Toronto

After a few days each in Montreal and Quebec, Toronto was my brief stopover before the Canadian train across the continent to Vancouver. Although it was not my favorite stop on this trip (Montreal holds that title for the moment) I can't help but appreciate the diversity of cultures and arts and just people in general that Toronto has to offer.

Toronto has, arguably, the most ethnic neighborhoods of any city in North America. And each of these neighborhoods retain their individual cultures. It truly exemplifies the idea that while the United States is a melting pot, Canada is a mosaic. So true, so true.

I was lucky enough to meet up with Toronto native and fabulous author, Bev Katz Rosenbaum. We met in my hotel lobby and went for a wonderful sushi lunch, then met her husband back at my hotel for a quick driving tour of the city. (My aching feet were oh so glad for the car ride!)

They took me through practically every neighborhood in the city. Chinatown. Kensington Market. Little Italy. Koreatown. Yorkville. Geez, I can't even remember them all. First we drove down by the lake shore, where I snapped this pic of the famous CN tower.

We flew by the Ontario College of Art and Design, with this fun, lighthearted addition on the top:

And the Royal Ontario Museum, with a less than lovely addition of it's own.

We even saw the Bata Shoe Museum. It's a museum of SHOES! It looks awesome, and if I ever return it's a definite must see.

Bev and her husband and I got ice cream in the neighborhood where all the stars hang out during the Toronto Film Festival. (I had hazelnut, by the way, because I'm sure you're dying to know.) Then they whipped me back to my hotel, where I promptly took a nap before snagging dinner in the hotel.

In the morning, I was a girl on a mission. I needed to do laundry. After a quick Google search, I found one not too far from my hotel. It turned out to be on an adorable little block with tons of yummy smelling cafes.

With a suitcase full of fresh, clean clothes, I headed in the direction of the train station (way early, of course). But I couldn't pass up stopping at the World's Biggest Bookstore. (It was a little disappointing, actually. I thought they, of all bookstores in Canada, would have my books. But no.)

The walk (okay, trek--I was dragging my suitcase behind me, after all) to the train station was pretty interesting. I passed by Toronto's huge downtown mall, the Eaton Center. I was this very cool chalk art painting in progress.

And these extremely cool old buildings that I totally want to buy, renovate, and live in. Or maybe write a character who lives in one.

Finally, I made it to Union Station, which is also in the shadow of the CN Tower.

And inside, while I was recovering from my walk trek, I saw this random bride waiting for... I'm not sure what.

Now, as I write this, I'm waiting in the lovely and comfortable and amenity-filled Panorama Lounge in Union Station. Because I am a sleeper class passenger on the long train (though I got the $1050 ticket for an amazing $400) I get to chill in the quiet lounge, working at a real desktop, and consuming as many coffee drinks, juices, and cans of soda as I can handle.

Internet connections will be few and far between over the next few days, so I've pre-posted a couple of writing-related blogs to fill the time.

See you again in Vancouver!

Hugs,
TLC