FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF TORONTO 🇨🇦 Arriving in Canada

My Queenstown friends and I catch up whilst exploring all the fun, Canadian things that Toronto has to offer. We try Japanese Poutine, partake in a hotdog contest at a Baseball game, and did exciting Canadian activities!
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I'm Christianne, a solo traveller, vlogger and entrepeneur from Surrey, UK. I spend half my time exploring new places around the globe with my backpack, and the other half creating videos about my experiences, what I'm packing, solo travel advice, money budgeting tips and anything else in relation to my backpacking lifestyle.
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[@corynhaley]

As a Canadian (Vancouverite) who's now living in London, it's so fun to watch you explore my home country and experience all the Canadian quirks! If you get the chance to go to Vancouver I definitely recommend it, the nature is insane and it's super multicultural so lots of amazing food!😊

[@BackpackingBananas]

I definitely plan to go back at some point and explore more of Canada, I only scratched the surface 😊

[@paigep9275]

Tipping is usually 18-20% in Canada even on Ubers. 15% is fine. Also try CIBC for a bank. It's pretty good.

[@JennaBrown]

I have followed you for YEARS! And It is so funny and cool to see you come to Canada (i live near Vancouver)! So interesting to see how you notice literally the opposite of what I noticed when I was in London!

[@gabie2958]

Hey Christianne! When you come back to Canada, I think you should go east to montreal (where all the fun is at) and quebec city (beautiful), and/or go west to vancouver and its surroundings, and banff (amazing nature). Canada is a huge country so it’s hard to see everything and I don’t mean to talk down Toronto but to me there are many more interesting places to see!

[@pobalex]

as someone living in montreal and in love with vancouver, i agree!! i love toronto as well, but it doesn't compare to montreal or vancouver imo. quebec city is great too!

[@terryomalley1974]

I agree completely! Montreal and Vancouver are much better cities for tourists than Toronto. But, Christianne's friend lives in the GTA and that's where the wedding is. Maybe next time she's here.

[@rhyser7463]

Montreal is the best city in Canada

[@tracigoure4423]

Did anyone throw up all those hot dogs?

[@BackpackingBananas]

Thanks for sharing! I 100% plan to go back and visit as much of Canada as possible. This was a relatively quick trip for me for the wedding but it was enough to make me want to go back and explore more of the country (including Montreal). 😄

[@Annie-ways]

I live and go to university in Toronto so I’m glad to see you enjoying it!! Toronto is home 🍁

[@haxter3]

Awesome video Christianne 😊👍👍

[@TheSuz23]

Ahhh can’t believe you’re in Toronto!! Hope you have the best time!! 😊😊

[@BackpackingBananas]

Thank you 🥰

[@mandam8227]

This was so much fun! Seeing you in my area. Canada is not cheap generally speaking. To save on withdrawl fees, get cashback when you use debit to make a purchase. I do this at Walmart when in North America.

[@nettonnet8038]

For us it was Christchurch in NZ. There was a group of us that met at the hostel and stayed up late playing with Pictionary a few nights. We kept meeting up at other hostels along the way. Lots of fun with people trying to interpret answers in different languages. I stayed in touch with some of them for a while (this was actually writing letters). we lost touch but about 10 years down the track i got in touch with a couple of the swiss girls we stayed with them for about a week. This was all about a hundred years ago but I still remember my first solo backpacking trip to NZ and the wonderful Christchurch midnight Pictionary gang. Your adventures bring back fabulous memories for me.

[@BackpackingBananas]

Aww, thank you much for sharing this story! Sometimes travel relationships do fade unfortunately but it's great that you got back in touch! So glad my trip could bring back mems for you! 🥰

[@rogerlecuyer6951]

Really happy you have had a great first impression of my country the Maple dip donut at Tim Hortons is magnificent

[@BackpackingBananas]

DELICIOUS 😊

[@Abbicushoneybadger]

Canadian server here. In regards to tipping most people do 10-15% tips for poor-mediocre service. 20% for good service and 25-30% for great service

[@decesare233]

Nah 15% is a totally fine tip to give. Especially since it's always calculated on top of tax. 25-30% is ridiculous.

