Day 16: James Garden and the first snow

There are days that you know that it's just not meant to be... I hate days like those. Like this!
So I decided to spend the whole day with my own thoughts.

Not a good day for pictures, cause we went to a park called James Garden, but it started to rain... not a very hard one... but it was enough to ruin the day.

As I was not having a good day so far... it was kind of expected.

So my family went downtown, cause my sister hadn't seen it before, and I went to Hansa to organize my life for 2012. Getting there, there was nobody working... I tried reaching them by phone, but none of the two units of the school were opened.

I was cold, wanted to pee, and out of sudden it started to snow... just great, right?! :-/
And I had to go to the shopping mall yet to meet them again and to have lunch cause I was also starving...

I got back home and slept... just because I was not in the mood for jibberjabber. When I woke up again at about 9 o'clock pm, all the neighborhood was covered with snow... a nice opportunity to take my tripod, my cam and take some shots.

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Day 15: Cirque de Soleil

Do I need to say anything else?

 
QUIDAM:

"Young Zoé is bored; her parents, distant and apathetic, ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world - the world of Quidam - where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.
Quidam: a nameless passer-by, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past and swallowed by the crowd. It could be anyone, anybody. Someone coming or going at the heart of our anonymous society. A member of the crowd, one of the silent majority. The one who cries out, sings and dreams within us all. This is the "quidam" whom this show allows to speak. This is the place that beckons - a place for dreaming and genuine relations where all quidams, by proclaiming their individuality, can finally emerge from anonymity"

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Day 13: And so this is Christmas!

First of all, Mariana just got here... about time... and after a 10 hours flight and a long wait at Cumbica airport, waiting to know if she would really be able to come. She got there to check her bags because had already bought a ticket with a special reservation for her seat, and minutes before she went there to check her stuff... she discovers that there was overbooking and her reservation was not registered on the computer!

Day 12: Chris Kringle shopping

Today was hell!!!!!!! The mall was crowded... we went there to buy some gifts for our Secret Santa. At Sears, a very gentle clerk explained us about this tradition here in Canada. I learned about "Chris Kringle"... I'd never heard about that before. So unexpected!

Definition: Secret Santa: - "Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they anonymously give a gift. Often practiced in workplaces or amongst large families, participation in it is usually voluntary. It offers a way for many people to give and receive a gift at low cost, since the alternative gift tradition is for each person to buy gifts for every other person. In this way, the Secret Santa tradition also encourages gift exchange groups whose members are not close enough to participate in the alternative tradition of giving presents to everyone else.

Deriving from the Christkindl tradition, the ritual is known as Secret Santa in the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom; Kris Kringle or Chris Kindle (Christkindl) in ?, and as both Secret Santa or Kris Kringle in Australia, Canada, and the Philippines (where it is also known as Monito-monita). All of these names derive from traditional Christmas gift-bringers: the American custom is named after Santa Claus, while Chris Kindle and Kris Kringle are both corruptions of the original name of the German gift-bringer Christkindl, which means the 'Christ Child'. Exceptions are Britain, where the traditional gift-bringer is Father Christmas, and the Philippines which has the Three Kings.

The term Secret Santa can refer to the practice itself, or any of the people participating. In Germany, Switzerland and Austria this tradition is called Wichteln or Engerl und Bengerl. In Portuguese, it is called amigo secreto or amigo oculto (secret friend), while in Spain it is called amigo invisible (invisible friend). Most places in Latin America use amigo secreto." (Wikipedia)

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Day 11: Royal Ontario Museum

Yesterday we tried to go to the museum, but the guide we bought was not that updated, even though it was published in 2010. It's a great guide but some information had changed. Well, the thing is... we walked around the neighborhood yesterday and as we had got some tickets with the manager of ROM's gift shop, we dedicated the entire day for this museum.

From Chinese to Contemporary Canadian Art, we saw it all... Animals, stones, Japanese panels and medieval body armour... real Chinese temple thresholds. Amazing! In the stairways, two huge Totems!

My mom was petrified with the rocks collection (sorry for the joke). Diamonds with a size of a baseball.. a blue star sapphire called "Star of Lanka"... a priceless Cartier bracelet... so beautiful!

