We started the morning off with a bit of repacking before heading down for breakfast. Hannah and I made it down considerably earlier than the other 2 so we weren't all eating at the same time. It was a BIG breakfast though. I still haven't quite got used to the size of the portions. Our day was fully planned this time, so having checked out and deposited our backpacks into a locker, we set off with map in hand. Once again I was the navigator which led to me being named mommaduck. I think this came from a Hannah quote about wandering round in circles without me. The other 3 are my ducklings :)
Our first stop was Fort York, formerly used by British soldiers. Apparently, Toronto used to be called York, no doubt after the English original. Those Yorkers sure got around a bit, I mean it was my second city in a matter of days to be named after the place. Anywho, I'm getting off track. The Fort wasn't the greatest attraction but it only cost us $3.25 so who can complain. We got to see cannons and wander round old buildings with random things on show. We only have one audio guide between us and it was pretty quiet so either we crowded round it and didn't move or we just gave up and wandered around regardless. We probably like the armoury best. There was a bit which played songs that soldiers would have sung/played to chill out and you could sing along. So "tow row row row row row row row row row of the British grehehehenerrrrrrdieeerrrrrs!". There's a video and I must admit I look like I'm having far too much fun in it. I'm cool really!!!
I feel like we may have gone for lunch after this, or at least that we should have but I can't recall doing so.
Second stop was my choice of activity : Toronto's Music Garden. It was designed to represent Bach's suite no.2 for unaccompanied cello. It probably looks better in summer where things are flowering but I enjoyed finding all the different movements and things. I have no idea how it represented a piece of music but I'm sure some genius thought it out. Actually, these little signs may have explained it. I should have read them more closely.... Och weel.
From there we moved on to Hannah's choice. By this time we had decided that her messed up accent was kinda South African so we set her the challenge to sound American for the day. To level the playing field we all had to put on accents. Nicole was trying to be English, Victoria was putting on a convincing Russian that reminded me far too much of Liudmila (a professor from Sheffield's Russian department) and I was trying to be Irish. The slight problem with that is that I sort of drift between Irish and Scottish and a dreadful mixture in between. It was ever so amusing to us. We were supposed to be carrying on at the Brewery (our destination) but everyone else gave up. The barman was trying to guess where we were from which we told him would be difficult (the concept of 4 traveller's from different places seems unheard of). His response, and I quote "what did you spin a wheel and decide, hey, I'm going to be South African today." Ah, it was of great amusement to us. The brewery tour was pretty good. We got 2 glasses of beer and a free glass in the price. The beer wasn't my favourite but it was free so naturally I was going to drink it!
Having accomplished all of our aims relatively early we set off on a souvenir hunt. On the way we found a Mexican restaurant. Nicole had been craving it for days so it seemed a perfect stop for lunch. Wow we had a late lunch.... It was really good food actually. I spent a fair amount of time trying to complete another crossword because somewhere along the way I had found another metro crossword.
So after some scrumptious food, we headed for the market. As lovely as the market was, it wasn't so useful in finding souvenirs or postcards.
On our way back to the hostel we stopped to explore the church across the road. It was getting late and they wanted to shut the doors so I had enough time to light a customary candle and mutter a quick prayer. The Queen visited this church earlier in the year. It was on their notice board. I also had time to look at that clearly!
So we collected our bags and things from the hostel, bought some postcards there and made a very non-beeline for the bus station. We did have plenty of time so it wasn't a problem. We eventually found some souvenirs in a shopping centre in a Hallmark shop - yes a card shop. Toronto is not the most touristy of cities, but I quite liked it that way. Not as much as I liked New York.
It's very easy to navigate even if it was freezing. I was volontarily wearing 6 layers, never mind Nicole. She didn't get a choice. I wasn't having her getting any more ill, so she had to stay wrapped up at all times. She also got cold and flu relief shoved down her throat. I'm a good mommaduck!
Aside from some people watching at the bus station that is it for Toronto!
I feel like we may have gone for lunch after this, or at least that we should have but I can't recall doing so.
Second stop was my choice of activity : Toronto's Music Garden. It was designed to represent Bach's suite no.2 for unaccompanied cello. It probably looks better in summer where things are flowering but I enjoyed finding all the different movements and things. I have no idea how it represented a piece of music but I'm sure some genius thought it out. Actually, these little signs may have explained it. I should have read them more closely.... Och weel.From there we moved on to Hannah's choice. By this time we had decided that her messed up accent was kinda South African so we set her the challenge to sound American for the day. To level the playing field we all had to put on accents. Nicole was trying to be English, Victoria was putting on a convincing Russian that reminded me far too much of Liudmila (a professor from Sheffield's Russian department) and I was trying to be Irish. The slight problem with that is that I sort of drift between Irish and Scottish and a dreadful mixture in between. It was ever so amusing to us. We were supposed to be carrying on at the Brewery (our destination) but everyone else gave up. The barman was trying to guess where we were from which we told him would be difficult (the concept of 4 traveller's from different places seems unheard of). His response, and I quote "what did you spin a wheel and decide, hey, I'm going to be South African today." Ah, it was of great amusement to us. The brewery tour was pretty good. We got 2 glasses of beer and a free glass in the price. The beer wasn't my favourite but it was free so naturally I was going to drink it!
Having accomplished all of our aims relatively early we set off on a souvenir hunt. On the way we found a Mexican restaurant. Nicole had been craving it for days so it seemed a perfect stop for lunch. Wow we had a late lunch.... It was really good food actually. I spent a fair amount of time trying to complete another crossword because somewhere along the way I had found another metro crossword.
So after some scrumptious food, we headed for the market. As lovely as the market was, it wasn't so useful in finding souvenirs or postcards.
So we collected our bags and things from the hostel, bought some postcards there and made a very non-beeline for the bus station. We did have plenty of time so it wasn't a problem. We eventually found some souvenirs in a shopping centre in a Hallmark shop - yes a card shop. Toronto is not the most touristy of cities, but I quite liked it that way. Not as much as I liked New York.
It's very easy to navigate even if it was freezing. I was volontarily wearing 6 layers, never mind Nicole. She didn't get a choice. I wasn't having her getting any more ill, so she had to stay wrapped up at all times. She also got cold and flu relief shoved down her throat. I'm a good mommaduck!
Aside from some people watching at the bus station that is it for Toronto!
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