Reminiscing our Canadian honeymoon, and celebrating 16 years married, Adam and I hopped a jet north once again, this time to exciting Toronto! Arriving late, we shared beer and butter chicken poutine (classic Canadian dish of cheese and gravy-topped French fries) at nearby Elephant & Castle--yummy!!
Our first day began with a trip to the top of the iconic CN Tower, affording great views of Lake Ontario and the huge metropolis below. Then we visited an aquarium; highlights were the walk-thru shark tunnel and the amazing displays of jellyfish from around the world. To top off the morning, we "prost"ed pints of pilsner at Steam Whistle Brewery, where they "do one thing really, really well"!
We explored the extensive collections at the Royal Ontario Museum in the afternoon. I especially enjoyed the exhibit by world-famous glassblower Dave Chulily. Among his amazing and colorful creations were
Boat, Laguna Torcello ("garden of glass"), and
Red Reeds on Logs.
That evening, we donned our best clothes for an anniversary dinner at the upscale Sassafraz in Yorkville. Supposedly a hot spot for celebrity sightings during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), we didn't spot any A-listers but thoroughly enjoyed our lovely meal and bottle of wine!
The next day, we visited Casa Loma, the beautiful castle and gardens of Sir Henry Pellatt, Canadian financier and soldier who played a major role in bringing electricity to Toronto's streets and helping build the first hydro-electric dam in Ontario (at Niagara). The Pellatts were also notable supporters of scouting, and his first wife Mary was the first Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides of Canada.
We enjoyed a leisurely lunch at ND Sushi in Chinatown, then searched for bargains and treasures at Kensington Market. After, we caught a streetcar to the pier and bought ferry tickets for the Toronto Islands, strolling through the beautiful parks until sunset. Back on the city side, we grabbed a quick bite before catching a late show at Second City comedy club.
On our third full day, we rented bikes from Wheel Excitement and rode along the Martin Goodman trail, a designated biking trail extending for miles along the shore front around the bay. An offshoot took us to High Park, where we enjoyed lunch at an outdoor cafe before heading back.
Our afternoon was spent exploring the shops and art galleries in the historic Distillery District. I bought a cookbook, and we shared taster sets of beer at Mill Street Brewery. The day ended with delightful Italian fare at Carens Wine and Cheese Bar.
On our last day, we took a day tour to Niagara Falls with Chariots of Fire group. Our guide was very friendly and shared the history of the falls as we drove 2 hours there from Toronto. We stopped at various picture spots and also at the Skylon Tower to view the falls from above.
Our favorite part was taking the Hornblower cruise; it brought us up close to the American Falls, then led straight into the mist of the larger Horseshoe Falls. Wearing rain ponchos, we felt the force of the water cascading over the falls and stood in awe of its beauty!
Our tour continued on to the lovely town of Niagara on the Lake for some lunch and shopping, then stopped once more for a tasting at a local vineyard. This region is famous for producing many popular wine varietals, most especially for producing 80% of the world's ice wines. Harvested in the middle of the night on the coldest days of winter, these grapes are squeezed at the peak of sweetness, having been left on the vines long past the normal harvest season. The verdict, you ask? Truly, it is dessert in a glass!
On our last morning, we wandered through the Allan Gardens conservatory, marveling at the variety of tropical plants and flowers in this well-maintained greenhouse and research lab. It was so nice to have this special time together, enjoying dates and leisurely meals, getting to talk without distractions. Alas though, we did miss our kids, so it was time to go home. Until next time!
