What Happened to Toronto?

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What Happened to Toronto?

Toronto used to be my favorite city in North America (see TPOL’s Travels: The Best Big Cities in the World). I used to go all the time when I was a yute studying at the University of Michigan. Club goers will recall the great days at Guvernment (see The Best Nightclubs in the World) where yours truly spent New Year’s (see Where to Party? New Year’s Eve). Sadly, the Toronto nightlife is not what it used to be. The housing bubble put it on life support, and COVID delivered the final blow.

The nightlife is not the only thing that has left Toronto. The people have also vacated the city. When I visited Toronto two years ago (see Air Canada DTW to YYZ: Expensive in CAD, Expensive in Points), I found a city with no pulse. The streets were empty. It was depressing. This time, the city showed more signs of life, leading me to believe that there was hope for revival.

Then night came. Suddenly, I understood why the person at the front desk of my hotel, the Anndorre House, said that the hotel is only accessible by key from 10PM-5AM. Up and down and around Charles Street, there were interesting characters everywhere. It looked like a scene from The Penguin. I did not feel comfortable loitering outside my hotel at night. That was a first for someone who used to stumble the streets of Toronto at all hours of the night.

a street with a street light and a street sign
What happened to Toronto?

New Passport to Go to Canada?

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New Passport to Go to Canada?

It’s with joy and pain that I announce that my old passport is no more. While it was not set to expire for two more years, I had to get a new one because there were only a few blank pages left. Indeed, I was almost denied entry into Portugal because the border agent said that I needed two blank pages to enter the country. I showed him that there were four, but I quit arguing after he said I was welcome.

TPOL Trivia: Why do countries require two blank pages?

Instead of mailing my old passport and waiting weeks on end, I applied for an expedited passport. I had to show that I was traveling within the next weeks and pay an additional $60. I was surprised how easy it was to make an appointment, and was more surprised that I could pick up my passport two days later. I often complain about how difficult it is to get things done in Puerto Rico, but this time I have nothing but good things to say.

The quest to fill this one up my new passports begins anew. Today, I will be using my passport to go to Canada! I am eager to expand my Country Count which stands 158 ‘countries and territories’ by continuing to explore the world (see Where I’ve Been).

TPOL’s Trivia: Do they stamp your passport when you go to Canada?

a passport and a passport case
The old one was so battered that the chip could not be read.

Timed-Out: Barclays Hawaii Business Application

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Timed-Out: Barclays Hawaii Business Application

My friends, I tried my best. I tried to get approved for the Hawaii Business card (see Barclays Hawaii Business Card App: More Information Required). But ultimately, like Donovan McNabb in the Super Bowl, I ran out of time. I called to find out the status and was told that even more information was required, but that I could not provide it because it was more than 90 days since I applied.

Sending a physical copy of my driver’s license and social security card was not enough. Calling and going through screening with three different members of Barclays was not enough.

Resilient, I am applying again and will let you know the result . . . in 90 days.

a close up of a sign
Bula, a word Barclays does not understand.

Grand Hyatt Athens: It’s Time to Drop the ‘Grand’

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Grand Hyatt Athens: It’s Time to Drop the ‘Grand’

Hyatt needs to change the name of all Grand Hyatts to Grande Hyatts. Grand means opulent, visible. Grande means big. And that’s all Grand Hyatts are—big hotels.

Another example of a Grand Hyatt that was big in size but not great is the Grand Hyatt Athens. a pool in front of a building

Getting There: Tired of being robbed by Ubers, take the bus from the airport(see Athens Airport Transport: Valiant Effort to Save Money).

Suite Upgrade 

As a Globalist, I was upgraded to a suite. How can I complain about a suite? Because the bedroom did not have a door. I felt like a lying duck in the bedroom waiting for housekeeping to pounce at any time. a room with a tv and a wood floor a room with a couch and a tv a couch and coffee table in a room a room with a couch and a televisiona room with a tv and a table a desk and chair in a room a tv in a room a bed in a rooma bed with white sheets and a blue headboard a room with a tv on the wall a room with a tv on the wall a room with a couch and a couch

a sign on a wall
Will this stop them?
a room with a bed and a television
Who’s there!

Welcome Amenity

I did appreciate the sweet treat and ouzo. a table with bottles and glasses on it a group of glasses and a plate of food

TPOL’s Trivia: Turkish delight is called loukoumi in Greece. Given the history between the countries, it would be awkward to order a Turkish delight at a pastry shop. Per the Internet, “It is often served alongside Greek coffee (as opposed to Turkish coffee), providing a sweet accompaniment to the strong beverage.”

a black coffee machine on a tray
Greek Nespresso

Bathroom

The water pressure was lacking and there was no soap! (see Hotel Complaints: Do You Know Who I Am By Now?) a bathroom with a large mirror and sink a shower with black bottles and a silver shower head

a black tray with a variety of objects on it
To be fair, there were back-ups.

