TIFF HERE WE COME! (Toronto International Film Festival to you)

What a breeze to fly out of Midway on Porter Airlines!  They have their own Priority Lane.  Quick security check.  The planes are another story.  They're prop-jet planes says David.  The propeller is right outside my window: what a racket!  And the vibrations!  The entire flight I feel like I'm in a blender.  My left arm gets numb from resting it on the arm of the seat.  The din is insane but the flight attendants prove friendly and the in-flight service much better than the American airlines: free drinks (even wine or beer) and snacks: chips or almonds or pretzels.  Good thing it's a short flight to Toronto. 

The Billy Bishop airport is in the center (or centre) of the city, next to the lake, on an island.  Yes, an island.  The landing shook me to the core - rough, very rough.  Then the customary walk through immigration and customs.  And then - we wait for the ferry.  Yes, a ferry to take you to the mainland.  I did not expect that.  Kind of fun, if you ask me.  And very easy to get to your hotel, very close.

After checking in to the Metropolitan Hotel on Chestnutt we rush to the TIFF Bell Lightbox to pick up our tickets.  We've already purchased them online a few weeks ago after a convoluted, long, insanely complicated process.  If you want to know about it, ask me.  Ticket pick-up is painless.  Taxi to the first cinema: the Elgin - a beautiful old theater (ala Music Box in Chicago).  Lines are forming already.  It's only 4 o'clock for a 6 o'clock film but we go across the street for a restoring cup of coffee and some cheesecake.  By 5 we are in line: the VISA Priority Line because we have a VISA Platinum card ( or so we think).  After about 45 minutes we are allowed in.  Fortunately no one checks to see if we indeed have a Platinum card.  But I really think we do.  We grab two seats towards the back as we like to do.  It is crowded!  The film?  "Hanna Arendt" - German director Margareta Van Trotta is well-known and respected.  No seats left in the house. 

Film is outstanding.  I recommend it if it comes to a cineplex near you.  What a fascinating figure Hanna Arendt was!  I knew next to nothing about her but now I am very intrigued and want to learn more.

When film ends we must run to the next one.  Luckily it is only a few blocks away: the Cineplex on Dundas.  Line is not too long.  We get in, sit.  Film: "3" - Uruguayan director who made "Whiskey", a film we saw a few years ago and liked very much.  This one?  Not so much.  After an hour David is restless, shifts in his seat, keeps asking me if I like it, wants to leave.  We do.  It is very slow and very depressing.  I am sorry for the director.  I hope he didn't see us walk out.

Late supper also proves somewhat disappointing but we are starving.  Taxi back to the hotel and I am exhausted.  So tired I take clothes off and plop in bed.  Sleep.  Tomorrow will be another day.  More movies and hopefully some star sightings.  We need some stars.  Well, I do anyway.