TORONTO, ONTARIO — The pale woman with blush on her face (hastily applied it seems) sits in front of the Queen’s Quay Terminal, a district shopping mall in downtown Toronto. As the sunlight bends around the gently undulating crowd, short, tiny blunted shadows touch the sidewalk, reaching out towards the Toronto River, where a couple of mid-sized boats are docked.
She dusts herself off, turns over a wooden box and mounts it, pulling on gloves that have the snap of latex. She looks around, pleased. Some stop to watch, even as the wind causes her dress to do an accidental Marilyn; either way, it’s clear there’s entertainment about to happen. She laughs, embarrassed (of course, there are children everywhere). Then she takes a deep breath, exhales, and her limbs go rigid.
This is what she does: She pantomimes.
A guitarist plays with a large PA speaker to some faintly Latin rhythm, leaning into each phrase, watching the neck of his instrument closely because he hasn’t actually gotten it under his fingers yet. He stops a moment, lights a cigarette, starts again. Passersby simply drop in a coin or two into his guitar case and keep going. The streets of Toronto become his practice hall. He squints from the smoke, starting all over again…riffs above riffs, behind notes that trail away, dying in the air.
Soft, mournful, longing — this is the music of Yang Qin, who plays Chinese dulcimer. But it is also the theme to “The Godfather.” Qin is assured in every stroke, his fingers move effortlessly, almost independent of him. It seems so…intuitive and dreamlike.
A juggler hurls insults at the crowd, ending each quip with, “I’m just joking. Really.” His juggling feats do solicit appreciation and applause.
Harbourfront Centre’s a lot like Hart Plaza, only Harbourfront Centre has taken the concept to a more accessible level, perfect for tourists.
This is just a taste of Toronto, a slice of city life from the streets.
Contrast and element
Ricky, the taxicab driver, is waiting outside the hotel leaning against the cab. He’s a brown skinned twentysomething with dark, wavy hair tied back in a ponytail. His accent sounds vaguely Mexican, but in Toronto, nearly everyone you encounter has an accent, so there’s really no telling.
He’s waiting for some scalped tickets so he doesn’t start the meter. About five minutes later, Ricky peels off the curb down Front St. His contact isn’t coming.
I ask him about the area.
“Things are expensive now, bro,” he said. “See those condos, bro?” He pointed towards a rise of new housing on the left. “Five hundred thousand dollars. Cost of living is way up, you know?”
We pass through some alleys accented with graffiti. The alley is barely large enough to contain the taxi. Ricky slows to avoid the speed bumps. We finally leave the enclosure of the alley and enter another street.
Whirring down the streets of Toronto in a taxi is an exercise in bravery it seems.
We waited almost a full minute after the light changed because a truck driver was giving the trolley operator the finger and they had to stop traffic a moment in order to glare at each other.
Ricky drops us off at a place called Parts & Labour. He scribbles a cell phone number on a business card and goes in search of those discount tickets.
The triumph of the horse
Parts & Labour sits on a grittier street of the city. This district, as I was told by the waiter, has improved considerably. There was drugs and prostitution. Though it hasn’t been entirely purged, new businesses are cropping up every day.
Queen St. West is busy (crammed during rush hour). It’s a district with some grime on its face, the alleys and back ways filled with graffiti.
Parts & Labour (1566 Queen St. West), a seemingly ordinary bar and grill, catches you literally by the throat. They serve fried pig face, buffalo quail, horse tongue and the centerpiece, horse tenderloin.
A Western sensibility virtually leaves you reluctant to try any meat used predominately for transportation or racing; and yes, I’ll admit it, dog food. But this is the best cut you can get, expensive stuff ($35). Served with organic greens and mashed potatoes (I opted for French fries), it really was quite good. In fact, it’s better than venison.
They also have a great bar and mixed me an old fashioned gimlet like Hemingway used to drink back in the 1920s.
Live music spills out from downstairs. The crowd is a mixture of the college student, working professionals, and artsy folks looking to have a good time or to celebrate a recent achievement.
‘Caribana’s not what it used to be’
The men watch the girls and smile. They turn their heads in awe. Each costume seems to be more revealing than the next. White, Black, Asian, and multiracial; a diverse range of people are preparing for the Caribana festival. The steady pulse of raggaeton.
This was to be the centerpiece of the weekend. Though there are thousands gathered here, the appeal of the event has waned for many.
Exciting it was. Almost like the Carribean’s Jukanoo, but the main difference was that with the Jukanoo you felt like a participant in the celebration. As the Caribana is (gated), you definitely feel more like a spectator. People I was expecting something more interactive.
“It’s gotten better,” one man said. He was referring to some of the shootings that had happened years ago. “It’s much nicer.”
As reported by the Globe and Mail, the budget for this year’s festival, now in its 43rd year, has been slashed by 30 percent, to $1.8-million from $2.6-million, largely because of cuts to government funding.
“It’s the G20,” said a cab driver, referring to the G20 Toronto Summit, a meeting that deals with the world economy and finance. “Caribana used to be something special. Now?” He gestures with his hand, the sign that means “bad.”
“Caribana’s not what it used to be,” he said.
InterContinental Toronto Centre
You couldn’t do much better than staying at the InterContinental Toronto Centre. This hotel is beautiful, spacious.Guests are provided a complimentary breakfast buffet at the Azure, which includes French cuisine and made-to-order omelets. And after breakfast, you can work out in the fitness room or relax at the spa.
More powerful than a locomotive…
Parking your car for two nights at the VIA Rail will cost you $39. If possible, save that money and have someone drop you off at the train station.
However you travel, take the train.
I loved the train.
There’s no scans, no removing all of your jewelry or taking off your shoes. Show your passport or enhanced ID and you can get on the train.
Seats are first come, first served, so be sure to arrive early for preferred seating.
For a few
dollars more
Smart phone users beware. Even if you’ve got an unlimited data package you still should call your provider to be sure that you sign up for the International program. Otherwise, you could spend hundreds of dollars more on your next bill just because you downloaded a friend’s photo. Or streamed your favorite radio station. And, e-mails and texting adds up as well.
Toronto, Toronto
Metro Detroiters will doubtless feel right at home in a city that embraces diversity, innovation and creativity.
Special thanks to Tourism Toronto for providing a fantastic itinerary.
For more information, visit Tourism Toronto at www.SeeTorontoNow.com or www.InterContinental.com.