May 13, 2019 – May 22, 2019

Just like that, and, bam, we were back in Canada! We went from fall weather in Buenos Aires, to spring in Toronto.

The flight went well. We had a two hour layover in Santiago, just enough time for us to find one last Pisco Sour before we left South America. Piper remained in the baggage compartment of the plane for the layover, but seemed to have handled the flight well when we picked her up in oversize baggage at Pearson Int’l airport in Toronto …she is such a good little traveller!

We got settled into our Airbnb in Toronto, took a nap, and then headed out along Queen Street West to find a coffee. Derek stayed outside with the dog while I went inside to order. I began to think about what I wanted to say, and how to say it in Spanish, and then realized that I didn’t need to do that! For so many months I have been limited in saying only what I was able to (I often didn’t have the Spanish words to say exactly what I wanted to say), but now I could say whatever popped into my mind (within reason, of course). I paid for our coffees and glanced down at the change the woman behind the counter had given me, and immediately recognized the denomination of all the coins…another thing that hasn’t happened in a very long time. So easy!

Casa Loma is a mansion that was built between 1911 and 1914 by Sir Henry Pellatt, a wealthy financier. He was estimated at one time to control a quarter of the Canadian economy. He only lived in the castle for 10 years, losing the castle and most of his possessions in the depression.

We enjoyed our time in Toronto. One evening we went to live theatre at Second City, we walked for hours, rode the streetcars and subway and we even got to visit with my Aunt and my cousins and their families, all of whom I haven’t seen in a very long time. After months of hearing almost nothing but Spanish being spoken, suddenly we were hearing a variety of languages. In one city block there could easily be six restaurants inspired by somebody’s grandmother’s recipe from six very different parts of the world.

I had said to Derek that I was curious as to how we would feel in Toronto. We had experienced such warmth and openness from the people in (almost all) of Latin America. It had been a long time since either of us were in Toronto, and it had only continued to get bigger since we had last visited. Would we feel as welcomed in our own country as we had in so many other places? Would we smile and be smiled at? Would we find the people warm and friendly?

So, after a week there, what were our thoughts? Are Canadians really remarkably friendlier than citizens of other countries?

First let me say that Toronto had some pretty tough competition. Even in large cities like Buenos Aires, it was not uncommon for strangers to greet us in the streets as they passed, often saying something like “buenos dias” (good morning) or “buenas tardes” (good afternoon). That did not really happen in Toronto, although we would often get eye contact and a smile, most of the time, I suspect, elicited by Piper’s infectious presence. We also really stood out as foreigners in much of Latin America, which maybe drew more attention our way…in Toronto, we blended into the crowd a bit better (even though fashion in Toronto seems to be to evolve a look and then take it to the extreme in an attempt to be very seriously something. Of course that might just be Queen street West…. ). However, any time we did engage with Torontonians, it was positive and friendly, and very genuine, whether it was a server in a restaurant, a cashier in the grocery store, or the driver of a street car. Given that Toronto is the largest city in Canada and is made up of a wonderfully diverse, multicultural population that brings different traditions, cultural norms, and attitudes from literally all over the world, I think it is telling how happy most people there seemed to be. Additionally, we shouldn’t decide on whether Canadians are friendlier than most based solely on what we experienced in Toronto…we have been told that you don’t know the meaning of the word hospitality until you visit the Maritime Provinces of Canada. That all being said, we felt very welcome in Toronto. So although Canadians have some competition for the title of “Friendliest People in the World”, one could not be faulted for thinking that they just may be.