Best Kept Secret
It’s fair to say the Canadian meteorologists got it wrong this week. It was forecast to rain every day but thankfully we haven’t seen a drop of rain at all. Opening the curtains this morning revealed a beautiful bright sunny day so we decided to take the ferry over to Toronto Island Park and have a look around.
Although we’d skirted the island on our cruise yesterday, we had no idea what lay ahead of the short ferry ride across the lake. The ferry was big and was packed to the rafters with picnickers, day trippers and families ready to hit the beach. There were cyclists galore too.
We docked at Central Island Wharf and could not believe how much was going on, on this little stretch of sand! There were people everywhere! From our previous cruise we’d only seen a few scattered human beings, inhabiting the sparse deck chairs on the jetties and lazing on boat decks. We were under the completely misleading impression that these islands were scarcely populated and serene. Oh how wrong we were! This was crazy! Sam and I both commented that the crowds were seriously rivaling Disney World! There was a central pathway leading across the island with hedged gardens and a big fountain in the centre; flocks of pleasure-seekers covering every inch of the island. There were cafes, restaurants, bars and takeaway vans. There was even a fun park, with rides, fairy floss, popcorn, icecreams and all sorts of goodies on sale. It seemed though, that everyone had the same idea and we were travelling en masse to the bike hire hut!
Once we had our wheels and were peddling away, we started to relax again! With plenty of bike paths to choose from, we rode around the perimeter of the island, crossing picturesque bridges and taking in unspoilt views of the expanse of Lake Ontario. There were seagulls flying overhead and we could have sworn we were riding by the ocean. Finally we had left the crowds behind and it was amazing! There was a whole little community of cute little two-storey cottages, with exquisite gardens of white hydrangeas and white picket fences, pretty flowering vines twisting along their boundaries. It was gorgeous! We were only a fifteen minute bike ride from the commercial mayhem we had just left behind but It felt like the most peaceful place on earth and a million miles away from the chaos and crowds. There was a little church right on the lake and tiny laneways separating the houses, lined with flowers, that we were able to ride down. There was a beautiful restaurant in a cute cottage, with outdoor seating looking over the lake. This was paradise!
We stopped in at a little beach and I was curious to feel the water temperature. The sand was more like dirt but it didn’t deter the families that were busy building “dirt” castles and playing volleyball on the sand. As expected, the water was suitably freezing and I was surprised to see a few brave souls splashing on the shore. With the summer sun beating down on our backs as we rode, Sam even decided to discard his shirt. I had to remind him the ‘clothing optional’ beach was in the opposite direction. The thing that struck us as we rode around (avoiding frogs and squirrels!) was that it really felt like the country though the houses on the shore had uninterrupted views of the Toronto city skyline! The best of both worlds. We had such a great afternoon and although it seemed everybody in the whole of Toronto was on our ferry home, we felt like, as tourists, we’d discovered Toronto’s best kept secret!
Of course the legal age for alcohol consumption in the USA is 21 so Sam won’t be able to drink while he’s at College but in Canada it’s 19 and that’s qualified him to sample some of the fine ales on offer in the city of Toronto. Sam has taken a shine to one in particular, claiming it as his favourite beer; Steam Whistle Pilsner. The Steam Whistle boutique brewery is right in the heart of the city and was started up by 3 young guys after they were all fired from their jobs at a larger brewery. The original name for their beer was 3FG (Three Fired Guys) and even though they are now called Steam Whistle they engrave each of their bottles with the 3FG. Pity we’ll probably never taste it again!
We walked the short distance from the ferry wharf to the Fox Restaurant, which we’ve passed most days and entertained the idea of eating at. The food didn’t disappoint and we had a delicious dinner – Sam having his 2nd burger of the day – much to my horror – (I have noticed he’s starting to resemble one!) and indulging myself, in some yummy pulled pork tacos. Pulled pork is huge here in Toronto; on every menu. We were surrounded by giant flat screen tvs and unfortunately I was positioned right in front of the UFC, watching people get their teeth knocked out in slow-mo! Doesn’t do a lot for your appetite! Sam was watching a silent reality tv show and from our limited lip-reading skills, it looked like there was a guy being sprung for having more than one wife (four in fact!). Maybe we should’ve swapped seats? Quality dinnertime viewing all ‘round!
It was a little bit sad to be returning to our downtown “studio apartment” for the last time. It’s been such a great place to stay and so close to everything. With a fully equipped kitchen it has been nice to be able to make our own Vegemite toast for breakfast (you didn’t think I’d leave the Vegemite at home did you?) and it’s been a good money saver. It’s a bit of a novelty to see the city lights and skyscrapers right out the window too. There’s always something down below to watch. Quite a different vista from the ones we enjoyed in Colorado!
We’ve enjoyed Canada and have noted a few differences between the maple-leaf nation and their neighbours down south in the US. Firstly, they just aren’t as good at customer service as the Americans and as I said before, aside from the few who will go the extra mile (and beyond) for you, most people we encountered along the way – especially in customer service positions – were just plain rude. They are not a very smiley lot! My jokes (while not hilarious I know) couldn’t even raise a titter (more of a raised eyebrow followed by a frown!). They have slightly better spelling than the Americans, spelling “cheque” and “tyre” properly and bringing you the “bill” at the end of dinner instead of the check (but there’s no free water or bread like you get in the States). They are extremely laid back about fares and tickets, never checking whether you’ve paid the designated fee or have valid ticket and just waving you through regardless. Bus drivers will pick you up from almost anywhere – we were even picked up at a red light once! Not ever did I have to sign for a credit card, only rarely having to enter a PIN! Even their customs form for entering the country was relaxed, not even asking for your passport number or date of birth. In the USA they need fingerprints from both hands, photos, dates of birth, all your numbers and addresses- you name it (just stopping short of asking for the sworn allegiance of your unborn children!)
Canadian public toilets (“washrooms”) are much more straightforward than their American counterparts too, without the heart-attack-inducing, self-flushing numbers you get in the States; the ones that let out an almighty “WHOOSH” followed by an ear-splitting sucking noise, right when you’re in the middle of pulling up your duds! It scares the life out of you! The American public toilets (“restrooms”) also have automatic soap, automatic paper towels and automatic taps (“fawcets”), even in the daggiest toilet blocks, while in Canada, (where they even call them “taps”), you just have to turn, pull and dry everything on your own. Took us a while to adjust.
The other very notable difference between America and Canada is that in Canada, everything is written in both French and English. All the street signs, brochures, shop signs, timetables….absolutely everything! Even as an English speaking Torontonian, you would learn a certain degree of French just by observing it so often in your daily life. Oui?
Well, tomorrow morning we are winging our way to Boston and then onto Cape Cod so it’s farewell from us to the home of Dudley Dooright, poutine and the Toronto Blue Jays. Au revoir!
