A find from Google

I really can't remember that site, but I found a nice photo online somewhere which pictured the shape of Estonia. It has even the islands of Hiiumaa and Saarema on it.

At the photo shoot

I got to help out a photographer a bit in a very interesting shoot out of Toronto. What a great experience!

My 'hood

Welcome to my neighborhood. So this is how an area mostly of Eastern European descendants looks like.

Let's see what Toronto has for me to offer.

Tour at the cemetery...eee..on a car

Yep, after that nice visit to a Russian convenient store we had still some "sights" to see and places to experience. So they decided to show me the cemetery, one of the many in Toronto. We entered it, well, with a car. A thing you HARDLY ever can experience in Estonia. Then we found my surname gravestone. I had to grab a photo.

Russian convenience store

When we were back from McMichael, then my friends took me to a Russian convenience store. Wow, I didn't know there were stores like that exist. Hahaha, yeah true small town girl, yeah!

Anyway so the store had everything we used to have in Estonia during USSR times and some things I still love like some candies, sweet curs bars, original root beer etc. So here we are trying kali :)

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an art gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada, northwest of Toronto. It houses an extensive collection of paintings by Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, and First Nations and Inuit artists.

The core of this art collection and the very gallery itself are the result of the dreams and vision of two people. Signe and Robert McMichael were, on first sight, completely captivated by the paintings of the Group of Seven which seemed to embody the same love and respect they had for the Canadian landscape. (wikipedia.org)

My kind local Estonian friends took me there and it happened to be a great warm day in the end of September. Had a blast. Thank you my hosts!

Yonge and Dundas Square

If you think of Yonge and Dundas Square then this is something you could compare with Times Square in New York City. The main square, the tourist trap, the busy intersection. 

I went to visit it with my friend, as there was a live band playing, which attracted people a lot, so they were smiling, dancing and communicating a lot. Great vibes!

More about the square HERE.

Homless

Haven't seen so many homeless people before than this. Here is one tired beggar.

I heard Toronto closed all the mental institutions few years ago therefore there are so many people who are talking to themselves...

Big city

Big city, but you can still meet a fellow Estonian here. Here is a photo of Agnes, who was once my photography class student in my home town.

Welcome to Toronto!

Me and my landlady

Being tuus in front of the building.

True Estonian food

So this is half of my dinner, which consists of leftover omelette, pickles, cucumber and very loved rosolje, which is basically a potato salad, but with beets as well and some fish, usually herring. 

Note the heart cut out of a pickle. True artistry. 

First time in Tartu College

When few months ago I heard that in Tartu College in Toronto they have rooms for rent, I was thinking that this is some kind of a school. The reality proved to be something else. This is basically a non-profit organization established by the Estonian community in Toronto. Tartu College is advancing Estonian scholarship, contemporary studies, archival research and cultural activities. They have weekly lectures, events and sometimes workshop and it is all in Estonian. Local Estonian community can rent out the venue for free for their educational events and also parties.

I visited it first time this weekend and found it interesting. Many people were present, but mostly elderly, as the community is getting old. I will definitely come back here, as they have pretty good programme.

Cycling home

After the Ron James Show, when I was cycling home I noticed great view to Toronto, so I took a shot, not the best one, but should give some idea.

The Ron James Show

This, I must say was one of the most exciting events for me on the fall of 2011. Toronto is a new and big city for me and all the sights, places, events it has to offer are only mine to discover. Somehow I found, probably from Craigslist, that The Ron James Show is looking for audience. I choose the date and sent an e-mail with interest in participating at the show.

Show was taped at CBC main building at John St. if I remember correctly and it was an experience to visit that building. I had been to show tapings before, but not lately and not as a quest, but a photographer. Exciting! Ron James was funny, I enjoyed the show a lot. 

You really couldn't take photos there, but I did sneak two shots, just to show I was really there.

More about the show HERE.

Nova, my bike, Craigslist treasure vol. 1

I needed a bike in Toronto. Since I didn't have much money, I posted an ad to Craigslist. Asking if there is anybody who has an extra bike to give away. This nice guy, Jason contacted me and said that he has one which could be suitable. I bought a kilo of grapes and met him at the Bathurst station and there you go - here is Nova. 

I am excited to take her around in the city or actually vice versa to take me around the city :)

Thank you kind Jason from Toronto.

