stratford day 2

Yi Ling and I woke up to nice muffins provided by the motel. Then we checked out and went into the warm sunshine

We saw this near our motel and got quite excited.


So we went in to satisfy our donut cravings


my vanilla donut


yiling's maple donut

Along the streets...


romeo street. But no juliet street in sight


meaningful isn't it?


this justifies the need to buy good (sometimes expensive) shoes







Then we went to Shakespearean Gardens.












shakespeare







Off to Avon lake.


now you see them


now you don't!










got this off a bench... meaningful


Yi Ling and I

More photos on facebook!

I'm glad to have spent my weekend in Stratford, to breathe in fresh country air, experience a more laid back and tranquil life and enjoy the beauty mother nature has bestowed upon us. I don't see such things in Toronto because Toronto is very city-like, with lots of skyscrapers and heavy traffic. We city dwellers really need some respite from hectic city living!

stratford day 1

22-23 September was spent in Stratford with Yi Ling.

We took a bus to Stratford to watch King Lear and Merchant of Venice on Saturday 22 September. Both shows were shown at the Festival Theatre as part of the ongoing Stratford Festival. Yi Ling and I were enthralled by both plays. The acting was impressive and the sets were wonderful. I haven't watched a proper play in ages and I'm so glad I watched two Shakespearean plays in a day. Thanks Yi Ling for telling me about the Stratford Festival.

Pictures of the Festival Theatre and its lovely surroundings.














We stayed in a nice cosy place called Travellers Motel






cosy!

Just as we were deciding where to have dinner, we saw this beside our motel.


Aren't you folks back in Singapore jealous?




our meal! Yi Ling ordered root beer, chicken burger and onion rings while I ordered milk and vegetarian burger. Alas to my disappointment, they don't sell curly fries


onion rings


Can you see the oil from the onion rings? Yi Ling and I had to use tissue paper to blot the oil before eating them. I still think Burger King onion rings are the best


who can forget the adorable A & W bear?




I love root beer served in the A & W jug




Yi Ling and I found this very funny




the trees here are more beautiful compared to those in toronto

outing with hongjuan and friends

This evening Hongjuan and her friends came down from Waterloo to Toronto.

Hongjuan and I have been planning this for quite a long time. Finally, it was decided that she and her friends would take the subway from yorkmill to queen's park. I was supposed to meet them at queen's park and bring them to Chinatown for dinner. I wanted to bring them to this yummy dim sum restaurant Genevieve's parents brought us to when Yi Ling and I first came to Toronto.

Initially I planned to bring them around University of Toronto, followed by dinner at Chinatown (all of us miss chinese food like crazy), shopping at Eaton's (which is near my residence) and finally to visit my room.

Alas, Hongjuan and her friends were caught in a jam, so by the time they reached queen's park it was already past 8pm. Thus we only managed to hop down to Chinatown for dinner. We were all starving!

The sky was dark and the streets were not very well-lit, so I lost my way at Chinatown! Somehow the streets look different and unrecognisable at night. Therefore I didn't manage to find the dim sum restaurant. I'm REALLY BAD at directions.

Finally we decided to eat at a chinese restaurant. The food was great and the atmosphere was nice! Chinese food never tasted so good :)


interior of the restaurant. traditionally chinese


egg dish


chicken, chinese style


stir fried veg. Hongjuan and I chose this. We really miss vegetables


Hongjuan and I




The photo is blurred because the waiter's hands wasn't very stable when he helped us take this photograph

Being with fellow Singaporeans in a foreign land is very comforting.

Thanks Hongjuan and friends for the wonderful outing! Hope we can meet again after our semesters end.