Canada
- Akshay Raj Chatterji
- Dec 19, 2019
- 13 min read
Updated: Mar 2
My trip to North America specifically Canada was triggered by seeing Instagram Posts of Lake Moraine and Peter McKinnon’s video on the same I suppose. The urge to visit a region that was so overflowing with photographic content, made me want to see and experience it first-hand.
So after reading up on the do's and don's of the Visa Procedure I filled up the Canada Visa paperwork online, booked an appointment with VFS Global for my biometrics and soon I had the Visa in hand. The entire process was fairly simple and straightforward and one just needs to follow the instructions as stated on the Canadian Embassy’s Visa Page. Do not overdo the documentation proofs and the rest is pretty straightforward moving on.
Now that I had a Visa, it was time for me to actually start booking stuff and prepare for the trip. Based on my availability of leave from work and the cost of flights I planned my two week trip to Canada starting in the last week of September.
Toronto:
So there I was in the morning after two, 7-hour flights standing at Toronto Pearson International Airport with no clue where to go and how to get out of the Airport. After running around like a headless chicken, I finally managed to get out of the Airport Building. The crisp air hit me as I tugged my rucksack and tightened the waist belt to adjust the load, it was overcast, chilly and clean; oh so clean I thought to myself remembering the smog I just left behind back home.
I had not planned this trip to the ‘T’ and some last-minute bookings due to stupid cancellations by hosts and led to settle for a place close to the Airport. And thus began my first adventure into the unknown, with Google Maps guiding the way I trudged along across a flyover, underpass and pedestrian pathways on a 20min walk to the Mississauga region of Ontario, Canada to finally reach Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel & Suites, my stay for the night. After catching my breath, I walked into the Hotel Lobby to check-in and recoup. I had got the room for a decent price and being a last-minute thing it seemed fine at the time, though the pickup and drop off facility by the hotel to the airport and back (which I found out in the evening) was well worth the stay and justified it in the end.
The illumination in the room was rather bleak (I suppose our Indian Hotels just have too much illumination maybe) and though I had a nice big window in my room the overcast rainy day managed to just make the room gloomier. I placed my bags and set about rummaging for the necessary adapters I had brought to charge my phone and other electronics. After a quick call back home I ordered in-room service, which was a nice juicy burger and fries, I ended up going to sleep for the remainder of the afternoon.
I eventually got up to the sound of my phone buzzing, it was my friend who wanted to know if I had reached or not. After a brief chat with her, it was decided I would drop by for dinner at her place and subsequently she’ll help me figure out what to do while I was in the city. So then after a quick wash and a change of clothes and with no idea how to reach my friend’s place I ended up booking a UBER which thankfully works in Toronto and was a major help a couple of times when I was lost.
My day ended with a belly full of Indian food and some fantastic pumpkin pie and a new plan for what I must see and do in the time I had in Toronto. After bidding farewell to my friend and her dogs I headed back to my hotel, silently observing the twinkling city lights stream by, pondering on my days ahead….
With a 04:30 am start, I headed back to the airport, all thanks to the Hotel Shuttle service to catch the first UP Express train at 05:27, which is the fastest way to get to Downtown Toronto from Pearson Airport. I was to get off at Union Station and catch another Train to Burlington from where I would eventually catch a bus to Niagara, the destination of the day. After fumbling around to figure out where to tap my Express card that my friend had given me I managed to do so and followed the signs at Union Station to eventually run to catch a train that was leaving for Burlington.
The train was fabulous, a double-decker green and white train on the exterior and with ample spaced out seats, clean, charging points, designated wheelchair bays, bicycle bays, maps, etc. There was even an attendant on-board my coach who would get off at each station and put down the wheelchair-accessible ramp, regardless of anyone needing it. It was quite a nice experience overall. I settled down in a chair after asking the attendant if I could in the upper section of the coach and glued my face to the large window looking at the city go by, eventually crossing small towns, farms, factories and residences to reach Burlington. The Fairview station at Burlington was a small station from where I had to walk a few meters to reach the Burlington Go Bus Station and catch the express Bus to Niagara.
As I took a seat at the Bus Station looking out at the pier that was marked for the bus number to Niagara I slowly noticed there were other wandering souls like me anxious, first time Niagara Visitors, solo wanderers. After quickly using the loo, I picked up a Coffee from my first Tim Hortons of the trip and settled back in observing the world unfolding around me. Eventually, the Bus came and I punched my Express card to get in and find a seat at the top in the front of the double-decker bus. From here it was a smooth two-hour journey to the Niagara Falls Bus terminus that skirted the southwestern corner of Lake Ontario through Ice Wine farms, bus stops in the middle of nowhere, mall parking lots, a university and finally getting off the Queen Elizabeth highway onto the Niagara Veterans Memorial Highway that led to the old sleepy town of Niagara.
