Ontario - Lake Simcoe & Toronto

giradman · Jun 27, 2017

This coming Saturday (July 1), we will be visiting Ontario, Canada - two planes into the Toronto airport and a rental car for about an hour drive to the Briars Resort & Spa on Lake Simcoe - 3 nights; then will drop off the car at the airport and cab into Toronto for 4 nights - staying at the Shangri-La Hotel - our second visit to the city and will simply use the excellent subway/metro system - will plan an 'all-day' tour to the Niagara Falls area (Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Falls, and a winery or so - for some ice wine!).

I decided not to take my MBAir, just my iPad (plus KB), so likely will not be posting to this thread until my return, but will see - hopefully I'll get a LOT of great pics. Dave

.

scifan57 · Jun 27, 2017

giradman said:
This coming Saturday (July 1), we will be visiting Ontario, Canada - two planes into the Toronto airport and a rental car for about an hour drive to the Briars Resort & Spa on Lake Simcoe - 3 nights; then will drop off the car at the airport and cab into Toronto for 4 nights - staying at the Shangri-La Hotel - our second visit to the city and will simply use the excellent subway/metro system - will plan an 'all-day' tour to the Niagara Falls area (Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Falls, and a winery or so - for some ice wine!).

I decided not to take my MBAir, just my iPad (plus KB), so likely will not be posting to this thread until my return, but will see - hopefully I'll get a LOT of great pics. Dave
.
View attachment 78183 View attachment 78184 View attachment 78185 View attachment 78186 View attachment 78187 View attachment 78188

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful visit to Toronto. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum.

giradman · Jun 28, 2017

Hi SciFan.. - our last visit to Toronto was probably in the mid-90s - I know we saw 3-4 museums and likely the Royal Ontario Museum, but I cannot remember much - just looking at this Wiki list of Toronto Museums - quite impressive! Will need to pick out 3-4 again. Thanks for the input. Dave

scifan57 · Jun 28, 2017

The Royal Ontario Museum has had a major makeover since your last visit. It’s well worth a re-visit. The Hockey Hall of Fame is also in Toronto.
Besides the original 1893 Stanley cup, there are exhibits covering all aspects of professional and amateur hockey.

giradman · Jun 30, 2017

Flooding of Toronto Islands - Off Our Itinerary

Tomorrow, we are off to Canada - last few days we've been making a long list of things to do in Toronto - on our previous visit to the city, we took the ferry out to the Toronto Islands (quote below & pics), but just became aware of flooding due to heavy rains and rising lake level. We plan to take a harbor cruise so will at least get a view of the islands. BUT not to worry, we could spend several extra days in Toronto and still not run out of activities (and of course eating options!). Dave

The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in Lake Ontario, south of mainland Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the only group of islands in the western part of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands are located just offshore from the city centre, and provide shelter for Toronto Harbour. The islands are home to parkland, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, several yacht clubs, Centreville Amusement Park, and Hanlan's Beach. The island community is considered to be the largest urban car-free community in North America, although some service vehicles are permitted. Access to the Islands is by ferry, including the City of Toronto ferries operating from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the foot of Bay Street, or by water taxis. (Source)

.

giradman · Jul 9, 2017

Lake Simcoe - The Briars - Part 1

Yesterday, Susan & I returned home from our one-week trip to Ontario, Canada - will continue my travelogue - our first three nights were spent at The Briars, a historic resort w/ all of the amenities (pics in early post and below) - just an hour drive from the Toronto airport in a rental car. We stayed in the Governor Simcoe Suite and were on a modified American Plan which included breakfast & dinner - the kitchen was quite good w/ nightly 'specials' for variety - there was a garden (see pic) in view of our balcony w/ a wide assortment of herbs & veggies which made the dinners colorful & interesting.

