First world things I've done so far:
1. Drink water from the tap.
2. Comb my hair only once a day.
****
The public transit coin slot does not look like the slot machines in the arcade and the machine does not print the transfer pass for you. It is just a normal metal box with a slit on top, on side sloping towards where the slit is, and you just drop your tokens there. the metal material of the box is made in such a way the sounds of the tokens being dropped is amplified. Then the driver, who never checks if it was a penny, a nickel or a token that you dropped, tears off a transfer pass from the bunch and gives it to you. it looks like the Ceres bus ticket without the number matrix.
The wide streets going to Markham would have been nice to photograph but I was really tired. I should have rested at the hotel but i did not want to miss riding the transit (and seeing for myself the first world suburbs). Besides, the family we'll be going to will cook rice the Filipino way (boiled, not steamed) and probably some familiar dish from home.
Friday was when i discovered that my bedside clock has a radio and its an idiot radio. there's like 6 buttons on it, categorized per music genre. When i pressed soft rock it instantly tuned me in to Q107.1, which plays nice rock music (last Friday i heard at least 1 alanis song every hour), nothing black metal or slipknot-ty. I sort of thought the "noise" would be a nice companion and I was right, it helped me fall asleep. I've tuned in to Q107 (the tagline reminds me on NU107) since then.
Earlier in the day i went to get some food supplies at Shoppers in the corner of Peter St. There were too many junk than i could eat but settled for the Chunks Ahoy because i didn't want to waste money experimenting on food. Then a jug of orange juice, which i later learned to be on sale. This place is amazing, with foods "on sale" because food is always expensive in the Philippines. I wanted to try the frozen food but they look too junk and again, i really hate throwing food away even if they are junk. (and i thought my diet of supermarket veggies in Iloilo is already bad!)
I've never gotten over the 13% tax exclusive purchases though. at the check out counter i prepared for what i thought i'd be paying and was surprised when i was charged more. i almost asked the lady to review the TWO (!) items i bought, but it was good i remembered the tax thing before i made an embarrassment of myself.
i stopped by Zupa to get some lunch of supposedly Montreal chicken but they were out of that so i went for the bbq one. Zupa is like the carinderia of my area. When i ordered for "montreal chicken", this greek (or italian? i can't tell but he's certainly immigrant) cook said i should wait a while because he still have to go Montreal to get my chicken. I grinned at the guy ahead of me. Funny old man, the cook. He said it all with a very serious face.
When i got into my room, i received an invitation for lunch in Bay St. I was tired but if i didn't go, i won't have another chance of ever getting to the area of Bay St. so i said okay, put my take out lunch in the fridge and rushed downstairs.
We walked for like 10 blocks before our lunch mate, who works at the Bay Area, realized she was disoriented and couldn't tell anymore which direction we should be heading?
"Where is south, where is south?" she said looking around for signs.
We were in the middle of the busy chinatown district.
My colleague gave her directions using a mishmash of street names and landmarks, a cross somehow between how a Filipino and how a north american would give directions.
"Bay area is south, we have to go south." but she goes to a different direction. East, i think. then standing at the corner across the Art Gallery of Ontario, she remembered and realized it was still a long walk to that Spadina restaurant.
"I thought it is in Spadina?" My colleague asked. "Why did they call it Spadina restaurant if it's so so far away from Spadina? it's not even in Spadina anymore; it's in Bay street."
"Oh, i don't know. Maybe the original branch was in Spadina and they moved, are you guys still okay to walk?"
"But it's already 12:30, you will be late for office," I told her.
"Oh, that's no problem but if you're already tired we could just have it somewhere."
"Is there no other way to go there?" Colleague asked.
Then the light came on. "We can take the streetcar!"
"Perfect!" exclaimed my colleague who knew i never rode one yet. "So she can try it," he said pointing at me.
I showed her my tokens. "You will only need one."
By streetcar, it took us about 5 minutes to get to that restaurant. It's chinese, real cozy and clean but full of lunchers.
Crispy Ginger Beef was suggested but i ordered for some almond stir fried vegetable so we could have some greens on the table. Somebody also ordered for noodles.
My greens appeared really delicious when served but it tasted strongly of ginger when i tried and i lost half of the food excitement. Ginger beef was also tasty, i would love to try it at home (but it'll be very long before i'd master the perfect crispiness though). halfway through lunch i wanted to puke. i didn't want more but was embarrassed that i ordered for something i couldn't finish. My companions finished everything for me.
we went back to the hotel on foot and i came across a group of tattooed people. i read in the paper there'd be some tattoo convention in Toronto but the weird thing was, they were in a plush (plush to my taste) building, allowed to enter even though they looked trashed. That will probably never happen in the Philippines unless one is a celebrity. Or maybe they were celebrities.
My foot ached from walking. It was warm and i didn't wear my hiking shoes; rather the maryjanes i bought before leaving Iloilo. We will be having meetings during the tour that requires us to dress up properly, in business attire and all i have were hand me down converse all star, hand me down pink running shoes, and my 3-year old merrells. On our way, my colleague invited me to have dinner at his sister's (our lunch companion) in Markham. He said i should go so i would see other places and have the chance to try out the transit. Pick up time is 430pm.
