web searches are coming up in French... FFS (that stands for “For French’s Sake BTW).

 

[clivehorridge]

Good to see you have been exploring at bit,
It's a blooming cold place as you say
It was -20 when I was there briefly, they were running out of places to push the snow in car parks

TBH, I can’t pretend to be exploring Andy, it's a bitterly cold wind here, so the -8C feels like -15. I’ve taken walks, but being in the heart of the city, I’m pretty much trapped in glass and concrete.

The cold doesn’t bother me too much, down to -20C is something reasonable in Romanian winter-time. But the wind here really kills it.

The walk to the river I do at lunchtime is about 15 minutes each way, so although it’s better than nothing, I can’t call that getting out and about much.

If I had my way, I’d be on a plane home first thing in the morning.

Still, I will be on a plane next Friday evening, getting me home Saturday lunch time, so I’m really looking forward to that .

Maybe I’ll have better luck on my next stint here, 27 Nov - 15 Dec., who knows....

 

[SteveJB]

Nothing to look at out the windows cept lights and wind sounds like you are doing the same as the UK dark to work and dark home and dark when you close yer eyes sorry you cant get out of town to the trails are you cooking for yourself or being fed and if being fed wot forn fuud taist loiq also how about those that work with you are you playing nice as christmas is on its way hope you got a good crowd to work with and as you said earlier you will be home soon good luck Clive and hope your time in Montreal goes quickly for you

 

[clivehorridge]

Nothing to look at out the windows cept lights and wind sounds like you are doing the same as the UK dark to work and dark home and dark when you close yer eyes sorry you cant get out of town to the trails are you cooking for yourself or being fed and if being fed wot forn fuud taist loiq also how about those that work with you are you playing nice as christmas is on its way hope you got a good crowd to work with and as you said earlier you will be home soon good luck Clive and hope your time in Montreal goes quickly for you

The work is in some ways just more of what I’m used to Steve, but the contracts must have been written with a spoon on a blunt day, and we’re also dealing with translation issues Franada to English.

Anyway, the guy and guyess’ here are all very friendly. I cook for myself because nobody lives in my direction and eating out is expensive unless we go to MacD’s, which we won't. I’m quite enjoying the cooking TBH .

Yep, dark in the am and the pm, still its stopped raining and the wind has dropped, so the -3C this morning felt quite OK

 

[SteveJB]

Minus 3 huh and rain huh now that got to get into your bones plus any wind to go with it nasty but i do remember that they have covered walkways up in the air going from shop to shop up and down the streets for when it gets a bit or lot on the arctic side of summer have you seen or used these yet Clive ok it might not be pictures of the trails and mountains so any chance of the Concrete Jungle in some daylight the nightime ones of the skyline were good is the cost of food up in the clouds or bearing wages in mind about the same as back home and talking of home and with the time difference do you have enough time to talk to your family and without spoiling the suprise as i wont tell what presents you taking back with you ta steve

 

[clivehorridge]

Minus 3 huh and rain huh now that got to get into your bones plus any wind to go with it nasty but i do remember that they have covered walkways up in the air going from shop to shop up and down the streets for when it gets a bit or lot on the arctic side of summer have you seen or used these yet Clive ok it might not be pictures of the trails and mountains so any chance of the Concrete Jungle in some daylight the nightime ones of the skyline were good is the cost of food up in the clouds or bearing wages in mind about the same as back home and talking of home and with the time difference do you have enough time to talk to your family and without spoiling the suprise as i wont tell what presents you taking back with you ta steve

The time difference is Montreal 7 hours behind Romania (home). That means when I get up at 6:00 am its already 1:00 pm at home. I normally call the wife on wassap in (my) morning before I leave the wi-fi in the apartment, and that gives perfect communication voice only (no delay even) or live video. I then call again from the office wi-fi (again on wassap) at my lunchtime (say 1:00 pm), which catches the family at about 8:00 pm before they go to bed.

I don't know anything about any sky-walks here, it's just the usual cars and busses and the metro as far as I'm aware.

I can take some photos if you're interested...

 

[Chas]

I can take some photos if you're interested...

Well you know we always like pics here Clive, even if they don't have Cruisers there

 

[Animal Mother]

Try and get out and about. I'm not a big fan of cities but I like to go and get lost in them to find hidden gems of architecture and culture, like bars, comedy clubs, galleries, etc.

Try this site: https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/montreal-quebec/places

Go and grab a beer or some grub HERE

 

[SteveJB]

Yes please Clive some photos would be great as im a bit tired of reading and writing ha

 

[clivehorridge]

Try and get out and about. I'm not a big fan of cities but I like to go and get lost in them to find hidden gems of architecture and culture, like bars, comedy clubs, galleries, etc.

