NIAGARA FALLS

All went well today on our most significant tour of the entire trip:  Toronto to Niagara Falls and back, a nearly 10-hour extravaganza.  First, breakfast at the Fairmont Royal York's Gold Lounge.

Then off we went, with twenty-something others. While line of sight is less than 43 miles, the actual ride is around 80 miles because we needed to go aroung Lake Ontario.  The falls themselves spill water from Lake Erie towards Lake Ontario. The guide pointed out various agricultural highlights, including wineries.  There are over 100 of them within the Niagara region of Ontario.  Bought a bottle of Meritage.

You would think these greenhouses protect vines or other ag products, but these fancy looking ones actually cover marijuana. Recreational cannabis became legal in Canada in 2018, and adults older than 18 can possess up to 30 grams of legal dried marijuana and grow up to four plants/household.  In the U.S., while 24 states have legalized recreational uses and 40 have legal medical marijuana, it remains a federal crime.

Tour continues.

We donned rainware to walk behind the falls.

We then went for lunch at the Sheraton.

Our table overlooked the Niagara Falls.

Desserts.

Passed by the Floral Clock.

Went for maple syrup tasting.

Finally, the Whirlpool section of Niagara Falls.

I end with some flowers.

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TORONTO CN TOWER

When the CN Tower was built in 1975 at a cost of $333 million 2025 dollars, to a height of 1815 feet, it was the tallest free-standing structure for 32 years. when in  2007, the Dubai Burj Khalifa was completed.  CN T remained as the world's tallest tower until 2009 until it was surpassed by the Canton Tower, and is now #10.  To the right. the Burj Khalifa, CN Tower and Willis Tower (Chicago).  CN T is the signature icon of Toronto's skyline, and draws 2 million international visitors/year.

• The CN stands for Canadian National, the railway that built the structure;
• When opened in 1976, there were three observation points:  The Top at 1,467 feet, the Main Observation Level at 1,135 feet, and the Terrace, the one with the glass floor, at 1,122 feet.
• One floor above the Observation Level is 360 The Restaurant at the CNTower, which completes a complete rotation every 72 minutes.
• In 1995 was named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World.
• Was closed during much of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Some interesting facts about the CN Tower.

• We go on a Niagara Falls tour today, and will provide a review tomorrow.
• View of CN Tower from the falls above.
• On a clear day, you can see the plume from Niagara Falls from the CN Tower's SkyPod.  A distance of almost 43 miles.
• Want to walk up the tower?  Takes 1776 steps.
• Want to lean over the edge?  The EdgeWalk allow this.

So on to our CN Tower walk.  Usually around 15 minutes, but took us longer because we were trying to find a bank to exchange American to Canadian money.  Saw some nice flower arrangements.

Blue-bar Pigeon and friend greet us outside our hotel.

Finally got close.

We were greeted by a black squirrel.

Elevator up.

Transparent glass floor.

I had no problems walking across.  Many did.

I wouldn't want to do the EdgeWalk for two reasons:  too fearful and $199.

Caught the elevator down.

Never did find a way to exchange money,  Banks don't do it unless you're a member, and we couldn't find the money exchange stand.  Our hotel came through.  Interestingly enough, there was no extra charge for this service.  The money exchanger would have deducted something.

Got back to the Fairmont Royal York, and listened to some soothing piano music.

Dinner snacks at the Gold Lounge, with a Macallan single malt on rocks.  Lamb was featured.

To get you in the mood for Niagara Falls, here is that 1941 film.  The whole film.  But the one you're familiar with is the 1953 version, Niagara, starring Marilyn Monroe. Rotten Tomatoes rating only of 78/69.

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TORONTO, CANADA

I was looking at my blog site and noticed that I completed a blog on April 26 and never posted it.  So this will confuse many, but transpose what you saw earlier today and insert this one for that day.  I hate to say this, but our Canadian National Railway 12-day trip could have some serious internet problems, but keep returning to see what pops up.  Then again, I've had larger problems in my global journeys, so all might well be fine.

Here is what I said nine years ago about Toronto.

TRANS CANADA: Day 9--Toronto

Toronto:

• Home to indigenous peoples for 10,000 years.
• Population of 6 million (#5 in North America), where 47.5% were foreign-born (in 2006, 49.9% came from other countries)

• 
  
  
  More people speak a Chinese dialect than French
• Is pronounced with the second T silent.
• Attracts 25 million tourists/year (Hawaii: 9 million).
• Major professional sports teams
• Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey)--won 13 Stanley Cups
• Toronto Blue Jays (baseball)--two World Series
• Toronto Raptors (basketball)--zero championships
• Toronto Argonauts (football)--won 16 Grey Cups
• Toronto FC (soccer)
• Toronto Rock (lacrosse, which is the national sport, not hockey)

• University of Toronto has just about 89,000 students on three campuses, making it the largest university in North America.
• Has 8,000 restaurants
• Temperature range from minus 24.3F to 105F.

