June 14: Toronto, ON

I'm sitting now in the Trinidad restaurant in Kensington Market, eating roti with curried potatoes. The Russian restaurant has disappeared, and it's Wednesday so El Buen Precio is not selling pupusas today, but at least the Trinidad market is still here. Earlier today I had a cafe au lait at La Maison des Croissants, read "Honeymoon" which I had bought at Indigo Bookstore in Eaton Centre last night, then walked to Queen's Park and the museum area.

I almost went to ROM (Royal Museum Ontario), but it was so dark inside and so sunny outside, plus it was 7 CAD. Instead I went across the street to the Gardiner Museum of Ceramics for an exhibit on Majolica (sp?), the pottery my cousins in Seattle have, as well as German and English porcelainware. Then I walked down Bloor Street to the Bata Shoe Museum--it actually does a lot to explain the relationship between shoes and culture around the world. I also went to the library at OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies of Education), but it wasn't that impressive.

In the evening I headed south to the waterfront. I didn't take the ferry to Toronto Island this time, just watched the sailboats on the harbor. There's something very comforting, peaceful, and soothing about the water. Maybe it's an Aquarian thing. I walked back up Yonge Street for dinner at Mövenpick Marché, a place that has the high quality gourmet food of a Dean and Deluca, the organization by type of food of a Lawson's Gourmet, and the Old World flair of La Madeleine. I spent too much (17.99 CAD) but it was worth it--smoked salmon on a "Swissie" bread, grilled veggies, mineral water, and a "berry-berry" cheesecake. Mmm. I stopped at an Internet cafe on Yonge street before heading back to the hostel.