Canadiana Backpackers Blog

Here at the Canadiana we’ve long held that of all the hostels in Toronto, we are about the most “family friendly”. We’ve hosted persons who range in age from eight months to eighty years.

We have also had a good number of traveling youth groups, from a Scottish Scout Troop to the Manchester Boy’s Choir. Right now the hostel has a Y.M.C.A. sponsored student cultural exchange group. This is the second youth group from the Province of New Brunswick we have had in the 2007 – 08 season.

If you think about it, the Y.M.C.A. has some pretty fine facilities to house guests. But the have chosen to billet their charges in hostels and what’s more is they chose our hostel – looks like an implied endorsement to me!

The last group from that Province had here for R&R was the New Brunswick Provincial Boy’s Rugby Team; a group comprised of the best young Rugby players from across the province.

The current group are students from Harbour View High School in St.John, New Brunswick. One thing we’ve learned about groups form down east is that they are generally well-behaved and well-chaperoned There are nine young students on this exchange program and three adults accompanying them; one adult for every three youths.

This Y.M.C.A. program puts youths together who are from the same country; at first glance, this might seem a little odd. But Canada is such a vast and culturally diverse nation that there are enormous differences between regions.

This group from Eastern Canada spends their days exploring the big city. They have visited the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Science Center, the CN tower, ethnic areas such as Chinatown – urban things like that.

When it is their turn to host their counterparts from “the Big Smoke” (Toronto) the activities will shift to more outdoor pursuits – camping; climbing; horseback riding; boating etc.

The Canadiana would like to wish them all a good time for the remainder of their stay with us and also to thank the chaperons for a job well done.

The Harbour View High group from St. John, N.B.

Tony (the Tiger) has come back to our hostel for (I believe) the fourth time. He’s been the subject of a previous blog entry but we feel he merits another.

When it comes to travel, Tony just doesn’t stop. He’s been traveling for over a decade and has just arrived in Toronto by bus from New York City and announced that he’s finally visited all fifty states of the USA.

He’s also visited more than 40 countries. But what makes Tony’s solo travel adventures so compelling is that Tony is totally blind.

When Tony got back this time we decided to try a new blog format do an “interview” with him.

Canadiana: What was your inspiration for traveling?

Tony: My father. He traveled. A lot. He was in the Merchant Marine and he used to tell fascinating stories of his adventures. Although, I’m sure he made a lot of them up. Things like navigating around icebergs in the Gulf of St. Lawrence or crossing the Australian outback by rail. I vowed, early on, that I would experience similar things as well.

Canadiana: Of the countries/places you’ve visited, which were your favorites? And why?

Tony: New Zealand and Iceland. As you might imagine, for me, people are what make the places I visit interesting. The people in both places were really wonderful, helpful and welcoming.

Canadiana: What was your most memorable adventure?

Tony: Oh, easy! My first solo wilderness hike. It was in Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies – Grizzly bear country, you know. It was around Whisper Mountain and it was only about a mile-and-a-half loop but it took me over three hours! Clean air, crisp weather – exhilarating! Since then, I’ve done treks in parts of Africa as well.

Canadiana: Any tips for novice adventurers?

Tony: If it’s adventure you want, try going places at times that most people don’t go. Like Sri Lanka during the Monsoons; or Iceland in late October; or like here in Canada right now! Lots of snow! Also travel light. I don’t have anything really valuable with me except my hearing aids and I don’t think anybody wants to steal them.

Canadiana: What are some of the most pleasant surprises you’ve had in your travels?

Tony: The kindness and generosity of the poorest people in some of the most impoverished places in the world. Astonishing! Humbling! And a testimony to the human spirit.

Canadiana: Are you going to continue traveling?

Tony: Of course! I travel for the feeling of exultation I get. You feel so alive from some of the simplest things. Places feel and smell differently. And the many moments of magic like meeting wonderful people; or feeling the ocean spray on your face; or breathing clean mountain air. I travel to recapture those moments.

Canadiana: Any final words of wisdom gained from your years on the road?

Tony: You know, being blind I could get up in the morning and say the heck with it, I don’t feel like doing anything today. Well, if I thought like that then I wouldn’t do anything! I live life for the moment. Life for me can be as easy or as difficult as I choose to make it!

