Through the Tourist Lens
JONATHAN YUE
Photo By: Jonathan Yue
The Kamthunzi family - Chad, Sabrina, Sara, and Sam - travelled from the Netherlands for their first visit to Toronto. With a backpack over Chad’s shoulder, camera around his neck, Sara in her stroller and Sam carried by his mother Sabrina, they looked ready to see Toronto.
Through their eyes and through their camera lens, like the many other visitors in Toronto, the Kamthunzi family are able to see Toronto is a different perspective, the perspective of seeing everything for the first time. When asked how many pictures they have taken, a big smile appeared on Sabrina’s face as Chad explained the many pictures they have taken with their phones and their Nikon DSLR.
“We took so many pictures that we had to stop and buy a new SD card,” Chad said as he laughed. “Our favourite one is when we went to the Toronto Square [Nathan Phillips Square], where the Toronto big letters are. We are still looking to discover more and capture it.”
Not many people see Toronto as the patrons on this big red bus do. Tall reflective buildings, the CN Tower overlooking the city, the crowded Yonge-Dundas Square, the atmosphere of Yorkville. This may be nothing new to residents and frequent visitors to the city, but for first time visitors, this is all new to them.
As you ride the City Sightseeing Toronto tour bus, phrases like “Look over there,” and gasps of excitement can be heard from its riders. For Chad Kamthunzi and his family, they are excited to finally experience the Toronto life in the city.
“I have heard and have seen how Canadians are friendly people, but to come to Toronto is like witnessing it.” Kamthunzi said.
The Sightseeing Toronto Tour includes narrated tours of the city as well as tours onto the Toronto Islands. With 23 stops in the city tour, the two-hour trip takes patrons from Yonge-Dundas Square to Casa Loma, down to the Harbourfront centre, and concludes at the Distillery District.
The attraction that many people got off at was none other than the CN Tower. Teresa Fleming, 52, from Winterset, Iowa, saw this as the main attraction.
“It’s our first time here and we haven’t been in Toronto for very long, but I really like the CN Tower,” Fleming said. “I took a picture of the glass floor up there and the cars looked really small, so that was really cool.”
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Pointing her phone at just about every building she saw from the bus, she wanted to make sure she captured everything about the largest city in Canada. Only staying in Toronto for a day, she enjoyed seeing the big city and what the tour bus offered.
But you don’t have to be on a bus to enjoy Toronto. Chris Godfrey, managing coordinator of Tour Guys, a walking tour company, says that Toronto is something special, to the residents and the many tourists that come to visit.
“We have everything else the world has, and then a little bit more,” Godfrey said. “We have the skyscrapers of Manhattan, the fine wines of Paris, the busy streets of Tokyo and a million other things. People who visit Toronto are always welcomed as guests and, in my experience, leave here wanting more.”
Godfrey also emphasized the city’s cultural aspects too. From the St. Lawrence Market to Queen and Spadina where Graffiti Alley is located, visitors have so much to see and he hopes that Tour Guys is able to showcase all of it. And even after so many tours, he hasn’t become sick of seeing the Toronto attractions.
“As a guide you’re constantly meeting new people who bring their own ideas and perspectives to your stories,” Godfrey said. “Even if I’m telling a story for the 10,000th time, I can still bring it alive for our guests because of the energy they bring to our tours.”
The city has left such an imprint on the Kamthunzi family that they hope to come back to Toronto. Next time, they’re staying for longer.
“My wife and I planned on moving to Canada in the future, so this trip has really assured us that we’re making the right decision.”
Photo By: Jonathan Yue