想飛 I WANT TO FLY

SINCE my cousin lives in the suburbs of Toronto and the nearest store is almost an hour of walking distance away, in order for me to go out and get some fresh air, I have to get up early and go out with my cousin when she drives to work, and to be picked up on her way back to the house. So here I was, wandering around in downtown Toronto on my own today for 9 hours before my cousin found me at the shopping mall.

Since I was too bored, I talked to strangers and watched people on the sidewalk and in the subways during my trip today. Here are some facts that I've learned so far:

1. Fewer people here listen to ipod compared to NY.
2. Although it is a city with different races of people, there are fewer black and hispanic people compared to NY.
3. Although the whites still dominate this city, Chinese people possess some kind of power here since there is a big Chinese community in this city, and, unlike NY, the Chinese people here hold higher social status and some of them are VP in the company. No Japanese community.
3. People start to flush out from the office building at 4 pm. According to stranger No. 1, most people start the work around 8 or 9 am in the morning and get off work between 4 and 5 pm. The maximum working hours is 44 hours a week, for People want to have dinner with their friends and family, and the labor union has strong power. I also learned from my cousin that since her bank runs from 9 am to 8 pm, PEOPLE TAKE SHIFTS to cover this period (feel jealous?)
4. The milk in the supermarket is not sold with the plastic bottles, but with plastic bags instead.
5. Second Cup, a coffee franchise place, is commonly seen in Canada. But Starbucks is still by far the most successful coffee franchise store.
6. Tim Hortons offers doughnuts and coffee in Canada just like Dunkin' Donuts does in the States.
7. Roots, Club Monaco and M.A.C. are Canadian brands.
8. The head lights of the car shall be always on, even in the day time.
9. They call it "can I get a bill" instead of "can I get a check", "washroom" instead of "restroom".

Landmark in Toronto--the CN Tower


Strange building on Front St.


Casa Loma near Dupont Station


Another strange building--this is a museum in the center of downtown. The original form is a church.