[@Abbicushoneybadger]

@@decesare233 that's why I said 15% is usually for mediocre service :)

[@TheShauNanigans]

I always tip 20% and if the service is excellent, I tip more. My partner works for tips and they split all of the tips throughout everyone who serves and works the kitchen line. Tipping poorly means everyone doesn't get as much, and some people tip poorly for super petty reasons as if people aren't allowed to make mistakes. So I decide not to be that type of person when the tip could effect everyone, and we have no idea most of the time how a restaurant is set up.

[@francisholubowich3739]

From Vancouver here! It was interesting to see your first impressions, especially the thing about the bathroom doors. I thought it was just like that everywhere 😂 Would definitely recommend coming to British Columbia and getting out of the city to see the nature here. I think a road trip through the Okanagan or the Kootenays (regions in BC) is one of the best ways to see the province. Just make sure you come before wildfire season! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your visit! 😊🇨🇦

[@zoe-raedixon3356]

Hi Christianne! I have been watching since the Philipines vlogs and I can't believe you are in Canada! Next time you come to Canada you should come to Vancouver! I live in Vancouver and while I have travelled a lot of Canada I think that there is definitely a reason that people move out west in Canada and want to come here. While it is extremely expensive it is by far my very favourite place. You have the mountains, the ocean and so many things to do from your doorstep! It is really tourist-friendly as we get so many each and every year, from going skiing at Whistler an hour away, to hiking at Cypress Mountain, to taking the water taxi to Granville Island to laying on the many beaches around the city there is lots to do! Also on the tipping note here, I think that because the country is so big there are so many various Canadian cultures spread out and around the country that it ranges pretty greatly within the country. Where I am from in Vancouver I would say 15% is pretty common for a decent service, nothing spectacular, but 18% and 20% are becoming more and more common as a measure of a great job. In addition, Vancouver is very expensive so that may be why we tip a little less! We just may spend a little more money than somewhere like Calgary on a beer, so we may tip a little less. While I am not sure if that's the cause I mean it may be! As well I am sure most people have heard Vancouver is rated as one of the most expensive places in the world. A hostel bed may run you around $50 a night and my rent for a one bed one bath before utilities is $2000 which is considered a pretty good deal. The bus will cost you $3.25 a ride and a coffee is pretty standard across Canada at about $5.00 depending on the chain. If you don't mind fighting the prices every once and a while the city is a fabulous place to visit and call home! Thank you so much for always posting, I love your videos and they always make me want to travel!

[@melen6917]

Yes the houses are big, but many can’t afford them. The prairie provinces are more affordable for home buying and yes, they always have so many extra rooms !

[@lauralee9041]

Welcome to Canada. You can do a city pass to see many sites including the CN tower. You can walk around the top of the CN tower which is fun and a little scary too.

[@BackpackingBananas]

Sounds cool!

[@rachelh930]

I loved this video Christinanne! You need to check out Niagara-on-the-Lake in the summertime. It is so underrated.

[@kerk6428]

Welcome to Canada! I just had a layover in Toronto, and the airport lineup was horrendous. Hope you had a smooth time flying out! Vancouver, Banff, Montreal, and Quebec City are definitely more appealing to me. As for tips, if you are in Asian places, usually it's 10%, and 15%+ in other places. Recommended tips have gone up because of the pandemic and this made the news. You don't have to follow that though, and use custom %. Hope you liked my country! PS. I liked Tim Horton's Timbits more than their donuts, and they make a good sharing snack. Timbits are supposed to be from the "holes" inside the donuts, but that's only a rumour 😂

[@SchnuffiJames]

Thankyou for visiting Canada glad you had fun . As a home sick Canadian living abroad thanks. Come back.

[@Kaatxxx]

Lol all the hotdogs 😂👏

[@SchnuffiJames]

The reason almost all Canadian houses have a basement is because you have to build the foundation below the frost line and that is something like 5 feet so you might as well have a basement.

[@berniesutton8887]

Hey Christianne, love your videos, your hotdog eating didn't seem to affect your lipstick...brilliant. What make is it?

