Toronto Christmas
December 27th 2008 19:46
When my plane arrived at the airport my heart sank…it looked like a white desert and snow was drifting and flowing fast in high wind like stripes of sand over the ground…it was like wilderness. We were three hours behind schedule and it was dark, and guess what, we had to wait for half an hour in the plane and then walk down an open air ladder to get off and go into the terminal…
I quickly learned it was not so bad though, because it got better on Christmas eve. It was not so cold any more, 1 degree centigrade, and the wind let off. In fact, it was so warm that the snow melted, and in every street corner pools formed at the curb. People tiptoed or jumped or waded across the pools. “This city sucks.” I overheard one comment while wading in a bigger pool. Maybe, but it still looks festive and light hearted with all the cheerful shops and brisk walking Christmas crowds. Eaton Center? Everybody was busy and happy and who cared about soaked boots. So many kids. And people circle skate in front of the city hall in the small rink and it just looked happy. Even the Art Gallery of Ontario was full of people. China town of course. “Chuck the chunky contract…Dodge the system access fee…Plans starting at $15…” The giant Koodo mobile ads were everywhere.
One more surprise? It rained in the evening…little drizzle, Christmas rain.
Christmas day was sunny. The curbside pools dried up and some became ice. The CN tower loomed clear and big in the blue sky. I went to the water front expecting to see an endless white frozen lake and skaters but it was sparkling blue water. The skaters? They were in a small tiny rink by the lake… People still walked on the street but many streets were quiet too. But anyway, this is my impression: it’s such a young and cheerful city, and weather’s got nothing to do with it…
I quickly learned it was not so bad though, because it got better on Christmas eve. It was not so cold any more, 1 degree centigrade, and the wind let off. In fact, it was so warm that the snow melted, and in every street corner pools formed at the curb. People tiptoed or jumped or waded across the pools. “This city sucks.” I overheard one comment while wading in a bigger pool. Maybe, but it still looks festive and light hearted with all the cheerful shops and brisk walking Christmas crowds. Eaton Center? Everybody was busy and happy and who cared about soaked boots. So many kids. And people circle skate in front of the city hall in the small rink and it just looked happy. Even the Art Gallery of Ontario was full of people. China town of course. “Chuck the chunky contract…Dodge the system access fee…Plans starting at $15…” The giant Koodo mobile ads were everywhere.
One more surprise? It rained in the evening…little drizzle, Christmas rain.
Christmas day was sunny. The curbside pools dried up and some became ice. The CN tower loomed clear and big in the blue sky. I went to the water front expecting to see an endless white frozen lake and skaters but it was sparkling blue water. The skaters? They were in a small tiny rink by the lake… People still walked on the street but many streets were quiet too. But anyway, this is my impression: it’s such a young and cheerful city, and weather’s got nothing to do with it…
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