It's been a good 12 months experience but now I'm ready to go.
There have been many good things and bad things about living in a different city. Here are some of the things I'll miss.
TTC
The Toronto Transit Company with its integrated subway, tram and bus system. This is a great way of getting around the city and stations also link with non TTC bus and train systems like GO. For $3 ( less if you buy bulk tokens or passes) you can travel for miles. A bus or tram ride is included in the payment when exiting the subway. This is a great system and one which New Zealand cities should have created years ago.
Pedestrian crossings
All controlled intersections (and that is nearly all intersections) have pedestrian countdown timers that can be relied on. When waiting to cross you can view the countdown of the cross-traffic and know exactly when you can cross.
At non-light controlled crossings almost every car simply stops and gives way to pedestrians. This is great when you are on foot but must be frustrating for drivers.
In New Zealand the average driver would just plough on through.
Health system
Simply brilliant.
When you have a health card - applied for showing permanent or temporary residency, you can go to doctors fro free. Drugs are also free with a small charge paid to the dispensing chemist. Specialists and consultants are also free and there is not a long delay in getting appointments. In NZ we have paid for Southern Cross Ultra Care in order to get what is provided here for free. In NZ we were paying something like $10k a year.
Size matters
Toronto is a large city. While a lot of it suffers from 'sameness' I know that when I return to Auckland I'll view it as being a bit provincial. I know, I know, this shouldn't matter as most of the time we only go from A to B and stay in a close area around our homes and our workplaces but, like London, New York and other big cities there is a feeling of excitement about 'possibilities' or things that might be there if we bothered to seek them out.
The condominium
We own an Auckland apartment in the CBD which is very nice and conveniently located but the 'condo' we are renting here is a cut above. The building is a bit swanky with residents theatre, BBQ area, gym, pools and saunas, 'party room', 24 hour concierge, snooker room etc. I'll miss it.
Yonge and Eglinton
The area we live in which is a hub formed by the intersection of two major streets - Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. This is just north of the CBD area and therefore a bit quieter but still close to the 'action'. It kind of reminds me of Ponsonby- cross- Parnell in Auckland or Oriental Bay-cross- Mount Victoria in Wellington where a lot of the younger set (young to me anyway as they seem to be in their 30's and 40's) - what used to be Yuppies. We've christianed them Young and Eagers which at least makes me laugh.
Cleanliness
Toronto is a very clean city. This is very surprising given the size of the place and the very, very diverse population made up of many ethnicities.
Sure the council provides a great many sensible and comprehensive litter bins (separating rubbish, recyclable and green and generally foot-pedal activated) but I like to believe that Torontians actually care more than most people.
Politeness
Canadians are polite. They are into the 'sorry' thing, queueing, holding doors etc and are famous for it. The politeness apparently doesn't apply to other drivers when driving but they do seem to give way a lot to pedestrians - even stopping when some idiot ambles across a busy road. This of course might be due to a fear of being sued.
Entertainment choices
A bigger population means that there is a lot more going on with a lot more choices. Almost every weekend there is some sort of festival happening ( not in the prolonged winter however).
We've been to lots of opera, concerts, art exhibitions, sports event and, if The Old Girl hadn't been working and had time on her hands like me we would have done a lot more. The proximity to NYC has been great as well and we've made a few trips there going to - opera, concerts, art exhibitions.....
The big outdoors
Canada is a big country with some dramatic scenery. We've hardly scratched the surface of this but enjoyed Niagara Falls and the St Lawrence River. It'd take a lifetime to really see this country.
Odds and sods and weirdness
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| Big machines waiting to start on yet another Toronto condominium |
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| Chap just sitting around in downtown Toronto |
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| Colourful chappie in the local library |
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| Shop that sold nothing but wooden willies in Montreal |
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| Filming event downtown Toronto |
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