Canadian Christmas 2008

After two Christmases abroad in a row, it was nice to be home. Crazy parties in Copenhagen and Amsterdam were cool, but it was great to be in a big house with a real Christmas tree and family to be around. Being home for Christmas also reminded me of all the things that Amsterdam lacks during the holidays.


#1 Well planned out Christmas decorations. In the background you can see a tree decorated with Swarowski crystals so it sparkled from afar. In Amsterdam, I saw two trees. The first was in Dam Square in front of the Royal Palace. Unfortunately they ran out of blue lights half way, so half the tree was blue and the rest white. In Nieuwmarkt half the tree died, so there was a big hole in it. In this picture you can also see Santa in his sleigh. In Amsterdam Sinter has black helpers who are black from the smoke in the chimneys; just because they have big lips, curly black hair and gold hoop earings doesn't mean they're slaves!

Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto's Times Square. Again, awesome decorations.

Stores also put more effort into their displays.

#2 Friendly people. Toronto City Hall on New Years Eve 2008. You may recognize the building from Resident Evil 2, in which it's blown up. Despite the crowd, people remain friendly - a rare phenomenon in Amsterdam (friendliness I mean, not crowds).

#3 The weather? Amsterdam has fairly warm but rainy and windy winters. Canada has damn cold winders. I still haven't decided which is better. The frozen trees at Niagara Falls were beautiful. But if the trees are frozen, it's freakin cold.

Back to point 1, awesome decorations. These were at Niagara Falls.


Even back home I do the touristy stuff. What can I say, it's in my blood.

Burlington, a suburb of Toronto, but even they make an effort.