When we reached the hotel I again left him by the hotel sidewalk, went up to my room and crashed.
***
Downsview
Downsview
Wilson
Wilson
Yorkdale
Yorkdale
Lawrence West
Lawrence West
Glencairn
Glencairn
Eglington West
Eglinton West
St Clair West
St Clair West
Dupont
Dupont
Spadina
To reach Markham from our hotel we need to ride a streetcar to St. Andrews subway station, train ride to St. George, change route to take the east train to Kennedy Station where we would get off to ride a bus to Markham City. All in all, the travel takes about an hour max and we get off at this store near the Steeles avenue.
We had grilled spare ribs, steaks and shrimp for dinner. i ate a slice of ribs and then shifted to eating shrimps. i'm really beyond my maximum tolerance for meat and i don't think i could eat more. thank jesus for the shrimp. and the rice! the rice was the rice!
We got back to the hotel at 11 and downtown toronto was just starting to get busy. there's a club adjacent to our hotel and if i remember correctly, there was supposed to be a mario lopez show that night. lots of bouncers and girls in minis around.
I didn't have the energy to fix myself and my room is still the way it was since i got here, only messier.
The cleaning ladies here never touch the area where my things are, like this table, the bedside table, the club chair and the area near the window where all my little pieces of mess are. they just change the bedding and clean the toilet and that's it. in philippine hotels, the cleaning people would usually arrange the stuffs on the hotel desk, and put together the pieces of paper that's all over the table. Maybe they are afraid I might complain if they touch my things. cultural stuff.
When i saw my bed, all i needed was just a quick toothbrush, quick face wash and then I crashed. That's all that i've been doing lately. crashing.
next: one blurry picture from an unanounced justin bieber rehearsal near mccaul's.
1. Drink water from the tap.
2. Comb my hair only once a day.
****
 |
| the one to the left is my day pass (going to markham) then the one to the right is what i was given when i went back to toronto. the topmost portion of the day pass that says "DAY" was probably wasn't torn off from the bunch that the driver keeps. |
The wide streets going to Markham would have been nice to photograph but I was really tired. I should have rested at the hotel but i did not want to miss riding the transit (and seeing for myself the first world suburbs). Besides, the family we'll be going to will cook rice the Filipino way (boiled, not steamed) and probably some familiar dish from home.
Friday was when i discovered that my bedside clock has a radio and its an idiot radio. there's like 6 buttons on it, categorized per music genre. When i pressed soft rock it instantly tuned me in to Q107.1, which plays nice rock music (last Friday i heard at least 1 alanis song every hour), nothing black metal or slipknot-ty. I sort of thought the "noise" would be a nice companion and I was right, it helped me fall asleep. I've tuned in to Q107 (the tagline reminds me on NU107) since then.
Earlier in the day i went to get some food supplies at Shoppers in the corner of Peter St. There were too many junk than i could eat but settled for the Chunks Ahoy because i didn't want to waste money experimenting on food. Then a jug of orange juice, which i later learned to be on sale. This place is amazing, with foods "on sale" because food is always expensive in the Philippines. I wanted to try the frozen food but they look too junk and again, i really hate throwing food away even if they are junk. (and i thought my diet of supermarket veggies in Iloilo is already bad!)
I've never gotten over the 13% tax exclusive purchases though. at the check out counter i prepared for what i thought i'd be paying and was surprised when i was charged more. i almost asked the lady to review the TWO (!) items i bought, but it was good i remembered the tax thing before i made an embarrassment of myself.
i stopped by Zupa to get some lunch of supposedly Montreal chicken but they were out of that so i went for the bbq one. Zupa is like the carinderia of my area. When i ordered for "montreal chicken", this greek (or italian? i can't tell but he's certainly immigrant) cook said i should wait a while because he still have to go Montreal to get my chicken. I grinned at the guy ahead of me. Funny old man, the cook. He said it all with a very serious face.
When i got into my room, i received an invitation for lunch in Bay St. I was tired but if i didn't go, i won't have another chance of ever getting to the area of Bay St. so i said okay, put my take out lunch in the fridge and rushed downstairs.
We walked for like 10 blocks before our lunch mate, who works at the Bay Area, realized she was disoriented and couldn't tell anymore which direction we should be heading?
"Where is south, where is south?" she said looking around for signs.
We were in the middle of the busy chinatown district.
My colleague gave her directions using a mishmash of street names and landmarks, a cross somehow between how a Filipino and how a north american would give directions.
"Bay area is south, we have to go south." but she goes to a different direction. East, i think. then standing at the corner across the Art Gallery of Ontario, she remembered and realized it was still a long walk to that Spadina restaurant.
"I thought it is in Spadina?" My colleague asked. "Why did they call it Spadina restaurant if it's so so far away from Spadina? it's not even in Spadina anymore; it's in Bay street."
"Oh, i don't know. Maybe the original branch was in Spadina and they moved, are you guys still okay to walk?"
