Holy Week 2024: Solo Travel to Canada

I believe I am a certified Solo Traveler; a backpacker for shorter travel days.  

I did solo trips at least once every year. I liked the idea of going to new places, experience new things, observe unique cultures alone. I moved around freely at my own pace, in my own convenience. For minor mishaps, mistakes, misjudgments, or getting lost, it would just be me to think of, to consider, to secure.

This year 2024, I travelled solo to Canada; the year when I was fired from work by a Canadian company which HQ is in Ottawa. So the intent had shifted to become a personal retreat, recollection, rediscovery.

Toronto (Mar 23)

My journey started with a flight to Toronto via Qatar Airlines with connection in New York. It was wet day when I did the airport transfer from JFK to La Guardia. I tried my best to navigate La Guardia Airport using the public transport for the first time. Emerging from the subway, I lost my way to the public bus loading point and ran out of time. So I hailed an Uber Taxi.  Arrived at the airport among the last passengers of Air Canada, and I still have to obtain a Prepaid Visa Card from the nearby machine to pay the luggage fees because my credit card did not work that time, and worse they won't accept cash (cashless transactions only!.

Despite all the hassles, I arrived in the snowy Toronto. There was a snowstorm a day before my arrival. Since it was my first time in the city, I lost my way to my accommodation, the Samesun Hostel. When I finally got there via the local taxi, I was starving. Fortunately, I find a Filipino restaurant a corner away.

Toronto City was my entry and exit point in this journey. So I have several days to get familiar of everything. I came to know that my hostel is located close to Toronto University, to the Street car stations, and a walking distance to the underground PATH - walkable network of pedestrian roads used generally during wintertime.

Niagara (Mar 24)

When I did my first morning stroll around the city center, I was snowy white and freezing. I endured it (not really enjoyed it) to reach the pickup point for the Niagara Falls day tour. Here I found the PATH and lost here and there. Anyway, I reached the Union Station which is a block away to the meeting point. Our Niagara Falls day tour brought us to the following stops: Maple Leaf Place, the Horse-shoe shape of Falls by Canada-side, and the Clifton Hill. I tried the local comfort foods: Poutine and Beavertails for lunch and on my way back to the city, I dropped by the Jollibee outlet for dinner. 

Toronto (Mar 25)

To make the most of my short days in the city, I squeezed all destinations in one day as much as possible. 

I took the Street car and Bus today to reach the famous Casa Loma. I walked up the Baldwin Steps to enter the castle's premises. Here, I learned a lot of things about the castle being a filming location for many known movies, franchises, and series, like the X-Men. It has it's own wax museum featuring all the Hollywood stars who have been there.

Then I took the Street car to Queens Park and enjoyed the chill sitting and observing university students passing by.

Then I strolled the nearby streets until I reached the Graffiti Alley and my legs tired. 

That afternoon, I witnessed the sunset at CN Tower.

Toronto (Mar 26)

Another morning stroll at the Harbour. I get myself acquainted of the place because I will be taking the cruise on my last day in the country. 

Then I hopped on the Street car and get to the Royal Ontario Museum. Here I lost track of time being hooked into the wide exhibition, especially on Dinosaurs.

The afternoon I met up with Libeth Bordario, a former colleague in a project under the Department of Social Welfare & Development, who migrated to Canada lately, She accompanied me to check the Toronto City Hall and some malls where we enjoyed chitchats over coffee at Tim Hortons.

Montreal (Mar 27 & 29)

I boarded the Canada Rail that very early morning to Montreal City. I studied the subway system of the city before coming, so I knew for sure where I should disembarked and come out right at the corner where the Samesun Hostel is located. As I scanned the whole neighborhood, I found my accommodation so near to and within the same block as the Central Bus Station.

Without much ado, I walked around the historic city in the afternoon. I did enjoyed walking around the old town which buildings of French architecture.

Quebec (Mar 28)

I walked my way to the Central Bus Station that early morning. I bought a ticket and was on the way to the most interesting place I have ever been to - always in my travel bucket list - Quebec City.

I thought I cannot visit Quebec this time, but when I saw the daily bus trips available and how it was convenient from Montreal, it was a last minute addition to my itinerary. 

I was so glad to have visited the historic city of Quebec. A DIY day tour had me found a real larger than life Christmas village. I did a full day walking tour on snow-covered streets and frozen lakes. 

Then I went back to Montreal that night.

Montreal (Mar 29)

This is the longest and farthest walking tour I did in Canada so far, climbing The Mount Royal, to get to the St Joseph's Oratory, a pilgrimage site in the country.

Montreal did not live up my expectation. I felt scared while walking because of homeless people everywhere. I was screamed at by someone in a certain Tim Hortons saying that I cut his personal space, when I reached for some sachets of sugar for my coffee. Crazy experience!

Ottawa (Mar 30-31)

I boarded a bus to Ottawa then took the train to the city center. I stayed at Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel - a prison building converted into a hostel.

The capital city is a simple place. All tourist attractions are concentrated within the proximity of Parliament Hill. It's location along the boundaries of Ontario and Quebec, made me crossed 2 provinces via the Alexandra Bridge.

For 2 full days, I moved around from the hostel to the Bayward Market to Ottawa Cathedral, Canada Museum of History, Parliament Hill, and Rideau Canal.

I made a wrong move when I checked out that night of Mar31 to go to Rail Station, thinking the buses were also picking up passengers there. I was pointed here and there for the bus stop; I hired a taxi to go to the nearest mall with bus stop but there was no ticketing office. It was nighttime already and the station will close and won't allow night layovers. So I went back to the hostel and watch the clock to go back to Toronto by Rail because I need to get a ticket and a seat on the 4am train ride back to Toronto. To my relief, I was still given the seat; I was the last to get ticketed and boarded.

Toronto (April 1)

Back in Toronto, I met up with Juliet Martinez, my classmate in the College of Nursing, in the morning. I left my luggage at her apartment and decided to take off from there to get to the airport. Then I met up with Allona Llavata, another classmate in the College of Nursing, in the afternoon, before my River Cruise at Harbour City.

From Winter to Spring

I have little tolerance to cold, so I planned my visit in March and during the Holy Week, expecting no more snows. But then a snowstorm fell the day before I arrived at Toronto. I was walking the sidewalks on ice dragging my luggage. At Niagara, the icicles forming from the sprinkles of Niagara Falls were everywhere. Another snowstorm hit Quebec City the day before my DIY tour. I was literally freezing!