journeys : part 1 canada sep 2008

Canada
The world's second largest country but with a population which would fit comfortably into any Indian state. But have no fear; Indian immigration to Canada has increased in the last few years and given our proven track record in fertility,Canada should be causing a few rumbles in the population charts in the coming years.But I regress from the topic which is an eye-witness account of my travels with my parents in the country or rather in and around its most important city Toronto.
We landed in Toronto's Pearson International Airport on a Friday evening thoroughly exhausted after our 27 hour journey from Mumbai. My cousin's house was a good one hour drive from the airport.After an early dinner with my family I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Jet-lag what??
The next day we headed out towards the Niagra falls. Brushing and bathing were done in no time: a formality rather than intended to convey a favourable impression of my personal hygiene. I was so excited that I virtually ran into the car and fastened my seatbelt like a toddler who has been promised a outing to an ice-cream joint. We passed through Ontario's wine belt on the way; vineyards stretching miles on either side of the road; a clear sky and the sun shining brightly overhead. Perfect weather for a trip to the Niagra Falls. 2 hours later we were at the little town of Niagra-on-the-lake; a picturesque little village left untouched since the turn of the last century.
As we drove up to the falls; I caught my first glimpse of them as we rouned a bend: the gentle mist rising from the foot of the falls; the water shimmering in the sun light and a rainbow which stretched across the length of the falls presented a mental image I am unlikely to ever forget. The roar of the falls was loud enough to drown any conversation but none of us were talking as we drank in the awe-inspiring beauty of one of nature's spectacles.
The journey to the foot of the falls in the Maid of the Mist was one of the highlights of my short but eventful life. Wearing specially designed rain coats we stood on the deck of the boat as she inched closer to the falls. Spray buffeted us wetting our faces; the sheer force of the falls making our footing perilous on the slippery deck; the noise pounding our eardrums. Our heats beat faster adrenaline pumping through our veins. It was a sense of exhiliration; the joy of being alive and able to experience this natural wonder. We felt it was a just world and life was beautiful once again; shadows passed and we felt closer to the creator than we had ever before.
After an all too short (as we felt though it was a good 20 minutes long!!) ride we returned back to the dock. We spent the rest of the afternoon going through the other attractions like "Journey to the falls" which was a series of interconnecting tunnels built directly behind the falls. We had lunch as the Edge Water Grill which has one the best views of the falls from the deck. After feasting on Spicy Cajun Chicken and drinking blush wine we went to Marine Land where I got to see killer whales for the first time in my life. (Awesome!!).
The day well spent; we returned home to rest and reflect on the day's events. That evening we had a barbeque in my cousin's yard. I spent hours sitting on a deck chair eating steak and watching the stars listening to the murmur of a stream flowing just behind the house. ( At peace with the world!!).
We spent the next few days exploring downtown Toronto. The CN tower ( once the world's tallest building) is a must visit for all tourists. The observation deck at the top of the tower provides a breathtaking view of the entire city. We also spent some time gawking outside the venue of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) hoping to get a glimpse of a few stars. (Alas of no avail). The last day was spent shopping in a massive Wal-Mart approximately the size of an Indian town.
8 days after I started my journey I found myself back in Mumbai and with just two weeks left for my GRE.Needless to say my transition from vacation mode to study mode was almost instantaneous!!