For those wanting to visit Lake Simcoe, this resort is a recommendation although not inexpensive - offerings in short include indoor & outdoor pools, golf, fitness center, game center, lake activities, and more. Portions of the property are a little tattered and in need of renovation; after many generations of the property being 'in the family', The Briars was sold to a Mr. Lu from China - from the story HERE, I suspect a continuation of the traditional resort and hopefully improvements. Dave

The Briars is an Ontario lakeside resort located in the Jackson's Point area of Georgina, Ontario. Portions of the resort are protected by an Ontario Heritage Trust conservation easement. The Manor House and the Peacock House are the protected sections. The Manor House was built in 1840. The property was named The Briars by Captain William Bourchier, R.N. due to his fondness for the Briars, Saint Helena. Captain Bourchier came to Canada to serve on the Great Lakes, to command a frigate being built in Penetanguishene. When the armistice ending the War of 1812 was signed in 1815, his ship was not completed and never saw service. Bourchier applied for a land grant and later returned to Canada in 1818. During his stay in Canada, William Bourchier married Amelia Jackson, daughter of a Toronto merchant, John Mills Jackson. The land grant was sold to William's brother James, who in turn sold the Point to Mr. Jackson (who gave his name to the area, Jackson's Point). (Sourse)

James used the proceeds of the sale to found the village of Sutton, Ontario on the remaining land. Twenty years later, William returned to Canada with his second wife and family to live in his newly built Briars in 1843. William died in 1844 and his widow returned to England. The Briars was rented by the widowed Mrs. Bourchier to a number of arriving settlers, and she later sold the property to Dr. Frank Sibbald in the 1870s. Dr. Sibbald bought the property in two pieces; first the east end and then the main property, including the barn and other out-buildings. Two wings were added to the main building in 1880 as was a Coach House; a brick stable and the Peacock House were later added. The Peacock House was built to house Dr. Sibbald's collection of peacocks. Dr. Sibbald continued to expand his land and develop it for farming. (Sourse)

.

suenc · Jul 9, 2017

giradman said:
Lake Simcoe - The Briars - Part 1

Yesterday, Susan & I returned home from our one-week trip to Ontario, Canada - will continue my travelogue - our first three nights were spent at The Briars, a historic resort w/ all of the amenities (pics in early post and below) - just an hour drive from the Toronto airport in a rental car. We stayed in the Governor Simcoe Suite and were on a modified American Plan which included breakfast & dinner - the kitchen was quite good w/ nightly 'specials' for variety - there was a garden (see pic) in view of our balcony w/ a wide assortment of herbs & veggies which made the dinners colorful & interesting.

For those wanting to visit Lake Simcoe, this resort is a recommendation although not inexpensive - offerings in short include indoor & outdoor pools, golf, fitness center, game center, lake activities, and more. Portions of the property are a little tattered and in need of renovation; after many generations of the property being 'in the family', The Briars was sold to a Mr. Lu from China - from the story HERE, I suspect a continuation of the traditional resort and hopefully improvements. Dave

.
View attachment 78363 View attachment 78364 View attachment 78365 View attachment 78366 View attachment 78367 View attachment 78368 View attachment 78369 View attachment 78370 View attachment 78371 View attachment 78372

I enjoyed The Briars--laid-back, not fussy. Excellent food and amenities. I agree that parts of it need updating. The lakefront area provided lots of opportunities to relax.

giradman · Jul 9, 2017

Lake Simcoe - The Briars - Part 2

Lake Simcoe is a beautiful lake - more details in the first two quotes; first map below shows the towns - we explored the southern and eastern coasts by car w/ stops in several towns and a delightful lunch on the water one day. Second map shows Georgina Island, ferry stop a short drive from the Briars Resort - we did not go onto the popularly visited island, most famous for the Nanabush Trails.

Numerous water activities are available on the lake - of course, fishing is one of the highlights, all year around including 'ice fishing' in the winter (according to our boat guide, dozens of ice huts are on the frozen lake at that time of the year - as shown in one pic). The lake has a broad assortment of fish (see the third quote) - a dining room special one night was a fresh fish from Lake Simcoe, which I ordered - delicious! Dave

Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk ("Beautiful Water") by the Huron people. It was also known as Lake Toronto until it was renamed by John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, in memory of his father. Lake Simcoe is a remnant of a much bigger, prehistoric lake known as Lake Algonquin. This lake's basin also included Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Nipigon, and Lake Nipissing. The melting of an ice dam at the close of the last ice age greatly reduced water levels in the region, leaving the lakes of today. (Source)

The lake is about 30 kilometres (19 mi) long, 25 kilometres (16 mi) wide and 722 square kilometres (279 sq mi) in area. It is shaped somewhat like a fist with the index finger and thumb extended. The thumb forms Kempenfelt Bay on the west, the wrist Lake Couchiching to the north, and the extended finger is Cook's Bay on the south. Couchiching was at one time thought of as a third bay of Simcoe, known as the Bristol Channel; however, the narrows between the two bodies of water separate them enough to consider this to be another lake. The narrows, known as "where trees stand in the water", an interpretation of the word 'Toronto', was an important fishing point for the First Nations peoples who lived in the area, and the Mohawk term toran-ten eventually gave its name to Toronto by way of the portage route running south from that point, the Toronto Carrying-Place Trail. (Source)

Abundance of Fish Species: very few lakes in Canada, let alone Ontario, can top Lake Simcoe for its many cold water species that enjoy the deep sections of the lake. Several species that call this lake home include trout, whitefish, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, largemouth bass, northern pike, black crappie, walleye, brown bullhead, bowfin, carp, rock bass, white suckers and rainbow smelt. Each year, the lake is stocked with 150,000 whitefish and 100,000 trout by staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

.

giradman · Jul 9, 2017

Lake Simcoe - Salem Alpacas

Susan & I love visiting unusual farms when travelling (especially South American camelids - see quote below). Apparently, Ontario has several dozen (or more?) farms and an organization called Alpaca Ontario - so, doing some web & brochure searching, we found a farm just 40 minutes from the resort in Manilla, Ontario - Salem Alpacas - see video below - their gift shop offers a wide variety of alpaca fiber products, both local and made elsewhere (e.g. Peru - we bought a cute alpaca teddy bear made there); duvets are a local specialty - check the link if interested.

We took a tour w/ Kathleen - they have about 44 alpacas (2/3 or more females); the minority are males, but only two are used for breeding (genetic testing is done to determine breeding pairs) - the gestation period is 11 months, probably giving ladies on the tour a sigh of relief. For those interested, alpaca manure is also sold and is apparently a desirable product (had to look that one up HERE) -

Pics below - Dave

Next - onto TORONTO!

An alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance. There are two breeds of alpaca; the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca. Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, western Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of 3,500 m (11,500 ft) to 5,000 m (16,000 ft) above sea level, throughout the year. Alpacas are considerably smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas, they were not bred to be beasts of burden, but were bred specifically for their fibre. Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items, similar to wool. These items include blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles and ponchos in South America, and sweaters, socks, coats and bedding in other parts of the world. The fibre comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 16 as classified in the United States.
(Source)

.

giradman · Jul 10, 2017

Toronto - Introduction

Toronto is the largest city in Canada (and 4th in population in North America - see quotes below); the Greater Toronto Area is huge in size, consisting of many contiguous cities and in the number of inhabitants (see maps and third quote). We were able to check into our hotel by noon (Shangri-La on third map - located near the Osgoode Subway Station) - we purchased one-week subway cards and were off to Union Station for our first attraction, i.e. the CN Tower (coming up soon) - some pics of Toronto from the Harbourfront and looking west - the CN Tower always dominating the skyline. Dave

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. With a population in 2016 of 2,731,571, it is the fourth most populous city in North America after Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles. Toronto is the centre of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the most populous metropolitan area in Canada, and anchors the Golden Horseshoe, a heavily urbanized region that is home to 9.2 million people, or over 26% of the population of Canada. A global city, Toronto is an international centre of business, finance, arts, and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world. (Source)

Indigenous peoples have inhabited the area now known as Toronto for thousands of years, with the city itself sitting at the southern terminus of the ancient Toronto Carrying-Place Trail. Permanent European settlement began in the 1790s, after the broadly disputed Toronto Purchase of 1787, when the Mississaugas surrendered the area to the British Crown. The British established the town of York, and later designated it as the capital of Upper Canada. During the War of 1812, the town was the site of the Battle of York and suffered heavy damage by U.S. troops. York was renamedand incorporated as the city of Toronto in 1834, and became the capital of the province of Ontario during Canadian Confederation in 1867. The city proper has since expanded past its original borders through amalgamation with surrounding municipalities at various times in its history to its current area of 630.2 km2 (243.3 sq mi). (Source)

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. As of the 2016 census, it has a population of 6,417,516, and has a census metropolitan area population of 5,928,040. The Greater Toronto Area consists of the central city of Toronto and the four regional municipalities which surround it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. The regional span of the Greater Toronto Area is sometimes combined with the city of Hamilton, Ontario and its surrounding region, to form the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The Greater Toronto Area anchors a much larger unofficial urban agglomeration known as the Golden Horseshoe and an area officially designated as the Greater Golden Horseshoe. (Source)

.

giradman · Jul 10, 2017

Shangri-La Hotel Toronto

We stayed at the relatively new and beautiful Shangri-La Hotel (see quote and pics) - location was just a block from the Osgoode Subway Station; also, decided to splurge a little and chose to stay in a suite (bedroom w/ king bed + another room w/ an iPad on the desk; two bathrooms) - our room was on the 9th floor w/ a view of the CN Tower (see pic below). The property has " 202 hotel guest rooms and suites; the condominium portion occupies the upper floors of the building and consists of 393 units." For those interested, the 65-66 floor penthouse condo of nearly 5,000 sq ft is available for $9.3 million - OUCH!

Pics of the hotel below - we loved the room and one of the best that we've had in a number of years! A definite recommendation, and if we return (we missed SO MUCH!), this hotel will be our destination again. Dave

Shangri-La Toronto is a hotel and condominium building in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was designed by James K. M. Cheng and built by Westbank Projects Corporation; they also designed and built the Living Shangri-La in Vancouver. The building is 214 meters tall and is one of the fifteen tallest buildings in Toronto. The hotel component is run by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and has 202 guest rooms and suites. The condominium portion occupies the upper floors of the building and consists of 393 units. Excavation of the site started in 2008, and work on the parking garage began in early 2009. (Source)

.

scifan57 · Jul 10, 2017

The last time i visited Toronto I stayed at the Royal York Hotel, across the street from Union Station. Your hotel wasn't built at the time. Did you manage to get to the Hockey Hall of Fame?

giradman · Jul 10, 2017

scifan57 said:
The last time i visited Toronto I stayed at the Royal York Hotel, across the street from Union Station. Your hotel wasn't built at the time. Did you manage to get to the Hockey Hall of Fame?

In the upcoming posts, I'll do a 'day by day' description of our activities - we did not visit the Hockey Hall of Fame; Susan is not a sports fan at all, so we crossed that one off the list - several years ago I had to drag her to the NASCAR Hall Of Fame in Charlotte (neither of us are race car fans, but the structure is spectacular), which she liked (i.e. the design & layout) but knew only a few of the 'famous' drivers in the HOF.

BUT, we have seen one hockey game together - when we were in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan (late 1960s or 1970/71), her undergraduate Alma Mater, Brown University played a hockey game against Michigan - as I remember, the game was a blow-out win for Michigan. Also, she use to attend professional golf tournaments w/ me in the area, i.e. a Seniors Tournament (now Champions) at Tanglewood Park (about 15 mins from our house) and the annual Greensboro PGA Tournament (now the Heritage) - the seniors event was D/C years ago. Dave

.

giradman · Jul 10, 2017

CN Tower - A Wonder of the Modern World

The CN Tower is a must visit while in Toronto - the wait can be LONG (took us 2 hrs to enter the elevator!). The tower's Skypod is one of the tallest observation decks in the world - we remained on the lower level; access to the Skypod is an additional fee and elevator (see quotes & pics). The structure was erected to improve radio and TV communications as taller skyscrapers were built in the city. The tower is lit beautifully at night, serves as a site for fireworks displays, and is hit by lightning 75-80 times a year (Source); also for a more thrilling experience, an EdgeWalk can be done!

The last four images below are my own, several while standing on the glass floor. We were planning to also visit the Aquarium, but the tower took us all afternoon because of the elevator wait - Dave

The CN Tower is a 553.3 m-high (1,815.3 ft) concrete communications and observation tower in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of Burj Khalifa and Canton Tower in 2010. It is now the third tallest tower in the world and remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, a signature icon of Toronto's skyline, and a symbol of Canada, attracting more than two million international visitors annually. (Source)

The "CN" originally referred to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower. Following the railway's decision to divest non-core freight railway assets, it transferred the tower to the Canada Lands Company, a federal Crown corporation responsible for real estate development. Since the name CN Tower became common in daily usage, the abbreviation was eventually expanded to Canadian National Tower or Canada's National Tower. However, neither of these names is commonly used. In 1995, the CN Tower was declared one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It also belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers, where it holds second-place ranking. (Source)

EdgeWalk CN Tower: On August 1, 2011, the CN Tower opened the EdgeWalk, an amusement in which thrill-seekers can walk on and around the roof of the main pod of the tower at 356 m (1,168.0 ft), which is directly above the 360 Restaurant. It is the world's highest full-circle, hands-free walk. Visitors are tethered to an overhead rail system and walk around the edge of the CN Tower's main pod above the 360 Restaurant on a 1.5 m (4.9 ft) metal floor. The attraction is closed throughout the winter season and during periods of electrical storms and high winds. (Source)

.

giradman · Jul 10, 2017

Toronto - First Full Day - Boat Tour, Dim Sum, & AGO

On our first full day in Toronto, we first headed to the Harbourfront Area for a boat tour of the Inner Harbour and a portion of the Toronto Islands, which were closed because of flooding (see the first page). Then took a cab to Chinatown for a 'dim sum' lunch (Susan loves this Chinese smorgasbord - even had a bowl of 'chicken feet'); after lunch, we went to the Art Gallery of Ontario - but first up the boat ride.

The Harbourfront has assumed many roles over the decades, first landfilled expansion into the lake, then commercial use, and finally conversion into private developments, boating areas, and parks. There are numerous boat tours available (see pics below) - we took the Oriole - a 45 minute ride across the Inner Harbour to the west side of the Toronto Islands - nearly all of the pics below are my own from the boat. Dave

Harbourfront is a neighbourhood on the northern shore of Lake Ontario within the downtown core of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Part of the Toronto waterfront, Harbourfront extends from Bathurst Street in the west, along Queens Quay, with its ill-defined eastern boundary being either Yonge Street or York Street. Its northern boundary is the Gardiner Expressway. When the town was founded, the water's edge was approximately where today's 'Front Street' is located. Over time, the area south of Front Street to today's water's edge south of 'Queen's Quay' was filled in with landfill, creating piers and area for industrial development. (Source)

Prior to the 1972 federal election, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau announced the Harbourfront project, which would expropriate the industrial port lands from York Street west to Bathurst Street, south of Queen's Quay and convert them to a cultural and residential district for Toronto, similar to the Granville Island district in Vancouver. The federal government has converted the industrial area to an area mixed with art galleries, performance spaces, boating areas and parks. The surrounding neighbourhood, formerly industrial has been converted by private land developers into a series of condominium towers overlooking the project and Lake Ontario. (Source)