When I have visited other countries I have not been in the habit of taking any negative impressions and writing them for public consumption in the local press, nor badgering my hosts to make their country more like mine.
I have only heard very good things about Denmark, including about their courtesy and good manners. So I am doubly disappointed. I have lived in England. They have plenty of cars. Compared with Canada, they have simply made inadequate provision for parking them. Their public transport is excellent in many ways. I will not mention any criticisms, as the flaws are well known to the British and discussed with great vigour in their media already. Although much of the countryside retains its ancient beauty, I see no evidence that the country is Canada’s superior in care for the natural world or air quality.
I am not sure what our guests meant by the idea that they felt treated as “second class citizens” to Canadians’ cars. I doubt that. As an actual citizen, I have never felt inferior to these inanimate objects piloted around by my fellow Canadians.
Graham Barnes, Ottawa
