Dipper 1033 Report post Posted May 28, 2012 Just curious as to why there are so few ladies working from hotels on the Hull side. There are a number of hotels just across the bridge... It seems to me that downtown Ottawa during the day is difficult to get at.. parking, traffic.... may be I`m just lazy but my swimming skills are not at par and crossing the river is always an adventure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DukeSSk 3430 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Perhaps taking the bus during midday; I know you gotta check the schedules, etc...But like you said, have fun finding parking. Apologies if this is a silly question, but are the bridges jammed from 10am to 3pm?!? (I'm at South Keys.) As for downtown SP availability during the day...I'm not sure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philander39 3705 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 There are a few reasons why SPs favour the Ottawa side, some good some not so good. I think one reason is there are more 4+ hotels in the Ottawa side. Also, more people work on the Ottawa side thus the daytime client pool is much larger. One SP told me she like being in the Ottawa hotels as there was more things within a short walking distance. Probably one of the biggest issues is, for some reason, there is a "fear" (not really the word I want but I can't think of a better term) of crossing the bridge to Hull. Makes no sense - I know. Hull still has this reputation of some ghetto which it really hasn't been able to shake. I know one travelling SP who had booked a hotel on the Hull side right near the bridges, telling me that a majority of the people who contacted her about her availabilty decided not to book because she was in a hotel on the Hull side. Needless to say that worked to my advantage as I was able to get the appointment I wanted and she gave some extra special service as I was one of the few who would brave scary Hull. I think after a couple of days she moved to a hotel on the Ottawa side as barely any one was willing to meet her in Hull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
castle 38816 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 (edited) I don't get it either. I've been living in Hull for well over a decade now. Pretty much in all different areas of Hull at one time or another. And I've never been mugged, I've never been swarmed, I've never been stabbed or shot. In fact I read and hear about more such crimes happening on the Ottawa side than on the QC side. Posted via Mobile Device Edited May 29, 2012 by castle Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luckyme 41401 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 To answer DukeSSk's question, no, bridges are not jammed between 10 am and 3pm. But between 6:30am -9am and 3:30pm - 6pm, that's another story! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beaker 123 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 I totally agree with Philander39. I also find Ottawa downtown location hard to access and parking difficult to find, even the paying ones. There used to be a limited number of SP on the QC side. They all moved out now. From talking to them the same reason came back over. Most client in Ottawa do not want to cross the bridge or should I say the border. May there passport are not in order. :icon_lol: That said, my question is, Is there any CERB SP/MP operating out of QC presently ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boomer 33202 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Seems to me it's simply a matter of the girls going where the business is. I know my way around the Ottawa side so when I go over the bridge I am a little bit lost, and finding my way around and finding parking is a bit of a challenge. Maybe I'm all wet but just seems to me with Ontario plates and driving tentatively I might be potentially stopped. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DukeSSk 3430 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 There are a few reasons why SPs favour the Ottawa side, some good some not so good. I think one reason is there are more 4+ hotels in the Ottawa side. Also, more people work on the Ottawa side thus the daytime client pool is much larger. One SP told me she like being in the Ottawa hotels as there was more things within a short walking distance. Probably one of the biggest issues is, for some reason, there is a "fear" (not really the word I want but I can't think of a better term) of crossing the bridge to Hull. Makes no sense - I know. Hull still has this reputation of some ghetto which it really hasn't been able to shake. I know one travelling SP who had booked a hotel on the Hull side right near the bridges, telling me that a majority of the people who contacted her about her availabilty decided not to book because she was in a hotel on the Hull side. Needless to say that worked to my advantage as I was able to get the appointment I wanted and she gave some extra special service as I was one of the few who would brave scary Hull. I think after a couple of days she moved to a hotel on the Ottawa side as barely any one was willing to meet her in Hull. Without a doubt, there is a psychological factor at play. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spud271 47779 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 I'm the same as Boomer, I prefer seeing women in Ottawa for whatever reason. I have a GPS, so there is no reason for me not to go over to Gatineau, but I know Ottawa and just never seemed to head over to the Quebec side very often. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Lane 13856 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Well Hi everyone, I will be coming down that way very soon and im glad I read this thread! I was wondering, it seems that Hull isnt very Sp friendly, but what about Gatineau...Would you consider traveling there instead of Ottawa downtown... Just wondering, on my part if its something to look into... Thank you everyone for your input... xoxo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Fantasy 144625 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Well Hi everyone, I will be coming down that way very soon and im glad I read this thread! I was wondering, it seems that Hull isnt very Sp friendly, but what about Gatineau...Would you consider traveling there instead of Ottawa downtown... Just wondering, on my part if its something to look into... Thank you everyone for your input... xoxo Don't go to Gatineau, even more scary than Hull for most people. Hull is RIGHT across the river, when Gat is even further away Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andee 220524 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Simply put - a lot of guys don't want to cross the bridge, no matter how close a lady is. Period. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whiteman 14028 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 I used to have a lot of fun going across the river for some fun when I was in my 20's. I think back then Hull had an even worse reputation than now, but it always felt like you were going over to do something bad on the wrong side of town. Nowadays, Hull is hardly the wrong side of town, but it still has a left-over memory of one. I think the lesson here is that having a bad reputation is not a bad thing, just make sure when you do have a bad reputation, make it a really bad one. Make it an event, like you're going to Sin City. :icon_wink: 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dipper 1033 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 I would tend to agree with Malika that Gatineau vs Hull itself may not be where to go , not that it is scarier but just that there not be nicer hotels than in Hull and you are getting a bit away from Ottawa. There use to be more ladies working on this side of the river and I don`t know why there would be fewer know. For me, it would be more practical but I don`t really mind going on the other side of the river regardless of my swimming skills. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Lane 13856 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Well thanks everyone, that answers that...Ottawa somewhere is the way to go!!! I do remember years ago my sster lived in gatineau and we would go to Hull to party!!!...I would have thought being a border city that things would have been cleaned up or at least up graded to a better standard, to attract people to Hull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
castle 38816 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Well thanks everyone, that answers that...Ottawa somewhere is the way to go!!! I do remember years ago my sster lived in gatineau and we would go to Hull to party!!!...I would have thought being a border city that things would have been cleaned up or at least up graded to a better standard, to attract people to Hull. It is cleaned up. Hull is pretty tame these days. A lot more shit goes down in Ottawa on a Friday or Saturday night than it does in Hull. But unfortunately Hull/Gatineau has a "Evil Quebec" image it can't shake with the Ontarians. Personally I just think the Ottawa folk are afraid that they'll be expected to speak french the second they cross the bridge....or worst yet, someone will speak french to them! The audacity! :p 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philander39 3705 Report post Posted May 29, 2012 Castle hit the jackpot !! Too many people are afraid that they will have to speak French as soon as they cross the bridge. Shelly Lane - definitely follow Malika's advice. Gatineau would have even less people heading out that way. I do admit that in the downtown part of Hull during the daytime hours parking can be a pain. The green hornets (or is it hornet du verte ?) are busy little beavers but the same is true in Ottawa. I know growing up in Ottawa, Hull was where you went to do crazy things but those days are gone. There are still some pretty good pubs but they are really tame compared to the old days. Luckily, for me I have no problem going to Hull so an SP located there has a good chance that I might drop by for visit :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justjerkin 113 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Personally I worry about any interaction with the police at all or even others. Anglophones are typically frowned upon and not being able to communicate definitely makes me uncomfortable. Definitely to the point that I would never cross the border for any "fun". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luckyme 41401 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) I have no preference at all on either side of the bridge. In my previous life, I had worked in La Belle Provance across the river for many years. Apart from the traffic during rush hours, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. I also downhill ski and golf regularly in the Gatineau/Hull area - and I don't have to speak French, although I do. I might add that I had also met a couple of SPs during my early hobbying years (which actually was not too long ago) across the bridge. There are a few nice hotels across from the museum as well as the famous Chateau Cartier which can all be considered as outcall locations. They are about 5 min.-10 min. from DT Ottawa. Bottom line - I go where my fav. SPs are. Edited May 31, 2012 by Luckyme Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
castle 38816 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Anglophones are typically frowned upon I dunno....no offense intended but statements like this always me shake my head a little. I was born and raised in QC and been Anglophone all my life. Was raised in an Anglophone home (in QC) and always went to Anglophone schools (in QC). I've never once felt frowned upon nor have I ever run into any hostility for being english. In fact some of my best friends growing up (and still friends to this day) are frenchies. Personally I think the idea that Anglophones aren't welcome on this side of the bridge is a total stereotype. And as with most stereotypes it's one that is bred from ignorance. I don't mean ignorant in the derogatory sense, I just mean that maybe a lot of people are ignorant to the facts. People don't want to come here because they think they'll run into hostility for being english, and yet how do they know if they never do come over here? Sure if you were going to Quebec City or Trois Rivieres, somewhere like that. You may run into a little hostility if you can't speak french. But in the Gatineau/Hull area? Unlikely. There's a lot more english speaking people over here than you'd expect. And being as close to Ottawa as we are even the people whose first language is french will usually be at least somewhat bilingual. Just take the beautiful Malika, she's a perfect example. Us square heads over here get along just fine with our Francophone counter parts, at least I have in my 30 some odd years of experience living over here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