Breakfast 

I woke up early, ready for some Greek breakfast (as opposed to Turkish). I found American. It was very disappointing, apart from the orange juice. a glass of orange juice a plate of food on a place mat a plate of pastries and a donut

Lounge

The lounge was basic and, like the breakfast, there was no trace of Greece.

a room with a couch and chairs a group of fruit in a wooden box a table with plates of food bottles of wine in a bowla group of bottles in a bucket of ice a plate of food on a table

a bottle of soda and a glass of ice
Alex in Greek

Location 

Like the Grand Hyatt Barcelona (see Good, Bad, & Annoying), the Grand Hyatt Athens is not located near the city center, forcing me to rely on Uber more than I would like.

TPOL’s Tip: If you’re looking for a Greek strip club, this is the hotel for you. There are many right across the street.

a view of a city from a window
Zoom for strippers.

Pool

The rooftop pool is very nice. My complaint is that the family pool is facing the Acropolis instead of the adult’s pool.

a pool with people in it
Adult pool
a pool with people in the background
Adult pool

a pool with a couple of people swimming in it

a group of people on a rooftop pool a city with a road and buildings

Tax

Be wary of the scam tax the hotel imposes (see What a Scam! Greek Climate Resilience Tax).

a close-up of a document

Overall

I have had great experiences at Grand Hyatts (see The Grand Hyatt Shanghai: PH’s Not So Little Brother & Grand Hyatt Jakarta: It’s Where to Stay), but I would much rather stay at a Park for the perks or a Place for the place.

Simply The Best: September 2025

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Simply The Best: September 2025

One more month of greatness. TPOL also added two new sources of media: 1. The Nomadic Athlete: Now on TikTok 2. TPOL on YouTube: It’s Cinema Quality. Here are the best posts from September:

    1. Najaf, Iraq: Serious Sightseeing

      a group of people in front of a building
      Another wonderful day exploring the great country of Iraq.
    2. World Cup Day 3: Brazil vs. South Korea

      a man standing on stairs in a stadium
      Bar was fun, the stadium was cool, but the excitement was not there.
    3. Banned Drone: Why Is America Behind a Tech Firewall?

      a screenshot of a website
      I want to say, ‘Let Russell cook.’ And let TPOL blog. To deny this inalienable right is un-American.
    4. What a Scam! Greek Climate Resilience Tax

      a close-up of a document
      Do I have to write more?
    5. Hotel Complaints: Do You Know Who I Am By Now?

      a group of black bottles on a white surface
      I figured hotels would know I was coming and do their very best to make sure that TPOL has no opportunity to say anything negative.
    6. Athens for Nightlife? Not My Pick

      a group of people standing in a crowd
      Athens for history? Yes. Athens for gyros? Yes. Athens for marathon? Yes. Athens for nightlife? Όχι.

      7. 7.

Tourist-Bait? The Oldest Original Traditional Tavern in Psyrri, Greece

a storefront with a couple of people in front of it
Documenting the restaurant for my blog, I could not help but wonder which attorney drafted the tagline for the restaurant.

Athens for Nightlife? Not My Pick

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Athens for Nightlife? Not My Pick

Last year, I met my Italian friend and real estate attorney (see “Did TPOL Buy a € 1 Italian Villa?“) in Barcelona for our annual reunion. While Barcelona is not God awful like Miami, it is one of the most overrated cities (see The Worst Cities in the World). This year, despite stating that I would go anywhere, my friend chose Athens, Greece. This is a legitimate destination for lovers of history or those who would like to run a marathon (see Athens Marathon Course Review), but it is not a place I would seek out for debauchery.

Landing at the airport, I looked with jealousy as other travelers were making their connection to the party islands. Maybe Mykonos is overrated, but what about Crete? We could have gone to either, and TPOL could have added another ‘country‘ to his list (see Where I’ve Been).

Here’s where we went and how it went:

Best Club: Banana

TPOL’s Tip: The address is Ελλάδα, Ardittou 3, Athina 116 36, Greece.

