The CN Tower, originally named after Canadian National railway company after it was completed in 1976, is a unique structure that really stands out in the Toronto skyline. As the world's tallest free-standing structure until 2010, it stands head and shoulders above everything else in Toronto, including some pretty big and shiny banks and office buildings. We decided to make use of this tower while it was still open, to see what all the fuss was about. We were just in time for the last ascent of the day, so we forked out $30 to go up the lift, which I thought was a bit steep (pun very much intended).
Once we reached the viewing balcony (which is considerably lower than the actual top of the tower, given its unique shape), we soon found the glass floor section, which had sounded very adventurous indeed. It was a nice addition to the experience I must say, even if it was a small section at the side that was so heavily reinforced that not even a ton of bricks could have done much to compromise the smooth glass-like appearance. This may have dashed my adventurous hopes of feeling even a little at risk, but it made for some good photos of the city directly below us. The open-air balcony was also smothered in a mesh barrier which limited the view, but serves to save several lives a year I'm sure. The view itself was impressive, even at night, with the abundance of tall buildings in every direction fooling us into thinking that we weren't even that high up. Overall, I was glad I managed to get another attraction crossed off the list and see the great view from the top, so I would recommend it, even if it is a bit pricey at $30.
Looking down on the Rogers Centre
A night-time view of Toronto from the top
A bit of perspective as to how high it is!
The following day, we discovered the lovely and quaint Distillery district of Toronto, which seems to be a hotspot for wedding parties, judging by the dozen or so we came across! We then made our way to the harbour and boarded a ferry to Centre Island, one of a number of delightful additions to Toronto located in Lake Ontario. The view of the city from the ferry is nothing short of spectacular, as the bright sunshine on the water made for a lovely metallic haze of tall buildings in the distance. Centre Island itself is a very relaxed, family-oriented open space, ideal for picnics, barbecues and general chilling out. A beach was the last thing I expected to see in Toronto, but thanks to a vast lake bigger than many European countries and several crates of artificial sand, the illusion was created. We spent several hours soaking up the sun and paddling in what could easily have been the Irish Sea, just a much warmer version. Centre Island is a fantastic place to get away from it all, just minutes from bustling city life down-town, and I will definitely be back!
Toronto from Centre Island!
Centre Island beach!
A testament to just how nice Canadians are.
After a two hour delay at the bus station, we finally set off for Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. While in Europe, the seat of government tends to be located in the largest city, Canadians are very proud to house their
federal representatives in this quiet and picturesque little city on the
Ontario-Québec border. At roughly five and a half hours from Toronto, the
differences couldn't be more noticeable. This contrast really hit home as I was
taking a leisurely cycle along the canal, looking out at the lovely view of the
quaint city, the sun beating down on my already sunburnt neck. While Toronto
was full of tall and impressive buildings, the very tame nature of Ottawa's skyline
served to highlight one of the main attractions, the very impressive
parliament building. A country as large as Canada deserves an impressive seat
of government no matter where it is located, and Ottawa provides this in
abundance. The only competitor to this historic architectural masterpiece was
Ottawa cathedral, a beautiful and grandiose church building located just a
stone's throw away from the parliament entrance.
The parliament building in Ottawa
Ottawa cathedral!
Ottawa truly came alive on the 1st of
July, the day when Canadians everywhere celebrate their national holiday. I had
absolutely no preconceived notions of what Canada Day would have in store for
me, so I couldn't help being very pleasantly surprised. The authorities had
shut down all of the main roads in the city for the day, as thousands of
people, decked out in their finest red and white outfits, flocked to Parliament
Hill for some very Canadian festivities. There was everything,
from street performers to open air music and dance performances, that kept the
flood of people coming and going all day. The main event was the big concert at
8 p.m. where the finest Canadian artists took to the stage to showcase their
talents and all that was great about Canada. After what had been a very mixed
day weather-wise, with intermittent torrential rain pausing the festivities
earlier in the day, the concert was spared from downpours until the very end.
Mariana's Trench, one of Canada's finest pop-rock groups, were busy engaging
the young crowd when one of their songs climaxed in the most bizarre fashion.
The big chorus at the end was accompanied by buckets of perfectly timed rain
let loose from the heavens, completely drenching the onlookers, but adding a great deal to the party atmosphere. It was in this soaked but jubilant state that
we were treated to a fireworks display over Parliament Hill and a rousing rendition
of the national anthem, before the crowd dispersed to continue the party
elsewhere.
Canada Day!
The main stage on Parliament Hill
Mariana's Trench giving it loads
With some Mounties!
