IBM headquarters for Canada lie in Markham, which is just outside of Toronto. One thing I can say about Toronto is that the traffic is by far the worst I've ever driven in anywhere! (Yes, that includes Europe). Bumper to bumper traffic is the norm and I can't believe people drive in it every day. That said, Delhi and Cairo have much worse traffic and I think it would be suicidal to try to drive there.
IBM corporate headquarters is a building designed to impress. It is absolutely huge and inside they have beautiful high glass windows, thousands of people dressed to the tees, a Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Swiss Chalet (amongst other food vendors), a dry cleaners, a bank machine and a convenience store! I'm sure there is more that I did not discover while there. There is certainly no need to leave the building during the day.
IBM Canada Headquarters in Markham, OntarioI also was fortunate to get a tour of the nearby IBM lab which was equally impressive. The lab is a research facility that drips of the former dot com era. Each floor hosts a multitude of ping pong tables, pool tables, air hockey tables, TV's, comfortable couches, network gaming rooms, PS3's and large TV's. There is even a gym that has two full time personal trainers that you are able to use anytime for free as well as regular fitness classes. I would like to know when these things will come to Victoria! (Highly doubtful!).
The evenings in Toronto took me to my Uncle Chris's to watch the playoff games (Montreal vs. Philadelphia) and downtown Toronto to enjoy the Distillery District with some coworkers.
I stayed for the weekend and ventured 3 hours east to Prince Edward County, an absolutely stunning place filled with beautiful fields, farmers, barns, livestock and my extended family! I have never met these people before, but my mom did a few years ago. This is my grandfather (mom's dad's) side of the family and many of them have been in the county for generations.
Barn on my 2nd cousins's propertyI stayed with my mom's cousin Mary and her husband Ray and they were incredibly warm and hospitable. On Saturday they took me for a drive around the county and showed me where a painting of my great grandfather was painted, where my grandfathers uncle's war memorial was (he served and died in WWI), where my grandfathers parents tombstone was, where my grandfather and his brothers and sisters grew up and where much of my extended family still lives. I also was fortunate to meet a lot of my relatives at a BBQ on Saturday evening although admittedly it was hard to keep everyone straight!
Mary, Ray & their grandson LiamSunday a cousin took me hiking in nearby sand dunes then 4 wheeling on her 600 acre property with her husband and two lovely dogs. It was great fun and I certainly am related to these people! The afternoon took me back to Toronto where I spent the evening with my Uncle as it was his 60th birthday. I cooked him a roast beef, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, salad and a strawberry and apple pie. It was good to see him as it's been almost 3 years since I last saw him.
