Wednesday 15 August 2012

Gratuitous Scarborough-bashing

The view on my walk to work from the bus stop, in the Vic Park/Steeles area. No wonder they call it Scarberia. My business card says "Toronto" but who are we kidding? Markham is just across the road and that's like, the countryside, right? Well, about 10 years ago it was. Now it's a "technopark",which is like an industrial park for geeks.

Still, it's kinda purty, ain't it?

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Home again, home again jiggety jig

So I'm on my way home. I'm sitting outside Paddington Station typing this, killing time before my flight. Time is a terrible thing to kill, especially in London, but there's not much I can do with three pieces of luggage tied to me.

I've had a great time. I love it here - even though the water pressure and hot water was almost non-existent at my hotel. And even though the friendliest people I met here were Canadian, Polish, Russian, Swiss and Australian. It's just such a fascinating city. And the weather was fantastic. Bright and sunny every day except one, and so mild. It was so nice outside that I spent most of my time walking around the city. The museums and art galleries will have to wait for my next visit.

Toronto is going to be hard to come back to, after being surrounded by charming and quirky architecture and little twisty narrow streets and mews and squares and gorgeous Georgian townhouses and pubs - real pubs. Oh how I love pubs! I went to the Coach & Horses in Soho - it was fabulous. Standing room only and disgusting-looking sandwiches and delicious English ales, and thick with cigarette smoke, but it was fascinating. Why don't we have that in Canada?

It will be nice to get back to real central heating and hot showers and Harry and Marmalade and my fella. But I will really, really miss London, and I'll be planning another trip to England before the year is over, for sure.