Ontario - Cold and Miserable...
Could there be anything in the world less entertaining than flying Air Canada? The answer, is of course, yes. You could fly Air Canada into Toronto. Terminal One is a wonderful new facility. It has all the ameneties you could want in an Airport Terminal - moving sidewalks, bars, lounges (all smoke free of course), and shopping. The arhictecture is quite stunning. Yet, with all these advances and convieniences is it still possible that things don't go as well as they do, say, in Calgary or Victoria or Vancouver?
Yes. First off, Toronto's airport staff should have a new motto - "How can I make your experience as horrible as possible?". It seems that most people, from Comissionaires to storekeepers are the rudest people on the planet. Ask a simple question like, "where do I get my bags?" and you recieve the most condecenting answer - "Follow the signs". Thank you. Had I noticed the sign, I would have done so. Secondly, you walk for an interminable amount of time through the terminal - following the signs - only to be coralled into a small stairway leading to the baggage claim. Third, it takes FAR too long for your bags to actually materialize. I timed it (I'm a dork that way). My flight arrived at 1555. I had my bag at 1645. You do the math. I think fifty minutes can be termed excessive - if not outright annoying. And this from the Airport that charges the highest landing fees on the planet. Ridiculous.
Well, congrats Pearson International. Between the traffic fuss, the rude staff, the long waits and the expensive parking... I am now going to fly into Hamilton - all the time.
Additionally, now that Air Canada no longer offers food - or change for the money you pay for your cold cut sandwich with, it's hardly worth it. (Don't they prepare for people to not have correct change?) Sidebar: Remember when you would buy beer or booze and they would always run back to you with change once someone else paid with change? You would think this system would have been gauged too inefficient for FEEDING people. So, no food, no frills and, quite frankly, bad service. The only remaining advantage Air Canada has is the direct flights. I will NEVER fly Air Canada again to Ontario unless I can get a comparably priced flight into Hamilton.
Comparably priced compared to whom?
Westjet. At least they don't pretend to be a "frills" airline. They're even quite pleasant and capable of joking around with you while they quickly dispense change for your 20 dollar bill.
On to Ontario - the most apt definition of hell in winter. If you thought it impossible to drive 40km/h over the speedlimit on salt encrusted roads below zero degrees centigrade - think again. Welcome to the province that's in a hurry to get to the next traffic jam. I used to live in Southwestern Ontario (London to be exact), and I never did figure out what the hurry was, or why you had to change lanes back and forth to get one car ahead in bumper to bumper traffic. I like to drive fast - this much is certain. I don't understand why you need to drive fast when traffic is gridlocked 500 metres ahead. It makes no sense. Then - so little does in the Greater Toronto Area.
Welcome to Toronto - The city that has seen it's best days. That's how the signs should read. All signs are pointing towards the slow demise of this once impressive bastion of Canadian Economic Power. The economy is sluggish compared to Western Canada. The people are just plainly rude - and take no time to watch the inevitable destruction of their fair city. The looming energy crisis (I speak directly to electricity generation, and the cost of alternative sources) is blatantly ignored, just as approval has been granted to increase Natural Gas prices by 35%!!! (And no rebates exist here - unlike Alberta). Gas here costs anywhere between 88.9 to 91.9 cents a litre which makes no sense considering that cost is comperable to Vancouver ISLAND. That's right - I said Island. People gleefully drive around salt encrusted cars just as the auto industry is pulling out back to the States. Enjoy! The Old economy of Ontario is on the outs. At least the CAW managed to get a good pension deal - They're going to need it!
It's not all bad here, of course. The winter air is surprisingly clean - no humidity to hold the smog in. The beer is well priced, though the government run Beer Store hours are terrible. All in all, the housing prices are reasonable (outside Toronto proper) and people pay among the lowest income taxes in the country. The newer homes are of sturdy brick construction and are mere inches from your neighbour - good for community ties I suppose. At this time of year the big box stores are filled with consumers, and the parking lot full of illegally parked vehicles casing traffic congestion. Everyone speaks a different language, but none of them are a comprehensible form of English or French.
*Sigh*. I once longed to move to Ontario from Alberta back in the mid eighties. Things out here seemed so promising. The large city centres had culture, jobs and people! Now, everything has come full circle. Southern Ontario is the LAST place I would ever live, except maybe the Niagara Region and Kingston/Cornwall (which is apparently Eastern Ontario anyway). As an old song goes - words in no particular order:
The rent's too high - the air's unlcean
The beaches are dirty and the people are mean
The children are loopy 'cause they live in a slum
The water is polluted and the mayor's a dork
Ontario sucks - Ontario sucks
No truer words have ever been spoken.
