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Hello From Toronto – Part 6 – The 2006 Toronto International Film Festival Dragonboat
One of my favorite places in Toronto are the Toronto Islands, this beautiful patch land right in front of downtown Toronto, separated by just a sliver of water. So close, so far from the hustle and bustle and bustle. One of the biggest events in the Islands is Toronto Dragonboat Festival, a family event organized by the China Business Association of Toronto. Besides being a great entertainment event, the Dragonboat Festival is also a major fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, so it's not only fun, it's also a good cause.
So two days ago I went to the coast and took the ferry across to Centre Island. At 10 am when I left things were still pretty quiet and high line had not started yet. People with bikes, cars, refrigerators on wheels, all equipped for a full day on the island, were making the trip across the bay to enjoy the thrill of the Dragonboat race and bask in the serenity of this sanctuary island.
The ferry ride offers absolutely the best view of Toronto skyline and at $ 6 return is one of the most affordable options for sightseeing in Toronto. All the skyscrapers, the CN Tower, the shell round of the Skydome (now Rogers Centre) and the outline of the historic Royal York hotel focus as we look back in the city. Toronto skyline is one of the images world's most recognizable.
After a walk of fifteen minutes I set foot on the ferry pier at the Centre Island and started walking toward the so-called Alan A. Lamport Regatta Course, a water surface, often used for rowing events of different types. People had already been established throughout the lawn, ready for a picnic. The spectators followed the races. A food court where he established a number of vendors sell different kinds of oriental dishes and people always Multicultural cultural displays, arts and craft demonstrations as well as various activities for children. One of the stands had an amazing variety of crafts including dragonboats folded paper some beautiful decorative. The lady at the booth told me it takes a whole day to craft some of these masterpieces.
A dragon boat real is actually a long narrow boat, propelled by paddlers, and the boat is usually adorned with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. Usually, a dragon boat will have a crew of about 22 people, with a drummer or caller is facing the rowers, and a steerer at the rear of the boat. dragon boats are believed to have come into existence more than 2500 years ago in south central China and have a long history in Chinese rituals and celebrations.
The race had already started at 8 am on Saturday. dragon boat racers down the water channel, 6 boats at a time in the heats for the final. This year there about 6,000 paddlers competing over two days. About 200 teams participated in over 100 races this weekend and teams came from all walks of life: banks, community groups, schools, universities and other educational institutions, hospitals, technology and pharmaceutical companies and many more.
I strolled past the grandstand and the past Centreville, fun Toronto Islands' park on the bridge across the race course with the intention contact with some dragon boat teams. The first team I met a group of high school principals and assistant principals who meet every year to participate in the race and raise some funds for breast cancer. These educators were a very welcoming and enthusiastic, and started chatting with me. His coach Glen gave me more background on your training routine. He explained that around February the whole team goes out to public pools and begins to paddle stationary. Then, around April actually enter the water near Ontario Place and the train twice a week. Some teams train up to five or even eight times a week. Glen and his friends indicated that dragonboating is a destroyer of supreme tension, providing welcome relief from the pressures of the class.
One member of his team definitely indicates that must take one of the most interesting teams in the race: a team of breast cancer survivors. So I started hunting for the latest computer and entered the "Athlete's Village," which had a variety of tents set up for the convenience of athletes.
Finally I found the team, "Dragons mainstream ", a group of women aged between 35 and 75, who had survived all breast cancer. They were all wearing colored shirts rose to call attention to the cause of breast cancer. I started talking with the group and learned that some members of the group have traveled to various destinations around the world to promote the cause of breast cancer awareness. Some of them have recently traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, and this year some of them are participating in an international Dragonboat race in Singapore.
Dianne, his media coordinator, said the race to promote awareness among young women to participate in programs for breast cancer detection. He added that in the past, many women are told to avoid strenuous exercise part upper body after breast cancer surgery. The paddlers in dragons instead strongly aware that the exercise involved in actually has dragonboating significant health benefits, both physical and psychological.
