Canada may be ranked as the third best place to the world, but when it comes to public transit we are one of the worst, especially when compared to many coun-tries in Europe.

So far on my trip across the pond I have been to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels and Madrid, and everywhere I’ve gone both the municipal public transportation system and the intercity systems have been top shelf, especially in Amsterdam where everyone already has a bike, or two or three.

When I first arrived in Amsterdam, I just missed my tram (they’re like our light rail trains) trying to get from the train station to my hostel. I was huffing and puffing and felt like I was about to have a coronary when a nice gentleman asked me if I was okay.

When I explained to him that I was run-ning to try and catch the tram, he chuckled and told me not to worry beacuse that particular tram runs every 10 minutes. In fact, most of the trams in Amsterdam run every 12 minutes. The subway runs every eight minutes. It was the same in Madrid, and Copenhagen.

The intercity transit system in the Netherlands is even more efficient with direct high-speed trains running between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, which is roughly the distance between Ottawa and Morrisburg, every 20 minutes. You can also take the slower Sprinter trains which run every 30 minutes with stops in between.

There’s a train between Amsterdam and Brussels, which is roughly the distance between Ottawa and Montréal, which runs every half hour during the peak periods and every hour the rest of the time. VIA Rail train isn’t too bad with five trains a day to Montreal and 10 trains a day to Toronto.

And while Europe has had high-speed rail service since the 1970s, here in Canada we have been talking about implementing high speed rail between Montréal and Windsor almost as long. In fact, Canada is the only country in the G7 that doesn’t have high speed rail service. Considering the size of Canada and how spread out we are, that’s a joke.

Our municipal transportation issues go back to post World War II when cities like Halifax, Ottawa and Montreal started ripping out trolley tracks and replacing the street cars with buses. Meanwhile, in post-war Europe, they were rebuilding their municipal trolley track networks. The only Canadian city that kept at least some semblance of street car service was Toronto.

I know we will never reach the standards they have in Europe. We won’t even come close, but as Ottawa moves toward it’s New Ways to Bus program that will focus on providing busing to community hubs with greater distances needed to walk to your bus stop and on-demand service in certain communities, it’s worth thinking about.

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The following is being provided as a public service.

While in Pamplona, Spain, I was pick-pocketed and had my phone stolen. What ensued was both frustrating and extremely time consuming, but I am going to treat it as one of those learning moments which I will pass on to you now.

Before you go on a vacation, especially to Europe where you might be going to cities like Paris, Rome or Barcelona, familiarize yourself with your provider’s protocol for locking your phone.

Step one if your phone is stolen is to find a computer – the most likely places are an Internet café or the nearest hotel – and block your phone. Apple and Samsung also have protocols by which you can lock your phone.

Second, you can easily buy a replacement phone at any electronics store that sells refurbished phones. I bought a Samsung A15 for only $250.

Third, you need to buy a SIM card which will give you a phone number for whatever country you’re in and also provide you with data which you can use throughout Europe.

I bought a SIM card with unlimited data and long distance calling for $120. You can buy cards with not as much data for much less. But it will give you the ability to phone home or make local calls.

The biggest downside to having your phone stolen, aside from the fact that you don’t have your phone anymore, is the inability to access your Google account because in their infinite wisdom they created a verification system that requires you to enter a security code that can only be sent to the phone that’s been stolen, at least until you get home and get a new SIM card with your old phone number on it.

Bottom line is, try not to let a stolen phone ruin your vacation. It didn’t ruin mine.

(If you wish to comment on this or any other View Point column please write to Fred Sherwin at fsherwin@orleansstar.ca)