[@kelpot4254]

I lived in TO for 5 years and I only went up the CN Tower because I was working an event 😂 I too refused to pay $50. Lots of other cool vantage points around the city for a great view :) how did you manage the humidity? Toronto is great in the summer as everyone is on the Vitamin D high :) Also not all basements are finished, a lot of folks have unfinished/unliveable ones. A lot of folks also use them to supplement their mortgage payments and charge around $1200-$2000 a month depending on size/renovations.

[@EscapeToExploreTravel]

We loved Toronto, great place if you like social life. We also found the tipping crazy expensive

[@raymonortiz3084]

Wow! Canada looks so nice. Someday... one day... I'll see Canada too. But I've been to a baseball game with friends before. Just like you, I didn't understand anything but I had a great time. Lol! 😄👍

[@georgeabroad2367]

I loved Toronto went both in April and July and it was so much greener in the summer loved Toronto island. I feel like you need go to Banff Alberta I lived their worked at the spaghetti factory and it’s the best for hiking and lakes and in the summer time you float down the lakes on days off BC is epic too

[@paigep9275]

AHHHHHH! if you ever come down to the west of Canada you have a place to stay / someone to show you around! Hope you love our country.

[@jennamarg1767]

Welcome to Canada!!

[@dawnbishop5803]

What lipstick did you use at the game?! It lasted so well!

[@Abbicushoneybadger]

Also come to Ottawa!!!

[@holdinourown]

Lucky gal going to a Blue Jay's game! It's so fun

[@TraveldenganDon]

Seems we vlog with the same camera 🙏🏼 giving me hope 😁

[@tracigoure4423]

So funny that you went to Tim Hortons. We also have them everywhere in Michigan.

[@Insurgentfabulosity]

Welcome!!

[@ranga.]

“With or without the bun” is probably the weirdest way of answering that question 😂 mommy brain is real lol

[@mollyhowieson9969]

I'm glad to see that your time in Canada is going well. On your next visit, I would definitely recommend going to Montreal and Quebec City, but I would also suggest making a pit stop in Ottawa!

[@BackpackingBananas]

Would love to!

[@keithpeterson5127]

Go to the Alantic provinces.

[@user-db6pt7vr3l]

I suggest you avoid Montreal and Quebec City and stay in Canada.

[@marieross6231]

​@@user-db6pt7vr3loh please, I suggest you get a life! 😂😅😊

[@peterdnreynolds777]

Love the city of Toronto, was last there over 20 years ago. Hope you are having an amazing time. Do they deliver the hotdogs to your seats?? Take care

[@BackpackingBananas]

They didn’t deliver to the seats unfortunately haha

[@martyflannigan5052]

If you want to go to the CN tower you might as well go to the restaurant the you get up the tower for free your meal is around $75

[@billmccaleb7481]

How many hot dogs did you eat? Two is my limit... and i don't tip at game concession stands typically. But 12 bucks for a beer is the normal for a stadium. I hope you get to see a football game too sometime! Great vlog!

[@RigiLiquid945]

Glad you liked Toronto. The coasts are more interesting. Save the West for last

[@BEAVISKORNHOLIO69]

Toronto very cool I'd love to go back home to Canada 🇨🇦

[@scholarlyanalyst7700]

Where you be now?

[@jihane8063]

15% tip is fine! Also welcome :)

[@jennierobson9692]

It’s 9:20am but now I really want hotdogs! 🌭😩🤣

[@kayflip2233]

Washroom is used in Chicago too, it's not an exclusively Canadian term.

[@daddylucles]

It's legal and typical in canada to pay service industry staff less than minimum wage, and they also have to "tip out" a certain percentage to the back of house, bar, management etc.. so when they get no tipped or tipped poorly, it actually costs THEM money to serve you. That's how most restaurants work here in Canada.