• PATH (which is connected to the Sheraton), is the largest underground pedestrian system in North America, connecting 1200 stores over 17 miles.
• Third largest movie production city in North America, with 25,000 jobs and 70 movie festivals/year.
• 1600 named parks.
• 35,000 hotel rooms
• Pearson Airport is the fourth busiest in North America.

I did not realize how stressful the train ride was.  I woke up to learn that my free breakfast period had expired.  Looking from my room, no one was walking around in town.  However, I took PATH underground, walked past Union Station and made it to CN Tower in around 20 minutes.  Tens of thousands of people walking around in the comfort of protection.  Thus, my eating day started with an 11AM lunch at 360 The Restaurant, which revolves at the midpoint or so point of this tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere.  Prime rib and romaine/kale salad with a sparkling rose and cabernet.

I was worried about getting a good window table.  I was one of the very few diners:

Took one hour to make a complete rotation.  The restaurant has won some awards.

I jumped on the Hop On Here sightseeing bus for free (paid for by VIA--normally $30-$40/day) and took a few photos.  I could never find the sign showing that was the bus stop, and later learned that was because someone had stolen it.   Christmas trees in Toronto:

Some street scenes:

To the right is Union Station, where I arrived yesterday from Vancouver.  

Walking through PATH, I decided to try Australian, a cousin of Canada:

Well that was in December after I had trained from Vancouver in their 4-day commute.  This time, I'll again be on VIA Canada Railway, but have added the Rocky Mountaineer to put together a 12-day trip from Toronto to Vancouver with stops in Banff and Lake Louise.  So this city in Ontario should this time be warmer.

What do I say today?  Here are ten things you didn't know about Toronto.

• But let me start with something not on this list that surprised me.
• Few people here pronounce Toronto as Toronto, Tor-ON-toe.  This is how I've been referring to this city all my life.  And I was first here a third of a century ago, and two more times until this fourth visit.
• Most common is Tuh-RON-o.  Note:  no second T.
• Locals frequently use a rapid, truncated pronunciation that sounds like Tronno or Chur-on-no.

• 
  Not only is this the largest city in Canada, it is also #4 in North America.  Metro population of over 7 million.
• The CN Tower shown above is the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere.  1,815 feet.  Was the tallest until the Burj Khalifa was built.
• Toronto-Pearson International is the busiest in Canada.

• 
  Toronto Zoo is the largest in Canada.
• The Toronto Islands weren't always islands.
• There are over 250 ethnicities and 170 languages represented here.

• 
  Has a sports team in nearly every major league in North America.
• NHLs Maple Leafs.
• Raptors in NBA.
• Blue Jays in MLB.
• Tronto FC (MLS)
• Tronto Argonauts (CFL).
• Toronto Marlins (AHL)
• Toronto Sceptres (PWHL).

• 
  And more.
• About a quarter of Hollywood films are produced in Toronto.
• There are 52 outdoor skating rinks.
• Has the world's longest underground shopping complex, called The PATH.  Spans 20.5 miles.

Our last lunch and supper on the Viking Octantis was at the World Cafe, a buffet bonanza.  A little bit from everywhere.

We took an Introductory Bus Tour of Toronto.  Met by my Blue-bar Pigeon and Seagull.

Rained all day until the very end of the tour.

They use paper bags for yard wastes.  Normal household trash come out in bins.

Called Casa Loma, was constructed around 1913 for financier Sir Henry Pellatt, but this 98-room Gothic Revival castle-style mansion is now owned by the City of Toronto for numerous purposes, ranging from museum to movie production, weddings, a steakhouse called BluBlood, special events, museum and more.

We stopped in Chinatown for an hour.

See that cat on the chair?  My pigeon is across the street.

Then again, there was also my new friend, to greet us a seagull.

Passed the Fairmont Royal York, where we will be staying tomorrow.  Across the street from the train station.

Final supper in at World Cafe.

Sunset.

Added a noodle bowl.

Then saw the sunset.

We then danced the night away.

Woke up to catch a quick breakfast, then left the Viking Octantis on a taxi for the Fairmont Port Royal, which is adjacent to the train station where we'll be checking in on Wednesday for our 12-day train cruise to Vancouver, via stays in Banff and Lake Louise.  Just now reading the itinerary, and tours generally start as early as 6:30AM.  I'm not an early morning person.

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