January 28, Saturday must be noted as one of the warmest winter day in Toronto. In the middle of the winter season, the temperature shot up to about 10 degrees C so it was a crime not to go out and enjoy the balmy weather and to check the happenings in Chinatown. The Toronto Chinese Community celebrated the Chinese New Year ( year of the dog ) that week end. Nene went out to work, I went out to play. After a quick brunch, I headed to Chinatown in Spadina and Dundas one of the Chinese communities here in Toronto.
Once in a while I like losing myself in Chinatown. This area is so noisy, so dirty and so smelly. Reminds me of Manila, particularly Ongpin or Binondo near Plaza Sta. Cruz. At 1:00 pm, there is already quite a crowd at the Dragon Mall, milling in and out. This was my first stop. Never been in this mall for about 5 years already. The ground floor consisted mostly of table vendors selling pastries and something we call "Chinese New Year Cake." These come out only once a year and they taste almost the same as the TIKOY we have in Asingan. I saw a table vendor selling pirated DVDs. Unbelievably they have KING KONG, NARNIA, FUN WITH DICK AND JANE and some other movies which are scheduled for DVD release in a few more months. The price? 7 for 20$. I bought one such item in Montreal last year for 10$ and I wasted my money. It is one of those videos shot with a video camera inside the theatre. Sounds familiar? Yes sir, another similarity of Toronto Chinatown to Manila. I did not buy any pirated video this time. Meantime I took the escalator to the second floor.
In here I saw a DVD store which advertised PILIPINO MOVIES AND MUSIC.. All right! I had to check that joint. They had one full shelf of Filipino DVDs, VCDs and CDs manufactured in Hong Kong. For sale and exhibition only in Hong Kong, said the label. What the hell were these doing in Toronto? After browsing ( and noting what to buy ) the Philippine movies, I saw, right at the back wall a whole collection of Asian pornographic movies. Even the jackets were 100% graphic smut. They do not even put white labels on them, for decency's sake. Only in Chinatown. I guess the Vice Squad of Toronto do not care about checking the stores in Chinatown. Or they stopped trying to stop them.
Going back to the Filipino movies, I saw the well known titles that sell for 16 or 20$ US online..In here they sell only for 10 or 12 US Can $ which is still much lower in value than the UScurrency.These are original copies and you can haggle with the price. I spent sometime reading the liner notes on the labels. Well they were selling DUBAI, MILAN, FENG SHUI, MANO PO PART 3 plus DVD versions of Our lady of Manaoag. The DVDs have English subtitles which would be helpful for the younger Filipino Canadian kids to understand. Then I remember I had my cel phone with me so I called up Nene at work. I asked what she wanted.
"Do they have lanzones?" she asked. "yeah, I saw one fruit market displaying some. Just one."
"How much do they cost?"
"5.99 a pound." "Nagnginan!", that's her favorite expression. "But buy 2 bags anyway.."
"How about the New Year's cakes?.."Of course they got them. It is new Year, isn't ?"
"Get them too, they are nice fried coated with eggs."
When I went back to the table of New Year cakes only 2 out of the 10 saw remained. Had to buy them at once since I do not like going around anymore. As the day waned, the crowd grew denser and more unruly. Someone stepped on my foot and didn't even say "I am sorry" Minutes later someone in a motorized wheel chair bumped me in the back. Had to grow eyes in the back of my head next time. I inched my way to the fruit store for the precious lanzones. I asked for 2 bags of the cellophane wrapped fruit. The vendor hastily weighed them and said "20.19!" Pulled out my wallet, took out a 20 $ bill and said "How about 20?" "OK" she said..Heck she did not even show me the scale reading. I just bought the product with blind faith. Then I started heading for the bus stop. On the way, I saw the two guys selling pirated DVDs inside the Dragon Mall. I guessed they smelled the cops were almost on them so they hightailed it to a safer part of Chinatown. There must be an easier way to earn a living than that!
In a few minutes I was on the bus stop, and a 505 TTC street car arrived not long after. I got into it and checked the remaining vista of Chinatown as it passed by through the strret car window. Then it halted at the corner of Dundas and University. I got down and saw a Tim Horton coffee shop. I needed a cup!
Gee, it was great to be back in a civilized environment again.----#
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