It is now 12:30 A.M. and I’ll have to cut this interview short. Tony has found a couple of ladies (Sally from England and Emily from Oz) as he’s talked them into going to the local pub for a nightcap.

Cheers Tony!

Tony on a glacier in N.Z.

On our patio with friends last summer.

Tony with his new friend the beautiful Tamara from Germany.

Most travelers who stay in hostels are “football” (soccer) fans. However, Toronto is (as all Canadian cities are) a hockey town.

The Union of European Football Association’s Cup is being played at the moment and our hostel put on an “event” for our guests.

There happens to be a lot of Liverpool United fans staying here at the moment so we arranged an outing to a local pub called (appropriately) “Scallywag’s”.

The game against the Inter Milan Cub started sometime late yesterday afternoon (around 4:30 PM, I think) and Scallywag’s was one of the pubs that had a satellite feed of the game.

Our hostel “group” decided to get to the pub just shortly after noon, ostensibly to get decent seats. But the real reason was to maintain the old football tradition of drinking well before, during and after the game.

The final score (in case anyone is interested) was Liverpool 1; Milan 0. And it was won with a proper goal, not some cheesy penalty kick as so often happens with that game!

Since the game was against Milan, I wouldn’t have minded seeing that game myself. There just seems to be so many “injuries” when an Italian team is playing. Go figure?

Anyhow Pearcey, Doughy, Simon et al, did the hostel proud with their drunken carousing and generally loutish behavior and thus, maintained the well earned image of the “British Football Hooligan”.

We’ve got two young Scots in the hostel who look an awful lot alike. Perhaps it’s because they are twins.

Gavin and Clarke Cooper seem to think a lot alike too; that is, they can’t seem to make up their minds!

They are nice, personable lads but I’m absolutely serious about their constantly changing their minds and their plans.

We said “so long” to the brothers about a week ago when they checked out of the hostel and waited for the bus heading west to the Canadian Rockies.

However, the next morning they were still at the hostel. “For just on more night,” they said. To make a long story short, they are still here! And they’ve changed their plans yet again!

Both brothers are on work/travel visa’s and had planned to spend a year in Canada. Now one of the brother’s (not sure which one) has decided to go home to Scotland and the other is planning to continue the trip to the west coast.

We’re not complaining, mind you; the lads are both well-liked and a pleasure to have as guests. But we really never know what they will do next!

They told me that one was leaving on Tuesday. That’s tomorrow, March 11. But I just checked our computer and they are both scheduled to check out on March 12!

So we’ll just have to wait until, at least, one of them can make up his mind.

Whatever they choose, we wish them well and as far as we are concerned, the longer they stay with us, the better!

The lads in traditional garb with wee a drop of the “amber nectar”.

…and over at our local “The Fox and Fiddle” on Karaoke Night.

It is coming up to the Ides of March and we are deep in it – snow that is! This winter has been horrendous for snow and threatens to break all records for a Toronto winter. Just about the only people who are rejoicing in the fact are skiers and snowboarders.

Our hostel is now booking a new series of trips or our guests such as excursions to Quebec and the Big Apple (New York City) as well as day trips to see (and taste) Maple Syrup production and Ski and Snowboard trips.

The first trip with our new tour provider was yesterday – a day Ski/Snowboard trip to Barrie, Ontario; a town about an hour’s drive north of Toronto.

On that first ski excursion eight of our guests decided to book and it is important that we get and record their comments and feedback. I’m pleased to say that all eight gave glowing accounts of their day excursion and unanimously declared the trip a lot of fun and “well worth the money”.

The ski tour cost a mere $75 and included return transportation to the ski area (Snow Valley Resort); ski or snowboard rental; all-day, all-lifts lift ticket; access to sixteen ski areas; a one-hour professional ski or snowboard lesson; and a stunt area for experts.

To book any of our tours (including day trips to Niagara Falls) just contact our front desk, they’ll be more than pleased to help you.

We get some wonderful guests in our hostel! Tamara and Sabine are two German psychology students doing an internship here at the University of Toronto. Its part of the program for them to earn a Masters degree.

