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More of the cemetary
Place was busy, only this corner was near empty
The outside of the supermarket.
Front Entrance of Pacific MallADJACENT MALLS 4..~ Market Village Interior ~
This is the entrance to one of the wings of Market Village. A few years ago I taught study methods for a Chinese educational group. They were in this area of the mall. That is how I discovered the mall! Once I was in this mall, I discovered the other adjacent mall.
I guess different cities have different numbers of immigrants. A few months ago I visited a friend in Chicago. He showed me the China Town and Greek Town in Chicago. Toronto has a Chinese and Greek area too. In my opinion, in both cases, the ones in Toronto are at least ten times as large.
Both these huge malls are not in the official Toronto Chinatown. They are in the industrial area of Markham. This is not specifically in a Chinese area, but the malls themeslves make this area Chinese!
As is obvious, the Greater Toronto Area has a huge Chinese population.
Most are from Hong Kong. Though more people speak Mandarin than Cantonese, the latter dominates in Toronto. As huge as Toronto's Chinese population is, Vancouver's is even larger. I have a cousin who lives in the Vancouver outer subarb of Richmond. He told me that Richmond's residents are two thirds Chinese. He also said that he has no problem with that at all. He is happy living there, they are happy living there and everyone feels welcome!
It was really a fun experience walking through this mall.
Markham (where these malls are located) is an industrial and commercial area of the city. Markham has many office buildings. Many corporations that prefer avoiding the tension of downtown Toronto, will have their offices in Markham instead.
Though Markham borders with Toronto, it is a separate city with its own mayor. Steeles Avenue where these two malls are, is considered the border. As the malls are on the north side of Steeles, they are in Markham. Steeles Avenue is also the border between the 416 and 905 telephone codes. The phone numbers of people living in Toronto proper, commence with 416. Phone numbers in Markham (and other areas just outside Toronto) commence with the code 905.
I wanted to include the front of one of the many shops. I chose this art shop at random. I truly find both these malls fascinating. It is literally a pocket of one country sitting inside another. Naturally, I would love to show a visitor the China Town in the city. For another surprise, I would take them for lunch at these 2 malls in the subarbs. I am estimate the distance to be about 25Km between these malls and the official Chinatown by the Toronto downtown.
The Chinese population in Toronto is huge. I am not sure what the exact number is, but is a few hundred thousand. There is one huge Chinatown in the city and lots of Chinese pockets throughout the city. These two huge malls are one of the many smaller Chinese areas of the city. We all living in peace together, so I am happy. I believe the Vancouver Chinese population is larger.
If anyone reading these pages visits the city, I will gladly show you the malls. I think they really add excitement to the city. My only complaint (depending when one comes here) is that parking is not easy at all to find. I know it is easy to give advice, but they should try build more parking spaces.
It looks like this store sells edible articles. Yum!
As is evident by these signs, we are in the city of Markham and not Toronto.
ADJACENT MALLS 1 Front Exterior
ADJACENT MALLS 2 Supermarket
ADJACENT MALLS 3 Food Court
ADJACENT MALLS 4 Market Village Interior
ADJACENT MALLS 5 Market Village Side Exterior
ADJACENT MALL 6 Pacific Mall Interior 1
ADJACENT MALL 7 Pacific Mall Interior 2
I am still amazed how these two malls are next door, both Chinese, yet completely different. I went up to the next level and took this snap of the floor below.
I actually worked in Market Village many years ago. I was teaching study methods to students for a Chinese education group.
