Hello Again
Here is an update on the fabulous time we had in Canada with our friends Jess and Nathan (who we met in Africa two years ago).
We were very glad to arrive after our 12 hr bus ride from Chicago, and to stretch our legs with a nice walk around downtown Toronto and a cold Canadian beer at Wayne Gretzky's restaurant/museum.
We had the please of staying in Jess and Nathan's new home in Whitby, a suburb in the Greater Toronto area- they'd only been in it for a week and a half!
After a much needed sleep in we took a stroll along Lake Ontario at the cute area of Frenchman's Bay.
That night we got to experience our first live ice hockey game between two local teams, Oshawa Generals and Peterborough Pete's. It was AWESOME! We saw at least five fights! It is impressive how quickly they can move across the ice and the massive hits they can put it. Almost like rugby, but with sticks and on ice (so not really like rugby at all). But at least it was a fast moving game, which is far more my style (mainly because I get bored quickly with sport).
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| Fight! |
The next two days we caught the commuter train into Toronto to have a look around. We explored the seemingly miles of shops and pathways that run under the main part of the city, popping up to look around the entertainment district where the Toronto International Film Festival was happening (we didn't see any famous people, although a few were in town). We also took a look at the old Roundhouse.
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| Air Canada Centre, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs |
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| Roundhouse |
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| entertainment district |
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| Cool old building |
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| Roundhouse |
We took a walk past the Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, and lunched in the Distillery District, and also at the St Lawrence Market. This market was my favourite! So much amazing food - meats, cheese, seafood, baking, fruit and vegetables! This made me excited to move to London and eat my way through the different markets there!
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| Hockey Hall of Fame |
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| Funky building |
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| St Lawrence Market |
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| St Lawrence Market |
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| St Lawrence Market |
We also tried some French Canadian Cuisine - Poutine. Which consists of french fries, gravy and cheese grits. Delicious! But so bad for you!
After a relaxing day on friday, and our daily dose of Tim Hortons (a coffee chain that is truly a Canadian institution!), we set off for Niagara Falls. But not before eating the wings off an entire flock of chickens at Wild Wings. There were over 100 flavours to choose from. I haven't eaten wings since then, i'm trying to quit while i'm ahead!
Niagara Falls is spectacular (i've used this word a lot when describing natural wonders that we've seen, but i'm running out of variations!). We went down and watched fireworks over the falls (which themselves are illuminated in a rainbow of colours by giant spotlights). Very pretty.
Saturday was full on. We spent the morning looking at the falls, going to a rather strange (but fun) 4D movie experience (Niagara's Fury), and taking the Maid of the Mist boat ride to the base of Niagara Falls. We didn't get quite as drenched as I was expecting, which was good, but also meant that i don't think we went as close to the falls as you otherwise could in the summertime. Unfortunately the Coutts' forgetfulness rubbed off on Jess and Nathan, who left their passports behind, and Nathan had to drive back to get them, as they were going to drive us across the border to the airport on Sunday. So while Nathan very kindly spent the afternoon driving, the rest of us went wine tasting and looking around the quaint town of Niagara on the Lake!
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| Maid of the Mist |
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| Niagara on the Lake |
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| Niagara on the Lake |
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| Wine tasting! |
Once Nathan got back we went to explore the Journey Behind the Falls, where you walk along a Tunnel bored out behind the falls (I think it was back in the 1930's) where they have cut windows out to the falls!
We then went out for a nice dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, a little gimmicky, but very fun and well done. Complete with giant moving gorilla's and elephants! We then had our fill of entertainment on Clifton Hill (like a street that is basically an amusement park), scaring ourselves in the Frankenstein haunted house (and me accidentally bopping Jess on the nose while throwing my arms up in fright!). We also played mini golf at the most awesome place ever - dinosaur themed complete with real fireball coming out of a volcano!
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| Rainforest Cafe |
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| Me and a giant Moose |
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| We never ended up going to Hooters, sorry Shaun. |
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| Shaun in a really big dude's chair at Ripley's Believe it or Not. |
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| Me, after eating all of those chicken wings... |
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| Majorly awesome minigolf |
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| Tim Hortons |
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| Frankenstein! |
The next morning we took a walk along the rapids along the Niagara River - they were very impressive, and it was interesting reading the stories of people who attempted to make it through the rapids, either in boats, barrels or swimming!
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| Cute owl |
We then said goodbye to Canada and Jess and Nathan dropped us off at the Buffalo Airport for our flight to the Big Apple, where we have had four days jam packed with sightseeing... but that will come in another blog.
We're in London now trying to find out feet. I'll finish the New York blog in the next few days.
Until next time,
Catherine & Shaun.
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