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Photo Friday 03.05: North Bay train station

Priyank — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:00:00 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

↑ North Bay station signboard. This is one of the major transportation hubs in the region.

Located 330km north of Toronto, North Bay is a small city of 50,000 residents on the shores of Lake Nipissing. North Bay has a nice commercial district by the waterfront and is a compact and walkable. Besides the lake, there are neat coffee shops, bookstores and boutiques dotting small streets in the downtown area.

↑ Rail tracks at North Bay.

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Photo Friday 02.14: Niagara on the lake

Priyank — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 04:55:56 +0000

Parking signs

‘Photo Friday’ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

Niagara on the lake, a little town on the southern shores of Lake Ontario, close to Niagara Falls, is very colourful. Besides the fact that it’s fall (I visited this place earlier this year) and nature is at its colorful best, it’s the variety of stores and brightly painted storefronts that are making the town cheerful. I see a little girl, a toddler really, picking up a red maple leaf from the ground and showing it to her mommy. The mother, while expressing her admiration, is lifting the baby in her arms and wiping her hands clean. The child is wanting the leaf back, but it’s already gone, flying in the wind to, perhaps, another child’s attention.

Well, it did catch my attention… LOL

Toronto Tuesday 03.06: Canada Post

Priyank — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:05:23 +0000

End of the postal strike and at the mercy of a right wing government

This post is part of the weekly Toronto Tuesday series

↑ Canada Post: Mail delivery truck

Two weeks ago, the Government of Canada enacted a back-to-work legislation that forced unionised employees of Canada Post to go back to work. The employees were on strike, protesting against certain discriminatory practises that were proposed by the management of Canada Post. I’m of the opinion that disputes can be settled through negotiations.


↑ Union protest signs and the Canada post building

However, Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has a different philosophy. Through this legislation, they swatted away worker’s rights and effectively steered our country towards the older days where worker’s rights didn’t matter.

↑ Trucks parked outside the post office during strike.

I always have a pleasant experience at the post office. Ofcourse the service is quirky sometimes, but hey, that’s what public service usually is.

↑ Post office building, Parkdale, Toronto

Photo Friday 02.04: Canada Day

Priyank — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:15:19 +0000

July 1, 1867: Canada’s birthday.

‘Photo Friday’ is a weekly series for publishing pictures from around the world. (resuming after a gap of 5 months with a story from the Canadian border).

↑ Sign on the Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls

Every time I visit Niagara falls, I go to the Rainbow bridge and walk across to USA. The view of the two falls from this bridge is very beautiful.

↑ American falls and Canadian falls (aka horseshoe falls)

However, when I went there the last time with a friend, I was too lazy to cross over to USA; so I returned without getting my passport stamped. Trouble.

Canadian customs officer: Where did you go?
Me: Just to the bridge, to see the falls
Customs officer: Did you read the sign before entering the bridge?
Me: Which one?
Customs officer: The sign says “Bridge to USA” – so this bridge is to be used for going to USA. Did you think this was a tourist spot?
Me: Sorry, I didn’t realise that.
Customs officer: No problem. Remember next time: The Rainbow Bridge is not a tourist attraction.

…but with a name like that, I think they should make it a tourist attraction.

Did you have a strange border experience like this one?

Eleven hours North

Priyank — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 11:56:54 +0000

Snow might have melted in Toronto, but it was still winter up north.

↑ Gravenhurst train and bus station, 160km north, looked pretty with a with a mix of cloudy sky and bright sunshine.

I left work early yesterday, barely making it to Toronto’s bus station in time. I was going to Timmins, a small city about 700km from Toronto, in my first ever bus ride to the north. The journey lasted for 11 gruelling hours through uneven rural highways and large farm lands that had just started thawing under soft rays of the spring sun.

At the beginning of the trip, the bus moved so slowly on the highway in Toronto that I was convinced the entire city was trying to get out for the Easter long weekend. Rush hour traffic and repair crews on the road forced us to spend over an hour simply trying to get out of the city. A student from the university of Toronto sat next to me and upto Barrie, the next big town, but after that I was (thankfully) by myself. Sitting behind me was soldier from the Canadian armed forces, and a 20-year old female student from North Bay. The soldier was obviously trying to strike a conversation with her and she didn’t seem very impressed or interested.

