The first thing I wanted after a 15-hour flight wasn't something fancy but rather something sweet and simple, something I missed very much! First stop: Tim Hortons! I missed the Double Double Coffee! The Double (Cream) Double (Sugar) Coffee wasn't strong at all but it was the memories, the childhood / teenage memories that matter the most! Forget about espresso for the time being, I grew up with Timmys!
I did mention it was breakfast time right? I ordered the coffee, chocolate dip donut and bacon, egg sandwich. Yes, all for me, myself and myself!
I wanted to bring up the following observation in a later posting but I see no reason I should not do it right now. A few years back I would inform Hong Kong visitors to Toronto that Cantonese would be enough to get by on a daily basis because of the number of Cantonese speaking residents living in both uptown and downtown Toronto. Several years have passed and after just a few days around town, I noticed that I rarely overheard any Chinese speaking Cantonese; but instead almost all Chinese I came across were speaking Mandarin! (both Mainland and Taiwanese accents) Even in traditional Western malls, many of the Chinese staff would speak to you in Mandarin assuming that was the preferred language of choice. The above observation was by no means a compliant but a fact of the recent changes to the Chinese community here in Toronto. Hong Kong is undergoing similar transformation in my opinion with the addition of mainland visitors coming for major shopping sprees.
Aright time to sleep for another 10 hours! Major jet lag!
14 comments:
The same thing regarding more Mandarin being heard and spoken than Cantonese has been happening for quite some time in a few of the Chinatown areas I know in the UK. A friend told me the same thing has been happening in NY too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/nyregion/22chinese.html
Have fun in Canada!
yum! timy's french vanilla is a thumb up too! :)
wow, didn't know that you grew up in Toronto. I was just there last year(Markham & surrounding area). So many Chinese malls there! So much good Chinese food in Toronto compared to New York City & New Jersey. I hope you can review & share some great eats in Toronto!
-Pat
Wow! The Bon Vivant in North America! Can't wait for your other Toronto posts!! :)
i miss tim hortons!! english toffee..french cruller...and many many more good eat in T.O...
yea u know jason, i heard from my family that there are not much cantonese /hk fobs there anymore..sad......
oh enjoy ur toronto trip! eat lot of authentic pho, korean food, pub food and fresh sashimi for me!!
@cheeky angel: I think it is certainly a trend all over the world's major cities, not just Chinatown.
@justanothergirllivinginthecommodifiedworld: yes indeed! and I just had my Timmy's French's Vanilla this afternoon!
@Pat: you are right about the quality of Chinese food here in Toronto (Canada), I think the quality is more consistent even compared with Hong Kong. I think I will write about it later relating to this topic. :)
@Jin: haha ... and I see that someone is having a bit more leisure time to do some more updates!! :)
@Greentea00: Thanks! I am enjoying the air, the blue skies, the food and Timmys! And yeah, the Chinese community is no longer what it used to be in general, I think many Chinese are becoming more blended into the local scene which is good; but of course there are some observations which I think are pointing in the other direction ....
Ah, proper doughnuts. Doughnuts that are not leaden, not cakey and not fake. I'm having a Homer Simpson-type reaction here!
@Joyce: I can do with a good donut right now!!! :)
I tried Tim Horton's for the 1st time 2 years ago in Canada and I am a fan of the double double! Love the pic of the donut with a bite taken out of it!
When I was living in Spain, the first thing I would get when I landed in the US was a mocha. Funny now that I live in the US, I rarely drink them, yet miss my Spanish coffees so much!
@Michelle: yeah! Sometimes I think it is for sentimental reasons that we love / miss certain things, not necessary the tastes / flavors. Oh how I miss the double double with 18% milk fat! haha (or was it 10%? haha ...ah well)
I truly missed the timbits there. those little round balls are part of the memories of the good old days doing TVT in TO
@J'REO: yes indeed! Those were the happy times!!! :)
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