Kindness in Toronto

II got to know Fan Lan through our church youth fellowship back in the late 1960s. Her family was especially kind to me during those years. In 1972, after completing my A Levels, I faced significant financial hardship and was unable to pursue tertiary education. When Fan Lan learned of my situation, she persuaded her mother to act as my financial guarantor, enabling me to apply for a degree course in Civil Engineering at the University of Southampton, UK.

Although I was accepted by the university, I lacked the funds for airfare and tuition. In the end, my plan to study in the UK never materialized (Read here). Looking back, I often wonder how different my life would have been had that path opened. But as always, God's plans are greater than our own.

Fan Lan later pursued her studies in Canada and eventually settled in Toronto. Each time she returned to Kota Kinabalu for the holidays, she would, without fail, remind me of the promise I made to visit her in Canada. It was her unwavering encouragement over the years that finally prompted us to begin planning our August/September trip to Canada.

As soon as we confirmed the tour, Fan Lan generously offered to host us at her sister's home in Toronto. She had temporarily moved into her sister’s spacious mansion while her own home was undergoing renovations. Her hospitality and thoughtfulness made our travel planning all the more special.

Grand spiral staircase.

Breakfast in her residence (left photo) & at Pho Hung (Vietnamese Ngiu Chap) in Balwin Street (right photo).

An avid coffee enthusiast, Fan Lan took us for a leisurely stroll along the charming and touristy Baldwin Street, a spot known for its eclectic mix of shops and cafes. We stopped for a cup of coffee at one of her favorite spots, where she insisted we try a local brew she particularly enjoyed.

True to her thoughtful nature, she didn’t stop there. Wanting us to continue enjoying a taste of Canada even after we returned home, she packed several bags of freshly ground Canadian coffee for us to bring back to Kota Kinabalu. It was a simple but heartfelt gesture that spoke volumes of her warmth and generosity.

************************************************

Annabelle, granddaughter of Fan Kiok.

Our host took us for a dinner just before we flew back to KK. 

Left: Fan Kiok & Fan Lan.
Right: Dr. Man, Fan Kiok's spouse.

Friends in Missisauga, Toronto

While in Toronto, we had the wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Esther Chong and spend an enjoyable half-day with her and her family. We’ve known Esther since 1979, when she was just a little girl in primary school. At that time, we were living in a government-rented semi-detached house in Taman Foh Sang, which belonged to her late father. Later, her parents would send both Esther and her brother to our home for English tuition, which was conducted by my wife.

After marrying William, a Bruneian, Esther eventually moved to Canada with her family and settled down in Mississauga.

On the afternoon of 3 September 2017, we finally reunited. Esther warmly welcomed us and began by driving us around her neighborhood in Mississauga. She took time to show us some of the area’s scenic waterfront spots as well as a few of Mississauga's iconic landmarks. It was a memorable reunion, filled with nostalgia and heartfelt conversation.

Lakefront Promenade Park

Like the twin towers in Malaysia, Missisauga too has a unique pair of towers which some refer them as "Marilyn Monroe' Towers". This twisted twin towers are said to resemble Marilyn Monroe's hourglass figure. In terms of design, the larger tower twists 209 degrees from the base to the top. Credit must indeed be given to the structural engineers, Sigmund Soudack & Associates for having successfully completed this peculiar design.

The landmark building is visible throughout the
neighborhood.

Our reunion ended with a sumptuous home-cooked meal at the Ng's residence.

Hop-On-Hop-Off City Sightseeing Tour, Toronto

A very convenient way to see and explore some of the favourite attractions in Toronto is to take the hop-on-hop-off bus. We bought the two-day tickets that also entitled us for a free harbour and islands cruise in Lake Ontario (Read here). 

For those sitting at the upper deck, it's best to have an 

umbrella or poncho raincoat in case of rain.

A favourite stop along the bus route is the Casa Loma Castle, a massive residential mansion built in 1911 - 1914 by financier, Sir Henry Pellatt. It has 98 rooms covering 67,500 sq. ft. In the end, barely living there for ten years, he had to vacate it due to financial difficulty. City Hall finally sized it in 1924 for unpaid taxes. It is now a museum and a landmark.

*************************************************

The bus tour also allowed us to see some of the unconventional building design and architecture.

The Ryerson University Student Learning Centre.

Royal Ontario Museum.

The Aura, tallest building in Canada stands at 

272m with 79 storeys.

*************************************************

CN Tower & Rogers Centre.

*************************************************

We managed to capture a photo of the Baseball Arena of Rogers Centre through the glass partition of the souvenir shop. Unfortunately, our hope of watching Blue Jays Team live was dashed because the team was not playing there during the period we were in Toronto.

*************************************************

Another favourite stop is the St. Lawrence Market. This is also where we stopped for snacks and lunch.

*************************************************

As we walked along the streets in Toronto, we were occasionally being entertained by interesting characters and scenes.

Cosplay at Fan Expo, Metro Toronto
Convention Centre.

Busker at Yonge Street.

Toronto Inner Habour & Island Cruise

The Toronto Inner Habour and Island Cruise offered us an opportunity to view some of the key landmarks and skylines of Toronto city from beyond the coastline in Lake Ontario. We saw island parklands, wild life, marinas and skyscrapers in the largest city of Canada.

Two pieces of architecture, the CN Tower and Roger Centre - Toronto  baseball stadium distinctly define Toronto skyline. Almost throughout the cruise, this 553.3m high iconic tower was so conspicuous that I almost never lost sight of it.

 

I managed to capture the landing of the plane 
during the cruise.

Wild life around the islands.

Residential property at the lakeside is among the most expensive in Toronto. 

Old Quebec

I was incredibly impressed by the beauty of old Quebec. Its attraction to tourists was further elevated after it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 3 December 1985.

Almost all visitors start the tour from Notre-Dame-les-Victoires Church, a historical church in Place Royale which was originally built in 1688. The original building was destroyed by British bombardment and what is now standing is a reconstructed one completed in 1816.

Notre-Dame-les-Victoires Church.

Wall murals in Lower Town of old Quebec City.

Our tour of the old Quebec City started with an early lunch of typical French cuisine at a road side restaurant overlooking St. Lawrence River.

St. Lawrence River separates the old City from the
new City at the far end.

Escargot.

Duck Legs.

Old Quebec is very tourist friendly. Handicapped and physically challenged visitors can opt to move uphill and downhill using the funicular train. 

Walking to the Upper Town.

Of course, walking up on foot is so much more interesting compared to using the funicular. There are souvenir shops, coffee houses along the ways.

Fairmount Le Chateau Frontenec, a luxurious hotel strategically built in the Upper Town has an awesome view of St. Lawrence River and both the old Town and the new Town.

Building that houses the Ministry of Finance,
Quebec at the Upper Town.

St. Lawrence River.

We did not manage to see Quebec new city but caught glimpses of the two famous bridges linking the old and the new cities.

The older - Quebec Bridge.

The newer bridge, Pierre Laporte Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in Canada. Longest span is 667.5m carrying a six lanes carriageway.

The newer - Pierre Laporte Bridge.

Old and new bridges side by side.