The weather is awful this morning, but I decide to risk it and head to Kensington Market just off Spadina Street. It’s supposedly a very bohemian market that’s quite quirky and fun to check out, so off I go.
Of course, this isn’t exactly a short walk – and the rain makes it even worse. By the time I get there, I’m sorely regretting that I chose to wear my boots (which have gotten drenched thanks to my jeans) and not owning an umbrella. I immediately rectify this by buying on at a stall, only for it to break on me within the hour.
Kensington has always been a very immigrant heavy part of town, with people building shop stands out of shipping containers and whatever else they could get their hands on. Nowadays it mostly consists of cafés and restaurants, with many buildings brightly decorated and painted in a variety of colours. If the weather was better, I probably would have enjoyed wandering round and checking out the gods, but the rain and state of my shoes means it’s hard to appreciate it. I end up calling it quits a little early and walking back to the hostel to dry off.
Naturally, in the afternoon the weather clears up, and I wish I’d just held off on exploring. Regardless, I take the opportunity to head out again, this time wandering around the Harbour area South of the train station. It’s pretty chilly, but even with the cloudy weather it’s a rather pretty place to wander.
The further along you get, the more you can take in. There are art installations, bike routes and playgrounds dotted around the area, as well as a giant convention centre advertising multiple events happening over the month. The only thing that really caught my attention though was a building dedicated to cats and dogs. Not only do they have displays on how to understand your dog/cat, but a hall of service dog heroes, and obedience classes. It’s rather nice to wander round.
I also get a different view of the Toronto CN Tower, and make my way over to stand underneath it. Right next door is the Aquarium, but between Australia and New Zealand, I’ve really seen enough of them. Neither are worth the price tag, and a wander back to the hostel via the Air Canada centre.
This is something I’m starting to really like about Toronto. It’s big, but easy to navigate. Plus, with all the neighbourhoods, everywhere you go has something new to see – I could spend the rest of my days here just exploring.
