Day 5 - Toronto - Tuesday

Because we were to fly around 4 in afternoon, we planned to go to the airport around 1:00, so we could explore the airport and so we decided to stick close to home that morning. Andrew and I walked to the near by shopping centre and though nothing was opened when we got there at 900 we wondered around until some shops opened at 930. Andrew had been looking for a messenger bag throughout the entire trip but could find one he liked, he is very picky and doesn't want to spend a lot. We told him that they are very hard on shoulders but he didn't care. There was one where he tried on at Pacific Mall and he didn't get it because it looked too much like a purse and it was on the pricey side for Pacific Mall aka 'fake/pretend' stuff. We went into Luggage City at the nearby shopping centre but still no luck, he wanted a natural feeling material and not something synthetic looking. Then we went into the Beer Store and and Liquor Store, but he didn't buy any booze to take home because it was expensive. I think the only province that has cheap booze is Alberta. At about 945, we hopped on the Viva Orange and headed to IKEA which was just one stop away and we paid $3 for the ride. It was our first time inside an IKEA store and so we took their measuring tape and pencils as souvenirs. They do have some pretty nice things for reasonable/student prices. I bought a $8 birch round turntable that is meant for cheeses but I'm going to use it for design. We have this square one that the school charged us $20 for and it is MDF and DIY assembly. The corners of the square always got caught you needed a lot more space to turn the turntable. Of course Andrew played Devil's Advocate, but I bought it in the end anyways just so that I could have one at school and at home. I also this 4 level shelf for $20, I got as far as writing down the aisle and shelf numbers but I couldn't think of a place to put such a thing in my basement so I didn't get it. Funny, how they had one half as wide, but for $15! We bought a hotdog each for the ride home for $0.50 each, super cheap! Let's hope they are affected by the meat recall or anything. Our transfers were still good so we didn't have to pay again. When we got home it was 12 and grandpa had went out to buy BBQ pork and chicken for our lunch. We had it with rice and then we had to quickly finish packing. I didn't have room for my turn table so I had to shove it in Andrew suitcase. He really didn't buy much...I had a suitcase full of stuff...the dried pork for my aunt in Winnipeg took up the most space in my suit case. I had to stuff both my backpack and suitcase up to their fullest. Liz and Ray and their dad came over at around 1:00 to come to drive us to the airport. Liz brought over her USB with Chicago pics and she transfered them to my USB. One day I hope to go to Chicago and New York (again). So we headed to the airport together and we got there around 2:00. When we got to the airport, we realized that we had not taken any proper family pictures with my grandparents, aunts, and uncles so we quickly took a few with Liz's dad and the four of us 'kids'. We checked in at Terminal 3 and Andrew and I couldn't get a spot together but we got the same row, the two middle seats. We did a tour of Terminal 3 and then rode the monorail to Terminal 1, it was a very cool experience. Terminal 1 is bigger and airy and open like the Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok airport with no pillars in the centre. The structural members were amazing! there was this piece of artwork hung on the wall that documents by photography the experience of traveling from Pearson to downtown Toronto. We think that the airport authority has no idea what is implied in the art, I think it is dissing the city, a victim of globalization withe several Shopper's Drug Marts and Starbucks shown. Then we went to inquire about Terminal 2, and how to get there but we all found out that there is NO terminal 2, just a 1 and 3. So I tease Liz, "and you call yourself a Torontonian!" Then we headed back to Terminal 3 and then said our goodbyes and we went through the gates around 3:30. My camera batteries finally died as well. We were assigned the gate B27 on our boarding passes but when we got there there was only a flight to Ottawa at 630 and our flight is to Winnipeg at 445. "So I guess we were gong to Ottawa!" Then we checked the screen and saw that we've been reassigned the gate C39 and we had to walk back the way we came basically to the opposite end of the airport. When we were finally at the right gate, it was about 4:00. I sent a text message to all my aunts and uncles and Liz to say 'thanks' right before we boarded. The flight home was a lot more comfortable than our flight into Toronto and we just sat back and enjoyed the ride home...