Getting off you are greeted with a small rectangular building which is the Transit Terminal for the City of Niagara Falls. From here one can purchase tickets for various buses out of Niagara or catch the shuttle to the falls and the various regions there. Since I had reached at an odd hour, the wait for the shuttle was quite significant, so once again using google earth I trotted off towards the falls. Walking along Erie Avenue I cut across to Zimmerman Avenue that eventually led me to Niagara Pkway that runs along the Niagara River. It was so peaceful walking through the town, with the autumn trees swaying to the cool breeze, old rickety wooden houses with old muscle cars parked in the driveway, manicured backyards with big black squirrels running around. It was like I was transported into an old Hollywood movie set except maybe it was shot in colour. I met Bolder the black lab also who was going for a walk and bounded up to me to check on who this stranger was lost in these back alley roads, and then his master told me the way to the falls. Overall the decision to skip the shuttle bus and take the 40 odd minutes of serendipity to meander through old Niagara town and finally reach the bustle of the falls area was worth it.
By this point, I was famished and headed to the first Hot Dog Stand I saw and after purchasing one with a bottle of Ice Tea I sat down on a bench close to the entrance to the road across the Rainbow Bridge that leads to the United States of America, savoring it all. I relaxed a bit there, checking the map of Niagara I had picked up from the Airport tourist help desk, to decide where I should go next and what all I should see before I head back.
I got up and started to walk south towards the Hornblower Niagara Funicular entrance and this is where I got my first look at the 3 falls - the American Falls, Niagara Falls and the Horseshoe Falls, that are together called the Niagara Falls. From here the hustle to stand at the best spots along the entire pathway up to the ‘Journey Behind the Falls’ entrance starts. There are troops of people jostling to take selfies, people waiting patiently to get a clear opening for them to get a shot and in between all of this are children who do not care about who they bother or what they do. I suddenly missed the 30 odd minutes of silence that I had passed through to reach here. This was not what I had imagined or what anyone tells you when they talk about the falls. The place gets really crazy as the day continues and people start pouring in from all over the world.
Continuing on towards the Falls Welcome Centre, the crowd thickens and a fine mist fills the air blown up from the Horseshoe Falls. As I walked on trying to navigate the people and trying to get a view of the falls the spray from the falls slowly turned into a drizzle and eventually as I reached the end of the path close to the Niagara Falls viewpoint it was not possible to stand very long without getting soaked. So after taking a few snaps of the falls and the view of the Niagara River I quickly made my way out to the Niagara Pkwy to get away from the wind and the water. I pulled out a cloth from my daypack and quickly wiped down my camera and lens and tucked it in its bag and moved along back towards Skylon Tower that I could see in the distance.
I looked at the time and remembered what time the bus would leave for Burlington and decided I had enough for the day and should head back to the Transit Terminal. On the walk back I took the outer Victoria Ave road and crossed the Ripley's Believe It or Not building, Niagara Sky Wheel, and other fascinating places that I decided to leave for another time. I continued on to Palmer Avenue and then Ontario Avenue heading North towards the bus terminal. On the way, I crossed some beautiful cathedrals, an old Armoury, a couple of delicious restaurants and some really old houses and abandoned shops whose storefronts still displayed ancient products of when they were in business. While walking through these by-lanes and peeking into these old stores it felt like time had somehow stopped here, and even though suddenly you’ll see an old gleaming corvette or mustang go bye the rustic appeal would still remain.
Eventually, I reached the bus terminus and sat waiting for the bus to come. After about 10mins I saw a bus rolling into the parking lot and I quickly got up to check if it was my ride back. The driver told me that though this is not the express bus to Burlington and it would be a longer ride, he was going that side, so I hopped in and took a seat up top once again and made myself comfortable for the long journey back to Toronto. I reached Burlington Go station in the evening and after a quick stop at the loo found my way to the train station. There was a nice breeze blowing and I could see the clouds moving in, I just hoped it wouldn't rain as I wanted to potter around union station on the way back. In the end, it was too late and I was too tired to walk around, so after reaching Union Station and picking up some food from the food court in the lower level I caught the express train back to the airport, waited for the hotel shuttle bus and finally reached the hotel at around 21:30.
It had been a long day and I just wanted to eat and sleep. After emptying my bag I put all my electronics for charge and went and had a hot shower after which I had my dinner, cleaned up, set my camera up for a time-lapse and called it a day.
My third day in Toronto started off slow. I got up at 08:00 am looked out of the window to see that the sky had started to clear a bit. After freshening up, I lazied around my room, sorting my stuff out and mapping out the places I should visit today in the Downtown region. At around 09:30 am I left the hotel to start off a new day of exploring the city. Catching the Union Express train from the Airport to Union Station had started to become a routine of sorts and I was finally getting used to the layout of the stations itself. Upon exiting from Union Station I walked towards the Ripley's Aquarium which was supposed to be my first stop but it happened to be shut on that particular day. So with that disappointing start, I decided to take a walk around the area to see the CN Tower and Rogers Centre. After taking a glimpse of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre I circled back to Maple Leaf Square and grabbed a sandwich to eat at Longo’s. Continuing on I walked through Union Station and walked along the University Avenue Road to reach the Royal Ontario Museum. The colours, shapes, style, forms and architectural designs of the buildings I crossed walking down to the museum were not too inspiring but the way they had restored and integrated bits of heritage into newer structures, was fascinating.
