Rita McNeill is Infectious

Yup, you heard me.

Yesterday night, Ashleigh and I visited a local bar/pub called “The Royal Exchange”. It is the place to be for all the university kids. Ladies, let’s just say there were plenty of fish in the sea. And it wasn’t like we were just sitting there with our fishing rods waiting for them to bite. It was more like when salmon swim upstream. They were leaping up into the air and smacking us in our faces. Not bad at all.

I always knew that Aussies were a fun-loving bunch, but not quite this…quirky. In the middle of our first drink, a spontaneous “Grease” sing-along erupted. Every person in the pub channeled their inner Travolta. It was funny and creepy at the same time. Actually, it was more creepy than funny.

Anyway, we met a couple of local Aussies. We all bonded over our mutual hatred for the States and good ol’ Dubya. Cheers to that. They were a hilarious bunch. One of them didn’t believe that Canada is its own sovereign country. He thought that it’s just another American state. Let’s hope he was completely intoxicated. The rest of them were much more coherent.

In true tourist fashion, Ash and I started to criticize one of their beloved local sports: cricket. We kept saying that it wasn’t a true sport. Then they started to bash hockey.

Oh no you didn’t.

If you step back and really compare our respective local sports, cricket has nothing on hockey. It’s like comparing a cruise ship to a rickety old dingy. Where’s the full body contact? Where’s the slashing? Where’s the blood? This was when they all moved slightly away from us.

There was one guy, Nathan, who just took the cake. He told us that his mother was Canadian (from Winnipeg actually), so he knows a little about Canada. As Ashleigh started to talk to him, he brought up Bryan Adams, Degrassi Junior High, the Blue Jays, and…Rita McNeill. Yes, the woman with the Christmas specials on every season. That’s what we’re known for around the world guys! Hold your heads up high! Then he broke out in a Rita McNeill song stating that she was just so darn infectious.

Uh-huh.

That one is going down in the books.

Good bunch of guys. Very warm and friendly. Bad taste in sports though.

Peace out.

Jess

New words learnt: 1 (mozzies = mosquitoes)
Rita McNeill fans: 1 (give me time)