The Way Back North: My Visit to Toronto Explained
Next week, I will accompany my parents on a trip to Toronto, Ontario, where they will be attending a conference. To make the most of my time there, I plan to visit several major sites in and around the city. For this, my first visit to Canada (or anywhere in North America for that matter) in more than 15 years, I will be staying in the Chelsea Hotel, off Yonge Street and just north of the Eaton Centre. And since it is the middle of the northern hemisphere fall, I will need to wrap up warm, but I am sure it will be well worth it.
So what does this mean? First, I will be unable to fulfill my duties as an Automationeer for the duration of the visit, and as such will not be able to submit anything for any forum challenges until I return home. Second, my first overseas trip for more than a year should allow me to spend some much-needed time away from a screen. Finally, I will have a chance to visit North America for the first time in more than 15 years, ticking another item off my travel bucket list in the process.
I will be staying at the Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto for the duration of this trip. While my plans include a visit to the Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side, obviously), of greater concern will be the sites covered by the Citypass. This ticket costs $72.10 per adult visitor and grants access to the CN Tower, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley's Aquarium and either the Toronto Zoo or Ontario Science Centre for the next nine days. Of these, the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium can be visited in one go, being located so close to each other and with the Rogers Centre right across the street.
Other places in Toronto which I plan to visit include the Distillery district, formerly the site of actual distilleries but now a sprawling marketplace complete with restaurants; the Hockey Hall of Fame in Brookfield Place, filled with tributes to the best ice hockey players there have ever been; and the St Lawrence Market, another open-air market full of assorted retailers. Also, my literary interests And then there's the Art Gallery of Ontario, a Mecca for anyone interested in creative arts. Finally, the Harbourfront Centre affords excellent views of the Toronto skyline to the north, and lake Ontario to the south.
So in accompanying my parents on this impending trip to Toronto, I not only want to see one of the world's great cities, but also gain a broader understanding of how Canadian culture works, allowing me to compare it with those of other countries I have visited. I'll see you again in a week or so when I have the chance to reflect on what promises to be a wonderful experience.
So what does this mean? First, I will be unable to fulfill my duties as an Automationeer for the duration of the visit, and as such will not be able to submit anything for any forum challenges until I return home. Second, my first overseas trip for more than a year should allow me to spend some much-needed time away from a screen. Finally, I will have a chance to visit North America for the first time in more than 15 years, ticking another item off my travel bucket list in the process.
I will be staying at the Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto for the duration of this trip. While my plans include a visit to the Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side, obviously), of greater concern will be the sites covered by the Citypass. This ticket costs $72.10 per adult visitor and grants access to the CN Tower, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Ripley's Aquarium and either the Toronto Zoo or Ontario Science Centre for the next nine days. Of these, the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium can be visited in one go, being located so close to each other and with the Rogers Centre right across the street.
Other places in Toronto which I plan to visit include the Distillery district, formerly the site of actual distilleries but now a sprawling marketplace complete with restaurants; the Hockey Hall of Fame in Brookfield Place, filled with tributes to the best ice hockey players there have ever been; and the St Lawrence Market, another open-air market full of assorted retailers. Also, my literary interests And then there's the Art Gallery of Ontario, a Mecca for anyone interested in creative arts. Finally, the Harbourfront Centre affords excellent views of the Toronto skyline to the north, and lake Ontario to the south.
So in accompanying my parents on this impending trip to Toronto, I not only want to see one of the world's great cities, but also gain a broader understanding of how Canadian culture works, allowing me to compare it with those of other countries I have visited. I'll see you again in a week or so when I have the chance to reflect on what promises to be a wonderful experience.
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