This past week, a friend of mine from Toronto spent 4 days in our exciting metropolis. She came out of it enjoying the experience and thinking about moving here. Amazing? Absolutely.

When my friend first came down, she stayed with another friend of hers that goes to school here. In going with the college crowd's attitude, all of the college kids were saying how much this city sucks. (Adam and Tony, it was reminiscent of that girl's ranting on phl.transportation.) So, after her first day here, I asked her how she liked it so far. Her response: "Well, it's kinda dirty, but the city is really cool." (I can dig that...she IS from Canada after all.)

Well, she then stayed with another friend of mine over in Roxborough for 3 days. She did the tourist things...Art Museum, Zoo, eating a cheesesteak, etc. I then took her to South Street on Thursday. She was simply amazed by the great architecture and how cool the people were (well duh!). She also asked a lot of questions about the cost of living and said she was seriously thinking about moving here.

This gave me real pride in being a Philadelphian. It was almost exactly the same manner in which I became charmed by this city just over a year ago. And it also gave me pride in knowing that not all college-age kids are so close-minded.

That's really cool. Toronto is one of the hip boom towns. The times I've been there, I've thought it's very much like Philly - except cleaner! They have their own South St. in Queen St. although it's a little more built up, I think.

I believe my friend has lived in Toronto now for about 12 or 13 years (she is originally from Brooklyn, and has dual citizenship with both countries). She likes Toronto and all, but she says it is actually lame...she says that while Canadians are polite, they are not friendly. And that Toronto is not as charming as here. Granted, her view is probably skewed, since she actually lives there. I have heard nice things about the city, although with its recent acquisition of several suburbs, it has exploded population-wise. It now has double the population of Montreal.

I almost did a road trip to Canada last year, and would definitely like to make a trip up there soon, particularly to the Maritimes.

Actually, my entire family has plane tickets we got for volunteering to be bumped from a flight. It includes any US city USAir or one of its commuter airlines flies to plus Canada, or at least the major Eastern Canadian cities.

I personally love celtic music, so Canada is on our possibles list. Of course, USAir also flies to the Florida Keys, which we have never been to, and Northern California.....

Too many choices.