But the nicest thing we saw there was a Maya culture exhibition... fantastic! Lots of videos and interactive resources that amplified a lot our knowledge. Mom and I are decided to go to Mexico to see this beauty with our own eyes. Before the 13th b'ak'tun ends... ;-)

We spent 4 hours looking all the galleries, going up and down the four stories of this complete unique building. It was founded in 1912, designed by two torontonians architects: Frank Darling and John A. Pearson in an Italian Neo-romanesque style that was beautifully brought to the 21st Century by the hands of Daniel Libeskind that added a Deconstructivist look at the new museum entrance entitled "The Crystal", built in 2007.

A must-see!

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The Crystal

Day 10: Yorkville

Today we went to Yorkville, to take some pictures and know this very famous area in Toronto. "Yorkville is a district in Toronto well known for its shopping. It is a former village, annexed by the City of Toronto. It is roughly bounded by Bloor Street to the south, Davenport Road to the north, Yonge Street to the east and Avenue Road to the west, and is considered part of the 'The Annex' neighbourhood officially. It is recognized as one of Canada's most exclusive shopping districts."

We loved the place! The victorian houses are so charming and gives the district a very fancy look, very chic and sophisticated with all the stores and restaurants. Walking around this neighborhood makes us feel in a kind of Oscar Freire... but with an european architecture.

It's very close to the Royal Ontario Museum that mom and I wanted to visit but there were some misleading information in our guide that made this impossible for the day. But even though, we visited the lobby and found a very big gift shop inside the place and met Sunny, the manager of the shop.

He came to us to help, and I started talking with him about Toronto... he gave some tips on places to visit and also gave my mom and I a free-pass for the next day, because I told him about our problem with the information in the touristic guide.

It was a very nice day and tomorrow we will come back to see the interior of the ROM.

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Day 9: High Park and Union Station

Today was great... sunny day, not that cold (-2ºC is not that cold right? LOL). We put our warmer clothes on and left to High Park. A forty-minutes journey from where we are. But it was worthwhile: the park is huge and the day was perfect.

Arriving there we went nuts: lots and lots of squirrels literally coming to us to be fed. They would only hear the noise of the nut pack and would stand on two feet just waiting to be given the delicious food they were expecting.

But mom got bitten 2 times in different parts of the park... the second time it was pretty serious. It started bleeding and never stopped. We fed lots of hungry cute baby squirrels. They were fighting to get the nuts, running towards us... it was fantastic! We were so happy already.

Then we suddenly noticed that the birds were also coming to get food! We took loads of pics... even one of my mom's bitten finger. hehe...

But it started to get sooo cooold!!! And we went to Union Station... it's a very beautiful train station that appeared in lots of Hollywood movies and nobody knows. Actually it's a copy of the Grand Station in the USA.

Next to the Union Station is the CN Tower... man, it's huge!!! And the river side is pretty awesome!!! Very tall buildings... kid of futuristic look... and side by side to the Rogers Center. It was once called SkyDome... and it's the arena for matches and concerts. Maybe one day if there is some event there I can visit it from the inside.

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Feeding the beasts at High Park

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Day 8: China Town and Yorkdale

Too lazy to write right now... I'm leaving the pic only. 

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Free parking downtown? If only people knew that...

Day 7: Yes, nós temos bananas

Finally I bought my camera!!!!!

Lunch at Mandarin with Rodrigo's family... then some photos downtown.

I'm so happy!!!!

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Day 6: Meeting the Paduas

Saturday was the laziest day so far... but also the busiest. Half of the day we stood on the basement with mom cooking for us and watching TV. It was -5ºC outdoor and we had no courage to put our asses out. Freezing weather...

But we had in the already been invited to Rodrigo's house, to meet his family. The meeting happened during the night..well, in the end of the afternoon cause it was about 6pm when we went there. Rodrigo drove us there. His street is so decorated! Do you know those American movies about Christmas? I felt like I was part of it. Every single house with lights, Santas, snowmen... very typical!

