Ohhh Canada!

Upon our arrival in Toronto it became clear that claiming this city for Her Majesty was not going to be necessary as she'd done it herself not 2 weeks ago. Well done Ma'am splendidly done... we found these in the Lobby of our Hotel, the Fairmont Royal York, an Hotel with a proud history of hosting the Royals and other important folks over the years. Another photograph taken in the 1920's when the Hotel was built proclaims, 'The Royal York, the largest Hotel in the British Empire.' Jolly Good!





Our first evening was spent with a great deal of waiting around, despite arriving at 8.00pm we were told that our room wasn't ready and could we wait around for maybe 30mins to and hour, offering us $80 to eat and drink at any of the Hotel's 7 restaurants and bars, we quickly accepted and found the Library Bar and had the most delicious Angus Steak Burger and Club Sandwich... huge though. We'd given the staff maybe an hour and a quarter and yet our room was still unprepared, what are they doing building the damn thing!!!! maybe another 30mins.... 30 mins later we decided to demand our room as we were tired and this was bollocks, we were constantly being asked by staff when we checked bags and such
'are you a guest at the hotel?'
'Yes we are, however, even if we weren't we have an access card that cannot be refused by anybody here..... a British Passport! now give me free stuff!'
eventually we got our room, Kate having managed to get us free Wi-Fi for our troubles (not normally included with our room) tired we collapsed into our beds wondering what tomorrow would bring.

Tomorrow it transpired brought Amy, Kate's friend from Shawnigan, Chris had met briefly when they toured the UK in 2007 but was scared out of his mind then, so it was there first real meeting. He said every time he looked at her he saw Lisa Fariclough (Hannah this is our godparents daughter), the resemblance he said was uncanny; I however can't see it. Anyway, we first had juice and smoothies at Second cup a coffee shop just across from the hotel a caught up with all the gossip for about and hour and half....so much has happened in four years!!!!

Next Amy really wanted to go up the CN tower, she hadn't been up since she was little, so off we went.



After finally working out how to buy tickets we had the normal picture taken etc and headed for the lifts. .

Here we had glass floor and glass look out....OMG pleases glass be strong don't let me drop 100 floors to my death!!

Anyway the lift was fine and we got up to the top, here you had the option of inside view, glass floor view and outside view (however this was meshed so photographs weren't easy) The CN Tower is literally right next door to the Rogers Stadium this is where the Toronto Blue Jays play, we thought maybe here would be a good place to go and see a game....but no this week is All star break...typical!

We proceeded to the outdoor deck and a opportunity for a photo, Mongo thought that would it be nice.... however the conspiracy between her brother and friend transpired to be otherwise...thanks guys!!

Second attempt much more (well slightly more) successful!! I look like i am about to fall asleep!

A nice one of us two together still getting along you will be pleased to hear. It was a shame that the heat haze actually reflects the camera and thus you don't get the back ground, this is the first place it has been a problem.

Pretty high isn't it can you see why I was scared!! It wasn't helped by the stupid Children who thought they would test the glass floor strength by jumping up and down on it.....while Kate had a heart attack Chris attempted to get photos but apart from the Rogers stadium above, the view wasn't great, most photos contained mostly the concrete sides of the building, wasn't very well thought out.

Amy, after all the excitement now required a food stop, a Crepe her food of choice, Banana Strawberry and Nutella... whatever floats your boat Amy... and it obviously did... the thing was huge but it disappeared so quickly!!!

We also saw a steam train or two...nice aren't they dad...

Really nice...

We wandered for many hours, even discovering an A&F store (not a very good one though), no money spent and finished with a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe, Toronto, whose memorabilia included, James Brown's Silver Shirt, Roy Orbison's Guitar and some Leather Thong/Gimp suit worn by Madonna when she was busy being mental.

All three of us thoroughly stuffed we made are way back to the hotel, first escorting Amy to the creepy underground car-park where she'd unhappily parked that morning. seriously not pretty. the general consensus seemed to have become, if we get raped then Chris can go first and tell us what its like..... Hey!

It was by this time really muggy and a storm needed to come and break it up... one didn't but the photo was kinda cool.

The next day we opted to visit Toronto Island to get, apparently the best views of the City and Lake Ontario. the view was quite nice but apart from that we have been quite disappointed with the city, one that seems to be based very much on finance has nothing much else, it's very dirty, probably the dirtiest place we've been yet, public transport is a joke with no Subway maps or anything, even Toronto island had become a horrible kiddies park destination and a nudist beach... Jeepers that was a shock! Nevertheless the view from the ferry of the city did make up for something as you could believe that it was actually quite nice...

And we managed to get our bearing to decide the best way of getting the hell out of here...

Lake Ontario was a calm oasis considering all the screaming children we had to come through to get this view, nevertheless if we had the option we would take a ride on the lake any day, very tranquil however the dock we were standing on wasn't up to much falling apart and covered in graffiti, added to the obvious disappointment we have with the city.

Following this view, we took the chance to paddle in the lake and make our way to something point at the edge of the islands for the ferry back to the city. We from here ventured up Younge (yes it's supposed to have an E at the end, DAD!) street to shop...we had hoped...but as previously mentioned were disappointed by the only A and F Canada has to offer. It is like the London store....the only one in the country packed and full of sale stuff at the moment....doesn't add up to much!

We conceded the day as a satisfactory one in concluding neither of us will visit the city again in a hurry, only great thing about it has been seeing Amy and would return to see a friend but that's it. We headed to McDonald's for dinner, in a very uncrowded food court, it was nice until the only children there wanted to race up and down the stairs....don't trip now will you....(well put Kate, I agree, don't trip... let us push you)

So we returned to the hotel and to the Library bar for a drink, it brought back good food memories and it was tempting to have a second dinner...however at $50....we don't think so! Off to the room we unpacked and repacked bags in attempt to fit everything in...achieved successfully we think! Tickets collected, bags packed our aim to head to the science museum to see the Harry Potter Exhibit tomorrow. So to bed we go.

The next morning...that is today thanks to the wonders of the Toronto city transport, getting to the museum would require two subway trains a bus ride and a hefty walk. bugger so sod it, we flee to Starbucks and that is where we have been for nearly two hours now writing to our adoring fans, what a let down... Ohhh Canada!

The Adventures of Mongo and the Boy written and experienced by

Kate 'I'm happy being miles up in the sky so long as I'm travelling reallly fast' Davies

and

Chris ' Couldn't be more British than if John Bull and Britannia had been his parents' Davies