We traveled to Toronto to visit Ash and Remi who just recently moved there. We tend to wake up earlier than the “kids” so we spent the mornings touring the city before joining up with Ash and Remi. Here we are at Nathan Phillips Square, a public gathering place for Toronto. Toronto has about 3.4 million in population compared to 2.4 million in Houston, but it is much easier to navigate. Toronto’s subway, light rail and bus system allowed us to tour the city without a rent car.

 

 

Here you can see the CN tower from the Post Office building.

 

 

We found these students of a kayaking class on the Inner Harbour connected to Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario is the lower lake below Niagara Falls and is the smallest of the great lakes at 7340 square miles (19,000 square kilometers). The name “Ontario” is derived from the Huron word “Ontarí’io,” which means “great lake” or “beautiful water.” The floating “box” on the left of the photo is an actual convenience store…

 

 

Here Karin and I are sampling some of the croissants and pastries in Toronto.

 

 

When we were heading to the CN Tower, I saw this combination of the tower and this interesting reflection. Camera lenses tend to warp views which can be corrected in post photo editing but I liked the composition so I did not alter the photo.

 

 

Here are Karin, Ash, and Remi at the “lower” observation viewing area at 553.3-metre-high (1,815.3 ft) communications and observation tower. The CN tower was completed in 1978. “CN” refers to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower. The CN Tower held the record for the world’s tallest free-standing structure for 32 years, from 1975 until 2007. It is currently the tenth-tallest free-standing structure in the world and remains the tallest free-standing structure on land in North America, the Western Hemisphere, and the entire Western world. In this photo we were on the main observation deck at 1,122 ft. We also went to the Space Deck that is 1,465 ft above the ground but did not have an interest in the EdgeWalk where you trust a harness to keep you from falling while leaning out from the roof of the main observation pod.

 

 

A view looking up at the CN tower.

 

 

Ash and Remi found this great Thia restaurant, Pai, not too far from the CN tower. Very popular requiring a short wait even with reservations.

 

 

Remi, Ash, me and Karin at Pai.

 

We visited the Art Gallery of Ontario, and there was an exhibit of impressionist paintings from the Dallas Museum of Art – we traveled a lot of miles to see art that is normally in Texas… This photo is of the painting Water Lily Pond (Clouds) – Claude Monet.

 

 

We visited a series of alleys that are filled with art called Graffiti Alley.

 

 

Toronto has some interesting building architecture – this photo is of the Toronto Metropolitan University Student Learning Centre.

 

 

Another photo of a commons area of the Toronto Metropolitan University, where Remi begins studies.

 

 

Remi and I visited Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto. These jellyfish are almost transparent so colored light is used to make them more visible.

 

 

Remi managed to touch a ray at the Aquarium.

 

 

Ash and Karin checked out a local coffee and juice bar.