The reason for this trip has long faded from my memory, but my old paper travel journal tells me that Spousal Unit and I were in Toronto and Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) from September 14 - 16, 2013. Maybe we just needed a short getaway from the environs of Cleveland, Ohio, our home at the time.My notes don't say where we stayed in Toronto, but clearly we had a front-row view of CN Tower. A 1,815-foot high concrete communications and observation tower, it was completed in 1976. Its name "CN" originally referred to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower.
In those days, I was not meticulous about taking photos; the only record of our walking tour of downtown is the metal lawn art and this clever advertisement for a news channel. According to the journal, we took advantage of the Toronto live music scene. Downtown was also hopping since it was the last weekend of the Toronto Film Festival - I remember we were keeping our eyes peeled for famous people! (but we didn't see any!)The next day, we drove south to NOTL and checked into the BranCliff Inn Bed and Breakfast, a beautifully restored building that had formerly been the school for NOTL for many years. My notes show that we had dinner and drinks just down the block from the B&B in a gorgeous Irish pub, and then followed a self-guided walking tour the following day. Regrettably, I have no pictures of the pub and only a few shots of quaint NOTL.
NOTL is a town in southern Ontario that sits on the shores of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Niagara River. It's known for its wineries and the summer Shaw Festival, a series of theatre productions. The flower-filled, tree-lined old town features 19th-century buildings, mainly along Queen Street. An ideal location for romantics everywhere! *Short post this week since I just returned from a three-day hiking/camping trip. If you need more reading material, check out these other posts that have been drawn from my travel journal: Belize, Virgin Gorda, Road Trip, and Grand Cayman.
Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme
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Niagara is such a pretty area, our Dad used to go there frequently when he was fishing on the Great Lakes.
ReplyDeleteNiagara? Wow. Just thinking on Marylin Monroe and Joseph Cotton, a fantastic film I loved. A dramatic scene with seeing the falls.
ReplyDeleteThe old buildings in town are lovely.
Stay healthy and well.
Happy MosaicMonday
What a cool trip. I love that truck crashing out of the building! I'll be back to link up tomorrow. Enjoy what's left of the weekend and thanks for hosting :)
ReplyDeleteI do love walking tours and taking photos. I love the window that is just beautiful craftmanship.
ReplyDeleteDawn aka Spatulas On Parade
...Niagara on the Lake is a fabulous place to spend the day. Too bad that it's off limits for Americans this year.
ReplyDeleteI often think that I should have kept a travel journal, I guess blogging about our trips is the next best thing with the added benefit of armchair travel!
ReplyDeleteI and my daughter visited Toronto about 25 years ago. We wanted to go up in the tower but it was closed due to heavy fog. There was no view to see :( . But we were able to see "The phantom of the Opera" the same night.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a great hike. :)
Those are familiar photos! My son performed at NOTL. We visited. He met his now wife, as she worked in Stratford. They now live in Vancouver. We haven't been back to NOTL since. Thanks for the good memories.
ReplyDeleteI made multiple visits to Canada over the years but I never had the opportunity to visit Toronto. My husband had multiple business trips here, however, and enjoyed the city. You certainly had a wonderful view from your hotel of the city! Isn't it great that blogging makes us take more photos and keep a record of what we see? It has been so enriching that way.
ReplyDeleteWe were at Niagara on the Lake in 1976ish. No travel journal so memories are minimal. I do remember it was a charming spot. We drove from Detroit area. Sounds like you've enjoyed the warm weather hiking. Happy Labor Day to you!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like it was a great getaway. Oh I remember the days when staying in Hotels and B&Bs was a wonderful travel adventure rather than something to worry about. I hope those days return! Toronto has been on our travel wish list along with much of the rest of Canada (being from the PNW, we are quite familiar with BC and have spent some time in Alberta, and in The Yukon but that’s leaves a whole lot of beautiful country I wish we’d been able to explore. Thanks for sharing your visit ... and for hosting.
ReplyDeleteI take copious notes when we travel. I have notebooks dating way back. It is good to be able to look back on them to clarify things that have slipped our memory. If we are having a "discussion"I have my notes to refer back to. My photos too are great triggers. Stay safe, safe travels and thank you again for the link up.
ReplyDeleteThose are fabulous shots!
ReplyDeleteHello, Angie
ReplyDeleteWhat a great getaway! Beautiful views of Toronto and Niagara on the Lake! I love the old buildings. Keeping a travel journal is a great idea, your photos are wonderful too. Thanks for hosting Mosaic Monday. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week!
I'm glad you had a good hiking trip! Fun to see these travel photos! Enjoy your day...get some rest!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots, Angie. We still remember with fondness our trip across Canada and the beautiful scenery there.
ReplyDeletePS: Thanks for hosting, Angie. Stay safe and well.
ReplyDeleteHappy Labor Day to you! Seems like many cities are wise enough to cultivate their “old town” portions and sometimes they turn out to be the most interesting of places. Although I’ve been to Ontario, I’ve never managed to get to Niagara-on-the-Lake, although it looks to be full of charm.
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday. To those celebrating - A Happy Labour Day
ReplyDeleteStay Safe
Much💝love
I've not spent much time in Ontario and Niagara on the Lake sounds like a lovely spot for a little getaway. Your three-day camping trips also sounds like fun and perhaps we'll hear more about that soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these lovely photographs.
ReplyDeleteYour camping trip sounds fun too.
Have a good week.
All the best Jan
Isn't it fabulous we have journals and blogs to refresh our memories of past trips and occasions. Niagara on the River looks like a beautiful place. Oh my.....that building!! I must say love the photo of the news advertisement....so clever! I always smile at your adventures, Angie. I always I feel as if you take me on the journey with you. So, so much of the world I have experienced through your eyes....thank you!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. Love that stained glass window!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to go back and relive and old trip. I am so keen to get to Toronto one day, my son did a school exchange there when he was 16 and I have never been to Canada. It looks fabulous, love the crazy fun cars in walls and the beautiful planting. thank you for hosting.
ReplyDeleteWren x
No surprise: we had a weekend road trip too. We also enjoyed some pie that was almost as delicious as your previous post. Five layer chocolate.
ReplyDeleteAlways wonderful to take a trip, especially to TO and NOTL. I say that with heart and also because Ontario happens to be where I live.
ReplyDeleteThe Inn you stayed at looks so lovely. In future, I will look for it.
A lovely post, Angie.
Enjoy the day...
Wow, that car coming through the wall, beyond belief. Great pictures
ReplyDeleteHi Angie. My only mempory of Toronto is a mad dash from the airport to Grand Central Station to then catch a train to Long Point Bird Obs. The second time I at least got to see NOTL and the famous and spectacular falls. More impressive than Toronto through a taxi window.
ReplyDeleteFirst time here and you are posting my city!
ReplyDeleteLate to the party with my mosaic https://junkboattravels.blogspot.com/2020/09/signs-2_61.html
Your hotel might have been the Intercontinental on Front St.
The car is the wall is at CITY-TV at Queen and John St.
The metal sculptures were likely at Kensington Market.
I've seen a few famous people at TIFF but not many,
NOTL is a great place to visit and the pub might have been The Irish Harp.
Beautiful photos from your wonderful trip ~ and what a great place too.
ReplyDeleteLive each moment with love,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Great pictures, Angie. I love the stained glass window, it's pretty.
ReplyDeleteNiagara On The Lake is one of the treasures of my country.
ReplyDeleteThat truck in the wall had been there for years. I'm not sure if it's still there, as the station moved and another network moved in.
the town of NOTL is gorgeous, that window too!! and that truck in the wall is so cool!!
ReplyDelete