Travelling to Toronto

 

Toronto’s Old City Hall

Downtown Toronto

Toronto from above

CN Tower

 

Just last weekend I finally got the long-awaited opportunity of visiting Toronto along with the Niagara Falls. Much as I would have enjoyed my friend and me deciding on our own itinerary, we had to book a guided trip at a travel agency in order to get parental consent as well as funding.
Needless to say, this means they made us waste far too much time at all the wrong places, in the futile attempt of sucking money out of us tourists, which is intelligible but nonetheless annoying. Therefore, instead of even scratching at the beautiful cultural potential of Toronto, visiting typical tourist attractions and wasting three hours of precious trip-time in a shopping center were part of the program.
Disregarding the fact that I treat shopping centers with the deepest contempt of which my rather magnanimous nature is capable, I found this particularly vexatious since, having done a bit of research, I knew a number of the things the city has to offer other than overpriced gift-shops. Being so close and yet so far (excuse the cliché) gave cause to a rather painful sensation in my metaphorical heart that has set itself to seeing the world.

What bugged me even more was the fact that the hotel was situated in the outskirts of the city so, having no bus-connections and/or money for a taxi, my friend and I found ourselves confined to the enclosed premises of our hotel room rather than out in the city, frolicking in the joy of freedom, adventure and exploration. We ate ice cream and watched CBC news instead.

However, all ranting and snobbish arrogance aside, I still found my trip very enjoyable. Toronto is quite interesting in terms of architecture, for example, a fact which was in no way lessened by the fact that the tour guide never once pointed out anything of the kind. Plus, I got to travel with a friend so we definitely still had a good time.

 

A post about Niagara is soon to follow.