Notable Guests at the Canadiana

CSI CATHY

Forensic Investigator Cathy is a real-life Crime Scene Investigator. A fingerprint specialist, she heads that section for the Southampton Constabulary in the U.K.

Cathy stayed in our Toronto hostel with us in March of 2007 while preparing to leave for war-torn Iraq for a year to work with the British Forces and aid in the identification of wanted terrorists.

SEFRIAH

Aniko is an award winning Hungarian dancer who goes by the stage name Sefriah.

We first met her in the hostel in the summer of ’05 when she was here for an International Bellydancing Conference.

She returned in 2008 to perform with over 150 professional dancers from around the world.

Aniko was the final featured dancer in a sold out gala performance in Toronto.

TRUCKIN’ ON DOWNUNDER

Amanda is a pretty small truck driver (as in pretty and small) from Western Australia. She stayed with us in the hostel in the summer of 2007.

She is no ordinary truck driver but highly-paid mine worker behind the wheel of a 240 ton behemoth too wide for public roads and with a cab more than two stories high.

THE NEUTRINOS

This female-fronted Alternative Rock Band from Norwich, U.K., was here in the summer of ’07 for the annual NXNE (North by Northeast) Music Festival. Of the more than 400 featured acts playing around Toronto, they were among the few rated “Critic’s Choice” by NOW Magazine.

Although they are all great musicians, we think that their enormous appeal has a lot to do with Karen, the lead singer. A dazzling voice and, in a word: GORGEOUS!
Check out their music: www.neutrinos.co.uk

FREDDY

We first met old Freddy in August of 2006 then again almost a year later. Freddy travels everywhere on his BMW 1150cc motorcycle! He returned to the hostel after touring North America from Alaska to Mexico. Then he packed up his bike and headed for Europe! Freddy is an ex-member of the “Hooligan’s from Hereford” (a name given to the legendary SAS by the rest of the British Army).

ANDY of the ANDES

It was summer and we’re getting our share of cyclists off to challenge western Canada. They start here in Toronto and bravely head west. It’s an arduous journey that crosses four time zones and includes long uphill stretches through the Rocky Mountains!

You sometimes wonder how many will actually make it! And there are others in whom you have no doubts! Ex British soldier Andy is one of them. He’s already conquered the rugged Andes in a trip from Chile to Argentina.

ANDREA and GEORGINA

Every summer, we get a number of backpackers who have opted for a return to an older mode of transportation. Andrea and his partner Georgina came from Italy to explore Eastern Canada.

They left for Halifax on their bicycles via Ontario’s Algonquin Park. It’s a journey that would take the better part of three hours on a jet!

Fortunately, neither is a stranger to long-distance cycling. They have already biked Austria, Switzerland, Norway and Nepal.

“ROOM #6” COMES TO CALL!

All of the rooms in the hostel are named for prominent Canadians, Room Number 6. Is named in honour of Dave Broadfoot – the Dean of Canadian Comedians!

He came by the hostel one day and graciously agreed to have his photo taken in front of his “room”.

While performing in England many years ago, a young John Cleese (later of Fawlty Towers fame), told him that he had been inspired to take up comedy after watching him perform. High praise indeed!

COPS!

Lydia and Andy are two police officers from the United Kingdom who visited the hostel in March of 2007. Lydia (or Lyds) is a Detective Constable from Cheshire and Andy is a Sergeant from Devon/Cornwall. They first met in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami that claimed so Many lives. Hundreds of U.K. Nationals died in the seaside resorts in Thailand. They were among the British Detectives were dispatched to aid in the recovery and identification of British citizens. Lyds and Andy are now engaged and first stopped by the hostel on their way home.