Toronto 2 Day 4

Another pleasing day.

Awoke at about seven :-)

Bathed, dressed and popped up to the 32nd floor for breakfast, nowt hot except porridge, so I decided to break my fast with fruit (and a croissant), then another amble past Osgoode hall and to the city hall. Picked up the tour bus, the guide this time was originally from Russia, and was very good, very interesting. This morning was again a little nippy and when it started to rain I decided to pop down from the top deck of the bus, discovered a new fear today, I seem to be frightened of going under bridges with no roof above me which seems a little bizarre, although I still cannot work out why I am petrified of lifts where one can see out, and yet have no fear of enclosed lifts, surely the risk is exactly the same, it just doesn't feel like it.

There were some more people on the bus today, which was quite pleasant, also a new route opened up, I had forgotten, or not really registered the fact that it is now June, even after the cards issue, and on the 1st of June the Grey line buses start running an east-west bus route which seems to go through a number of the ethnic areas, unfortunately I never managed to catch it today, the plan is to catch it tomorrow.

Got off the bus at Casa Loma, which was an impressive castle, built more along German/French lines than the brutal lumps that are English castles (I'm sure that cannot be right? French and German castles must have had at least as much defense to do as the English ones, but I always think of them as more light and airy) anyway, he didn't need to defend himself against anyone (except the authorities as it turned out) Whilst it was partially laid out as he would have lived in it to a great extent it has been converted into a "venue", and sadly it really shows. The bedrooms were still laid out as they would have been in his day, and were quite nice, I'm glad I live now though, the beds looked very small to me!

There was a garden room, reminiscent of the one in the Atrium in the Frick in New York, very refreshing, like an outdoor space indoors, the gardens were also very nice, if quite small, being built on an hill probably made it quite hard to lay them out. There were a couple of secret passages which I would have quite liked to have been hidden and then opened by a guide so that one could tell how well hidden they were, I am one of those people who always think they can spot the priests hole, so it would have been interesting to see if I would have been correct.

There was also an underground passage leading from the house and under the road to the garages and stables, well cool! The shop was a little twee, having marked a t-shirt yesterday and having had to change I am now running a little low, in a CK shirt today which had a button pop open twice :-( I was looking for some more clothes, however that shop didn't really fulfill any of my needs.

Then discovered that the bus would be by in about five minutes, so I left the house, and the bus arrived, as it was still raining, and I have no hood I sat downstairs again, the guide this time was quite young, and it was his first day, however as I am still paying his company for the experience I will not mince words, he was useless, fortunately the driver was also assisting with the commentary and he was quite good. Thinking about it, in some cities you have an automated commentary instead of a guide, well the only city I can remember that from is Brussels (in Hamburg a whole bus of Germans had to listen to the guide speaking English because of me! On the other hand the cruise of the harbour was only in German, with English bits when the guide remembered, I spent the time listening to Roxy music and loving every minute) and that was a little iffy as the guide was based on time, so when we had got stuck in traffic we were learning about things we were going to see in about five minutes! I think I prefer the person giving a guide because you get their view of the city as well as the tourist bits.

Anyway I got off that bus near the CN tower (no way, not in a million years) and popped into somewhere called "Lone Star Texas Grill" not sure what Texans would say about it, however I had two frozen margaritas and a combo of beef fajitas, and ribs. The ribs (an half if that portion) were just dropping off the bone, and were probably the best I have ever had, the soft tortillas were definitely the best I have ever had, the beef was good, and the sides were guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, cheese, and chopped tomato (instead of salsa presumably) along with a small pot of beans and another of rice, wasn't sure what to do with those two so I mixed them together ala rice and peas and they were pleasant as well.

Then caught the bus again, back with the ex-Russian guide :-) and did the entire route at least as far as the city hall, it was very interesting just how into Toronto she was and how much she enjoys the vibrancy and multiculturalism, I do have to admit it hasn't got the bustle that London UK has, at least in the centre of town. From there I popped into a Starbucks and had a spiced cider, it's one of those cultural things, but in North America apple juice is called cider, and cider is called hard cider, anyway it was really quite pleasant.

From there I popped into a seven-eleven to purchase my daily bottle of water, and on the off chance since they sold lighters I asked for some cigarettes, another culture moment, they don't display cigarettes in shops over here, mind you I have heard talk of it happening in the UK. Then avoiding the temptation of Timmies doughnuts I returned to the hotel and have booked a car, I only have the photo bit of my driving license, so I am hoping that I will actually be allowed to drive it. If not I'm sure I can get a bus from the airport to Niagara.

Duck poutine, in the whine bar in the hotel tonight, very nice, very fatty, tomorrow the east west bus route, and hopefully dim sum for lunch!