They have been with us for almost a month and we can look forward to having them around for, at least, another month.

A lot of foreign students doing advanced degrees elect to stay in hostels if only because it is cost effective short-term accommodation. Right now we have some Dutch students completing their radiology technicians degree as well as undergrad students who have elected to do an exchange term here in Toronto.

Sabine and Tamara have rapidly become two of the most popular ladies at the hostel. They both have sparkling personalities (to go along with their good looks) and a keen understanding of people. (Perhaps it has something to do with their chosen field of study)

The only downside to hosting such charming guests as our two German Psychologist’s to be, is that when it is finally time for them to go home, we will be left with a profound sense of loss.

The bottom line, however, is that both the staff and the hostel itself have been enriched by their presence. So you see, we’ve also gained quite a lot too!

..

Sabine (l.) and Tamara

It’s kind of funny if you think about it. Just that in order to be a hospital worker, for instance; it really isn’t necessary that you like people. But if you work in an animal clinic, it’s pretty much a given that you like animals.

Lauren is a young lady from Oz who has come to Toronto on a two-year work/travel visa. She was a veterinary assistant back home where she earned quite a decent living.

Here in Canada she has been working at the Toronto Humane Society for a fraction of the wages she got downunder. (Less than 1/3 to be more precise.) I think the real problem is that the Society relies heavily on it’s volunteers to do a lot of the work and even for skilled positions such as Lauren’s, pay little more than minimum wage.

Lauren decided to live in hostels, at least, until she can find a position in a private veterinary clinic (which, almost literally, have licenses to print money).

She’s a great addition to the hostels social fabric especially on pub nights. She is both a lovely young lady and an accomplished pool player. She can give any male in the hostel a run for his money with a cue stick in her hands.

We’re glad that Lauren is going to be with us for a while. In spite of the recent (Tuesday) snowstorm, Spring is just around the corner and she’ll be able to see what we re talking about when we tell her of how Toronto really comes alive as the weather warms.

The 26th Canada Music Week Festival kicked off on Saturday in over 40 venues throughout the city.

As always, there is an impressive assortment of Canadian and invited International bands and musicians. It’s a highly respected.

I think you might be surprised just who stays in hostels while traveling; be it for pleasure or business. We had Sally Shapiro staying with us.

Sally’s from Sweden and has been our guest with she arrived to perform her much anticipated 80′s Disco music. NOW Magazine, Toronto’s premiere entertainment guide, described her with the words; “…few singers are as reluctant to be pop stars as she is.”

Her much anticipated gig was on Tuesday night (March, 4) at the Wrongbar in the trendy Queen Street West area of Toronto. It was to be one of the feature acts of the festival.

Unfortunately, Sally and her producer/partner Johan Agebjorn didn’t count on Toronto’s fickle winter weather. After at least a week of mild temperatures, Toronto was savaged by a late winter snowstorm! It “snowed of their parade” so to speak.

The storm caused a lot of people to stay at home Tuesday night. So the anticipated full-house was out of the question.

Sally and Bjorn left Toronto early yesterday morning heading for the Big Apple for yet another stop on their North American Tour. We only hope that New York’s weather treats them better than our’s did!

A lot of guests say that of all the hostels they have been in, ours feels the most like home and that fellow travelers and staff come to be like family.

Hailey one of our front office beauties checked in someone who arrived from Cuba who really felt like part of her family.

It was in fact her little brother Mitchell who had been in Cuba for three months with Canada World Youth on a cultural exchange program.

Their hometown is Guelph, Ontario about an hour west of Toronto and this was his last stop before heading home. They had a tearful reunion right here at the Canadiana.

We get a lot of young travellers in our hostel who are either on their way to, or on the way from, cultual exchanges.

Our Hailey first traveled to Australia at the temder age of 18 and stayed in a lot of hostels all over that continent. Her long term plan is to open her own hostel downunder.

She is now in her third year of an honours course at York University majoring in Communications and Sociology. That may seem like an unlikely field of study for a future hostel owner; however, she only set that goal recently.

So in order to prepare herself for a future as an Innkeeper in Oz, she has decided to work here with us until she completes her studies.

We’re pretty sure the experience will show her just how a hostel should be run.