Summary So Far (USA and Canada)

So having left America and Canada here my brief summary of the cities

New York (Manhattan)

Good
Central Park - worth the visit alone
Shopping at 2 dollars to the pound
Loads of good tours

Bad
Hotels are expensive
You will end up bankrupt if you spend more than a week here
New Yorkers expect tips no matter what 17% min

Boston

Good
Newbury Street - Boutique shops but a gret places to chill and get a coffee
Blue Man Group- great fun night out
Cheers - No one will know your name but you wont care

Bad
Tour around city ( ok most of the centre was closed for the day, but to winge on about it constantly even when passing area of intrest was a pain).

Montreal

Good
Good shopping centre - all linked underground
lot of intresting architecture -statues and buildings
Good restaurants

Bad
They speak french - enough said

Toronto

Good
Great Plazas
Always something going on
Loads of theatres (3rd only to London and NY)
Niagra Falls a day trip away

Bad
A lot of beggers (though necesserily homeless, some had decent trainers)

Calgary

Good
The place is spotless
Free streetcar through centre of city
Food ia great
Prince Island Park
Cowboy town
letter boxes covered with artwork - bizzare
Cow Statues

Bad
Cowboy town
Country and western music - enough said

Candain Rockies

Good
Every second is like walking in a postcard
Lake Louise
Moraine Lake
Lake Maleigne
Columbia Icefield Glacier
Spirit Island

Bad
Nothing

Vancouver

Good
Stanley Park (inc free bus around park)
Granville Isalnd
Yale
Gas Town
Loads of other areas to visit
Whistler near by
Rockies near by
Vancouver Island near by
You can swim, ski and sunbathe in the same day - but not at the same time- that would be stupid

Bad
Shopping Mall is dull- reminded me of home
Lots of homeless, I mean lots - im sure this will be sorted for the winter olympics in 2010

Seattle

Good
It has good coffee
It has good seafood
has a good art museum
Pig sculptures - bizzare

Bad
Just Dull

San Francisco

Good
Great Artwork -if you like Deco then heres the place ( not the footballer)
Pier 39

Bad
transport system too overcrowded

Overall

Best Bargains

- Fung Wah bus to Boston 7.50 GBP
- Helicopter ride over Niagra about 40 GBP for 15 mins but well worth it
- the parks i.e. free

Rip Off
- tram tour Around Boston was NAFF
- sending stuff home- costs more than the stuff you buy

Most irritating

Having to add tax to every thing US and Canada
American kids - they're just irritating, stupid and rude.
Pan Pipers i think i lost them in San Francisco - (nb i have nothing against Mariache bands (however it's spelt))

5 Questions that need to be answered

1 Why is there alway a kebab shop next door the strip joints? (THAT I'VE PASSED and not gone in ). you wouln't find me dead in there - a kebab shop that is.
2 Baseball - isn't it just rounders for blokes?
3 Why is it every city i go, theres a Jamie oliver book in every bookstore
4 French people - what is their purpose?
5 Has everyone from Harry Carrs found a job now

Useful websites while travelling in USA/Canada
www.hotwire.com - didnt get a bad hotel for the price of a hosel

PS Sorry i havent sent out any emails as yet, Ive lost my contacts list so i havn't got any way to get in touch, so if you can send an email to ilangley@ntlworld.com i can pick it up and copy the address and get back.