Canadian patriotism is a funny thing, as
they seem completely content and massively proud of their country, even while
recognising a foreign queen as their head of state. They simply don't seem
bothered about the lingering colonialism that dominates many aspects of their
lives, and have no desire to change the status quo. I found myself admiring
this kind of peaceful patriotism, which is something I had never experienced
before.
Ottawa's proximity to neighbouring Québec meant that a short ten minute walk across the Outtaouais river brought us into New France and the home of ridiculous French accents. At least
French is what they call it. I would strongly support any movements
for the recognition of Québécois as a completely different language. While my
level of French would be quite decent for an English speaker, and having
previously met some Québécois people elsewhere, I thought that I wouldn't have
many problems. While comprehension was definitely achieved for the most part,
the usual split-second delay I sometimes notice when interacting in France (in
normal French, one could say), was replaced by a three to four second pause in Québec, while my brain frantically tried to piece together what had
been said and rapidly concoct an adequate way to respond.
Québec
One particular
instance of this was when we were approached (or accosted, take your pick) by
a Québécoise charity mugger*. While I admire the work they do for various
charities and for raising awareness of issues, this particular experience was very intimidating. At home
I have at least developed tactics to avoid these overly friendly individuals, including my engrossed telephone conversation face, speed-walking/running for an imaginary
bus, or even very bluntly veering off dramatically to cross the
nearest street available. But this time, I hadn't prepared. Not only had I not
anticipated the sudden attention-grabbing techniques used, but when this was
done in very fast, incomprehensible and loud Québecois, I didn't stand a
chance. All I remember was a sudden onslaught of very loud, echoing noise, blood pounding in my ears and faces spinning before my eyes, as the voice screamed down a megaphone into my brain and I was trapped, unable to think, unable to breathe... ... until I managed to blurt out something that resembled (at least in my head) a feeble refusal based on nationality and tourist issues. A large Tim Horton's coffee,
which I could order at my own pace, was required afterwards to calm my racing
heart. But Québecois people are lovely, really.
Sticking to French in Québec, none of this STOP nonsense
Between two provinces!
Despite spending only a few short hours
discovering Montreal, I was very impressed by the character of the place. We
managed to see the old town, the harbour, the St. Catherine district, as well
as traipsing through the city looking for our very kind host for the night, (on
the Rue St. Dominique, I might add) so we got a good taste of this very
pleasant and friendly city. As one of the larger cities in Canada, as well as a
very popular one, I would definitely return to spend longer in Montreal at some
point in the future. Perhaps next time I'll have more time to explore Mont
Royal itself, as well as the other delights this wonderful place has to
offer.
St. Catherine
Le Vieux Port de Montréal
I did, however, get more than I bargained
for in Montreal, as Hurricane Arthur ensured that my flight, along with every
single flight heading to the US, was cancelled. After a lot of waiting around,
I was treated to a lovely hotel with a free meal and an incredibly comfortable
bed, before dragging myself to the airport for 6 a.m. the following morning. I was
finally Washington bound, and as you can imagine, my time in the US deserves an
entirely different post.
Canadian cuisine deserves a final mention. While several delicacies were similar to products back home, with slight taste and flavour variations, there were several treats that were very typically Canadian. Beaver Tails are one example. I was unfamiliar with the shape of a beaver's tail, however these deliciously thick pastries, smothered with a variety of wonderful things including lemon, sugar and Nutella, ensured that I never looked at a beaver the same way again.
One of many Beaver Tails outlets in Ottawa
Poutine, a French-Canadian speciality I had heard so much about, was never far away in both Ottawa and Montreal, but I was taken to a Poutinerie (yes, a restaurant dedicated to Poutine), for my first taste. The easiest way to describe this treat is to imagine a box of fries, smothered in gravy, accompanied by cheese curds gradually melting into the first two. Different toppings were available, including pulled pork, a kind of delicious stringy beef, which greatly added to the mixture. Poutine is hands down the single greatest food imaginable after a late night and a few too many beers. It is so tasty, but also very filling, so it serves as an adequate lunch too, if you forgive its enormous fat and grease content. I was pretty impressed by the food scene in Canada, and needless to say I ate quite well, thanks to some very generous portion sizes!
Unbelievable stuff.
Looking a bit sceptical the first time..
Canada, you were fantastic. Merci, thank
you and à la prochaine!! (Au Québec, pronounced "uh luuh prowchaiiiyyne!!", or
something, who even knows.)
*an individual who works for a charity and attempts to sign people up for donations on the street, using a number of tactics, including being far too cheerful and pouncing on you as you walk down the street.
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