A  City  by  a  Lake  

 

I   always   wanted   to   visit   downtown   Toronto,   I   was   told   that   it   was  

something  else,  that  there  was  nothing  like  it.  That  is  where  you  get  to  see  

“the  real  Toronto”  people  said.  I  had  seen  images  of  downtown  in  LA  and  in  

NYC  only  in  movies,  but  when  I  first  visited  downtown  Toronto  it  blew  my  

mind  away.    As  I  walked  my  way  out  of  Sherbourne  station,  I  could  feel  the  

place   above   me   buzzing   with   people,   I   could   hear   the   revving   of   an  

automobile   while   it   sped   through   the   traffic.   And   as   I   entered   into   the  

streets  of  Toronto,  the  vision  of  skyscrapers  reaching  up  to  the  stars  left  me  

wide-­‐eyed,  each  street  and  avenue  boasted  buildings  reaching  far  and  high  

into  the  sky.    

 

Downtown  Toronto  is  a  busy  place  and  you  could  feel  it  in  the  people  who  

throng  the  streets,  whether  they  were  smartly  dressed  in  a  suit  looking  all  

businesslike  or   in   just   jeans   and  a   T-­‐shirt,   everyone  was   in   a  hurry   to   get  

somewhere.   There   were   some  who   were   scurrying   through   the   sidewalk  

with   their   phone   plugged   to   their   ears,   and   there   were   some  who   were  

sauntering  their  way  with  a  lazy  elegance,  yet,  they  all  seemed  like  people  

walking   somewhere   they   had   to   be.   Amidst   the   tall   buildings   that   are   in  

downtown,   it   is   the   CN  Tower   that   stands   apart   from   the   crowd.   The  CN  

Tower   is   an   iconic   achievement   that   is   now   the   symbol   of   the   Toronto  

skyline,  you  could  feel  it  casts  an  everlasting  shadow  no  matter  which  part  

of  the  city  you  are  in.    

 

Streets   and   intersections   branch   out   to   a   new   set   of   avenues,   a   glorious  

maze   of   towers   and   skyscrapers   that   you’d   get   lost   into   if   you   aren’t  

careful.   In   the   initial   few   weeks,   roaming   around   the   city   could   be  

confusing,  but  apps  like  Transit  Now  for  Android,  or  the  RocketMan  on  the  

App   Store   help   you   navigate   through   Toronto.   Check   the   app   to   discover  

what   bus   to   catch,   where   to   alight,   how   far   the   nearest   bus   stop   is   and  

what  the  most  convenient  route  is.  

 

At   the  edge  of   the  city  away   from   its  hustle  and  bustle,   lies  Lake  Ontario,  

which  is  one  of  North  America’s  Great  Lakes.  The  lake  lies  unperturbed  by  

the   cacophony   of   the   city,   a   sage-­‐like   serenity   surrounding   it.   You   can  

explore  the  lake  by  walking  down  the  boardwalk  or  even  by  hiring  a  boat.  

Exploring  the  city  can  make  you  hungry,  but  worry  not,  because  downtown  

has  a  lot  of  food  options  to  choose  from,  fast-­‐food  to  cuisines  from  various  

parts  of  the  world,  yet,   if  you’re   looking  for  something  cheap,  you  can  try  

the  hot  dog  stands  and  ice  cream  trucks  that  throng  the  city  for  food  that  is  

very  filling  and  also  easier  on  your  wallet.  

 

Downtown  Toronto  is  a  place  brimming  with  life,  as  the  financial  hub  of  the  

country  and  a  melting  pot  of  various  cultures,  it  is  the  place  to  be.