Tucked away in the Northern Hemisphere, on one of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario is the city that boasts of towering skyscraper, ample alleys, generous sidewalks and parks for every age. While the people seem to adore peace and quiet in general, I couldn’t help adoring the pretty dogs that came out for a walk every other turn, all manicures and styled no less. The city that is hinged on parallel roads and bustling intersections comes alive mostly when the sun is out and the weather warm, else the only places one may bump into people is a warm Tim Hortons right around every corner. The towering feature visible from every turn though is the CN tower that towers over the city and offers 360 degree panoramic views across the city. The old is vastly enveloped by the new and brick has long been eclipsed by the glint and gleam of steel and glass. Yet the most striking feature of Toronto is its cleanliness. It’s only much later when I was met with by homeless people at the Toronto public library carrying their entire belongings in a pushcart and sitting reading on the computers at the Toronto commons that a little filth of the city showed up. Poverty is inescapable even in first world countries.
While there is much to do in Toronto, summer boasts of its range of activities, while fall has one witness a spectacle and winter comes with its own charms, weather is serious business in the city and it dons different hats in its very many seasons. The Nathan Philips square is testament to all the activities the city has up its sleeve. While Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were said to have been spotted on Yonge street and Bloor streets during their dating days, the shops that line these streets have their A-game on and bring high street fashion onto the street quite literally. Condominium living and working downtown have their perks with walking to work very much a possibility if not the plethora of options that include the street car or trams, subways and the good old bus. A very immigrant friendly city, the potpourri of cultures is very much visible. More so in the University part of the city, the parts of the colleges in the city, much a part of the main city, a walk away from downtown at times. The fun university vibes are then felt in the climes. Outdoor activities are not just appreciated it seems vastly cherished, ofcourse when the weather permits!
The greater Toronto area that include precincts like Brampton and other suburbs is not as glitzy but so endearing, the suburbs with their brick building, stone facades and expansive lawns bring forth the country living feels bring one yet so close to the happenings of a major city. The mighty Costco also finds its way into the suburbs where cost and value meet with pride. The city has its ballet, it’s sport, it’s art, it’s culture while the suburbs quietly power the city working in the background but ever so delightfully that the city never loses its shine. As Indians, finding food, finding our tribe and our fit was not hard at all in a city that is a lot like New York but ofcourse not New York. The suburbs have some beautiful homes all fitted with everything the owners could ever dream of in a dream house. While the gardening lovers would have a few pots in their downtown homes, the lovers of the greens could literally have a slice of the woods in their backyard. Perhaps even a bite of the fall colors in their home. Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport in downtown is greeted by ferries and a tunnel for access, adds to the diversity in the views downtown. On the 37th floor of one of the beautiful condominiums one could simply watch away in a meditative trance as the CN towers dances in colour as the sun shuts shop for the day. While most of the American sitcoms are shot in Toronto that pass off for a New York setting, the vibe may well be quite similar, with the sun high up in the sky and brighter than ever!
Vedasri Siddamsetty 