Traveling the World While Staying Put in Toronto
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
I traveled all over the world and through time this month without ever leaving Toronto. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is an annual public event in September where nearly 300 top-flight movies are shown during a 10-day period. TIFF is one of the world’s most well-attended film festivals (almost 500,000 people), and it is also among the most prestigious, moving newer filmmakers onto the big stage. Many directors, screenwriters, and actors/actresses speak to audiences immediately after their films are shown, which is an added treat. I saw 17 films this year, a huge increase from the two last year, once I understood what all the fuss was about.
Toronto itself is an amazing city, an easy journey from both eastern and midwestern US, and full of fascinating indoor and outside activities: over 180 languages and dialects are spoken here; half of Toronto’s population was born outside of Canada; it is now the 4th largest city in North America (behind only Mexico City, NYC and LA); and the varied neighborhoods, shores of Lake Ontario, and wooded ravines of the city beckon. Walking and biking are very popular, as are a tremendous choice of cultural experiences.
But, back to TIFF: this month, I’ve been to India, Kenya, England, France, Sweden, Colombia, and across the US (by, for example, old-style RV, horse and wagon, classic convertible, bed of a pickup truck, and decidedly unglamorous team bus). I’ve immersed myself in wonderful stories (many of them based on fact). To me, this is similar to real travel in a small way — learning about and absorbing different ways of life, imagining different time periods, hearing different stories, and seeing different vistas (literal and metaphorical).
Consider a trip to Toronto anytime, and ActiveTravels can help you with a wonderful itinerary. Or plan ahead: TIFF 2018 will be held September 6-16, 2018. If you determine what movies you want to see (the list is published each August), ActiveTravels can get your desired tickets during the exclusive “pre-sale” period, held the week before the Festival.
Photo: The Cast and Crew of I, Tonya, My Favorite Film of This Year’s TIFF
Awesome!