At his house we met his mom, Angela, his sister Luciana and her husband Julio. We drank a little and had some finger food. They are very nice people! We talked a lot and had pretty good laughs. But we needed to go back home.

The guys from my brother's house were preparing a party. Two of them had their birhtdays in the same week. Earlier they bought lots of beers and whiskeys... they were throwing a pretty big part and were expecting us to come.

Rodrigo came together and after some of my brother's friends also came to join us. Mikaela and Martina, two tchec girls that live here now for a year. They are very nice! Mika and I talked a lot... she works at a Mexican restaurant and is in love with Spanish culture. She speaks Spanish also.

We got high and danced a lot in the basement! The party was a success...

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Day 5: China Town

Today we just walked a lot... we are quite familiar to how buses work and all. So when we saw the sky was clear and there was a little bit of sun, mom and I ate something not to pass out while walking, changed and left.

But the weather here is so crazy... in one minute there's sun, five minutes after it's cold and cloudy.

We got the bus until Dundas Street 'cause mom wanted to catch the street train till China Town. It's so nice there. All the signs written in Chinese, you never tell you're in Toronto. We walked around Spadina Ave and Wellington Street.

But it was so cold near the Financial District!!! We were almost freezing when we got to a park at Spadina. We were amazed in this park with the amount of squirrels we saw... mom tried to feed them to get a close shot, but they were so fast and smart, and a little suspicious.

For me, the greatest part of the day was walking around the CN Tower area. So modern... so hype! The buildings there are unbelievably high... contemporary fine art I would say. This is the place where all Toronto works: City Hall, banks area, extremely expensive hotels... limos and hummers all over the places.

Later, we met my brother to have dinner at Shoeless Joe's. The food was something else! Kind of bizarre when you look at the menu and you don't get the dish you're ordering quite well (that's why now on I'm using my Merriam Webster app at the iPhone all the time!!! :-). So difficult to order some meal!!! LOL. But it's something we learn with time...

After that we went window shopping at The Bay... HUGE STORE!!!!!! If I could buy everything I liked there, I would need a container!!! Hehehe... Oh! And the windows from this store... they have a X-mas theme with moving dolls and trains and dwarfs. So magical! I'm gonna try to film it and post it some other time.

Then a little walk at Eaton Center... an enormous shopping mall that is certainly going to drive us crazy. Michael Kors, AX, A&F, Apple Store, Disney Store, MAC... all the greatest stores in an one-block five-floors wide building in the heart of Toronto.

In the end, when we noticed, we had been out for 8 hours walking and walking... We got home and just had strenght to sleep 10 hours straight.

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Day 4: Knowing the neighborhood

My brother lives in a very calm neighborhood. Everything so close: market, some restaurants, park... and even a grave yard! Yeah!!! This morning I looked out the window, looking for squirrels that come visit his backyard... and I noticed it. His house shared the back yard with this cemetery!!! And it's the biggest one I've seen!

Later I thought that this made my brother's house be a little closer to heaven... (but also to hell, you never know that for sure) LOL. I prefer to wonder the first option is the most suitable one, otherwise I'm gonna start heaving nightmares from now on!

But the day was great... kept waiting for my emergency Visa card to arrive by Fedex. And went to Duffrey Mall to unlock my brother's old iPhone with an Indian guy he knew and buy me a SIM Card to use it while I'm here. Mom is enjoying everything, but made me promise we would never go to Duffrey Street ever again... LOL.

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Day 3: Pizza Pizza

This morning I woke up at 6 am because I forgot to turn off my alarm on the cell phone. Well, my brother would have to wake up to work anyways, so at least my alarm was not for nothing. But as soon as he left the room, I went back to sleep some more.

But we couldn't stay home the entire day. We had to go to mall to buy things for the house, and food... We only couldn't find the metro pass. We'll try tomorrow again.

We went to Duffrey Mall today because it was close the station we were supposed to find the public transportation tickets. Mom and I were a little hungry and went straight to the restaurants area. And the first thing we saw, we ate. Pizza Pizza was the first thing that caught our attention and we didn't regret.

