Written by PresidentlELLA
Aside from losing my entire wallet (credit cards + ID), I had a great time in Toronto. It was my second time up and it was luckily the weekend of the Caribana Festival. It was my first time to the actual festival and it was the perfect set up. Caribana is really just a huge bbq. People from all over [the Caribbean] enjoy this pride day, waving their country flags and displaying their beautiful women. There’s a wonderfully diverse community in Toronto and it was nice to be able to sit on my lawn chair with them. We stayed a short walk from Lakeshore drive, so we got pretty good seats. It was quiet in the morning when we walked the dog, but it was so packed with people later in the day, that Duchess wouldn’t walk in the crowd. I think the parade takes place around 11am-12pm.
Unfortunately, we missed the actual parade because they changed the route this year. Still, we managed to find a few ladies in their outfits for me to grab a picture. Lakeshore drive is beautiful, and that really made the event wonderful. We were able to take a walk by the water to get some jerk chicken. The grilled corn was everything. There was enough space for me to walk the dog, read my book and for whoever wanted to get down to get a dance in, in one of the many outdoor party areas. I’d definitely want to get back to enjoy the vibe again. Even Duchess had a great time. So many people just wanted to pet here, and I heard very few rude comments about her being a pitbull. I wouldn’t recommend anyone bring a dog they can’t control into a public space –Duchess is perfect for it.
Next time though, I’ll bring my Dominican flag. I couldn’t find one for the life of me *sigh* If you head that way, remember this: Fold out chairs are ideal, especially if their light enough to carry. I had a small cooler with the beverage assortment of my choice which was necessary for my slushie 😉 If ever you can make it up for Caribana, it’s well worth the trip. Check out the travel page for a little more of how I enjoyed Toronto.
EllaThought 