Note to myself: it CAN be cheaper some place else

Courtney has been dying to take the GO train into Toronto. So we did. Actually, we (incredibly) headed into the city twice. Both Saturday and Sunday. It's a weekend that we are pushing her limits on napping. I'm certain that come Monday when it's back to the routine - I will be wishing that she had those naps - but for the moment - day trips in the city = lots of fun. But, back to today. We spent much of the morning walking the city. From Union to Queen Street West - doing some window shopping and people watching. Then going into Spadina, then circling back to the Eaton Centre and then back to Union. It's a lot of walking. It was when we entered Spadina and Queen that I started to remember being Chinese. You see, Spadina / Dundas is getting into the heart of Chinatown. If you are not familiar with Chinatown - let me put down some points for you:
  • vegetables, fruits, wares overflowing onto the sidewalk
  • lots of people - in fact a lot of elderly out with their wire shopping baskets
  • unknown and weird smells of herbs, dried seafood and other secret chinese remedies
  • cheap clothing, flip flops, plastic ware
  • grandmas hocking their home grown garden vegetables and handmade pastries
  • the unmistakeble smell of durian
So, as we are walking in Chinatown, I can't help but get drawn into the sight of fresh chinese veggies and the cheap produce prices. I finally give in at one place where these really amazing green beans were .79 per lb - and my favorite oong chai was .99 per lb. Here's what you get get for $1.00. In Calgary, I would have paid well over $4 for this!




Finally the kicker.....after paying for my veggies - a grand total of $2.02. We walk down another block and the same beans are .70 a lb. I stopped looking at prices and food and instead took in the sights, sounds and more smells. Who needs the best deal anyways?

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