SPOT THE ERROR - TORONTO 1

I finally spotted this on the glass window (was that a window?)of a restaurant in Toronto. And I was happy for that.

A TRIBUTE TO MADAM KA WAI KHING

at the retirement hi-tea

Last Wednesday evening, I received a shocking text message from a colleague - an ex-teacher of SMKTUN had just passed away and it was Madam Ka Wai Khing who was an English teacher here. She was one of the senior teachers who was in school during the early days when the school was opened in the 1990's and she retired from the teaching profession in 2007. And that was the last time I actually saw her, at her retirement hi-tea in Mutiara Hotel.

with the principal and other colleagues

I remember Madam Ka was one of the strictest teachers in the afternoon session. I always believe that, from experience, you would learn better from someone strict. When she got angry, she would scold until her face turned all red and this she always did in Chinese to the Chinese students (because communication was much more effective). That is the way it should be done. I also believe that when a teacher scolds a student, it means that he/she cares about the kid. Once a teacher stops scolding, it means nothing else can be done.

Being a disciplinarian, she was actually a very fun lady to talk to and quite funny. One story that I remembered she telling me was when she was back in Sabah when she was much younger, the lady teachers would wear short skirts and go dancing cha cha after school. Other than that, she always completed her work (e.g. the students' attendance list and preparation record book) in the neatest manner and I had nothing to complain about her.

I went to pay my last respect just now with Mr. Tham Han Leong at the funeral house in Taman Tun Aminah. There were also two other colleagues and five fifth formers. (I wonder when I die, will my students come to visit *scary thought*) When I went to see her, she was not the person that I used to know - she had lost so much weight and was really different. She suffered from cancer which was detected only seven months ago. She did not want her friends to know about it actually and that was the reason why I discovered about it until this very day.

It was sad because she went too early. May she rest in peace and she will definitely be deeply missed by everybody.

TORONTO RAILWAY HERITAGE CENTRE

There was this railway museum right opposite the CN Tower. Why was the museum located there and not other place in Toronto? If you have read my previous posting on CN Tower, you might be able to relate the relationship between the two. The company that was responsible to erect the communication tower was none other than the railway company itself, Canadian National - hence the acronym CN that was put to the tower's name.

Here, you could see things related to the railway such as the locomotive and the coach, the railway station complete with a short railway track etc.

ROGERS CENTRE

 

Another Toronto's important landmark that is situated just beside the tower was Rogers Centre. It is a stadium where people come to watch baseball matches especially when their favourite team, the Toronto Blue Jays, is playing.

That was only the small part of Toronto that I managed to cover during my first day. There's still a lot to report. Or am I boring you already?

CN TOWER, TORONTO

Right after the Royal Ontario Museum, we walked straight to the CN Tower - a prominent landmark of the city. After consulting Mr. Google, I found out that CN actually stands for Canadian National which was the railway company that built the tower. (Why did a railway company want to build a communication tower in the first place?) Other fact that I discovered is CN Tower is the TALLEST communication tower in the world and do you know that KL Tower ranks the fifth?

 

Once we were up there in the tower, the major activity was to observe Toronto and its surrounding area from about 500 metres above the ground. The evening was still cloudy and the view would be much better if seen during a bright sunny day.

On one part of the floor, there were these transparent pieces of material (or was it glass?)where you could peep through and see the view down under. People were crowding this area just to experience the thrill of being able not to fall down to the ground from such a great height.

There were also other activities that you could try. We went to the movie theatre to watch "Himalamazon" and were strapped in for a roller coaster ride through the Himalaya and Amazon (I think). However, the most challenging thing that you could do here is to pay for EdgeWalk - something that I would never do. I do not want to pay just to get myself killed.

image copied from CN Tower website

camwhoring once in a while but no pouting lips

taking a breather

  

I think I need to go to the Kuala Lumpur Tower soon, other than the Butterfly Park. 

Here is a video of the trip going down the tower in its high speed lift/elevator. It was fast, real fast.

PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION FOR AFTERNOON SESSION TEACHERS

[a short break from postings of my previous trip to USA and Canada]

Here  are the essential steps in organizing a photography session:

(it is not as easy as you think)

1. discuss with the teacher-in-charge of the school magazine. fix the date and time for photography session as well as the venue.

(originally it was planned to be done during the Teachers' Day celebration but it rained heavily on that day)

2. discuss with the Principal. see whether he is available on the selected date and if he agrees with the concept chosen (theme colour).

(theme: blue)

3. get a photographer and set the date and time.

(managed to get an ex-student to do the job)

4. tell the teachers about the photography session and what to wear.

 (don't be surprised to see a few turning up with different colour dress or shirt)

5. carry out the session as planned with the help of the students committee members.

(as the session was done in the hall which was not as hot as outside, the event went on quite fast)

the observers

almost done

my ex-student cum photographer of the day

Everybody deserved a pat on his/her back.

Wait for the official photo from the professional photographer. Soon.

THE ROYAL TORONTO MUSEUM - PART 2

I think it is high time for us to have a world class museum in our country. We have interesting history to tell not only the tourists but also the younger generation. Our present National Museum needs to be upgraded. I wonder if the government decides to come up with a multi-million project for a museum, will it be politicized by people.

Anyway, we had to go out of the building as it was about to be closed. I think I need to join the sleepover at the museum programme that the museum has (or is that only for school kids?) then only I can spend more time.

beautiful interior decor

stones and gems

I want to have the 
miniature china, just
like those, on the wall of
my house

china and ceramics

exhibits from Egypt

sculptures

an art piece made of rings
of aluminium cans

the signboard

the tourist and the guide

It was yet another educational visit and by now, I have already become the learned one.

THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM - PART 1

The first must-visit for tourists in Toronto that we went to was the Royal Ontario Museum. It was not free though. Nevertheless, we got the Toronto CityPASS at about $58 for the entrance fees to five venues in the city. There were not too many visitors (which was good) and there was again a huge display of exhibits to be seen in about 3 hours.

outside the museum

the first people exhibition

One interesting section in the museum was the exhibition with the theme of the First Peoples of the First Nations of Canada. The indigenous people of the land have been given the recognition by the Canadian government and knowing that how big the country is, there are different tribes with different interesting cultures who have stayed there since time immemorial.

from China

the world of animals

a collection of bones...

bones...

... and more bones.

When are we going to have a museum like this in Malaysia?

to be continued....

THE EARLY IMAGES OF TORONTO

TORONTO 1st DAY, 2nd JUNE ~ Upon arriving in Toronto, Mr. Solleh had already had the itinerary ready for me so an hour after that, we started the exploration. The first destination was the museum but we took our time to walk so he could introduce me to the city. One of the places that we stopped for a short while was the Queen's Park which was situated near Ontario Legislative Assembly Building.

There were many statues and sculptures around the place. It was raining, but not heavily though and the temperature was quite low considering it was summer time already.

statue of James Whitney

48th Highlanders
Regimental Memorial

Equestrian statue of Edward Vll

And later in the evening, as we were walking back to the apartment, I watched  Toronto sky darkened and the city was then lit up by the street lights and the lights from the buildings around. Welcome to Toronto, everybody!