Blogs from Canada, North America - page 1537

New Condos springing up along here. To the WSW is a Music Garden designed by Yo Yo Ma in the shape of Treble clefs etc with Gazebos very relaxing in summer. Was originally intended for Chicago. In fact in one of the condos north just across the street people do latin dance classes on the ground floor. SE are boat docks. ENE is a big Antique store everything from furniture, to art, to toys. Nice for a nostalgic afternoon.... read more

To SE is the famous Union Station with Indiana Marble. Fre Bell WiFi for 2003 in the grand terminus (near Harveys eatery). To SW is 151 Front the telecom hub of Toronto. To NE is the famous Royal York Hotel where the queen stays. In the overpass there are pictures depicting Toronto in the early 1900s and in modern times (1989). The old pictures are surprisingly clear makes you feel you are back in time. To NW is a lovely copper green building a nice 2nd Cup coffee shop at the apex and waterfall sculptures below. Bardis is an upscale steakhouse just north of the green building. University Avenue branches north west. ... read more

First stop on the LRT (Light Rail Transit) to NW is waterpark place very similar to the World Financial Centre in NY (even has a small "Winter Garden" with palms) but don't think it is the same Architects. LRT is little known even by locals with it you can get to/from the subway line (Union Station) to/from any point on the (western) waterfront easily one fare covers both as they are part of the TTC system. Otherwise it is a 2 block walk to/from Union station which is nice but depending on time and weather LRT can be easier. A Spotnik WiFi hotspot is in the Piazza Manna eatery on the east side of the building. Piazza Manna has free pizza slices after 5pm and a nice purple pool table. Many office staffers from Waterpark hang ... read more

Shaddy loved our log cottage at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort in Parksville on Vancouver Island, north of Nanaimo. The cottage featured a relaxing forest view. Most other accommodations have a water view of the Strait of Georgia. We spent a relaxing two nights at this special retreat. On the first afternoon we walked along the beach shore and the expanse of water that separated mainland British Columbia from the island. It was not until the next day when we returned to the beach at low tide that we realized how shallow the water was; a drying tide flat of at least a quarter mile extended far into the strait. After a hearty Friday morning breakfast at a local pancake shop, we drove to Qualicum Beach where we had stayed two years earlier during our vacation to the west ... read more

We started packing the car Saturday morning, September 20, 2003. The first items to be stowed were the inflatable kayak, air pump, paddles and life jackets, including Shaddow’s stylish, yellow puppy life jacket. Next, out came the blankets, sheets and pillows for use on the houseboat we rented online on Vancouver Island, Canada, during the first week of vacation. Shaddy is our 15 pound, stealth-black toy poodle who manages our household. The mistake occurred when I packed Shad’s friends and toys (snakey, hedgey, soft-bone and two balls to fetch) too early. He is quick to recognize a vacation pack when he sees it. While there was still much more to place in the Subaru Forester and hours before we departed, he refused to get out of the car after his buddies were aboard. Saturday afternoon we ... read more