Two Days in TO

Tuesday morning we struggled out of bed, tired and with backs aching from the "incompatible" bed. To make it worse, we were to be sight seeing around Toronto City with a friend, and it was raining. Toronto is referred to in short as TO. (Toronto Ontario?)
We walked a few hundred meters to catch a bus to Dufferin Subway Station. We changed trains at "St. George" for Union Station downtown. Boarding the bus, it is a flat $2.75 single fare and you ask for a Transfer. That means you can use the same ticket to change trains, buses or trams to go where ever you intend to go within the Metro system. You must do a similar thing for the return journey.
When we arrived at Union Station we were right on time for our 10 am meeting time with Karen. Megan met Karen on her very first flight to Australia and they have been good friends ever since.
We made good use of the underground shopping area to be able to get a few blocks closer to our first destination without suffering the weather. I couldn't believe that we were walking block after block in the rain just to visit a "wool" shop that Megan wanted to see for her knitting supplies.



Here I can be seen pointing out the top of the CN Tower visible above the local skyline.







We had a nice lunch in a Pub and continued on our way. I was able to take a few photos but the rain made some impossible.

Visiting the St. Lawrence Markets was very interesting. 11 years ago, Karen had taken us to the Kensington Markets. There is no way I'd part with $25 to go up the CN Tower like I did back then. It was raining and visibility would have been low. Anyway, I remember the last visit like it was yesterday!
Toronto does have some very attractive "heritage buildings" that will stand for eons I'd imagine. I didn't get to photograph any except for the old Telegraph building that although is dwarfed by larger modern structures, remains a focal point to the visitor on Front Street.


We found ourselves getting closer to Union Station again, and when Karen suggested other places we could visit, I had to say, I'd had enough. We were tired and wet and the hustle and bustle of the city just drains my enthusiasm. I'd be more happy seeing the city between 5 and 9am on a Sunday morning I think.

Karen & Megan inside the Eaton Centre

Getting back to the apartment was a very small mercy.
That night, we got a better sleep than the night before. Only because we were able to have the windows closed.
The weather was brighter the next morning and Megan suggested returning to the city. I could feel the hair stand up on the back of my neck at the suggestion. We decided to visit Yorkdale Mall and have a look at the Apple Computer store there. It is a pretty big mall but it seemed to be over populated with women's fashion stores! The Store Directory Board confirmed just that.
From there we went to visit Megan's aunt Shirley and uncle Ken at their new Condominium in Toronto. It was fantastic to see them again. We had seen them twice in Australia and they had visited our farm at Crookwell.
It is a new complex and very plush in its appointments as you might notice from the photo of Megan sitting in the lobby. They have always lived in this area and the move was only a block or so away from there old home and its where they both grew up as well.
After a beautiful dinner, a couple of drinks and an exchange of updating conversations we made our way back to Meaford. Our trip to Toronto was reduced to two days and nights and we were so pleased to be back to a comfy bed and we slept like babes.