The many scales of Toronto

After a 2 year wait for the infamous Canadian permanent residence card, delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I found myself in Toronto, Ontario. A 1500 CAD worth one way ticket on Air Canada that brought me right in the middle of a snow storm. It was supposedly one of the milder ones considering the extremities Ontario actually sees. I locked myself up in my little Airbnb room (75 CAD a night) in Brampton, refusing to leave the house and preparing myself for a month long hibernation.

Photo from my room in Brampton

I did attempt an outing, however, I got back home in frustration due to the ice on the streets that made it impossible to walk. It's not the snow or the cold that gets to you, it's the frustration of having to glide on the ice formed due to the melting snow on the streets. Soon I invested in a nice pair of boots from Walmart and was stomping around the snow and ice in no time! Despite all the drama with the ice, I could not help but fall in love with the landscape even in a place as bland as Brampton.

Photo of a golf course in Brampton

One fine day, the sun came out and it was decided, I must see Toronto. I couldn't be sitting just a 45 minute train ride from the city and not witness it in all it's sunlit glory. A Go train or a Go bus is what you need to move from Brampton to Toronto Union (Dowtown). The double decker trains look majestic as they roll into the station. And 45 minutes later, you land up in Toronto Union, a station, an intermodal hub, a labrynth. It took me a while to find my way out but now my permanent marker there is Sephora now. If I find it, I know how to get out. Just follow the signs, or ask a local. They're very friendly! Even if they seem to be marching on with a purpose, they will always stop to help a stranger. Got to love the Toronto spirit! Once you get out, prepare to be amazed by the scale.

Photo of the Toronto cityscape from Downtown

My urban design professor back in Sweden always talked about how amazing it is to have layers in cities. And I never understood what she meant. She meant being able to see layers of time thorough buildings. I found that in Toronto. I stopped and stared in awe as the realisation hit me. It was indeed a work of art! Once you see it, it's hard to unsee, how beautifully the old entwines with the new.

Photo of the Gooderham Building

It's a glass jungle, with the buildings standing tall, reflecting the sky back at you, bustling with music and energy. It's beautiful. No wonder it's rated one of the best cities in the world. There's music, there's yelling, there's laughter, children crying, dogs running- the people make this city. Downtown is mostly office districts and of course the famous CN Tower, something that is visible from across the city.

Photo of the CN tower from outside

Union Station

Thank you Toronto for making me feel at home, for giving that cosy vibe that is always welcome, for being ever kind and sweet in all your conversations and mostly for the beautiful architecture that could leave any urban designer in sheer awe of the place.