Finally, a little respect!
Irked at five dollars a gallon for gas and $3.50 for a package of crackers, I'm determined not to spend any more money that I absolutely have to in Canada... I feel like I've visiting from a third world country!
Luckily it stopped raining when I reached Toronto, and I managed to find a free parking space only 20 miles or so away from downtown (slight exaggeration)... and I headed off to explore this great city.
Again, I did visit Toronto back in 03--I recall enjoying a great sandwich down in the Market... chuckling at the odd shops along Yonge Street...wandering through Chinatown and other ethnic neighborhoods... and soaking in the beauty of the University area... But no guitar...
I've also heard rumors that there's a plaza on Toronto that's been named in my honor.
So I hurry towards downtown--hoping to take a couple of clips before it gets dark. Just in time I arrive at THE Nathan Phillips Plaza--which is really the heart of Toronto--right in front of the cloud touching city hall.
Thank you, Toronto. It's nice to finally feel appreciated...
I play my set and the quickly head off to explore more. I take another clip with the Tower in the background... Head off to explore the Theater district... Chinatown... the University...
One thing Toronto seems to be missing is a real slummy, run-down neighborhood. Maybe I haven't looked hard enough. I'm just used to seeing American cities with ghettos immediately outside the Central Business District... As a matter of fact, I don't see a lot of poor people here... There's a lot of cultural and racial diversity--but everyone seems to be living at about the same level... The few homeless people I see clearly appear to be homeless by choice (although I'd think that it be pretty rough to be homeless in Canada!)
See, I told you I'd find something different about Canada!
So as I wandered about the city late into the night I pondered on how Toronto seems to have avoided many of the problems that plague American cities...
