Monthly Archives: October 2025

Posts from the road

A Toronto Surprise

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(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

I recently had to visit Toronto to renew a passport. It was supposed to be a quick, surgical strike, although I left enough time before and after my appointment just in case there were unexpected delays.

It’s amazing what you can find in a big city!

After my train arrived, I decided to check in early at the passport office. Happily, they were able to process me right away…and after maybe 5 minutes I found myself with more than 3 hours until my return train departed! Now what?

What to choose on Dundas West…HotHot Rice Noodle, BigBelly, or Mom’s Pan-fried Bun?

I decided to walk in the direction of a couple of record stores I used to frequent in the area around Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. But, along the way, I noticed a lot of unusual restaurants. It started with “Unholy Donuts” (see photo at the very top of this post) and continued in the same strange vein.

The Village Idiot (or L’Idiot du Village) is bilingual!

I took this strangeness as a sign: I needed to have a uniquely Toronto food experience. How else could I interpret it? Rather than head south from Dundas Street, I continued west until I got to Kensington Market.

After all these years, “King of Kensington” still means something!

It was a grey and rainy day (a rarity this year). The closer I got to Kensington Market, the more I began to crave a comforting old favourite: the pastel de choclo (Chilean Corn Pie) from Jumbo Empanadas on Augusta Avenue. I’ve written about Jumbo Empanadas before. In fact, I’ve written about it a lot. Would it still taste the same? Would Jumbo Empanadas even still exist?

My latest photo of Jumbo Empanadas

Thankfully, the answers were “yes” and “yes”. I took the additional spicy salsa ($0.50 extra, but worthwhile) and enjoyed my beloved corn pie. It is apparently similar to Mexico‘s pastel de elote or England‘s corn pudding, but I cannot vouch for that. I just know that the various tastes (sweet, spicy, salty) and textures really work for me.

My pastel de choclo (Chilean Corn Pie) from Jumbo Empanadas

To complete the experience, I had an Inca Kola (a.k.a. “Golden Cola”). While I find it too sweet on its own (it’s not too far from cream soda), this Peruvian drink worked pretty well with the corn pie. Who knew?

My view of Augusta Avenue, from my table at Jumbo Empanadas

Kensington Market looked just as scruffy as it always has. While many old favourites were there, I saw some new and inspired places too …including “Rasta Pasta”, a restaurant tackling Jamaican/Italian fusion!

Rasta Pasta, on Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ontario)

I might have to give Rasta Pasta a try next time I’m in the Market. Not all their dishes are fusion, but I think the fusion part of their menu would be really interesting. Their Rasta Pasta is gnocchi in an Alfredo or marinara sauce, with Jamaica’s national dish, ackee & saltfish. And their Reggae Lasagna is layers of ricotta, mozzarella and steamed callaloo (similar to kale or spinach) with a spicy tomato sauce.

A cheesy institution on Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ontario)

After ambling around the Market for a bit, I headed back to the train station via the record shops. As it turned out, I didn’t see anything of interest for my collection…and I know better than to force the issue. Besides, I can always order things through my local record store in Kingston.

Magical cheese in Kensington Market (Toronto, Ontario)

Next up…more strange postcards? More local travel experiences? Or maybe…a sneak peak at my 2026 trips? It’s all coming soon to this blog!

Posts from Base Camp

Unusual postcards from my friends (Volume 2)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

My previous post featured a bunch of unusual postcards sent to me by friends between 1988 and 1998. As I had so many, this post also features cards sent to me in the late 20th century!

Four postcards for the price of one, from Northern Ontario

While there really isn’t a unifying theme for all of the postcards, there are at least a couple each in the categories of bones, communism. and the Netherlands. The 1998 postcard at the very top of this post shows an ossuary in Rome, Italy. Kind of creepy, yes. But not as creepy, I think, as the inclusion of such bones in the postcard at the very bottom of this post!

The card says New Zealand has more than 50 million sheep! (1999)

First, though, are a couple of old reliable subjects. In many Canadian small towns, you will find the biggest something or other. In Mundare, Alberta, you can see a giant sausage. In Vegreville, Alberta, you will find a giant Ukrainian Easter Egg. And so it is not surprising that the postcard from Wawa, Ontario, includes a giant Canada Goose (a.k.a. cobra chicken). And I suppose sheep farming is a fair topic for a New Zealand postcard.

