NumeroUno7:
Please let it be Canada so you give us pictorial illustrations

Or maybe both?

NumeroUno7:
See sweet sweet structures na chai.. OP I took note of a place you said many places in Ontario looks like Downtown (which is likened to the Maitaima and Banana Island in Nigeria) unlike the US.
Please are you saying, take away the US hype, that Canada is better structured with more beautiful places than USA?

Well, not exactly. Being "better structured" can be interpreted differently. If you mean structure in terms of infrastructure, I cannot use Toronto, Ontario as a representative of Canada if I make an attempt to compare Canada to the United States. It will be unfair and an imbalanced comparison. Still on structure in terms of infrastructure, there is a lot of similarity between the U.S states I have visited and Toronto, Ontario. Road networks, road signs designs, metro, streets, etc all look alike. As someone said, if you were blindfolded and dropped in an area in the US, and taken off to another area in Canada, you most likely will not tell where you are except you read signs that may be written in French or if you see KM/H speed limits and very subtle differences.

If you mean structure in terms of beautiful places, Toronto, Ontario has quite a lot of beautiful high-rise buildings (condos, offices, etc) and tourist attractions. This is no different from Boston, Massachusetts, Alexandria, Virginia, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, New York, New York, and other US cities I have visited. There are lots of tourist attractions and historic sites in the US as well as Toronto, Ontario. So, I cannot say one is better than the other

I hear the healthcare system and system of benefits is better in Canada (I don't have specific and reliable information to share yet) but I interacted with some Canadians that were of the opinion that they preferred Canada to the US. it was just four people I interacted with that said this. Only one of them has lived in the US and this person prefers Canada to US primarily because the shorter route to permanent residency and few other reasons.

From my little experience, I liked the transport system in Toronto, Ontario. I guess it was great because it is a big city. Until I visit other provinces, I do not have the authority to say 'jack' about Canada.

Geo4646:


Yes oo, I follow celebrate ur success ooo.. show ur boy love nah.

Lol...please, reduce the volume so my destiny helpers on this forum will not think otherwise when they are led to help me.

ednut1:
Do not compare Canada to USA biko. The Usa is miles apart lol

I think it is unfair to do a full blown comparison between the United States and Canada.
This doesn't mean I support you when you say "The Usa is miles apart". While that may be true in some areas, Canada can give the Usa a run for their money in some areas. Some people think of the economy when comparing both countries, others think of social life, while some think about safety, education, healthcare, immigration laws and other important aspects.

You may want to be specific so Canada stans don't come for you lol

ednut1:
USA is better than Canada. But Canada is more immigration friendly, ease of getting papers.

Now, you're revealing good information that can help people make assessments
I'm guessing you mean better in terms of economy, job opportunities, etc.?

Realteeyee123:


Interesting, well you right though but at least I don’t hear gunshots or get scared at certain neighborhoods at night or odd hours lol

Lol I saw this coming! You decided to approach this thread with 'vawulence'

It might interest you to know that I have met people who have lived in the US for years who have never heard gunshots in their neighborhoods. While gun violence is a menace in some parts of the US, not everyone's experiences are same. I feel sorry for victims of gun violence. I would never wish that on anybody.
When I was planning and researching before embarking on my trip to Canada (Toronto, Ontario), I learnt there are certain no-go areas (especially at night). I found threads on different platforms and blogs where people talked about really bad experiences they have witnessed and encountered in Ontario. I forget the names of the places though.

As long as there are unemployed humans or humans that have no value for life, there'd always be problems irrespective of the society.

ZINNYBANKS:

Too much stress no dey oyinbo con3 na why dem dey live long nice trip op..

Hahahahaha...thank you o.
Actually, stress dey oyinbo con3. But they differ from what many 'non-oyibo' countries experience. Even people that have salary-jobs face stress. But, it is generally good with some downsides that people may or may not bear with.

NumeroUno7:
When you say the USA is miles apart from Canada what do you mean? Asides economy which USA is obviously heads and shoulders above any country on earth, there's little to no difference between the US and Canada. Infrastructure, education etc.. I see the level of development and I don't see much difference.. If you are blindfolded and dropped suddenly in a street in Canada and your blindfold taken off, with someone telling you where you are is USA, I don't think you would doubt or argue. Same too if you are taken to Canada and you are told it is USA, you won't argue. This is cos both countries are similar so I don't know what you mean by miles apart.. Maybe in terms of military might and economy which wasn't what I was talking about in my previous comment

I agree with your submission! US and Canada have lots of similarities - in their systems and infrastructure.

ednut1:
true. I was talking about economy. Been to Niagra/buffalo too looked the same

Hahahahaha That's a great observation! It took me a while to register that I was in Canada and not the US when I got to Niagara.

Adex2442:
Sweet thread

One day I will drop mine adventure too. Amen

Thank you! I say a resounding AMEN

Looks like I have responded to everyone's comments. Thanks for making this engaging! I appreciate all the active readers and the ghost readers too.

Back to my trip...

Finally made it to Nathan Philips Square...
When I got there, there were hundreds of people waiting to get on the Ice to skate. I have tried skating once and it wasn't the best experience Renting a skating shoe here cost less than CAD 30. I did not ask with the intention of skating though lol
I declined to skate because there were lots of people there and I am nowhere near being an experienced skater. So, to avoid stories that touch the heart, I decided to enjoy the experience with my eyes.