Best Day Day Drinking: Bolivar Beach Club

a beach with umbrellas and chairs

TPOL’s Tip: The address is Leof. Poseidonos, Alimos 174 55, Greece

Worst Idea: Underground Club

Worst Still: Bolivar Beach Bar at night.

a group of people standing in a crowd

Overall

Athens for history? Yes. Athens for gyros? Yes. Athens for marathon? Yes. Athens for nightlife? Όχι.

Approved! Amex Business Platinum: 200k MRs, $895 Annual Fee

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Approved! Amex Business Platinum: 200k MRs, $895 Annual Fee

Can you imagine paying 2k for an iPhone? It is a reality coming to an Apple Store near you. Can you imagine paying an annual fee of $895? It is a reality I had to accept as the trade-off for being approved for the American Express Business Card. Why am I willing to pay such an obscene amount for a credit card?

  1. Amex won’t approve me for any other cards. Each time I attempt to apply, it states that I am not eligible. This was the first time that the banner did not come up.
  2. My MR balance is weak. My balance has crashed down to 240k. A 200k bonus would put me back in comfortable territory.
  3. The benefits offset the annual fee.

What are the benefits that I will use?

1.  $120 wireless credit

2. $150 Dell credit

3. $600 hotel credit:

4. $200 airline fee credit.

5. $200 Hilton credit.

6. $209 Clear credit

I will not be using the Indeed credit nor the Adobe credit.

The card also comes with Hilton Gold status, which is excellent, given that I continue to be rejected for the Hilton Amex card.

$895 is a lot of money but it’s worth it, at least for year 1.

Banned Drone: Why Is America Behind a Tech Firewall?

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Banned Drone: Why Is America Behind a Tech Firewall?

Yesterday marked the release of the much-anticipated DJI Mini 5 drone. I, like many content creators (see Master of Won & TPOL on YouTube), received an email saying that the time to buy was now. 

a screenshot of a video Giddy with excitement, I clicked only to find this:

a screenshot of a website

Confused, I wondered if I couldn’t buy the drone because I live in Puerto Rico. I switched to the US website and still could not find the drone. I switched the Portugal website where I had purchased the Osmo 360 (see Thank You Trump: TPOL Only American Vlogger with DJI Osmo 360), to find that it was on sale in Europe. Even Canada has the Mini 5 on sale.

Angry, I put the phone down and went about my day. Hours later, I came across this article: DJI’s Mini 5 Pro Looks Amazing, But It’s Not Coming to the US. Here’s Why. As a constitutional law professor, I am not buying this explanation. It appears that the era of the free market is over. The US picks who gets in and who stays out. TikTok, once on death row, has found new life thanks to every Wolverine’s favorite benefactor. Unfortunately for DJI, there has been no public outcry for its products to be released, except for this blog post.

With my limited platform, I want to say, ‘Let Russell cook.’ And let TPOL blog. To deny this inalienable right is un-American.

Having said that, I can say that my previous DJI drone tried to decapitate me, so maybe this is a national TPOL security issue.

Najaf, Iraq: Serious Sightseeing

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Najaf, Iraq: Serious Sightseeing

It was halftime in my trip to Iraq. Now, the serious sightseeing would begin. The next stop on the trip was the city of Najaf, the holiest city for Shiite Muslims.

Lunch 

Before setting off on the long drive from Mosul, a full meal was required. a group of vehicles parked in front of a building

a plate of food on a table a plate of food with meat and vegetables a plate of food with meat and vegetables

a small plastic wrapper with red and white text
If you’re Iraqi, you either love or hate this gum. I hate it.

a view from a car window of a gas station

Hotel

We checked into the hotel, which, consistent with others, looked like a SE Asian guesthouse.a building with cars parked in front of it a bed with red pillows and a red and gold blanket

Wadi al-Salam Cemetery 

From there, we went to our second cemetery of the trip (see Telkaif, Iraq: No Need for 23andMe). This one was unlike anything I had seen before. It holds the Guinness World Records for the largest cemetery at 1,485 acres. There are 6 million people buried here. The place is so big that it has its own parking lot. a city with many buildings a city with many buildings a city with many buildings a city with many buildings a large city with many buildings

TPOL’s Tip: It’s strange to talk about great views and cemeteries in the same sentence, but the best view of the cemetery is from the top floor of the parking lot.

