Playing Tourist in our own City

In July we were fortunate to be able to spend 5 days with some old friends from our time living in Barbados.  Pete and Heather are Australian.  We both had young families back then and developed a lovely friendship.  We had a lot in common, from our young boys to similar cultures and our shared affiliation with the Salvation Army, where they were pastors at the time. We cherished the time we spent with them during those years and we were thrilled when they decided to take a big trip across Canada, including Toronto (and us) in their itinerary.

We began our visit with a BBQ at home.  They were eager reconnect with our sons, who have changed quite a bit in the last 25 years.  They also wanted to see my mom (my dad passed away a couple of years ago) since they got to know my parents well during the winters when my folks came to visit us in Barbados. It felt like no time had passed at all.  We slipped right back into the relaxed, easy friendship we had in those days.  Under the warm Canadian summer sky, it was as if we were sitting on our patio in Barbados 25 years ago.

The next morning we were up early.  After a quick breakfast, we jumped into the car and headed down the highway.  This day's itinerary - Niagara Falls, of course.

On our way we stopped to see the Welland Canal. The Welland Canal is part of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River shipping route.  The only natural waterway between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario is the Niagara River, but due to Niagara Falls, it was impossible for ships to pass through.  There have been 4 different routes since the canal opened in 1829.  Today's canal, which allows ships to ascend and descend the Niagara Escarpment,  contains 8 locks, 4 swing lift bridges, 3 vertical lift bridges, and 3 tunnels crossing the canal.

The afternoon was spent at Niagara Falls. We parked the car and enjoyed walking along the parkway, taking in the incredible view.  There are many observation points along the way where we stopped to take photos and marvel at the shear power of the falls. Pete and Heather were happy to relish the view without feeling the need to visit the attractions.  I love that people are able to enjoy this breathtaking natural wonder without cost.

Leaving Niagara Falls, we drove along the Niagara Parkway, following the Niagara gorge towards Niagara-On-The-Lake.  The drive is spectacular in it's own right, and the quaint charm of Niagara-On-The-Lake deserves a blog post all it's own.

The following day was spent in downtown Toronto.  We started with a quick stop at Humber Bay Park to capture beautiful photos of the Toronto skyline.  Once we arrived downtown, the first thing we did was visit the CN Tower. Built in 1976, the CN Tower held the designation of the world's tallest free-standing structure until 2007, when the Burj Khalifa surpassed it. We took the elevator to the observation decks where we enjoyed the 360 degree view of the city.  

We spent the remainder of the day enjoying a leisurely meal, walking the waterfront and exploring the St. Lawrence Market.  

We capped off our day in Toronto by catching a baseball game at the Roger's Centre.  It was a beautiful night to watch the Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers.  The roof was open on the dome giving us a perfect view of the CN Tower all lit up.

Our last two days with Pete and Heather were spent up in "cottage country" at my sister's home in the Kawarthas.  We were able to enjoy a relaxing couple of days away from all the noise and busyness of the city. Pete and Heather, in particular, were grateful for a day to catch their breath in a beautiful wooded setting. It was a great way to end our visit together.