From Port Credit, Ontario - I'm cold.
From the
Yes. First off, Toronto's airport staff should have a new motto - "How can I make your experience as horrible as possible?". It seems that most people, from Comissionaires to storekeepers are the rudest people on the planet. Ask a simple question like, "where do I get my bags?" and you recieve the most condecenting answer - "Follow the signs". Thank you. Had I noticed the sign, I would have done so. Secondly, you walk for an interminable amount of time through the terminal - following the signs - only to be coralled into a small stairway leading to the baggage claim. Third, it takes FAR too long for your bags to actually materialize. I timed it (I'm a dork that way). My flight arrived at 1555. I had my bag at 1645. You do the math. I think fifty minutes can be termed excessive - if not outright annoying. And this from the Airport that charges the highest landing fees on the planet. Ridiculous.
Well, congrats Pearson International. Between the traffic fuss, the rude staff, the long waits and the expensive parking... I am now going to fly into Hamilton - all the time.
Additionally, now that Air Canada no longer offers food - or change for the money you pay for your cold cut sandwich with, it's hardly worth it. (Don't they prepare for people to not have correct change?) Sidebar: Remember when you would buy beer or booze and they would always run back to you with change once someone else paid with change? You would think this system would have been gauged too inefficient for FEEDING people. So, no food, no frills and, quite frankly, bad service. The only remaining advantage Air Canada has is the direct flights. I will NEVER fly Air Canada again to Ontario unless I can get a comparably priced flight into Hamilton.
Comparably priced compared to whom?
Westjet. At least they don't pretend to be a "frills" airline. They're even quite pleasant and capable of joking around with you while they quickly dispense change for your 20 dollar bill.
On to Ontario - the most apt definition of hell in winter. If you thought it impossible to drive 40km/h over the speedlimit on salt encrusted roads below zero degrees centigrade - think again. Welcome to the province that's in a hurry to get to the next traffic jam. I used to live in Southwestern Ontario (London to be exact), and I never did figure out what the hurry was, or why you had to change lanes back and forth to get one car ahead in bumper to bumper traffic. I like to drive fast - this much is certain. I don't understand why you need to drive fast when traffic is gridlocked 500 metres ahead. It makes no sense. Then - so little does in the Greater Toronto Area.
Welcome to Toronto - The city that has seen it's best days. That's how the signs should read. All signs are pointing towards the slow demise of this once impressive bastion of Canadian Economic Power. The economy is sluggish compared to Western Canada. The people are just plainly rude - and take no time to watch the inevitable destruction of their fair city. The looming energy crisis (I speak directly to electricity generation, and the cost of alternative sources) is blatantly ignored, just as approval has been granted to increase Natural Gas prices by 35%!!! (And no rebates exist here - unlike Alberta). Gas here costs anywhere between 88.9 to 91.9 cents a litre which makes no sense considering that cost is comperable to Vancouver ISLAND. That's right - I said Island. People gleefully drive around salt encrusted cars just as the auto industry is pulling out back to the States. Enjoy! The Old economy of Ontario is on the outs. At least the CAW managed to get a good pension deal - They're going to need it!
It's not all bad here, of course. The winter air is surprisingly clean - no humidity to hold the smog in. The beer is well priced, though the government run Beer Store hours are terrible. All in all, the housing prices are reasonable (outside Toronto proper) and people pay among the lowest income taxes in the country. The newer homes are of sturdy brick construction and are mere inches from your neighbour - good for community ties I suppose. At this time of year the big box stores are filled with consumers, and the parking lot full of illegally parked vehicles casing traffic congestion. Everyone speaks a different language, but none of them are a comprehensible form of English or French.
*Sigh*. I once longed to move to Ontario from Alberta back in the mid eighties. Things out here seemed so promising. The large city centres had culture, jobs and people! Now, everything has come full circle. Southern Ontario is the LAST place I would ever live, except maybe the Niagara Region and Kingston/Cornwall (which is apparently Eastern Ontario anyway). As an old song goes - words in no particular order:
The rent's too high - the air's unlcean
The beaches are dirty and the people are mean
The children are loopy 'cause they live in a slum
The water is polluted and the mayor's a dork
Ontario sucks - Ontario sucks
No truer words have ever been spoken.
From Port Credit, Ontario - I'm cold.
From the
posted by Lucas at 11:02
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