↑ Ontario Northland bus at Gravenhurst. This was the first leg of my bus journey which began in the afternoon.

After making a brief stop in Barrie, the northernmost city where you can still identify yourself as being from Toronto, the bus exited highway 400 and entered highway 11, the second longest highway in Ontario (1,800km). We meandered around the western shores of Lake Simcoe to Orillia, the last city in Simcoe county, before the road dropped into soft hills forming the Canadian shield. Large patches of snow started appearing as the bus hit the snow belt outside the city. Huntsville was the next town close to the Algonquin provincial park and our bus made a brief halt here at a small corner store that doubled as a bus station. I saw a row of flags of various countries which I think were erected during the controversial G8 summit of 2010. This summit, along with the G20 summit in Toronto, had turned into over a billion dollar financial scandal (and a potential violation of democratic norms via the imposition of special police laws) that Stephen Harper’s conservative government is shamelessly refusing to be held accountable for.

The bus cruised silently along highway 11 and I could hear the soldier sitting behind talking to the girl next to him. We cut through vast expanse of the countryside with nothing but large farmlands on both sides for kilometers at stretch. I could practically see all the way to the horizon and observe the sun setting next to a large grain silo in the middle of an empty farm that looked rugged and golden in the evening glow. The vividness of colours and duration of sunsets and sunrises increase as you move northwards. I really like that.

↑ North Bay station signboard. This is one of the major transportation hubs in the region and has a train and bus station.

After a long wait outside the city of North Bay due to road closure during which a person on the adjacent seat annoyed me by rummaging through his belongings trying to find his sunglasses, the bus finally pulled into the terminal. The driver cheerfully announced our arrival at North Bay bus station and that seemed to have made many people happy, including the soldier who was successful in getting the girl’s phone number by now.

Thanks to couchsurfing, I found a place to sleep over in North Bay last night. My hostess picked me up from the bus station and we ended yesterday with an interesting mixed drink – beer + orange juice. It isn’t as weird as it sounds. After a nice sleep, I was ready for the second leg of my journey starting this morning at 5am: North Bay to Timmins.

↑ North Bay Train/Bus terminal. I reached here at sunset and light from the setting sun had illuminated the entire terminal

The morning was dark and freezing when I entered my next bus which had foggy windows. I grabbed a spot next to an elderly woman who tightly held on to her purse, which I fantasised was filled valuable things like jewellery and a map to find treasures. I was tempted to rob her just to bring her fears alive, but instead (and since I am such a charming guy) in no time we ended up chatting like old friends. Our morning coffee break was at the little town of Englehart, at a shack that had a corner store and a small Francophone eatery manned by a young guy with a cute French accent, and an enticing smell of eggs, bacon and toast (and youth) lingering in the background.

A clear stream of water filled the trenches along both sides of the highway, collecting water that poured out of fields as the soil started yawning and stretching after a long winter hibernation. Trees in this part of the countryside don’t grow much tall, the reason being exactly opposite of why the trees in tropical areas grow taller. The birch trees looked white, dry and lifeless as ever, while the poplars were starting to signal the arrival of spring through tiny leaves which had started to pop out. The terrain looked overwhelmingly white, brown and green, dominated by the evergreen pines and random patches of snow on the road sides. It was quite romantic.

↑ Rail tracks at North Bay. It’a almost the end of April and there is still snow…

Each time the bus stopped for five minute breaks, smokers spilled out of the bus holding cigarettes and lighters in their hands, a scene that reminded me of Donald duck cartoons with its ants emerging from ant hill to eat Donald duck’s snacks and running back to the hill with the booty.

A train track runs along the highway almost throughout the journey. I would have preferred to take the train but timings weren’t convenient. Perhaps some day I could take a train ride to Timmins although strangely both trains and buses take the same amount of time to travel. Hello Canada.

So finally, after spending 11 hours in the bus, I arrived at my destination Timmins, Shania Twain’s hometown, and saw my partner waiting there to greet me. Hope you enjoyed reading my experience.

