Told Ya

So the visit of His Highness, the Aga Khan made the Toronto Star.

And believe it or not, I was able to get pretty close, enough for a quick conversation, anyway.

[Gord, I desperately need help with Photo-whatsit.]

But as mentioned in yesterday's post, many dignitaries were present. Quite the event.


Actually, I believe the Aga Khan is an extraordinary example of a true global goodwill ambassador. And any cheap shots at his expense are, almost, uncalled for.

Luckily this doesn't apply to everyone, or this would be one, empty blog.

[Ed. Note: It already is.]

The Aga Is Coming! The Aga Is Coming!

Okay, so it's no Abu Dhabi.

But The Aga Khan is making an appearance today at the future site of, what else, The Aga Khan Museum. He's turning the first spade.

Man, everybody was in top form.

Even the graders and back hoes are stopped, standing at attention.

Obviously signifying the level of respect and reverence that The Agman evokes from everyone.

Apparently, the Prime Minister is coming. The Governor General is coming. And about a thousand other "dignitaries", too. Police were controlling traffic.

It was shaping up to be a real mess across the street from the office.

So even though it was a Friday, I got the hell out of Dodge.

Uhhh.....no I didn't.

Ahhh, what the heck, yes I did.

View Be Gone

When they bought their condos, I bet these folks thought they would have a lasting view of the downtown Toronto skyline.

Until another mega, honking, huge condo was built in front of them! Ha ha!

This new one, gaggingly enough, is called The Floridian, The Residences of Upper Yorkville. La de freakin' dah.

At least I don't have to worry. I only have a view of the Canadian Tire parking lot. Which, by the way is being turned into another MHHC.

They've been digging it out all winter, but they dragged away all the backhoes last week. And I saw a sign posted.

I thought, these suckers have finally gone belly up! Ha ha ha.

So I went to read the sign. They are applying to get a zoning wavier so they can make it even higher than legally allowed. 37 stories, with the top three stories "extra tall".

That's okay for a latte, but not for the condo next door.

Oh well, at least I won't have to watch frazzled parents dragging their kids out of Canadian Tire anymore.

Oh oh......Now I'll have to hear them screaming from their balconies.

Different Worlds

Missing One Letter.....

...or all my buddies would be coming here. Every day.

"Fellows, go home."

"Guys, although we are open every day, no one actually comes here every day."

"Sorry, friends, we're closed. It is two in the morning."

This Is Not Your Government's Project

This Aga Khan guy doesn't waste any time getting his money's worth.

I get into work about 6:45am, and the trucks are already lined up waiting to haul [right side of picture, clogging middle lane].

They were even lined up around the corner and down the next street.

Blocking our parking lot!

Geese I can get around.

When I came in, it looked like the first picture. But not for long.

Go go go.

So the trucks were hauling dirt from the excavation while the rest of the team was building tent city.

This whole facility was constructed in less than a day.

If this was a government job, they'd still be in the line up at Timmy's.

Apparently, the Agman himself is coming to turn the "first" spade, but the boys beat him to it by a long shot.

Okay, I guess some comments could be made about my level of productivity, sanpping picture all day long. Well...I guess that's one of the benefits of the soon-to-be-retired.

Welcome!

Please leave your valuables in the bucket.

Where In The World?

Egypt?

Khartoum?

Toronto Subway?

Yupper.

At the appropriately named "Museum" stop.

The effort that went into decorating this station is amazing. Very impressive.

And these statues are not just some cheap, Styrofoam either, as I found out when I punched one.

"You have disappointed me with your feeble attempt to injure. You will now miss the next...three...trains." [Think Darth Vader.]

[Okay, so I stole that from a GPS commercial. James Earl Jones is a hoot as he does Darth Vader; "Turn right in....200 metres......You have disappointed me with your inability to follow simple instructions. You will exit now."]

These statues are installed on both sides, throughout the entire length of the stop. Almost makes you feel as if you are in ancient tomb.....

