Orient Express

An adventure in the orient. That's what I call driving in Markham. Its not for the faint of heart. Your car and your person will never feel more precious. My personal favourite for a wonderful morning scare is the delightfully overcrowded intersection of Hwy 7 and Kennedy Road. Cars will come at you in all directions whether you choose to go straight, turn right or left. Its like being in Hong Kong without the sky scrapers. Another personal favourite is Pacific Mall parking lot on Saturday afternoon. Finding parking there is an art. If you can find a spot in 2o min, you are King of the world.

I love shopping for pirated DVDs in Pacific Mall. Phenomenal efficiency. 10 DVDs for $20 and as you hand her the ones you want... she quickly flips one after the other saying... DVD quality, DVD quality, only 80%, DVD quality, DVD quality, 85%, in theatre, DVD quality, 80%, 95%. She expectantly hands them over to you ... decision needs to be made on the spot. You look a bit stunned, but not to be outdone... you separate the inferior losers saying... I DON'T WANT... Enunciating every word as if she could not possibly comprehend you until and unless you say each word clearly with significant pauses. Then of course, you look embarrassed ... either you're just being cheap for not forking over the $20 or you're insulting her by assuming that her grasp of the English language is almost as bad as your grasp of Cantonese. Either way, you walk away congratulating yourself on a job well done. 10 DVDs for $20... where in the world would that be possible except Pacific Mall.

Markham also boasts a wide selection of every oriental cuisine known to man. From Thai and Vietnamese to Japanese and Korean, you name it, Markham has it. And what surprises me most is how they can perpetually remain so skinny. To be honest, it irritates more than surprises but there you have it. Markham... the haven for all things Oriental!