It had rained Friday, so the air was crisp and clean-smelling. (That's something we missed about Singapore - the frequent and heavy rains that clears the air and flushes the streets.) We went to two cemeteries; St. James and Necropolis. We've cycled past the St. James cemetery before (it's beside the Don Valley, a great place to cycle) but hadn't stopped in to see. Plus, it was interesting to hear a bit about Toronto's history and the stories behind some of the graves from our guide, Dermot.
Gorgeous autumn scenery. My favorite are the trees that turn really red and not just yellow. I find autumn too short, but on the other hand, knowing that this season won't last too long really encourages us to go out and enjoy the foliage and weather instead of procrastinating.
Some random and interesting facts we picked up along the way: (1) it's considered bad form to walk over the part of the ground where the coffin is supposed to be under, (2) while cremations are getting more popular in Toronto, a lot of people still get buried, (3) the costs of cremations and burials turn out to about the same, (4) people here don't mind staying next to cemeteries, which are usually peaceful and scenic, and (5) there aren't any specific days (like Qing Ming) where people come down to visit a grave, though All Saints Day (1 Nov) and Easter are popular.
One of the grander tombstones.
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