No wonder the TTC keeps raising its fares.

Unfortunately, Not Famous Enough

Pitter Patter, Let's Git At 'er!

Well, it looks like Mr. Khan, or The Aga, as he has asked me to call him, is wasting no time getting the Aga Khan Museum underway.

This is obviously no Canadian Government stimulus project, as they have already prepared half the site in under a week.

See shocking documentation of what this site looked like - just one week ago!"Timber!."

Our government would be still talking about projects that are "shovel ready."

But The Agster knows that it is really "shovel working" that is important.

However, please don't misinterpret my comments about our elected officials as criticism.

Canadian politicians can shovel it with the best of them.

Ba da boom.

Guess They Got Tired Of Waiting

Chicks Galore

No wonder that Canada Goose from a few days ago was chasing me off.

These little goslings were probably somewhere close.

But here, I'm chasing him off!

I'm surprized I could get this close. Correction; I'm surprized they let me get that close.

Okay, confession....

I'm actually tucked safely in behind the cafeteria window at work.

Or these two would have been all over me!

Earlier, they were all parading right along the window. Those seven tiny goslings are just little balls of yellow fluff. Lots of folks peering at them.

And papa was right up at that window. Neck stuck out, looking up at us.

"Make my day." Pretty fierce protectors.

And I have first hand knowledge of this, too.

[Spoiler alert: if you don't want to read about the author being shown in a bad light, please stop reading.]

A few years ago I was at the zoo and came across some geese. And the one big one was looking right at me.

So I zigged to go around him. Unbeknownst to me, I zigged towards their nest. He took two or three steps towards me.

I zigged again, even closer to the nest.

Then he came right at me, wings flapping and beak squawking.

As I started to run he was right on me, and I started kicking back.

I heard a little girl say, "Daddy, why is the man kicking the goosey?"

It wasn't pretty. Not pretty at all.

And these birds are pretty smart, too.

As I was coming in today, they were all on the other side of the road, lined up in a row. And before crossing, Ma checked both directions.

A car was coming, so she stayed up on the curb. As soon as the car went by, away they went. All in a row.

Then another car came steaming along. And Ma stopped. The car stopped. Ma checked the runner and then they all proceeded to the other side. And paraded along the window.

Timber!!

Holy stinking doodle. What happened?

Came in to work Thursday and looked out the window. Looked out again later that morning, and Shabam! All the trees were gone.

And I mean all the trees, all over this 17 acre site! What a shame.

If this was you or me doing this, we'd be slapped with an unimaginable number of fines. Don't know what's going on here.

On the plus side, I can now clearly see "The Highway of Heroes."

This site is massive.

I hope....this is not another.....big, huge, honking condo development. Oh oh....

Okay, Google, Google, Google......

Looks like the Aga Khan owns this property. The Aga Khan?!

According to Wikipedia:

"The Aga Khan Museum was announced on October 8, 2002 by the Aga Khan Development Network. It will be located on Wynford Drive, off the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto, and is expected to open in 2013."

"The 10,000 square-metre structure will be set within formal gardens and surrounded by a large park"

"The museum will become a repository of historical materials related to the Ismaili community and house research programmes related to each one of the aspects of its institutional mission."

"It will also provide a space for permanent exchanges between the Islamic and the Western worlds on educational, cultural and socioeconomic issues."

Cool. And this view looks like it is taken right from my office window. Very impressive design.

So good, the trees will be back. And no stinking condo.

Nerves Of Steel !

So based on recent events, I'm not letting no dumb duck get the better of me.

Here I call out a Canada Goose, blocking my way into work.

"Move it, bird brain."

That got his attention.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you."

Uh oh.... Foot on the pavement.

Gotta go.

Experiment over......

Spring Has....Well....Sprung

After the distasteful duck incident, was compensated by some colourful foliage outside our building.



So, very nice.

But I'll get that damn duck yet!