[@BackpackingBananas]

That’s shocking

[@terryomalley1974]

@@BackpackingBananas It's the same in the US. The low wages combined with a tip in accordance with quality of service is considered to provide an incentive for better service. Your pals, Joel & Lia, have discussed this subject before, and even though they found the custom of tipping strange at first, Joel admitted that the attitudes of wait staff at British restaurants is often quite poor compared to North American restaurants. According to Joel, the comparatively higher wages paid to wait staff at British restaurants leads to a more complacent and indifferent attitude towards customers. I wouldn't know, as I've never been outside of North America. What do you think, in general? Has tge service you've experienced at restaurants in Canada and the US been better, worse, or the same as in Europe?

[@BrittanySoroka]

That's not true, you have to at least get minimum wage here !

[@daddylucles]

@@BrittanySoroka not in alberta

[@user-db6pt7vr3l]

What b.s.

[@AlicexFouch]

Your card details are on show!!

[@tijay8507]

If you can say you clearly saw her long card number the start and expiry date and the security code then it is an issue but if not then it isn't...

[@atifuzzaman]

Hi Christine, I saw you on Attabad lake, Pakistan. When will you upload that trip, I am waiting for this.

[@BackpackingBananas]

In a few weeks

[@joxp6971]

Hey christianne are you coming back toAussie this summer

[@angelexi]

Welcome to Canada! It's a bit expensive here. But yes, we do tip quite a bit here, 18 -25% and over during the holidays. If you like theme parks, I highly recommend Canada's Wonderland. If you go to Tim Hortons again, try the Sour Cream doughnut. It's soo good but pretty sweet. Enjoy!

[@SuperMandi11]

I got the meat sweats watching you guys eat so many got dogs 😂

[@rgmm8888]

Oh my goodness all those hot dogs...😂🤣

[@BackpackingBananas]

😂🌭

[@AnnaJoan]

Do you not have Tim Hortons in England??

[@mojganandalex4230]

You should cover your credit card ☺️ just in case!

[@seandesmond5560]

How many hot dogs did you end up eating at the baseball game wonderful Christie?

[@BackpackingBananas]

I think I managed 4 😅

[@madzanderson281]

This baseball game was hilarious 😂 Australia is expensive but at least you know what you're paying straight away because tax is included and we don't tip haha

[@user-db6pt7vr3l]

Well, you're not that special when it comes to tipping. Either your food is more expensive or your service is lousy.

[@realitychannel9310]

What is your accommodation in Toronto??

[@mesutozsen903]

eline emeğine sağlık bu güzel vlog için kolay gelsin hayırlı işler....👍👍👍👍

[@ronchambers3713]

Tipping was largely in place to deal with what was called the server pay rate, which was lower than regular minimum wage by a significant amount, that rate has been done away with and there is just the same minimum wage for everyone , it is the minimum though. Tipping now is just a scam This is in the province of Ontario as far as I know

[@mtraveller7]

as of January 1, 2022 servers who work in restaurants make the government minimum wage of $15.50/ hour, as does everyone else who works in other industries who are also on minimum wage, tipping was established as prior to this date servers were paid less and relied on tips. Since the raise in income there has also been a raise in tipping percentages. Personally I think this is because the restaurant businesses suffered a lot during the pandemic as Ontario was closed more than any other province in Canada. I personally now only tip if I receive good service, I typically round up to the nearest 5 or 10 (ex. if total was 24.50 I would round up to 30.00) You are not to tip on tax or alcohol and you don't tip for food in sporting events, etc. really only sit down restaurants. Tim Hortons is also no longer a Canadian company, it is American owned. Also their donuts arrive in the store frozen, they are not made fresh on site, probably why they didn't taste that good! Fresh is always better than frozen! For good poutines: Ontario: Smokes Poutinerie and Philthy Philly's Quebec: Poutineville and La Banquise (in Montreal) For actual Canadian coffee and donut shops: Country Style and Coffee Time Of course, these are things that the locals know and not widely known by tourists, having said that glad you had a great time in Toronto, and next time you come you'll know the processes!

[@firedox365]

15% tip is fine.

[@limdog5000]

How much does George look like Adam Scott?!

[@user-db6pt7vr3l]

Say a lot of nice things. The national inferiority complex is huge. By the way, good luck trying to find authentic Canadian food in downtown Toronto of all places.