Upon first turning the corner towards Bloor Street, you would be amazed at the structure that stands there, part Neo-Romanesque and part otherworldly. Designed by Studio Libeskind the metal facade is reminiscent of crystals that are inspired by the crystalline forms showcased in the museum’s mineralogy galleries. The design was such so as to create a structure of organically interlocking prismatic forms that turned this important corner of Toronto, and the entire museum complex, into a luminous beacon. So after marveling at the faceted facade I finally made my way into the museum and purchased a General Admission Ticket for $23.00 CAD and was standing in the Gloria Chen Court figuring out where to start first. I decided to go anticlockwise and first went to the Chinese Architecture hall followed by Japan and Korea. The artifacts on display were beautiful and some exquisite specimens. My favourite though had to be the Samurai Armour, Katana and Wakizashi collection in the Japan hall.
There were so many other fascinating things like a 12th century Jin Dynasty Tablet that had 153 Buddhas made on it, or the many wooden sculptures that adored the Asian Special Exhibition hall, or the giant La Laque Chinese boxes, there was a lot to see and a lot to learn and I had just seen one corner of the ground floor. The next hall I went to was the Canada Art & Culture hall, which was well rather dull in comparison to the whole Asian side of the world I had just visited. Nevertheless, it was informative and I moved on to the First Peoples Exhibition. This hall was very insightful into the evolution of Canada and how it was back then. The ginormous totem poles around which the staircase leads up to the Biodiversity exhibits are breathtaking and one wonders how they were brought into the museum in the first place.
If you want the opportunity to see a polar bear up close or look at a Lion face to face, the Biodiversity exhibit has it all beautifully displayed and rather lifelike. This is one exhibit every child would love to see. After wandering on in amazement at the Animals, Birds and Dinosaurs I found myself at the Earth’s Treasures exhibit hall where one can find a plethora of precious, semi-precious, metal and crystalline natural elements shown in all their glory. It is truly mesmerizing seeing what the planet holds hidden in its depths away from the mess we have created above it all. I finished my tour of the museum by visiting the third and fourth level which contained historical exhibits from all over the world and showcased different civilizations and times and finally exiting out via the Boutique store on the ground floor. I walked out onto Bloor Street and turned back to look at the amazing stuff I had just seen, hidden inside this space-age looking building. A few meters away from the entrance to the museum was a Polish Hot Dog stand, so I got one and it was certainly better than the typical American Hot Dog one would eat.
From here on I continued on to see The Alexandra Gates which leads up to Trinity College, The Bata Shoe Museum and then circled back to take a peek at the Gardiner Museum, eventually catching the metro from Museum station back to Union Station to meet up with my friend one last time before I departed the next day. I met her at her HSBC office building which architecturally wasn't much on the outside but was really nice from the inside. After discovering the underground tunnel system that all the old buildings have and that they are all interconnected making it easier to commute during the harsh winter days I bid adieu to her and headed off to meet an old colleague of mine who had recently moved to Toronto. After spending a brief moment with her while she showed me downtown Toronto and chatting up on how life was I headed back to the Hotel as the Sunset and a chilly breeze blew by. This was to be my last day in Toronto for now and the city was showing me it had so much more to offer and that I had to visit again.
Vancouver:
Touching down in Vancouver at 09:00 am I headed towards the exit only to be surprised by a dear friend waiting patiently to greet me and curse my early morning arrival. I had booked a six-day tour that would take me beyond the city and after getting in touch with the operator I headed out of the airport to catch a taxi to the Hotel assigned to me by the tour. As we drove out of the Airport and started to move away from it the start contrast and openness of it all struck me. In comparison to Toronto, Vancouver was green, open, and sort of less crowded and laid back from my first impressions.
It was a long way to the hotel and as we crossed the Fraser River into a region called Delta, I started to notice the residential forms of the towns we crossed, the way the construction was being carried out, the pockets of green that could be found everywhere, the large public parks, people walking their dogs and heading to work. It was a silent drive, yet it was therapeutic in some way seeing the organised calmness of it all unfurl beyond your eyes from the back of a taxi. We eventually got to our hotel, a small homely structure with white doors, siding and sloping roofs, which looked inviting but it was like any other big house in the neighborhood I suppose. After filling up the necessary paperwork and asking if I can somehow have an early check-in, I waited in the small lobby while sipping on orange-infused water. Soon my room was ready and I heaved my bag up and went to check it out. The room was clean and simple but had the same illumination inadequacy problem. I had a window too which opened onto a back pathway access to the property and a high ivy-clad boundary wall, but at least I had natural light, right. I dumped my stuff in the room, checked out the loo and then closed the door and went out. After asking the front desk the timings for breakfast and all I pottered off to explore the neighborhood. After wandering around for a while I found a store at a gas station and went in to get a bite and some snacks. Lunch was drawing on me and after searching google maps, I eventually ended up at Subway as everything else seemed to be closed. With that done, I walked back to the hotel room and relaxed for a bit waiting for what the tour would through at me tomorrow.
Interesting! <3