Toronto Blue Jays baseball game

I was hanging around with my camera at Blue Jays Way and waiting for another fellow Estonian with whom we were going to see first baseball game we had ever seen in our lives. It was a special game Toronto Blue Jays vs New York Yankees. Cool, uh?


So they have a street called after their favorite team.

People started flowing in pretty early.

Mostly wearing the caps of their favorite Toronto team.

Some had t-shirts and other gear to show some respect.

Getting in seemed a hassle, but it went pretty smoothly actually.

That is how Rogers Centre looks from the nosebleed seats.

Our favorite player Bautista is ready for the hit.

DJ's

My Couchsurfing friend Mike in the middle. The rest are the DJ's in the night :)

Marika

Overseas, far away form home, you can still meet another Estonian. Here is Marika who I actually contacted earlier when I was still in Estonia. Finally we were able to meet, as we went out to a lounge to meet some people I had met earlier.

Baseball field

I have only seen baseball fields in US movies, but they seem to be as normal in Canada, as over there. New for me. Huge lights have been set up for people to be able to get some physical exercise outdoors. Cool!

Welcome to Toronto!

My summer traveling is over and I am about to settle down in Toronto! What a big city, though I haven't been many times to downtown, as I am located in Etobicoke. But little by little I am getting to know more Google maps. I think it will be a valuable tool here!

Here I come Toronto!

Webster's Falls

My photos unfortunately doesn't give the idea of the Webster's Falls fully, but you should get a glimpse how wonderful it is.

It is noted for its panoramas, is a 22 metre high classical curtain/ plunge waterfall found in the Spencer Gorge/Webster's Falls Conservation Area in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The water flows down Spencer Creek. In the past the falls have been known by various names such as Dr. Hamilton's Falls, Spencer Falls, Hart Falls, Fisher Falls and Flamborough Falls.

Within the associated park, there are washroom facilities, picnic tables (20) and sheltered areas at the top of Webster's Falls, as well as a parking area for up to 75 cars. The cobblestone footbridge, as well as a newer and narrower stone/concrete footbridge, crosses over Spencer Creek to the west side, which then leads to a series of 122-steps, allowing access down to the base of the falls.

The  Bruce Trail runs through this area. It is popular with hikers and family picnics. Improvements to the existing trail have been made on many occasions. Other nearby attractions include a convenience store and an antique shop.

Mennonite children

I have mentioned Mennonites before. Here they are again, in different ages. See how happy they are while looking at the elephant show by the lake.

Car Safari!

I have forgotten the name of this place, but I was able to visit again thanks to my good friends from Burlington. Never I have ever visited a safari and especially the one where you take your car and drive amongst many wild and exotic animals. This was a big hit with so many visitors all over the country. A true goldmine! Great experience, but I do not like the cars between all those animals like that though....

From the Niagara Escarpment

Just where the White Cedar trees were, there was a little lookout, which showed you an amazing view from and to Niagara Escarpment. Amazingly beautiful. This trip only happened because of a very kind Estonian family who took me to the park and showed me the beauty of Ontario.

White Cedar tree

By photography this photo is not much, but small gnarled Eastern White Cedar trees (Thuja occidentalis) at the cliff edges and on the cliff faces have specimens up to 1000 years, the oldest in eastern North America. Small, gnarled and clinging to Niagara Escarpment cliff edges you can find Canada’s oldest trees, the Eastern White Cedars. These thin narrow trees, some up to 1000 years old can be found growing out of the rock. The harsh living conditions dwarf the trees and limit their growth and size. A tree with the circumference of a few centimeters could be hundreds of years old! 

We do not have anything in Estonia which could beat that! 

Absolute Towers in Missisauga

I was staying at a friend's friends house and passed on my way these wonderful skyscraper-residentals. They are called Absolute Towers. They are a set of five residential towers in the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Construction of three of the towers was completed by 2008. The last two blocks, Absolute Word 1 and Absolute World 2, were completed in 2011. The two towers are also known as the 'Condo Couple'.

Imposing, statuesque and endowed with an undulating sequence of curves, it's no surprise that MAD Architects' mesmerising Absolute World 1 was nicknamed 'Marilyn Monroe' for its curvy, hourglass figure by smitten locals.

In Mississauga, Canada's sixth largest city, Beijing-based MAD saw fit to embrace not only a global trend for curvaceous skyscrapers, but also for satellite developments to express the town's individuality.

(Source and more from: www.designbuild-network.com)

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!