Toronto & Upstate New York

After Niagara Falls we took a drive further north to Toronto in Canada. We got stuck in traffic (a theme for us) because Toronto had some Santa parade so the road to our hotel was actually closed but I think the hotel felt a bit sorry for us when we got there and upgraded our room to a fancy two bedroom suite. We took a walk through the city back to the dining in the dark restaurant O’Noir where Kim and I had eaten before and Bronte and Chris wanted to try out. It was even more fun this time because I got to stab my sister in the dark with a fork. We made buddies with the people at the next table and all compared notes of what we thought we were eating. I enjoyed my starter which I found out was mushrooms… which I hate… it took me 30 years to discover I don’t hate mushrooms.

After dinner we went to the top floor of our hotel that looked out over the city and got in the hot tub with some random Ukranian guys who offered us swigs of vodka from a water bottle… um… no… thanks. But they left and then we had the place to ourselves.

The next day we went to Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada.

They had a really cool walkway through a massive tank of sharks and turtles etc.

They had some scuba divers cleaning the tank which I thought were pretty funny as we traveled underneath them on a moving walkway.

Then we went through a load of jelly fish, wobbling about.

Then Bronte, Kimmy and I went crazy for the touch tank where we could pet the rays.

Then we mooched around a bit.

Bronte and Chris went to the CN Tower.

Kim and I found a fancy arcade/coffee shop and hung out before the long drive back to an Airbnb that Bronte had booked for us all in upstate New York.

It was pretty adorable.

It was all log cabin-y.

And decorated for Christmas.

The house was on a farm that had barn cats, one of them was especially friendly so we adopted him for the night. We called him Heathcliff and I was very temped to steal him but he seemed to enjoy frolicking about outside with his many brothers and sisters.

The farm also had some deer we visited.

But I was mainly sold on the trillions of kittens we kept spotting everywhere.

The house was in the middle of nowhere and there were some Mennonite neighbours who drove a horse and buggy.

When we got back to Connecticut the next day we were all worn out and had a gingerbread house building contest.

Toronto – Wonderland & Medieval Times

Our second full day in Toronto was not exactly very classy or cultured. We spent the day at Canada’s Wonderland – a big theme park which was really great. One ride closed temporarily because it hit a Canadian goose (yes, really!).

And then we raced through traffic to Medieval Times, a medieval themed jousting restaurant (yes, really!!).

You go in and get assigned to a knight, we got the blue knight and matching blue cardboard crowns (stylish). Then we went into the jousting arena and got introduced to our ‘serving wench’, our napkins had the menu on. I wimped out and got the vegetarian option because i don’t want to eat meat off the bone! You guys… I don’t want to touch a bone with my mouth. Ew.

All the plates and tankards were ye olde style and there was no cutlery.

There was all sorts of horse tricks and fancy footwork and galloping about

And of course jousting, and our knight was doing really good. We were sat next to someone who apparently goes all the time because his friends work there and they get him in for next to nothing. He said it wasn’t fixed but there are certain knights that are better than others and they mix up the colours they are; it was very theatrical. He said the horses were really pampered and afterwards on the way out there was a little window you could see into the horses stables which I think is good to know they’re treated well.

In the end the yellow knight and the blue knight (sworn enemies!!!) were locked in a sword fight which was very cheesy and choreographed but it was very funny and the family sitting to one side of us had their little girl crowned princess which she was thrilled about. Cheesy as the entire night was, it was really entertaining and I suppose that’s all the counts isn’t it?

Toronto Adventures

So we set off into Toronto on our first full day in the city, and we started with the CN Tower… It was ok but it wasn’t all that great. I think it looks nicer from outside as part of the view than as somewhere to view from.

Then we took a look round St Lawrence’s food market, there was so many different things there! Including (sob) live lobsters… I just hate to see them there waiting to be boiled alive.

I got a crepe which I then spilt down myself (cuz I’m so cooool), then we browsed tacky Canadian souvenirs.

After that we took a ferry to Torontos Islands, which were just lovely, it was $7 for a return trip and they’re basically a huge island park.

We hired this funny two seater bike and went for a spin, I ended up driving because Kim was terrible which is worrying as she drove us everywhere in the car.

The island had a nice sandy beach down one side too so we got ice creams and paddled.

By the way, check this out – Toronto has black squirrels. There were tons of them!

After the Islands we went to the Castle board game cafe, where you pay a fee for an hour ($2.50) and you can play any of their games.

And have a coffee and food if you want as well. We played Candyland, Guess Who, Jenga.

Does anyone even know how to play mousetrap? Seriously, everyone had that game… Even after reading the instructions I was stumped.

Road Trip – Niagara Falls & Toronto

Well hello fine readers, let me tell you a tale of a road trip which began with pumpkin pie and ended dining in the dark.

By the way, pumpkin pie is delish. My dear travel companion and I decided to make the drive from Connecticut to Toronto, and what a long drive it was. We broke up our journey at Syracuse in New York State and stopped at many toll booths (boo), and service stations that looked like this.

Aw… A bear. Also guess what… I saw groundhogs! Tons of them! Anyway we finally made it to the falls (yay). And it only took like 410 miles!

We got cool plastic ponchos and rode maid of the mist. We got right up close, I got a couple photos in but it was more than mist, we got drenched.

But that was nothing compared to cave of the winds, a walk way that gets up close and personal with the American side of the falls, you get another poncho AND, very cool sandals (exhibit A, my feet are the fat little stubby ones). Guys, I don’t even have photos of cave of the winds, that’s how wet it was. At the top of the walk way it had a ‘hurricane deck’, I went to touch the back railings of it and it really was like walking into an insane hurricane. My clothes stayed nice and dry under the poncho but I was not risking the phone. Apparently in the winter when the falls get icy they have to dismantle it for safety reasons as massive chunks of ice fall down.

And then we made our way over the border… Eventually, it took ages. I don’t know if it’s cuz the Canadians are kinda slow eh? But all I know is that I was stuck on a bridge for bloody ages.

And then we got to Toronto juuuust in time (literally minutes before our booking) for our dinner reservations at O Noir, a restaurant where you dine in the dark and your waiters are blind. They lead you to your seat and tell you where your drink is, bring you your pre ordered food, everything! It was so good, I kept waiting for my eyes to adjust but they never did. There was not the tiniest slither of light. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the blind. Also the food tasted so good, I didn’t even spill any – a miracle!

That’s a photo of the lobby, if you want to see a photo of inside the actual restaurant just close your eyes and you’ll have an exact likeness.