Try this site: https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/montreal-quebec/places

Go and grab a beer or some grub HERE

Ha, ha, I think one of the last places I’d visit would be a Romanian restaurant!!

Anyway the other link was a kind thought AM, thanks for that. Surprisingly, some of the places recommended are in the Old Port area, where I’m working.

Here’s a few snaps I took as I walked to the office this morning... and it was sunny today as well as cold...

Lucien-L’Allier Metro Station where I get the tube...

And a 10-car train (using rolling stock made by Alstom) which runs on rubber tires like the Paris Metro does.

Part of the 2BN Canadian Dollar - Montreal University Hospital Center (which happens to be the project that I’m working on here)...

Avenue Viger Est, which runs parallel with the street the office is on...

Some nicer older architecture (I don’t know what this building is used for..)...

Typical City street Avenue Viger Est...

A Stirling truck racing a mobile crane off the traffic lights...

Interestingly (for me) a bolted steel truss bridge with a concrete deck, quite an unusual construction method... No anti-seismic devices needed here, which make it easier to use more simple technology... and rather pleasing on the eye IMO

One of the naval ships at the Old Port, don’t ask me what it is, its a ship and it has some guns, a but stealth looking, with radar, grey paint and stuff...

The Old Port clock tower and the Biosphere in the distance...

A railway depot and a bridge across the St. Lawrence river..

The St. Lawrence River in person...

An observer wheel like the London Eye... and the Labyrinthe Nightclub, which is closed...

A church at Old Port, but I don’t know what it’s called...

What looks like the old town hall, but not sure of that...

The building I’m working in...

A more distant photo of the Hospital complex... (this is phase 1, phase 2 construction starts soon)...

The old station building, now used for something else, after realignment of the tracks about 30 years ago...

Remnants of the old tracks which have been thoughtfully retained, now running through a small recreational area...

 

[SteveJB]

Thanks for the pictures Clive i like looking at Brunel type engineering it lasts for years and years its good to look at and then wonder how the bloody hell did they do that and why cant they build something that looks that good and know it will last a few centuries oh and in the photo of the big wheel who is Arrat and why does he need to tell everyone he has 2 fences once again nice pictures and if out and about could you take some more very much appreciated ta steve

 

[Chas]

Thanks Clive, enjoyed the pictures, you certainly seem to have had a nice day for it.

 

[StarCruiser]

Enjoyed those too Clive. I agree with you on that bridge. It looks delicate and reminds me a little of the Iron Bridge.

 

[clivehorridge]

I like the trucks here, no shame in being big...

And it’s just a gully sucker

And of course Christmas has come already.

But the best news for me is I’m sitting at gate 57 at Montreal airport waiting to get on a flight to Amsterdam and then home...

It’s only for a week, then I come out again for another 3 weeks, but I’m so happy to be on my way home.

 

[Chas]

And of course Christmas has come already.

You should see Covent Garden
It’s only for a week, then I come out again for another 3 weeks, but I’m so happy to be on my way home.

 

[SteveJB]

Spose with the run up to christmas the gully truck will be kept busy with cleaning up the pavement pizzas

 

[Pat]

Liked the photos Clive and it reinforced our decision to live in the country.
We are definitely country bumpkins and I bet you are yearning for your
country manor.Sometimes it's a fair bugger where we have to go to earn a quid
but when you get home it makes you appreciate things more.All the best.Pat

 

[GeekOKent]

But the best news for me is I’m sitting at gate 57 at Montreal airport waiting to get on a flight to Amsterdam and then home...

It’s only for a week, then I come out again for another 3 weeks, but I’m so happy to be on my way home.

The best part of work travel, is the journey home.

 

[clivehorridge]

who is Arrat and why does he need to tell everyone he has 2 fences

.

I too prefer almost any “old” architecture over the new glass and stainless stuff going up these days, and living in a City is like Arrat’s fences for me

Still I’m home now for a week, after a mad dash on my 1hr transfer at Amsterdam Schiphol, bloody hell its a long way from where I arrived to the departure gate, and we arrived late

Got to the gate less than 15 minutes to take-off, it was close. Didn’t even have time for a ciggy and a pee, not good after 9hrs without a smoke .

I’m now trying to forget that I have to do it all again next Monday 27th. Aura’s birthday this Monday, so we'll be having a family bash..

 

[joinerman]

So Clive we could all individually send her birthday wishes on Monday !!!!!!