"No longer is Toronto a city where they roll up the carpets at 12 a.m."
No longer is Toronto a city where they roll up the carpets
at 12 a.m. and where you hear the expression "Toronto the
Good." This reputation was prevalent during the time when
practically all work and leisure were prohibited on
Sundays. It was also at a time where you never found an
outdoor café and most available entertainment was offered
in private clubs.
During the past thirty years owing to the considerable
immigration from Asia and the West Indies the atmosphere of
Canada's largest metropolis and principal financial centre
has dramatically been altered. The third edition of the Ulysses Travel Guide Toronto,
edited by Jacqueline Grekin, is a comprehensive guide that
reflects the pulse of the "Queen City," (as Toronto is
often referred to). The guidebook contains eight sections: portrait, practical
information, exploring, outdoors, accommodations,
restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and a very extensive
index. Each one of these sections contains brief appetizing
information that enhances our curiosity and aids us in
planning a rewarding visit to the city.
For example, in the subsection entitled "Toronto: City of
Neighbourhoods" there is a side box describing Yonge Street
that according to the Guinness Book of World Records is the
longest street in the world. Apparently it stretches
1,896km from the shores of Lake Ontario to the town of
Rainy River, in northwestern Ontario. The section dealing with restaurants, although brief, is
nevertheless very helpful.
Unfortunately eating out in Toronto as compared to Montreal
can be quite expensive.
However, the guidebook facilitates our choices in pointing
out to us those restaurants that are inexpensive, moderate
and expensive. We are also informed as to their exact
location, and telephone number. Another useful feature is
Ulysses favourites where we are informed of restaurants
that have particular attributes such as innovative cuisine,
interesting selection, warm ambiance, terrasse, people-
watching and desserts.
One deficiency, however, is that this section as well as
some of the others omitted to mention if credit cards were
accepted and if there was wheel chair accessibility. Another useful feature of the guidebook is the thirteen
walking tours of various sections of Toronto. If you
participated in all of these tours you certainly would have
an excellent introduction to the city. The tours include
the waterfront, the Toronto islands, the theatre and
financial districts, Old Town of York, Queen West,
Chinatown and Kensington, Queen's Park and the University
of Toronto, Bloor and Yorkville, Cabbagetown, the Annex,
Rosedale,Forest Hill and the North of Toronto, the beaches,
Niagara Falls (although this last tour is not situated
within Toronto proper). The guidebook also contains over 20 useful maps as well as
several colour photos. The photos illustrate the cultural
and architectural attractions of Toronto and are
accompanied by captions providing a variety of useful
information. This compact, comprehensive and attractive guidebook is
extremely useful for those who either presently live in
Toronto or are contemplating a visit to the Queen City.
Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bootsnall
Posted November 7, 2002
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