"Toronto in the summer" a Toronto Travel Page by j-san

Before coming to Toronto I had very little idea of what to expect. I started reading up about it on VT just before going which was really helpful. I was going there with the purpose of meeting my friends, sightseeing second.

My overall impression was quite confusing coming from a 7year stay in ASIA, and Kyoto of all places. Everything was so different. The joy of speaking English anytime and enywhere was amazing! I know, the little things like that. The women scared me however, once again in Kyoto I take it for granted that girls will be "girly" and overall no matter what people say about it "changing", the sweet demure girl is the Japanese ideal. Toronto women seemed no-frills, confident and almost aggressive. Then there were the shop-keepers and convenience store attendants striking up conversations at every opportunity. Not to mention the strange characters on the streets eg. the corner of Bathurst and Queen or at Dundas Square. My head was spinning not just from jet-lag but also culture shock.

I am highly adaptable however and it was within 3 to 4 days that I began to adjust and feel at home. Faster than I'd have imagined. Everyday I went to the market and bought delicious and CHEAP fresh fruit (another change from Japan), bagels and cheese. In the afternoon there were walks, long long walks (in Kyoto without sidewalks, and so many bicycles... walking was not fun) and then relaxed in the garden in the evenings drinking delicious red wines and talking.