As In Biscuit: Tip Top Toronto Part 6

Wednesday 20 October and Friday 22 October were spent with friends and shoes. On Wednesday I met up with my good friend Jacqueline who lives 90 minutes from Toronto. I hadn't seen her for 2 years so it was an emotional reunion. We went to a huge Chinese buffet restaurant called Mandarin. We ate til we couldn't move and talked til we were hoarse. Jacqueline and her husband Rod dropped me back off at the hotel afterwards and I spent the rest of the day relaxing and digesting. My Dad had decided that because I wasn't seeing Priscilla on Wednesday evening we would not venture in to the city but unfortunately the call of the chilli got to him. We looked on the internet to see where the nearest Wendy's restaurant was and followed the directions only to find out we were soon hearing in to.... yep you guessed it... the city!! We drove past the Princess of Wales theatre twice (twice!!) and despite heavily dropped hints he would not let me get a last minute ticket for Priscilla. Granted I would have been very greedy had I bought another ticket but we were right outside!! We finally located the restaurant and it turned out to be the only eatery that was closed in the whole of Toronto. Fortunately we drove down Yonge and found another one so my Dad's chilli craving was finally satisfied. He tucked in to the holy grail of fast food while I sat chewing on a hamburger (old fashioned no less) while pining for the pink bus. On Friday I visited the Bata Shoe Museum while my Dad did a tour of Casa Loma. Sonia Bata had so many shoes that they were eventually taken and housed in said museum along with celeb shoes and examples of shoes through the ages (and a special sock exhibition - oh yes!). My Dad took the car to Casa Loma and dropped me off at Bata with the aforementioned hop on/hop off bus ticket in my paw. The plan was to see the shoes and then hop on the bus and hop off at the theatre so I could wait at the Stage Door to try and catch some of the cast and ask for autographs. According to the map the bus stop was just down the road. Well I still haven't found it! The guy who worked in the Bata gift shop said it was just outside the museum so I waited (despite thinking it was odd that there wasn't a yellow sign attached to the lamppost) and watched as the bus drove past on the opposite side of the road. Now did I mention the buses only run once every hour? I could see from the map that I could not have walked to the theatre as it was about 1000 blocks from the museum and I didn't have a lot of Canadian dollars left so didn't want to risk hailing a taxi so I walked down to the Royal Ontario Museum and waited for what seemed like days for the next bus. Freezing doesn't even begin to describe the level of coldness I felt that day. Anywho the bus eventually turned up I struggled to climb aboard, a bit like the tin man when he needs oiling, and set off on my way to the Stage Door. I hadn't been there that long when out comes Mr Sheldon to grab a Tim Hortons followed by some of the cast who very kindly juggled their coffee and donuts to sign my programme. My Dad arrived after about an hour and whisked me away in the lovely warm car and filled me with lovely warm food. The night was my last trip to see the show and even though I was gutted that my week had come to an end it could not have ended better. I was pulled up by Thom to dance during the Country Boy number and when I told Tony afterwards he said "I know, we were watching from the wings". It had been planned all week!! I was given an unusual but wonderful souvenir from the drummer (the drumsticks he'd used that night) and a very special gift from Tony. I gave him a big hug goodbye, quickly said goodbye and thank you to Thom and Nick and left to meet my Dad who was waiting in the car. Apart from getting emotional during the show I had kept my tears at bay as I did not want Tony and the others to see that but as soon as I got in the car I broke down. I'd had the most wonderful week seeing the finest show known to man, met some wonderful people and got to see my hero again and all too soon I was leaving my happy place to return to the stresses of home. My trip had been my focus for so long and now it was gone. After a minor meltdown at the hotel and a long talk with my Dad I gathered myself together and put the painted smile back on and flew home. Now all my spare cash will be going in to the 'Priscilla on Broadway' pot - any donations welcome!!