[@nicola8450]

The ATM withdrawal limit is an industry-norm of £300 a day, and that applies both at home and abroad. Winner: Starling.

[@megane4456]

Girl no, next time you go to tim you need to order the Iced Cappuccino. You missed the most iconic canadian summer drink :,(.

[@travelswithLiz.8817]

FYI: Your friend George is hella fit (;

[@rhyser7463]

Go to Montreal

[@theo.r.bitter]

I don't know if it's the company, or if it's the surroundings, but the Canada series ... I'm tempted to say is suffering from a decrease in quality compared to the Balkan and Corfu series ... but at the very least is portraying a v e r y different vibe. I mean, closeup after closeup of you stuffing your face with half a dozen hotdogs ... was that really necessary?

[@BackpackingBananas]

It is a different vibe for sure ☺️ I was backpacking and exploring in the Balkans where as here in Canada, I’m just catching up with old friends and here for a wedding. People still asked for videos so I’m just documenting what I got up to 😅 and yes I ate a lot of hot dogs in Canada 🌭

[@dahnahewlett6349]

You’ve just unlocked my new fear. Public toilets in Canada 😭😭😭

[@7of9]

Lol. They're fine. Really.

[@gabie2958]

I don’t get what’s shocking 😂 she didnt show the bathrooms! Usually they are cabins with gaps under and over the separators but you never can see anyone even when standing up! At least I’ve never seen it in quebec and anywhere ive been in ontario and BC! Someone explain the weirdness to me please 😅

[@dahnahewlett6349]

@@gabie2958 she very clearly said you could see people on the toilet. I don’t know about everywhere else but in Australia and New Zealand that’s not normal, and would probably be a breach of some law. There are gaps here too but like you said, they’re above and below, but not positioned to be able to see anybody. Considering the situation, I can fully understand why she didn’t film it to show people

[@gabie2958]

@@dahnahewlett6349 ok I wasn’t at all trying to be rude btw I just found it funny that she was so shocked by gaps since I consider it so normal. I thought maybe she was so because she is used to a fully enclosed cabin and here there are gaps, but I have never ever seen the types of cabins she’s describing so I thought maybe she was exaggerating « the gaps » hahaha

[@Dobemandan]

Tipping has completely got out of control. Something needs to change.

[@andreaswitzer9694]

I hope you had an amazing time in Canada! Generally tipping is big because the restaurants / service industry isn't required to pay the actual minimum wage (I've had bartender friends get paid $3/hour but make much more because of tips). Canada is a beautiful country - I'd recommend seeing Halifax and the East Coast one day!

[@frawldog]

🍌

[@garryturner440]

They say Canada is very much like America, only cleaner and safer. I'm sure some other people would have a different view !!!

[@terryomalley1974]

As a Canadian, while somewhat of a over-simplified description, I'd say that's fairly accurate. It stands to reason, since they're both North American countries and share similar cultures (outside if Quebec, of course).

[@7of9]

Yes, that's about right.

[@torink8229]

Nothing like America, have nothing culturally in common with US other than accents/English language

[@collinsmith2872]

ya the CN tower has turned into an overpriced tourist money grab for toronto same as niagra falls. every year they make 25% of the cost to build it.

[@holdinourown]

As a Canadian I'm howling at you talk about tipping, our "wash rooms". Toronto is very different than the rest of Canada, it's a big city. The charm of Canada is our small cities and towns ..and the beautiful country! Tipping is 15 % min! 18 is average, 20+ is more average in large cities and nicer restaurants.

[@johnross5889]

Baseball can be boring to the uninitiated...like soccer to North Americans

[@reset565]

Hope you canceled that credit card 💳

[@VSS32542]

What is America and Canada they are both extremely expensive for anything and everything. Especially here in U.S.A. . ..America is not what it used to be. I don't recommend you coming here because you won't like it. People here are not friendly and will try to get over on you. Trust me, and I am an American.

[@gp7910]

👎

[@keithpeterson5127]

Toronto is the least interesting large city in Canada.