Day 6: Toronto

8 October 2018

Today we have booked to go on the Toronto Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off bus to see the sights of Toronto. It is Thanksgiving today so we hope that the city won’t be too busy.

We walk up the end of Marcia’s street and catch the subway into the city to where the bus tours start. There is a bus just about to leave and we get a seat up top. Although it is 15C, there is a very cold wind so we are glad of our extra layers and hoods to pull over our heads.

Toronto has its own castle ‘CasaLoma‘ built in 1911 by one of the richest men in the city. It is now used as a function centre. We only get a quick peek of the turrets as we drive past so decide to Hop Off and walk up the hill to get a better look (but not go inside).

Hopping back on the bus we follow the route around to the Kensington Market stop. The market is closed today but we walk through Chinatown and stop for a coffee.

Then we travel right down to the waterfront for our next ‘Hop Off’. The city is still very foggy and we can’t see the top of the CN Tower. We are getting hungry so stop at the Amsterdam Brewery Cafe for lunch – and I have delicious fish tacos.

We manage to finish our meals and walk over the footbridge to where the boat tour departs just as boarding commenced. This is a 45 minute cruise included as part of the bus tour price and takes us out into the harbour and around some of the 14 islands that are just offshore. Even though it is foggy/cloudy we still enjoy the trip.

Marcia has told us about the historic Distillery district so that is our next hop off stop. The old distillery buildings cover quite a large area in the oldest part of Toronto. It doesn’t function as a distillery now but there are lots of artisan shops and cafes housed in the old buildings. After pottering around (and all buying something in an indigenous art shop) we stop for a hot chocolate in a fascinating coffee shop. We have a table upstairs overlooking the people below – wonderful for people watching.

By this stage we are starting to fade and reboard the bus to go back to the beginning and then catch the subway back to Marcia’s place. We are planning a quiet evening with turkey sandwiches and a movie but wonder how Eke and Brian are getting on with 19 people for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. They were defrosting an 11kg turkey when we were there.

Please join me over the next several posts as I take you on our Journey to the Arctic (and more).

The Joy of Business Class

Copenhagen Stopover Day 1
Copenhagen Stopover Day 2

Arctic Express: Northern Lights
Day 1: Copenhagen to Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik to Constable Point, Greenland
Day 3: Scoresby Sund: Frederiksdal & Flyvefjord
Day 4: Scoresby Sund: Nordvestfjord & Ingmikortilaq
Day 5: Scoresby Sund: Eskimobugt & Immikkeerikajik
Day 6: Scoresby Sund: Danmark Island & Vikingsbugt
Day 7: Scoresby Sund: Cap Hope & Ittoqqortoormiit
Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island & Constable Point
Day 9: Constable Point back to Reykjavik

Iceland Discovery
Day 1: Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon
Day 2: Golden Circle
Day 3: South Coast
Day 4: Jokulsarlon
Day 5: Eastern Fjords & Moorudalur Valley
Day 6: Moorudalur Valley & Lake Myvatn
Day 7: Akureyri & Trollaskagi Peninsular
Day 8: Grabrok Volcano & Snaefellsnes Peninsular
Day 9: Snaefellsness to Reykjavik

Toronto, Canada
Day 1: Reykjavik to Toronto
Day 2: Toronto to Port Perry
Day 3: Lake Muskoka
Day 4: Millbrook
Day 5: Back to Toronto
Day 6: Toronto
Day 7: Niagara Falls

 

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Europe with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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