Downtown Toronto

after coloring my map to purple with Canada.. i finally got down to exploring the place after 1 week here.. woke up at like 6+am.. researched and got all ready to go downtown using public transport.. even called the reception several times to check ths buses and all..

Heres the transportation websites.. not very helpful i have to say.. plus it doesnt have all the bus routes... theres the Viva that i need to take which is the 2nd link...
http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/index.htm
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/gotransit/2111.shtml

Game plan:
Leave at 8.30am.. take the Viva bus, then to subway Finch station and travel south to Queen/Dundas station... Easy peasy!!

The long way there:
Well the recept made it sound easy.. take the viva bus outside the hotel n u will get to the subway.. happily bought the bus ticket and waited for bus.. its pretty cool.. the system there tells u where the bus is now and when it will arrive.. when i got up the bus i decided to double check with the driver if it goes to finch station.. he said... nopes.. wrong line.. this is purple line.. u need to take blue line.. damn.. n he pointed to another cross junction.. so i walked there and waited for like half an hr with no sight of ANY bus.. the bus stop has juz a bus sign.. nothing else.. so i decided to go back to the hotel reception.. guess what they told me? hmm.. the bus driver shd have told u where to go to take.. so without giving anymore advice, they decided i am better off taking a cab to the subway at Don Mills.. urghh.. the stupid driver they called must have ripped me off...10 mins ride for like CAD20.... sickening!

since im at the station, things got simpler.. i did a different route, deciding to go to kensington market first instead of eaton first.. since its closer to chinatown n it'd be just nice for brunch when i get there.. did some train transfer, which was easy, but i didnt know i gotta take a street car.. that was kinda cool.. something like the cable car in san francisco.. but this is not touristy at all.. people with no cars do that... n its crowded.. subway was also better than the one in chicago one..

Places visited:
1. Kensington Market www.kensington-market.ca
too bohemian.. didnt get anything... not my type of place...

2. Chinatown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Toronto
check the picture out.. i took a pic similar to that man.. wonder if its the same roast stall.. haha.. will post another day...

3. Eaton Centre - largest/most popular shopping place in Toronto http://www.torontoeatoncentre.com

4. Queen Street West http://boldts.net/Tor5.shtml
Lots of nice shops, fashion and all.. but didnt buy anything coz i think its too ex given that i gotta spend in canadian $.. haha.. ngiao..

Summary of experiences:
I didnt really like kensington market... nothing much there.. just had some coffee.. Then walked to Chinatown on Spadina.. Of course i bought my shot glass.. and also 2 canada bling tees.. my first impression is that its extremely like Itaewon in Seoul.. maybe the street vendors who are old aunties really reminded me of Seoul.. plus they were selling ginger and spices that kinda thing.. as i walked further down.. some parts of it reminded me of Sydney's chinatown.. angmo countries' chinatown i guess.. the layout is pretty similar...everywhere i walked, there'd b people speaking in Mandarin or Cantonese.. sounded like china/hk.. made me felt at home too.. had pork and shrimp dumplings at this restuarant run by beijing folks... yummy!

Walked the entire queen street... n then eaton's was a disappointment.. just a regular shopping place.. old navy, gap, aldo, esprit, h&m etc.. didnt fancy anything.. so shopping overseas is not my kind of thing except at outlets.. haha.. i decided to head back after that and was able to get back using the viva!! what happened was that i was suppose to transfer viva lines from purple to blue.. bus driver and recept didnt tell me!! so i got home safe and sound... theres this great chinese/hk resturant juz next to my hotel.. tabao dinner from there, which i can take for 3 to 4 meals... haha.. luckily theres a fridge and microwave in the room.. oh did i mention that my fridge is more like a freezer!! the milk, yogurt and fruits inside are all frozen.... =p

Photos