↑ Matheson train station. These goods carriages are designed to carry timber. Logging is rampant in this area.

Checkout my pictures taken during peak northern winter in 2009.

मोठ्या नकाशात Toronto to Timmins पहा

To Ski or not to Ski: That is the question

Priyank — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:31:17 +0000

Canadian Rocky mountains, in summer or in winter

The Canadian Rockies are world renowned for their skiing credentials, but skiing and snowboarding are not the only sport this part of the country boasts. During the summer months, the resorts double up as popular golf destinations, benefiting from idyllic alpine views, crystal clear waters and crisp mountain air.

Located at the feet of the Rockies in Alberta, resorts boasts the kind of alpine backdrop that will take your breath away. Under the shadow of Alberta’s snow-capped mountains, golfers can expect to share the surrounding natural habitat with such wildlife as bears, wolves, caribou and elk. Not only is the landscape a spectacle in its own right, the actual golf courses are designed by some celebrated golf architects and have received worldwide acclaim for their credentials.

If seclusion and luxury are top priority for your golfing destination in Canada, numerous golf resorts nested in the heart of the rockies could be the ideal retreat for you. Golfing enthusiasts can enjoy several excellent courses in these resorts, from a challenging master design to a simpler nine-hole course with no pitch-and-putt for a more friendly round.

If the thrill of the slopes are more up your street, Banff National Park is the perfect place to indulge in a spot of skiing or snowboarding. During the winter months, some of the world’s most esteemed ski resorts come into their own, boasting an impressive season that’s lasts from mid November until late May. One tri-area lift pass will allow you free reign to explore the powdery peaks of Mt. Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Area and Sunshine Village, offering nearly 8,000 acres of skiable terrain.

An abundance of chutes, bowls and steeps will keep the more experienced skier on their toes, while the tamer green and blue runs ensure the resorts remain user-friendly for beginners. So magnificent is the landscape, it has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.

So what will it be; a relaxing round of golf or a rejuvenating swish down the slopes…? Canada’s snow-peaked Rockies are officially your alpine oyster!

Thumbnail picture sources: http://www.yourgolftravel.com/

The Commercial Spectacle At Niagara Falls

Priyank — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:05:15 +0000

Restaurants, bars, casinos, entertainment, attractions and a whole bunch of touristy things

↑ Maid of the mist, checking out the falls from up close

Being so close to Toronto, I have been to Niagara falls about half a dozen times, including thrice on my bicycle. It’s a great sight, especially from the Canadian side. The walk upstream the Niagara river starting from the Rainbow bridge (which is a bridge to USA) to the Horseshoe falls (also known as Canadian falls) is about 1.5km long and quite popular. All along the promenade, you can see the American and Canadian falls and also get sprayed with mist from the great falls.

The layout of this area is quite interesting. On the eastern bank of Niagara river is USA, American falls, and just a random building or two. On the western (Canadian) side of the bank is the busy walking trail hugging a densely packed, loud and bright commercial zone.

↑ Loud, noisy and bright entertainment zone

A large number of restaurants flourish in this area, serving all kinds of international foods. Entertainment parks with attractions such as ferris wheel, roller coasters, magic shows, amusement themed stores etc. coexisting with a battery of dessert and icecream places. Niagara is also a popular gambling destination and I thought that it was a good opportunity to spend 50 bucks on blackjack and slots. Guess, I was a little lucky and brought home a couple of hundred dollars. Besides that, there are a number of party halls, bars and clubs spilling with people on a summer weekend. Overall it seems like there are lots of fun things to do, if you are into that kind of thing.

↑ Inside a casino

But since (as you guessed) I am not the noisy tourist, I prefer to hang out on the bike trails in the niagara region and confine to relatively secluded places to sleep. The food in most of the restaurants in the commercial zone (I have eaten at many places) is mediocre, even by liberal standards, and I am definitely not an all-night party person. However I did generally tend to make some money in gambling.

Just be prepared for this, is all I’m saying.