Pictures...

More pictures...
I kinda regretted taking off my braids for this trip. Well, I'm thankful I travelled with a head warmer.

To be continued...

Borgamaame:



Lol...please, reduce the volume so my destiny helpers on this forum will not think otherwise when they are led to help me.

Ur someone else destiny helper also, it not easy to be in that position u are, Pls nothing is too small oo. Hunger dey shege. Even if nah garri and groundnut.

Enlighten

Nice photos OP.... Can you keep 'em pictures coming?

Borgamaame:
More pictures...
I kinda regretted taking off my braids for this trip. Well, I'm thankful I travelled with a head warmer.

And here I was thinking you're a man all this while

Geo4646:



Ur someone else destiny helper also, it not easy to be in that position u are, Pls nothing is too small oo. Hunger dey shege. Even if nah garri and groundnut.

I receive it...amen. Miracle no dey tire Jesus.

obuburam:
Enlighten

Thanks!

NumeroUno7:
Nice photos OP.... Can you keep 'em pictures coming?

Thank you. Yeah, sure

Parkflash:


And here I was thinking you're a man all this while

Oops

After a swell time at Nathan Philips Square, my next stop was Yonge Dundas Square (you can call it the New York Times Square of Toronto).
I did feel like I was in Times Square. It has similar architecture, lighting, and adverts as you find in Times Square. Per chance, I've been in Times Square so it felt a little close to being back in NY.

From wikipedia:
Yonge–Dundas Square, or Dundas Square, is a public square at the southeast corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Designed by Brown and Storey Architects, the square was conceived in 1997 as part of revitalizing the intersection.

The last two pictures are of Times Square, Manhattan, NY.
Credits: Tino. Anna Merlits. (culled from Google).
Sadly, I Can't post my pictures from my trip to Times Square.

After Leaving Yonge-Dundas Square, my next stop was a Korean restaurant nearby. I'm not sure what informed my decision to do that (I guess one of my new year resolutions is to try new dishes wherever I find myself). Oh..I remember! A friend who is a K-pop and K-drama fan recommended 'Jajangmyeon'.

From wikipedia: Jajangmyeon or jjajangmyeon is a Chinese-Korean noodle dish topped with a thick sauce made of chunjang, diced pork, and vegetables. Variants of the dish use seafood, or other meats. Both the name and dish originate from Zhajiangmian.

You no snap the picture of the dish?

One can tell that you guys are leaving a good and beautiful life there 🙏💝

Pack all the Nigerians in Nigeria and dump them into an empty canada and united states. After one year come back and see what they will turn the place into.

They know how to run to other countries yet have no plan to transform theirs into the places they are running to

Borgamaame:
Hello Nairaland Fam, hope you are recovering from the 'detty December'.
In the spirit of the new year, follow me on a road trip to Toronto, Ontario in Canada.

Itinerary: Columbus, Ohio - Niagara Falls - Toronto - Brampton - Windsor - Detroit (Michigan) - Columbus, Ohio - Penn State.

I happen to be in Ohio for a few days so I plan to take off from Columbus. The plan is to rent a car for three days (some options include Enterprise, Hertz, Alamo, etc). I think I will settle for Alamo. Got a quote for a mid-size SUV for $345 (does not include insurance) as long as I return at the same location and time as I picked up. If I had opted in for 4 days, I would have been charged a weekly amount. But since it is less than four, I was charged a daily rate which when you add taxes and some other charges adds up to $345.
Gas (fuel): The car's tank will be full on pick up and I'm expected to return it full (except I pay about $54 or so...or a little more or less) and I will not have to worry about returning a full tank. Well, I opted in for returning a full tank.
Insurance: To avoid stories that touch the heart, I will use a rental car insurance company I found online to cover my trip. I will use Bonzah and I got a quote for about $37.

When I decided to embark on this trip, the first thing I did was to map out an itinerary (not necessarily all that will take place in Canada but how to get there by road). I used Google and found several US states that border different parts of Canada. For those in Detroit, Michigan and environs, you can get in through Windsor, Ontario. Those in New York and environs can get in through Buffalo, NY (through the Peace bridge). I think one of the states in New England (comprises Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, etc) borders Montreal, Quebec. Since Pennsylvania is somewhat closer to New York and I was in Ohio at the time, I decided to enter Canada through Buffalo, New York. The plan was to get to Niagara Falls in Ontario first before moving to Toronto. Google said the drive from John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) where I pick up my rental car to Niagara Falls in Ontario is approximately 5hrs 24m (352 miles). Kindly note that Ontario is a province while Toronto is a city. Then, from Niagara Falls to my Hotel in Toronto (Days Inn by Wyndham) is approximately 1hr 35 m (141km). U.S uses miles whereas Canada uses kilometers.

Immigration and Border: As long as you are not a U.S passport holder, you require a visa to enter Canada. When I applied, the turn around time was pretty decent. Thankfully, they no longer require covid-19 testing and quarantine as they did during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic. So, less worries.
Let's hit the road.

Pictures attached were taken at the CMH airport...the car rental section.

Op u no dey enter mexico?

Borgamaame:
From the parking lot to the Falls itself is a bit of a walking distance. Well, I found my way through the signs.
Look around with me

Beautiful pictures.
I absolutely love road trips.
Following this thread.

Wotoporiously speaking

This thread is delicious 🤗