Toronto 2 Day 5 - Last day :-(

Woke at six, still it is just getting me into practise for work, back next week :-( Abluted and played on the computer, although I forgot to do the quizzes!

To breakfast at half past eight, still a lovely view, still only croissants and fruit, set out from the hotel at nine walking down York Street, and I went the correct way! Arrived at the coach pickup point, only me and the Italian-Canadian guide on this route at the start! As I said it is quite interesting because you get to talk about all sorts of different things. Today I did the east-west route which was more concentrated on the various neighbourhoods instead of the specifically touristy things.

So we set off, past the St. Lawrence market and along Front street and Lakeshore East, seeing the beaches and the boardwalk made me regret that I didn't spend any time there, then through the India Bazaar District, for some reason South Asians are referred to as East Indians over here, it seems that this is to differentiate them from West Indians, it seemed a little odd to me, after all why not use the current PC term, but there we go! Up through Greektown, somewhere around here was the only (legal) bookmaker in Toronto, again it seems very different, after all there is at least one bookmaker on almost every shopping street in the UK, although fewer may well be better. Some of the areas seemed a little run down, however one thing that I think is most impressive about Toronto is that it has such a low crime rate.

Through East China town, which was apparently where the Chinese first settled, although there are a few remnants it seems that most of them have now moved elsewhere, possibly to one of the confusingly named Chinatown, Chinatown, Chinatown, or Chinatown. I was going to get off here, however it was only about 11, so a little early for lunch, then back via Dundas square (where some other people finally joined us) to a much larger Chinatown, Portugal village, Little Italy, Korea Town, and Honest Ed's, then back down to City hall, I eventually got off the bus at St. Lawrence market.

Had a good look round the market, which would be wonderful if one were self catering, however as I'm not it was a little disappointing, not quite as good as Covent Garden in London (Ontario) I felt, although I think even Weltek would have been impressed by the number of different cheeses on display! Although thinking back I should have had a peameal bacon roll.

So I popped out of the market and went almost next door to a place called "Spring Roll" which did various oriental foods, I had some Ha Gow which were good, and some prawns wrapped in noodles and deep fried, which were different from the Thai ones I have had before, but were still very pleasant, and beef in black bean sauce which came with boiled rice, I didn't realise that I needed to ask for fried, anyway it was very nice, I liked the addition of Bok Choi, although the courgette and broccoli were a surprise they were also quite nice.

After that it was still an hour to go until the East west bus came along again, so I decided to catch the North south one again, sadly the guide was the young sprog without a clue from yesterday, and even more sadly the headphones for my walkman died five minutes into the journey, stayed on the bus until Yorktown, as I was thinking of making myself a little picnic from the delicatessen that people speak so highly of there. Purchased some chocolates from somewhere called Simone Marie, which thought it was all that, but was, in UK terms, dirt cheap, the chocolates are not bad, but certainly not top drawer.

Then to Hemmingways, where I had one pint of Rickards weissbier and one pint of Hoegaarden after they ran out of the Rickards, very restful, then I went to Sassafraz and had a couple of pomegranate margaritas which were gorgeous, and watched the girls go by :-D

Then set off up Bay, somehow not spotting the deli I was looking for, although I did spot the Indigo on Bloor that was converted from a cinema, although I didn't pop in, which I really should have done, caught the tube back to Osgoode and am back at the hotel, not going to bother going to the clubroom tonight, may just have an early night, I'm not feeling peckish (eight chocolates later!) and have to try to pick up the car manana, so I need to be alert.

MC has mentioned some butterflies and gardens at Niagara, so what with (hopefully) meeting Pepe, Seana, and (maybe separately) Meemo, going to the Niagara on the Lake, and doing a tour of the wineries I think I am going to be busy :-)