Greetings from Restaurant Puri Mas in Amsterdam! (1998)

I’m always wary of businesses that promise something “you will never forget.” For example, I will never forget the food poisoning I suffered in Glasgow, Scotland, that necessitated a visit to the Emergency Department. But my friend assured me that this Indonesian restaurant in Amsterdam was very good.

“I arrived by boat, and as it turns out, I’ll be staying in Groningen for a while. Everything else is fine.” (1995)

Speaking of the Netherlands, it seems that one of my friends ended up spending more time in Groningen than originally anticipated. As you can see, the boat has not moved in quite some time.

The (extensive) information on the back of this Soviet-era postcard is entirely in French

This postcard from “Kiev” is from the days of the U.S.S.R. But my friend did not get this card in Kyiv (a preferred Ukrainian transliteration)…or even Europe. Instead, he found a shop in Laos (!) that seemed to specialize in postcards from the Communist world. This seemed to be a theme in Southeast Asia, as the card below from Singapore was also concerned with communism.

“Communist-inspired riots” occurred on May 12, 1955 in Singapore (1992)

And then there’s this card from Bali, Indonesia. For a place that is often described as a paradise, it was unsettling to see the skulls and uncrossed bones adorning this otherwise peaceful card. There’s even a guy waving in a friendly way! Is it for real, or is it just an act to lull us into a false sense of security?

Bali, Indonesia – a tropical paradise? (1994)

Do I have more unusual postcards? Of course! I will share some of them in the weeks ahead. But first, watch for a fun Toronto adventure that I didn’t expect to have…

Posts from Base Camp

Unusual postcards from my friends (Volume 1)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

I’ve been doing some cleaning and sorting, after doing some home renovations. What struck me was how many interesting and…unusual postcards I have received from friends over the years. It’s partly my fault: I try to send interesting things to my friends too.

Agadir, Morocco – where you can find the biggest couscous in the world! (1998)

This post, and several more to come in the near future, will include some of the more unusual postcards I’ve received. The first two posts are entirely from the late 1980s and the 1990s. In a nod to Spinal Tap, the photo at the very top shows (of course) Druids at Stonehenge (1997).

Azrou, Morocco – where you can find a police station! (1997)

One of my favourite travel experiences was visiting friends in Morocco for two weeks at the end of 1996 and the beginning of 1997. I even managed to ski while there! But I only had time to see a tiny fraction of what that country had to offer. Fortunately, as you will see, a steady stream of postcards allowed me to see other aspects of Morocco.

Another card from Morocco – but I can’t speculate on who these people are, as my friend taped a Moroccan highway toll receipt over the explanation on the back! (1998)

It is impossible to see everything in the world, but having friends send along some highlights and personal impressions is certainly a cost-effective and interesting way to cover places I’ve missed. And in some cases, I received postcards from places that I ended up visiting later.

The card says this is a “Typical Moroccan Souk” – not sure I agree, as I never saw a single watermelon at any of the Moroccan souks I visited! (1997)

I’m not going to name my friends in these posts. But I know many of them read this blog, so it will be interesting to see if these postcards tweak any memories (actual or misremembered) about sending them! I say “misremembered” because sometimes more than one of my friends has been to a particular place. I’m looking at you, Rome and Berlin!

“Attention! You are now leaving West Berlin!” And the card quite rightly asks…”Well…how?” (1988)

As we advance further and further into the digital age, postcards are becoming more and more rare. But I still receive them regularly: a few of my friends share my affinity for postcards, and make a point of sending the odd and the incongruous whenever they travel. They even apologize when the only offerings are generic and conventional. (Or they don’t – see below).

No apology on this one (1988).

Due to this quest for quirks, I suspect that my postcard collection is getting progressively stranger even though postcards are harder to find these days!

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia – one of the few hotels that offers “Noble Lodging” (1998)

Finally…if postcards aren’t quite your thing and you would prefer some more conventional travel content, I will try to include links to previous posts that cover the same territory or theme as the postcards.