Canada Pt 2

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Hi,
I am safe, healthy and enjoying myself here in Toronto. I hope you are well and looking after yourself. If thats all you want to know then feel free to stop reading.

I went to Niagara Falls on Monday. Kim's parents drove us to Niagara, via a little town call Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is a quaint little town, similar to
Beechworth, in North-East Victoria, for those of you who have been there. It's a tiny town, that is filled with tourists. It was funny seeing all of the
different number plates, that came from Philadelphia, New York, Quebec, New Jersey, Alabama and so many other places. We had lunch in a very
North American "family restaurant" where for around $15 per head, you can get a burger (which they call a sandwich), fries and a drink, (Rootbeer
for me, its so nice) The town also had a cute little Christmas shop, with lots of gorgeous yet way overpriced ornaments, so don't get your hopes up.

Then Kim's parents then drove us to the Falls and let us spend the day to ourselves. It was amazing. We (Kat, Australian friend and I) went to the
Maid of the Mist, where they give you a blue poncho and tell you to be prepared to get wet. Then they take you out to the river, and past the
American falls, which are lovely in their own right, however due to some explosions that took place in the 1980's or 1990's they are a bit untidy.
Then you go around to the Canadian side which are also called the Horseshoe Falls, due to the shape. The mist that comes up from the falls, feels
like rain, and tends to come in gushes. It is really windy and the boat get pushed around a fair bit. The boat floats around the Horseshoe Falls for a
short while, before heading back to the jetty, all up you are on the water for 15-20 minutes.

Then we went to a developed area, where there are shops and decking to view the Falls. There are shops and cafes everywhere, but mostly different
tours that are available. There was a street entertainer who was very funny. He was mainly doing slapstick comedy, but mainly with the audience
members, not himself. It was quite funny.

Afterwards we went to the Journey Behind The Falls. It is a walk through tunnels behind and under the falls. There are two positions where the tunnels
end is at the Falls, so you look out and it is completely white, and it almost looks like somebody is wavy a sheet. The amount of water is amazing. I
swear in the time we were there, more water fell over the falls than Australia would have fall in a year. The water at the end of the tunnel goes up and
down and side to side, illustrating the force with which the water is hitting the river below. There is a viewing deck where you can go upstairs and take
some lovely pictures, or downstairs where 'daredevils' like Kat and I can stand there getting soaked from the falls, and just absorb the power that the falls
offer. We stood there for around an hour and just admired the falls, getting water in every spot you can imagine. We took as many photos as possible,
however due to the amount of water in the air and what felt like heavy rain half of the time, photos were limited.

After Kat and I were all nice and soaked, we headed back up to the developed area, to meet Kim's parents, who had driven us down there for the day. As
we were already pretty wet, we jumped in puddles and had a lot of fun, stopping to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. We met up with Kim's parents
and had dinner at a burger place called Arby's. They are so good. They have these curly fries that are like wedges, but aren't ruined by too much potato.
So nice, if I could I would send you some. As it is summer, the sun doesn't set until about 9pm, so after dinner we went back down to the Falls, to see
them lit up at nightfall. The lights reflect off the water and makes it look so magical. The lights also change and sort of appear to be floating on the water,
giving the water beautiful illumination against the darkness of the river and cliff faces. Eventually we headed home, but first losing Kat briefly, then
recovering her. 😊

On Tuesday, Kat and I caught the subway to Downtown Toronto. We went to the Royal Ontario Museum, but as more than half of it was closed we
decided to go elsewhere. We went to the World's Biggest Bookstore, before heading over to Fort York, briefly. We ended our day by catching the street
car (trams) back to the subway, and went to the CN Tower to watch the sunset with Kim's sister Laura. We went right to the top, in the Skypod. The views
were amazing, on clear days they say you can see Niagara, it wasn't clear enough for that, however we could see right into the Roger's Centre, where the
Minnesota Twins were playing the Toronto Blue Jays in Baseball. I am definitely going to a game before I leave. The atmosphere and the cheering was
phenomenal. In the CN Tower there is a glass floor, where you can see right down to the ground. I didn't like that a lot, it seems very strange to not be
standing on something. Then Kat got me to lie down on it and take a picture, and that was also very creepy. The sunset looked awesome from up there
and it gave you a different perspective of the city of Toronto and the surrounding suburbs. The suburbs spread out so wide, but they are separated by these
blocks of woodland, where there are heaps of animals living.

On Wednesday, Kat actually woke up about 6.30 (which is amazing for her to do that), and Kim's parents, Kat and I headed north, for a three hour trip to
Algonquin Provincial Park for the day. The drive took us from the suburbs, through the country finishing at the forest. Algonquin Prak is huge. It's breathtaking
how the trees are som thick and full of so much foliage, nothing like the bush, filled with gum trees. The park had pine trees and maple trees everywhere.
I think I saw a moose, but it was just inside the forest, as we were driving past, so I didn't get a good look. I saw a deer and heaps of squirrels. There were
frogs and birds everywhere. Kat went kayaking while Sue, Stephen and I went and looked around the park a bit more. We went to the Logging Museum
that went through the history of logging in and around Algonquin Park, which is not as boring as it sounds. They had displays of different tools throughout
the decades, while walking through the park, and around the lakes and creeks. It was a beautiful tour and showed you a quieter side of the park.

Then we went over to the Vistor's Centre, where there were different displays, showing what life was like in the early days of Algonquin. There were also
displays of the Summer Camps in the area and the history of those too. We saw a short movie of the park which showed the different seasons and
different ecological areas within the park. There were also displays of the different animals and native people as well as how people utilised the park in
later years, as it became a tourist attraction. We returned to get Kat, after her kayaking expedition and started the three hour journey home. We drove
through cottage country, where many people holiday throughout the summer, and sometimes in the winter. Cottages are quite small, but very well
appointed, often with spas and saunas, and enough beds to sleep about 8 or so people.

Thursday morning Kat had to be taken to the airport at the ridiculous hour of 7, which meant we had to leave at 4.30. But because she is such a nice
friend I got up and went. When we returned home, I went home and slept. It was bliss. I slept til 12 and then laid in bed and read Harry Potter!

I have started booking a trip to Niagara Falls, where I will stay down there for a few days, looking around Niagara Falls Ontario and the twin city of Niagara
Falls New York. They have such original names. In a couple of weeks I will be heading up to Montreal for a few days.

Well, I will chat to you later,
Lots of love
Cassi

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