I know I never talked about the weather... but so far so good. Today it was about 5ºC with a little bit of rain in the end of the afternoon, or should I say evening... I don't know yet what to call it. It was about 5 o'clock pm and the sky had already turned dark. Very short days ahead of us... and according to the weather forecast, next week is going to be a lot harder. The cold is about to come. Full power. Snow, wind, humidity, rain... the complete package. Maybe a White Christmas.

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Can you see the polar bears?

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Day 2: Lunch@Downtown (part 2)

Nothing better than a good night sleep, right?! Well, in our case... a nice morning sleep! Sharing a double-bed with mom. As you can tell, we were totally jet lagged, starving to death... so we decided to go downtown and find some place to have lunch.

My brother took us to a place called Mandarin, a Chinese self-service all-you-can-eat restaurant were every employee was Chinese and spoke "a very very bad English, Gaga." LOL... But the food was great! Hundreds of different dishes for you to choose from. From fried shrimp to mango cheesecake, we've eaten it all. You definitely must go there if you are dying from starvation! hahahaha...

After that we went window shopping... and visited Best Buy. Oh, man! This place is awesome. And I've found the camera I want. I just didn't buy because you know me... shit happens. In this case, "happened': I forgot my credit card at home or at the car... I really don't remember! My shitty head... I think that's why I decided to write this blog. To trick my memory failure.

Oh, I almost forgot... I hated the metro! When you come from São Paulo... well, we definitely have a better service there. It's old and weird... looks like a Buenos Aires subway but well-cleaned. We came back home to rest some more and I learned something about the buses I can take to arrive home. But only after doing the bed to sleep a long long night sleep.

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"They tried to make me go to rehab and I said no no no"

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Day 2: Welcome to Toronto (part 1)

After a 10 hours flight, and some not that good plane food... we finally arrived in Toronto. The airport is huge, very modern and beautiful. Everything went Ok at the Inmigration's Desk. After not more then 30-40 minutes we were able to leave the baggage claim area and meet my brother.

We were so anxious to see him... after all he is living here for 6 months now! Long time no see. We missed him a lot!

As in almost every big city with international airport, Toronto Pearson is also a little far from downtown and we would need a taxi to carry on with our journey. For our surprise, taxis there were all limousines... you know? LOL. Not those extremely big ones we see on TV at Oscar's Red Carpet ceremony. But it was a "limo"! Ha!

And it was still 6 o'clock am...

We got to my brother's house to sleep and rest from the very unconfortable flight seats we had spent hours and hours trying to find a nice position to take at least a nap (and that we could not). The house is so big! And his mates seem very friendly (4 more guys share the house). A guys house... you can definetly tell from the very first steps. =)

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Day 1: Rising

As considered beforehand, mom and I left my sister's apartment in São Paulo many many hours before we should, just to avoid traffic... and guest what?! We got stuck in a huge traffic jam, because of a car accident at Dutra. Cars and trucks under this 35ºC hot brazilian summer sun.

Arriving at the airport was not as calm as we thought it would be, but as we have planned that through,  we were counting this could happen. Once in the airport's lobby, we wanted to check in and get rid of our luggage. We arrived there at about 4pm and Air Canada's guiché would only open at 6pm. We could have done our check in on the online terminal they put there... but as mom and I were traveling together but with different flight reservation numbers, we thought it would be better to wait to do it with somebody that could have us sit together. If we only knew...

When they started checking people in at 6pm sharp, a humongous line as already formed... and a young Japanese lady with AirCanada's uniform was helping people with that. She got to us and asked our passports and flight tickets to have us checked in by this online terminal that we avoided using!!!! Do you imagine my face??? Me??? The most tecnological guy, the one that loves the intervention of computers and the way they turn our lives into a better and easier one?! Can you imagine it?

The worst part is yet to come... not only she did checked us in by this lovely terminal (not say a bad word) but also she informed us that we would travel in different rows. Mom freaked out! Luckly after checking our bags in we asked the other clerk if she could put us together... and minutes before taking off, she finally told us she could do it.

At least we knew we would fly together... and we got rid of our bags and could go free shopping! =)

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