Toronto's a pretty cruisey city that feels a lot like home. It actually bears a closer resemblance to Melbourne than Sydney, except that it's not raining right now! The weather has been perfect - mid to higher 20s most days, and up around 20 at night which makes it a little uncomfortable if you're trying to sleep. Otherwise, the city is great - I love the multiculturalism, being the 2nd most multicultural city in the world, I believe. If you have a certain style food craving, you only have to head to the nearest little Italy, Greek town, Chinatown or Latin village. Mm-mmm-mmmm!
We have been staying in this fabulous hostel which is much more like a large shared house than a busy backpacker's. It's called The Planet Traveller's Hostel and it's my new home :) I have already changed my flight twice to stay longer. This location is right across from a neighbourhood park, where heaps of people chill out day and night - lots of hippies, punks, and all sorts of in betweens. Just up the road are the Kensington markets and loads of fresh food stalls, clothes stands, cafes, organic ice-cream shops, etc. Mmm, yum!
Getting around Toronto is another thing. I seem to notice a distinct lack of public buses. Instead, there are streetcars (aka trams) and a subway system which you can connect to and is both above and below ground. Each journey costs $2.50 which is not cheap, so instead you can walk, only the roads are really long. Something which looks quite close on the map often ends up being a 35 minute walk each way. That's fine if you have the energy, and if not - you can always stop at one of the 3 starbuck's planted on each block for a cold frappucino (if you can afford it).
So...the sights... on our first day Tanya, Lara and I took a quick, free city tour on "the Magic Bus" which is just as transical as it sounds - an old public bus hand-painted outside and in with graffiti all over the seats and ceiling. Fun to read. The inside roof now also proudly displays a glittering Australian flag sticker thanks to yours truly. So, our driver Frankie gave us a run-down of the city areas, including his house. One place I love in the city is this venue run by the National Film Board of Canada which has big arm chairs with private screens where you can selet and watch short films for free. There are a host of docos, dramas, all sorts of genres, made by local film-makers.
Another day Lara and I joined the local Casino and took their bus to Niagara Falls, along with 2 crazy Scottsmen (I'm starting to think they're all crazy!) and one Spaniard from the hostel. I must say, after seeing Iguacu Falls, I was highly disappointed with Niagara. But, up close and on film, they don't actually look all that different. The overall size is the most obvious difference, where Iguacu stretches for miles, waterfall after waterfall, whereas Niagara just has the two main falls. Oh - and also the commercialisation which is pretty sickening. Before you reach the falls, you walk through "Disneyland Drive" which is filled with Rippleys and all sorts of theme-park attractions. It's a bit sad seeing all that hype beside such natural beauty, but I suppose it's the way of our society and I'm only more conscious of it now that I've seen the more natural alternative. The park that otherwise runs beside the falls on the Canadian side is beautiful. We took the ride on the "Maid of the Mist" boat which ducks close to the falls and got showered with spray. I remember doing that with my parents when I was about 14 and it just as much fun now that I'm 25.
After walking around for a while, Lara and I felt really disappointed because we wanted to see the whirlpool and flower clock, but the shuttle was about to stop and we couldn't afford a taxi. Then somehow we found this really nice taxi driver who offered us a cheap fare and then, without us suggesting it, he even offered to turn off the meter and take us on a little tour. So cool!!! He was awesome. Absolutely lovely and his hospitality totally made our day. So we saw both the whirlpool area where some people were fishing off the rocks, near the hydroelectric plant, and the flower clock that currently displays the Scout's emblem in the design. Woo-hoo!!
On our last day together, before Tanya departed for her cousins' house, we took a ferry to Central Island which is only about a 10 minute ride away from the port and is really beautiful. It reminds me a little of a big Centennial Park. Walked around, fed the ducks in the lake, had a snooze in the sun. From the signs and grandstands that were being packed away, it looked as though we just missed Toronto's Dragon Boat races. (Reminded me of HDY).
Otherwise, I've been to the medical centre a few times since I was really sick when we arrived. That's the one thing that really sux when you're travelling. Nearly every other time, people who are at home could be jealous of me being on holidays, but once you're sick, you only want to be home in your own bed with home comforts (and mum to give me lots of attention!) I must say, Lara was lovely and bought me a pot-plant to give me something to look at and to cheer me up. I did manage to almost kill it within about 3 days, so I'm leaving that with Debbie who lovingly takes care of the gardens here at the hostel.
Yesterday was a very cruisey day. Slept in and subotaged my intentions to go to church here in Toronto. (Thanks for the directions though Mal). I do love the days after a long stint of travelling where you can just chill though. Last night, fortunately, two really cool brothers Vin and Jay (Haitian/American) who are staying here convinced Lara and I to go out and we found a free club on Richmond Road which had some nice big lounges and good music towards the end of the night after the DJ granted my request for some reggae dance-hall. I love reggae! It's amazing that things can seem so quiet in one part of town and then when you hit the club area, there are hundreds of people all dressed up, lining up outside clubs, a few stretched limos to be seen and bikes lined up, reminded me a little of Miami but on a smaller scale.
Walking home, it's sad to see, as always, some people sleeping on cardboard boxes, in doorways or pretty young kids barefooted in dirty old clothes on the street. I think in these cases there must be some level of choice involved, but I'm sure each story is different and somewhere along the line there must be some type of addiction tying them to that lifestyle. It's just so sad to see, reminding me that poverty and ostracism is worldwide, not at all confined to the third world and it's something we turn our eyes from daily.
Posted by Haley at June 26, 2005 06:12 PM