One of the team members, a lady named Pam, recently participated in an initiative called UpKili: an event in which 30 breast cancer survivors and their friends climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research. In total more U.S. $ 120,000 raised. Pam told me she once had an accident during the climb and had to be rescued and taken by a team of sherpas. However, this was one of the most exciting events in his life time, being part of this unique initiative for this great cause. And despite his injury finished participating in a safari, even after the rise was over. I was very happy to have connected with this group of brave women who have overcome a lot and is now taking his inspiring message to audiences worldwide.
The official opening ceremony would be held at noon, so I ran to the festival area. A group of politicians and was assembled dignitaries on stage and after a series of speeches and words of welcome the President of the China Business Association in Toronto, cutting ceremony tape was performed. An interpretation of the Lion Dance Ceremony and eye-dotting of the Lions provide an authentic taste of Chinese culture to this event. This was followed by the waist drum dance, organized and executed by the Chinese Professional Women's Association of Canada.
After a stroll through the grounds and this Once the food court was very busy. Every special event has its special characters and just after the opening ceremony I saw this group of people walking across the lawn with determination, obviously a dragon boat team that had just ended his career. Their leader was pulling an imitation version of multiple dragon boat functions that was spewing smoke, blowing soap bubbles and dance music blaring Michael Jackson through the built-in stereo system. The group marched at a fast pace and I had a hard time trying to keep up with them and take pictures at the same time. Finally settled in the shade by the water and asked one of the team members that this was all about. He explained that his team was called "Kindred Spirits" and that represented the same blood in Bolton. They had his last race of the day and were ready to relax and celebrate, and special boat miniature dragon was a symbol of his determination to have a great holiday.
The colorful characters kept coming. I met with two pipers of the Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Own "bagpipes and drums, a group of uniformed and civilian volunteers, who make appearances as ambassadors of the OPP throughout Ontario. These two gentlemen were enjoying a pizza when he approached them and asked about its next action. They said they will present at about 1 pm, "somewhere in the shade." Both were dressed in full Scottish regalia, kilt and all, wearing the tartan colors of Ontario.
Of course, also had to make the key question that is burning on everyone's lips when faced with a Scottish bagpiper. The officer responded politely and said that the answer depends entirely on the question:
– If the question is "What is worn under the kilt? "The answer is" nothing is worn under the kilt, everything is in great working order. "
– If the question is "What are you wearing under the kilt?" The proper response is "socks and shoes."
That meant my curiosity was satisfied, but I have a smile of the answers must surely have been given dozens of times before diverting the questions intrusive. I only had about an hour in the island before he had to return to the city, so I put on my inline skates and began to slide towards the south by the gardens of the Isle of Toronto, which have a fountain, flowers and reflect several ponds. South of there are changing, the building of the island bike rental, as well as the dock of the island. West of this area is Manitou Beach, a paradise of sand for avid sun lovers. Farther west Hanle No, the clothing-optional beach just Toronto.
I had to go back to the mainland, so I started skating in the other direction, east to Ward Island. On the way I found many spots channels, inlets and sailing with backdrop of the city, in fact some of the best places to take in the skyline of Toronto in perfect serenity. Ward Island is home to a community of permanent residents, many of them artists.
I met one of these talented people, which was the fabric paint on t-shirts in the middle of the lawn. Christopher Pinheiro is an artist Trinidad-born multi-disciplinary. His description on the Toronto Islands website lists him as "actor, dancer, model, mask, soup-chef and textstylist." We had a brief chat about his art canvas as the painting was not just a red maple leaf would then be adorned with yellow and blue sections. Christopher is obviously a important member of the artistic community of Toronto Islands.
At 2:15 I took the ferry back to the mainland of Wards Island, probably together with another 20 or 30 passengers. Check the other side was a different story: the ferry docks and public space outside the buildings of the ferries were completely filled with hundreds of people, making match all the way to Front Street. I guess everyone wanted to get a piece of the Toronto Islands on this beautiful day …
To read the full article including photos, please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/dragonboats2006.htm
About the Author
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (
http://www.travelandtransitions.com
), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.
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