Seeing Toronto Through New Eyes: My Day as a Tourist at Home
Seeing Toronto Through New Eyes: My Day as a Tourist at Home
By Vlad Zamrii
I’ve spent my entire life in Toronto. I grew up in its neighbourhoods, went to school here, and eventually attended the University of Toronto. The city has been the backdrop for every stage of my life—its streets familiar, its skyline a constant presence. Yet, in that familiarity, something had quietly slipped away: my sense of wonder. Toronto had become the place I lived in, not the place I explored.
That changed the day I decided to hop on one of the city’s open-top tour buses. At first, it felt strange—sitting among travellers with cameras in hand, maps on their laps, and eyes wide with curiosity. I wasn’t visiting from somewhere far away; I had simply decided to see my city through the eyes of a newcomer.
As the bus rolled through Dundas Square, the energy hit me differently. I’ve passed through that intersection hundreds of times, often distracted by errands or the ticking clock. But from my seat above the street, I saw it the way a first-time visitor might: the flashing screens, the street performers, the dynamic rush of people from every walk of life. It felt electric.
The route along the Lakeshore was another revelation. The familiar view of Lake Ontario—usually glimpsed in passing—unfolded into a sweeping panorama of glittering water, sailboats drifting in the breeze, and a horizon that felt endless. I found myself taking mental photographs, storing away angles I’d never noticed before.
Then there was Casa Loma, its turreted silhouette rising like something from a storybook. I had visited once as a child, yet this time I saw its elegance framed against the modern city, a striking reminder of Toronto’s layered history. In the market districts, I overheard tourists marvel at the diversity of foods and crafts. Their excitement made me realize that I had walked through these stalls so many times without really seeing them.
By the end of the tour, I understood that the experience had been about more than sightseeing. It was a lesson in perspective. Life in one place for too long can start to feel like living in a loop—same streets, same routines, same mental frames. But stepping into another’s shoes, even for a few hours, can shake that pattern. Seeing Toronto through the eyes of someone discovering it for the first time reminded me that beauty doesn’t disappear—it only hides when we stop looking for it.
Sometimes, the world changes not because the streets are different, but because we choose to see them differently.
By Vlad Zamrii
Observatorul
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By Vlad Zamrii 8/12/2025 |
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