"But it's already 12:30, you will be late for office," I told her.
"Oh, that's no problem but if you're already tired we could just have it somewhere."
"Is there no other way to go there?" Colleague asked.
Then the light came on. "We can take the streetcar!"
"Perfect!" exclaimed my colleague who knew i never rode one yet. "So she can try it," he said pointing at me.
I showed her my tokens. "You will only need one."
By streetcar, it took us about 5 minutes to get to that restaurant. It's chinese, real cozy and clean but full of lunchers.
Crispy Ginger Beef was suggested but i ordered for some almond stir fried vegetable so we could have some greens on the table. Somebody also ordered for noodles.
My greens appeared really delicious when served but it tasted strongly of ginger when i tried and i lost half of the food excitement. Ginger beef was also tasty, i would love to try it at home (but it'll be very long before i'd master the perfect crispiness though). halfway through lunch i wanted to puke. i didn't want more but was embarrassed that i ordered for something i couldn't finish. My companions finished everything for me.
we went back to the hotel on foot and i came across a group of tattooed people. i read in the paper there'd be some tattoo convention in Toronto but the weird thing was, they were in a plush (plush to my taste) building, allowed to enter even though they looked trashed. That will probably never happen in the Philippines unless one is a celebrity. Or maybe they were celebrities.
My foot ached from walking. It was warm and i didn't wear my hiking shoes; rather the maryjanes i bought before leaving Iloilo. We will be having meetings during the tour that requires us to dress up properly, in business attire and all i have were hand me down converse all star, hand me down pink running shoes, and my 3-year old merrells. On our way, my colleague invited me to have dinner at his sister's (our lunch companion) in Markham. He said i should go so i would see other places and have the chance to try out the transit. Pick up time is 430pm.
When we reached the hotel I again left him by the hotel sidewalk, went up to my room and crashed.
***
Downsview
Station features
- Accessible: Yes
- Washrooms
- Token vending machine
- Pass vending machine
- Forms of fare payment include credit or debit
- Passenger Pick-up and Drop-off
- Centre platform
- Parking
- Accessible: No
- Washrooms
- Token vending machine
- Passenger Pick-up and Drop-off
- Centre platform
- Parking
- Accessible: No
- Token vending machine
- Centre platform
- Transfer required for connecting to surface routes
- Parking
- Connections to GO Transit
- Connections to York Region Transit
- Accessible: No
- Token vending machine
- Centre platform
- Accessible: No
- Token vending machine
- Centre platform
- Transfer required for connecting to surface routes
- Accessible: Yes
- Side platform
- Parking
- Accessible: No
- Token vending machine
- Side platform
- Accessible: No
- Side platform
- Transfer required for connecting to surface routes
To reach Markham from our hotel we need to ride a streetcar to St. Andrews subway station, train ride to St. George, change route to take the east train to Kennedy Station where we would get off to ride a bus to Markham City. All in all, the travel takes about an hour max and we get off at this store near the Steeles avenue.
 |
| this is where i bought the instant seafood noodles and where i saw Lucky Me Lapaz Batchoy. I'm here three days and already complaining of not having anything "palatable" to eat. i can't imagine what's it like for Filipinos who have been here for decades. |
 |
| then we walked a couple of blocks from No Frills, crossing the Markham(?)-Steeles, a major intersection to get to this suburban row houses near the Toronto-Markham boundary. That's already 7:30 pm. |
 |
| Look how bright it is at 7:30 pm. I was told the longest day is yet to come, with the sun forecasted to set at 10 or 11 pm. Crazy north america. |
 |
| The cherry trees that align the pedestrian walkway in between the buildings. |
 |
| and the cherry fruit. not sure if its the same cherry where the maraschino preserves are from. |
We had grilled spare ribs, steaks and shrimp for dinner. i ate a slice of ribs and then shifted to eating shrimps. i'm really beyond my maximum tolerance for meat and i don't think i could eat more. thank jesus for the shrimp. and the rice! the rice was the rice!
 |
| then we went home taking the bus, subway (via Finch station) and then the streetcar when we reached Toronto. Despite being tired, i was able to retain at least 60% of the directions/routes for taking public transit. |
We got back to the hotel at 11 and downtown toronto was just starting to get busy. there's a club adjacent to our hotel and if i remember correctly, there was supposed to be a mario lopez show that night. lots of bouncers and girls in minis around.
I didn't have the energy to fix myself and my room is still the way it was since i got here, only messier.
The cleaning ladies here never touch the area where my things are, like this table, the bedside table, the club chair and the area near the window where all my little pieces of mess are. they just change the bedding and clean the toilet and that's it. in philippine hotels, the cleaning people would usually arrange the stuffs on the hotel desk, and put together the pieces of paper that's all over the table. Maybe they are afraid I might complain if they touch my things. cultural stuff.
When i saw my bed, all i needed was just a quick toothbrush, quick face wash and then I crashed. That's all that i've been doing lately. crashing.
next: one blurry picture from an unanounced justin bieber rehearsal near mccaul's.
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