Though I’m not the jet setting backpacking hitchhiking traveler I wake up wishing I was on the weekends, I have been to a few places on the map…(stress the few). One such place was Toronto last spring, though it wasn’t quite spring as the temperature barely nudged over the double figures and was even down to the minus figures during the evenings. Most people dubbed her as the ex girlfriend who refused to leave. Despite such I had a chance to see firsthand what this amazing city had to offer.
Weather
Being born and raised on an island means that “I an I rasta no kustom to dem kinda tepatres same way so I man haffu bungle up and kep warm” translation: whereas persons from the great white north are accustomed to their climate, I on the other hand was very much clad in scarf, jacket, hat and gloves where as my counterparts were chilling in sweat pants and a hoodies. For no other reason than Mother Nature being her usual by her own book self, the picnic weather never materialized as I had hoped. When it did warm up though, it was nice to be outdoors taking in the sights.
Tourist Stuff
Being that I was a “tourist” I did what most persons do when they visit Canada/Toronto, go to Niagara Falls. At this time of the year though I would not advise it as the Niagara area was even colder than Toronto and though many persons were getting away for the holiday weekend, not many were posing for pictures around the falls as it was semi-frozen and extremely cold. The change of scenery was definitely welcomed and embraced. Despite the Maid of the Mist and the behind the falls attractions being closed the Niagara area has numerous activities to enjoy. A dinosaur park for the kids, Dave & Busters, Nightmares Fare Factory and a host of other arcades, haunted houses and novelty shops to say the least.
If you are visiting Toronto though and you have the time to spare I would also recommend taking a trip to Montreal. The four (4) train ride via VIARAIL gives you a chance to view the wide open planes of the countryside. Montreal though is quite different to Toronto. You can almost distinctly pick out the tourists (I) from the locals. I would want to believe that 99% of the population is bilingual with French being their more preferred language. Store attendants and other service personnel greet you in both forms and respond based on your response. Me making the mistake of merely saying hello in French lead to the attendant rattling on as if I had any clue as to what she was saying. A lesson learn I told myself.
Old Montreal also has a quainter, old fashion British feel to it with brick buildings and a town square as well as alley ways with small restaurants and souvenir shops. It’s as if I were in a museum or walking back in time to the 18th century. If you’ve got the time there are horse drawn carriage rides where you get a brief history lesson from your driver. It was as the French would say “magnifique”.
Food & Shopping
For those looking to “shop it up” as my girlfriend describes it, you will have more than your share of stores and brand names to choose from. Between The Bay and Eaton Center in downtown Toronto you can find just about everything for your closet and beyond. Yorkdale and Vaughn Mills malls are also pretty extensive in their store front offerings. Smaller malls like Woodbine and Albion also offer good bargain opportunities as well. Major names like Sears and Wal-Mart are well represented though Target is just opening up shop so to speak. So if you have a passion for fashion and shopping you’ll have your fill once you can pay the bill.
Being a recovering fat kid (honorary member of fat kids anonymous) I’m always on the lookout for good food. A few items stick out on my list from the places my fellow connoisseur and I dined at. Most notably was the macaroni pie at the Gabardine restaurant in the financial district (http://www.thegabardine.com/). We Caribbean people have a thing for macaroni pie in case you might not have known. No wedding, funeral, birthday party, christening, church lunch, Christmas dinner, New Year’s dinner, BBQ, or beach picnic is complete without it. As such the chef at the Gabardine would make himself a small fortune if he were to move to the islands.
Grazzie’s Italian restaurant is also worthy of notable mention as their pasta dishes are delightful. I recommend getting there a few minutes before you’re actually hungry as there always seems to be a waiting line ( a sign of good food no doubt). Reuben’s and Schwartz’s in Montreal were also quite pleasing to my palate. The smoked meat Schwartz’s is apparently quite legendary as there were emails on their walls from persons requesting their product from as far as Australia.
The Kensington Market area off Queen Street is a unique a village I have witnessed in a city setting. Eclectic would be too easy of an adjective to use to describe this area.The "homey" feel that it has to it may be because many of the homes are now stores that offer a wide variety of items, trinkets, fiddles and diddles etc. If you like to go off the unbeaten path, then this is definitely your neck of the woods. Be sure to get some Kimchi fries from Banh Mi Boys, they are ah-wait for it - mazing.
All in all my first adventure was indeed a great one and I am definitely looking forward to the second and third etc…
