A Maritimer's Guide to Toronto
Summer is the time for travel and vacation and exploration. Some might say you need an expert to survive, but maybe you just need me. As someone from the Maritimes I can confidently say that Toronto is different enough that I wish someone had held my hand through the first months of my transition here.
First and foremost: NO TWO DOLLAR SHOTS. There is NO Wize Guys or Navs here. Most shots are $7 so plan accordingly. You will need much more than $10 to forget your street name or where your AirBNB is.
Do not feel like you have to give change to panhandlers. They know where the touristy areas are. They know that they make you uncomfortable. They know that will usually result in you giving them change, or a cigarette, or something. Don't do it unless you really feel like you want to. No one will judge you lesser of a person, because in Toronto, no one cares what you do.
If the crackheads start yelling at you, in your direction, around your general vicinity: Do not make eye contact. Do not make a comment. Do not engage. Just continue conversation like they aren't even there, or walk faster than you were before. Most of them are in another dimension and don't want to bother you or even realize they are bothersome. It can be scary. It happens often, but if you don't engage they won't.
Street Markets: Food is over priced. Novelty items are over priced. A lot of the items sold at the entry points are even HIGHER priced because you see them before you get to the ones in the middle, and they know you're more inclined to buy the first of whatever cool item you see rather than wait for later (cough impulse cough). If you have the energy/ability to walk through the entire thing and then go back for what you want, be it a food, a candle, a shirt, odds are it'll still be there and you can be sure you got the good price (instead of doing what I did and buying a cob of corn for $5 thinking it was a BBQ one when it was just slathered with butter and then finding the BBQ ones later one for $6 and spending $11 on corn in one day).
The city is a grid. What does that mean? You can almost always find your way back because it is a square, unlike Moncton which is a series of clusters. If you can go North/South and East/West you will never truly get lost.
There is water. By water I mean bodies of water. There are a few beaches around Lake Ontario that are accessible and maybe even cleaner than Parlee Beach so dive on in (No fried clams like Aboiteau though)!
Everyone's nice! Contrary to popular belief, Torontonians are still Canadians. They are nice and friendly, they are just constantly in a rush and want you to get to the point. So ask for directions freely, or for group photos, or silly questions. Odds are most Torontonians you meet were once East Coasters and glad to help!
I hope to see a few of you this summer basking in the Ontario sun (I know it's the same sun).
XOXO,
Cropberry
First and foremost: NO TWO DOLLAR SHOTS. There is NO Wize Guys or Navs here. Most shots are $7 so plan accordingly. You will need much more than $10 to forget your street name or where your AirBNB is.
Do not feel like you have to give change to panhandlers. They know where the touristy areas are. They know that they make you uncomfortable. They know that will usually result in you giving them change, or a cigarette, or something. Don't do it unless you really feel like you want to. No one will judge you lesser of a person, because in Toronto, no one cares what you do.
If the crackheads start yelling at you, in your direction, around your general vicinity: Do not make eye contact. Do not make a comment. Do not engage. Just continue conversation like they aren't even there, or walk faster than you were before. Most of them are in another dimension and don't want to bother you or even realize they are bothersome. It can be scary. It happens often, but if you don't engage they won't.
Street Markets: Food is over priced. Novelty items are over priced. A lot of the items sold at the entry points are even HIGHER priced because you see them before you get to the ones in the middle, and they know you're more inclined to buy the first of whatever cool item you see rather than wait for later (cough impulse cough). If you have the energy/ability to walk through the entire thing and then go back for what you want, be it a food, a candle, a shirt, odds are it'll still be there and you can be sure you got the good price (instead of doing what I did and buying a cob of corn for $5 thinking it was a BBQ one when it was just slathered with butter and then finding the BBQ ones later one for $6 and spending $11 on corn in one day).
The city is a grid. What does that mean? You can almost always find your way back because it is a square, unlike Moncton which is a series of clusters. If you can go North/South and East/West you will never truly get lost.
There is water. By water I mean bodies of water. There are a few beaches around Lake Ontario that are accessible and maybe even cleaner than Parlee Beach so dive on in (No fried clams like Aboiteau though)!
Everyone's nice! Contrary to popular belief, Torontonians are still Canadians. They are nice and friendly, they are just constantly in a rush and want you to get to the point. So ask for directions freely, or for group photos, or silly questions. Odds are most Torontonians you meet were once East Coasters and glad to help!
I hope to see a few of you this summer basking in the Ontario sun (I know it's the same sun).
XOXO,
Cropberry
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