Tam Tam jam

Priyank — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:04:19 +0000

↑ The square below George-Étienne Cartier’s “angel” monument, eastern side of Mount Royal

I went to Montréal in April last year and it was a surprisingly warm weekend. I walked to Mont Royal to check out this event called “tam tams” I had heard so much about. I was quite surprised to see a sizable crowd gathered there, along with a see a large number of percussionists. There were lot of basic African-esque drums and western instruments.

The mix of people was very interesting and quite random! From toddlers to grandmas, mixed genders, races and sexual orientations, long hair, short hair, curly hair, unwashed locks, fully dressed or half naked, drinking wine or beer or whatever, and smoking cigarettes, cigars or marijuana. It was all there and I was amazed.


↑ Music and dance

↑ Juggling and playing some kind of weird but very popular game

↑ Soldiers fighting!

I learned that Tamtams, or simply “tams” as they are sometimes called by Montrealers, began in 1978 and have become a top social event of the city over the years. What started as a gathering of drum banging hippies soon turned into a thing to do on a Sunday. Be there or be square!

↑ Chilling on the grass, basking in the sun

As soon as the weather becomes nicer around May, thousands of people come out to the foot of Mont Royal to just hang out, relax, play music and dance. It’s the biggest informal party I have ever been to and it happens every Sunday!

↑ have a picnic, simulate a battle scene, play ball or frisbee or just sunbathe and do nothing

So, if you are free spirited, grab some sunscreen and maybe a tam tam if you have one and head over to Mont Royal!

Directons: Bus 80 bus from Place-des-Arts metro station north or Metro Mont-Royal, bus 11East on Rachel (or walk). Get off when you see a large group of people (hard to miss).

I swear I got high just inhaling the air.

Previous posts: Montréal city | Cycling in Montréal

Montréal’s Mount Royal

Priyank — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 06:00:43 +0000

A mountain in the middle of a city? Neat!

↑ Mount Royal Cross, illuminated at night, is visible from most parts of the city

Previous Montréal posts: Montréal city | Cycling in Montréal

Mont Royal is the mountain that gives its name to the city of Montréal. Located in the middle of the city and next to downtown Montreal, Mont Royal is ideal for a brisk hike to the top. Since the highest point on Mont Royal is only 233m, its more like a large hill than a mountain.

↑ Eastern side of Downtown Montréal

I went to Montreal in April last year and the weather was surprisingly warm that weekend. So warm that you could see sunbathers next to patches of snow. Now I know how they shoot commercials with nearly naked models on snow.

↑ Sunbathing, next to snow?

There are numerous trail that lead to the top and these make great hiking, running or cycling paths. Then there are hordes of camera wielding tourist groups that walk randomly, large families with kids and grandparents and ofcourse couples who just seem to want some quiet time.

↑ Black, Red and White

↑ Picnic! Being a summer-esque day in early spring is a good reason to hang out

Mont Royal can be climbed from several spots, but the one that we chose started from the east side, went to the Mount Royal cross, then to the semicircular Kondiaronk Belvedere lookout, onwards to centre of Mont Royal park. From there, you could exit at the north/western side and head to the Oratorie, which will be my next post.

↑ Icecream stands on Kondiaronk Belvedere

So, if you have half a day to spend in Montreal and the weather is good, I’d definitely recommend hiking to Mont Royal and looking at the city from the top.

Cycling in Montréal

Priyank — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 05:11:07 +0000

Interesting bike streets in Montréal

I was in Montréal, Quebec a fortnight back and I found the city’s cycling infrastructure quite interesting. While four days are grossly insufficient to gauge the cycling culture of a city, it was quite evident that biking was a popular mode of transport.
Bikes parked outside the Mont Royal station.

Bike locked (illegally?) to a parking station which are quite interesting itself.

On several streets of Toronto, there are bike lanes, i.e. a reserved lane on the either side of the street. In Montreal, bike lanes are almost like little independent streets. Some intersections even had traffic signals dedicated to cyclists.

A bike stand on Rue St. Denis. “Bike with your head” – I like that message.

Bike Path, a street leading to Old Montreal

Bike path along Avenue du Parc

Bike rack

Bike path along Avenue Rachel E

Probably the next time I go to Montréal, I’d like to bike there.