Imam Ali Shrine

Every year, millions of Shiite Muslims make the pilgrimage to the Imam Ali Shrine. I have mixed feelings about going. On the one hand, it is a beautiful architectural structure that is truly impressive to see in person. On the other hand, it is awkward to visit a solemn place as a tourist. a chandelier in a dome a group of people in a room with a gold structure a group of people in a room with a large chandelier a large chandelier with lights a large room with many people standing in front of a large chandelier

a group of people outside a buildingpeople inside a buildinga group of people in a large buildinga group of people in a courtyard

a group of people sitting on the ground in a courtyarda group of people outside a building a group of people sitting on the ground in front of a building

a building with a tall tower a large crowd of people outside a building a group of people in front of a building a group of people in front of a building

Food

Around the mosque, there are plenty of vendors selling treats. Our first stop was the falafel man. The falafel was ok, but the real treat was finally finding a Diet Coke. The vendor was so surprised I was buying it, he made a point to confirm that it was diet, not regular, “But this is diet”.

a bowl of soup with vegetables and spices a hand holding a sandwich a hand holding a bottle of soda a group of bottles with labels

TPOL’s Tip: Women visiting the mosque must wear the abaya. Ms. TPOL had hers from visiting in Iraq. It cost 5k.

Dessert

Najaf is famous for its desserts. While samples are free, it is considered impolite not to purchase a small amount afterward. Please do your best to give it away before finishing it all yourself.

a large display of fooda large round dish with a pile of pecan pie a plate of food on a table

a man in a head scarf eating food
The look of when are you going to buy something.
a group of men standing around a large tray of food
Pressured.

Spot Ms. TPOL

Where is she? a group of people walking in a market

Dinner

For dinner, we went to a restaurant that provided great food and entertainment called Al Agid. Without a guide, there’s no way we would have found this fun place that featured waiters fighting waiters.

The usual, phenomenal food was served: hummus, fattoush, mixed meats, followed by reggi (watermelon for dessert).

a building with palm trees and lights

a bowl of food with a leafy green sprig a bowl of food with a leafy green garnish a plate of food on a table a plate of food on a table a plate of food on a table a watermelon slices on a plate

TPOL’s Tip: The address is 2959+8VF، حي شارع جامع عطيه جبوري, Najaf, Najaf Governorate, Iraq

Overall

Another wonderful day exploring the great country of Iraq.

World Cup Day 3: Brazil vs. South Korea

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World Cup Day 3: Brazil vs. South Korea

Day 1 was disappointing, mainly because the US failed to put forward a good effort and because I was sick (see Qatar World Cup Day 1: USA vs. Netherlands). Day 2 held glimmers of hope due to the food, my infatuation with the pristine metro, and the energy of the Senegalese fans (see World Cup Day 2: England vs. Senegal). Day 3 featured Japan vs Croatia and Brazil vs Korea. I was determined, as the pre-kickoff song before each game dictates, get down to business. I was determined to bring the energy since, to this point, Doha had not.

Champions Bar

When I visited Doha the previous October, hoping to find a local partner for the Urban Turban, I frequented the Champions Bar at the Marriott Marquis every night. Having gone there on the first night and seeing actual football fans, I decided to pre-game before the Brazil game. Perhaps it was the $16 Stella that was being consumed in mass quantities or the Japan game that went to PKs, but this night was different. There was energy and excitement. There were also fans from around the globe who enjoyed showcasing the Urban Turban.

a group of men standing in a bar
Fellow Iraqis
two men posing for a picture
Fellow American

two men posing for a picture a group of people in a bar

974 Stadium 

One of the more innovative stadiums was 974 Stadium. Per Wiki, “Created by Spain’s Fenwick Iribarren Architects in collaboration with Schlaich Bergermann Partner and Hilson Moran, this stadium utilised repurposed shipping containers and recycled steel, resulting in cost-effective construction and reduced waste. Constructed on a 450,000 square-metre (111-acre) waterfront site, it has a modular design and incorporates 974 recycled shipping containers in homage to the site’s strategic location, industrial history and the international dialing code for Qatar (+974).” It was also supposed to be TPOL’s home during his stay at the World Cup (see Housing World Cup Qatar: Adventurous or Fyre Fest?). Fortunately, I found availability at the Hampton Inn Doha (see Hilton World Cup Booked! Your Results Will Vary). a building with a roof and a van a building with a sign on the side a large metal structure with many shipping containers a group of people standing outside of a building

a football stadium with people in the stands a man standing on stairs in a stadium The Game

Unfortunately, it was not much of a game. While I was cheering for Korea, Brazil had other plans. a group of people standing in a crowd

a large stadium filled with people a football game with a crowd watching a group of football players huddling on a field

Bud Light Zero

Bud Light is gross. Bud Light Zero is an abomination. I had to buy it for the souvenir cups.

a group of people wearing masks and gloves two cups of beer on a counter

Overall

Bar was fun, the stadium was cool, but the excitement was not there.

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