Off to the city that fun forgot (Toronto).

I have to think about what I am going to do with a month there.  What's worse, a month in one of its outer suburbs: more boring than boring itself.  (If you care to know what I think of Toronto...)  If you think this blog has been bitchy lately, wait for the posts in July!  I will be temporarily trading in my Tokyo life for a suburban Toronto one.  Just because I spent too much time there, doesn't mean I miss it: quite the contrary.  Still, the weather's better, and sunset is 21:30.

On a question from my wife, I cannot think of a thing I need to do in Toronto.  There are things I won't mind doing:
- some friends to see who'd be improved if they lived in Tokyo (none of whom drink as much, or have as much going on in a week to talk about, as my Tokyo acquaintances)
- a deli I'd go to (not as good as Montréal)
- there's a brewpub I like
- a Vietnamese place we went to often
- ...

Without reaching that's all I can give you.  Toronto's teams suck, but I'm not a joiner anyway.  Its tourist attractions are out of town, or found in any city.  The mood in the city is antisocial, in person and in election results.  Canadians hate Toronto, and Torontonians hate each other. Now Montréal is not Tokyo, but Montréal has the personality of the hot but dodgy girl at the party you have a fair chance of taking home.  Sure beats Toronto's LUG  thing.

Here's unsolicited advice to Japanese, and others, planning on a visit to Canada:
- Vancouver and area is beautiful, outside of the pissy winters
- Banff and Jasper are amazing at any time of year, but the hot springs are cold
- Montreal is always great, but winter is hard
- Quebec City is quaint, but there's nothing they don't have more of in Europe
- the Maritimes are pretty in the summer, and the people can drink!
- Prairies: skip
- Toronto: skip
- Niagara Falls: might have been pretty once