backrubman 64800 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Sure if you were going to Quebec City or Trois Rivieres, somewhere like that. You may run into a little hostility if you can't speak french. But in the Gatineau/Hull area? Unlikely. There's a lot more english speaking people over here than you'd expect. Rightly or wrongly (and I suspect wrongly) there is a general stereotype among the rest of North America that Quebec is not a friendly place. Is it the hostility beyond the Hull/Gatineau area some have encountered if you can't speak french that you mention? Is it the alienated American tourists who marvel at signs only in French when they thought they were visiting a bilingual country and then leave quickly never to return? (they have told me of this) Who knows for sure? But what I do know is that the stereotype does exists and saying it comes from ignorance and shouldn't exist may well be correct but that doesn't change the fact that it is real and persists to this day. Quebec needs to take some steps to correct this and make tourists and outsiders feel more welcome. All the hoopla of the past about laws that dictate you can't have english signs in a bilingual country don't help. In my younger years, I would traverse the province with my friends. They would fill up on Edmunston, New Bruswick and have an extra 10 or 20 gallons in a gas can in the trunk (just in case) so they wouldn't have to stop and deal with anyone in Quebec and could make it to Lancaster, Ontario before stopping for fuel again. Was this my idea? Nope, but they as a group were always convinced that stopping in Quebec was not the thing to do. Why is this? Well it seems that they stopped once and the gas station attendant wouldn't speak to them in English and gave them a hard time, once was enough. So that was in my teenage years and now I am middle aged be be darned if one of friends from those teenage years (now middle aged also) didn't stop by the other day to borrow the biggest gas can I had as he was driving to Toronto and still wasn't going to deal with anyone in Quebec. So I told him, "you know, there is really no need of this, things have changed", but he planned to motor on through, not stopping for food or gas and not spending a cent there. Vive le Québec libre! :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toine 30556 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Well, talk about an edifying story. Laughable! Rightly or wrongly (and I suspect wrongly) there is a general stereotype among the rest of North America that Quebec is not a friendly place. Is it the hostility beyond the Hull/Gatineau area some have encountered if you can't speak french that you mention? Is it the alienated American tourists who marvel at signs only in French when they thought they were visiting a bilingual country and then leave quickly never to return? (they have told me of this) Who knows for sure? But what I do know is that the stereotype does exists and saying it comes from ignorance and shouldn't exist may well be correct but that doesn't change the fact that it is real and persists to this day. Quebec needs to take some steps to correct this and make tourists and outsiders feel more welcome. All the hoopla of the past about laws that dictate you can't have english signs in a bilingual country don't help. In my younger years, I would traverse the province with my friends. They would fill up on Edmunston, New Bruswick and have an extra 10 or 20 gallons in a gas can in the trunk (just in case) so they wouldn't have to stop and deal with anyone in Quebec and could make it to Lancaster, Ontario before stopping for fuel again. Was this my idea? Nope, but they as a group were always convinced that stopping in Quebec was not the thing to do. Why is this? Well it seems that they stopped once and the gas station attendant wouldn't speak to them in English and gave them a hard time, once was enough. So that was in my teenage years and now I am middle aged be be darned if one of friends from those teenage years (now middle aged also) didn't stop by the other day to borrow the biggest gas can I had as he was driving to Toronto and still wasn't going to deal with anyone in Quebec. So I told him, "you know, there is really no need of this, things have changed", but he planned to motor on through, not stopping for food or gas and not spending a cent there. Vive le Québec libre! :) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
backrubman 64800 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Well,rednecks abound! I'm curious. Was it the rude gas station attendant (in Quebec), my odd friends or the Americans who can't navigate and read the signs you thought were "rednecks"? Inquiring minds want to know :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toine 30556 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 I'm curious. Was it the rude gas station attendant (in Quebec), my odd friends or the Americans who can't navigate and read the signs you thought were "rednecks"? Inquiring minds want to know :) Take your pick, there's something for everyone in this story... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
p_hodson 922 Report post Posted May 30, 2012 Well said. I'm an English man living in Gatineau and have been here for over 3 years now. I have never had any problems fitting in and is helping my French no end! Everyone I have met over this side has been super friendly towards me. I'm very happy here and it's only a 10 min drive from downtown etc too!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites