Wɔatintim: 20.10.2019
The trip started rather unpleasantly: Unfortunately, I had chosen the Thanksgiving weekend to explore Ontario for a week. And the car rental companies had apparently rented out significantly more vehicles than they had in stock, so I had to wait for over an hour to get my car, thanks to my (probably very unfriendly for Canadians) persistence, but at least not 3 hours like the other customers. Then I arrived at a guesthouse in pouring rain, which strongly reminded me of the Bates Motel (I'll spare you the details for now, but I found it so creepy that I preferred to look for a hotel). Well, but my mood changed the next day as did the weather, the first part of the road trip went through magnificent Indian-summer landscapes. Highlights included a surprisingly interesting railroad museum with historic locomotives, freight cars, and a station in a small, otherwise unremarkable tourist town (the 16-year-old cashier greeted me with "I am bored to death, and I am just working since 20 minutes!". When I asked him what you could do in the town, he said, nothing, except die... Probably not a railroad fan). It was also nice to stop at a seaside resort on Lake Ontario just before Toronto, next to the interesting hotel in a historic prison (including a museum) and lovingly furnished rooms (mine was a kind of library, suitable for a Germanist) I was surprised that the lake reminded me more of an ocean, with waves that local surfers used for surfing and a beautiful sandy beach. Then I didn't like Toronto so much, even though I only saw downtown and Chinatown and suspect that there are prettier neighborhoods. At least I was able to be useful here as a Star Wars warrior in The Void, a VR game, and steal a blue lightsaber from Darth Vader, and also visit the noteworthy AGO Museum (I went in because of a so-called infinity room, a mirrored room with balls hanging from invisible threads that is supposed to make you feel like you're in the center of a room that extends in all directions. It was nice, but not as brilliant as the one in Brisbane). One last highlight was Parc Omega, a safari park with Canadian animals, where you can drive through with your own car and also walk short trails. Very lovingly done, no zoo feeling at all. However, not without danger for the rental car, because the animals have no fear. They besiege the cars to get a carrot or other goodies. I panicked when several large bucks jumped onto the roof of the car in front of me. I have no idea how to explain the hoofprints to the rental company...
Video link: https://gopro.com/v/G1g8kKWk5DGqe