Hoʻopuka ʻia: 21.05.2022
Welcome from Toronto, Canada.
Our night during the layover (the place was called Liverpool, which we thought was pretty cool) went so-so. Everything was comfortable, but starting from 6 in the morning, air conditioning water was dripping onto the metal window ledge. That was really great. Not.
This time we had breakfast at the hotel, and it was amazingly rich and delicious. So, everything was fine again 😁
And so our next destination was across the Canadian border. By now, we also had a 90s playlist, and the drive turned into a karaoke session at times. The time flew by quickly, and before we knew it, we had arrived at the Niagara River.
We were actually a bit worried that we had forgotten some documents or wouldn't be allowed in for some other reason. And when the guy at the border also looked like he had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, we got even more nervous. But no worries, we didn't even get an entry stamp in our passport. We could have brought 10kg of weed from New York, it wouldn't have mattered. It was only a 1-hour drive to Toronto. And to come back to the grumpy thing again: Marie really had to pee, and when the parking ticket machine didn't work as she wanted, we grumbled at each other the whole time 😃 But after the bathroom, we loved each other again. Those are the important things during such a long trip 🥰
The day wasn't over yet, and the typical sightseeing attractions of Toronto were on the agenda. First, we walked through the Kensington Market. Actually, it's not really a market but a neighborhood full of hipster shops and the art scene.
Next Stop: Graffiti Alley. A small side street with artworks on the walls. As a side note: we think that there are a lot of homeless people here. That was also the case in New York. Graffiti Alley would be perfect for a homeless camp. Nevertheless, focusing on the paintings, it was well done!
On the way there, we noticed a huge long line of girls (and occasionally boys or fathers). We just had to ask, and it turns out it's a pop-up store by Harry Styles. But he's not even there, they just sell limited shirts and records. Toronto must really love Harry Styles. We're not so into him.
Benny then discovered a döner kebab stand on the street side. We just had to try it. Conclusion: tasty, but there's room for improvement. No option to choose the ingredients yourself. But it's already very close to the German version. Marie had döner with nachos.
Next stop: Nathan Philips Square. There's the famous 3D Toronto sign. Yes, typical tourists. On the way there, we also passed by a small museum and a courthouse, they just looked beautiful.
NO, Marie didn't eat Benny. We still had to go on, and it wouldn't be fun alone. The Flatiron for poor people was already waiting for us. It had a certain charm.
Only one more thing in the evening, then the first day in Toronto is over: the CN Tower. By the way, it was the tallest building in the world for a long time until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa. Since everyone wants to see the CN Tower now, here's a nice fountain on the way there. We also passed by a hotel at the train station that made a huge impression. We read that when the Queen comes to Toronto, an entire floor is blocked off for her and her staff. One night costs as much as our entire stay in Toronto 😅. And we also saw the old city hall.
We crossed paths with many people wearing blue jerseys. We actually really wanted to see an ice hockey game in Canada, but we couldn't find one. But in the end, it turned out that they were going to a baseball game at the Rogers Stadium. It was right next to the CN Tower, and we only found out because you could watch the game from above 😃. Unfortunately, the outdoor platform with the glass floor was closed for renovations. But the view was still breathtaking. We discussed our plans for the next day and slowly watched the sunset.
We started our way back. We should have just taken the subway, but we stayed loyal to our line... 45 minutes along Jarvis Street, and then we were in our magical bed. By the way, our hotel room doesn't have a real window. The view is just walls on the left and right. Advantage: it's really dark, even in the morning. Disadvantage: it's so dark in the morning, you could just stay in bed. This weekend, we treat ourselves to some nature again. Getting out of the big city and finally going hiking 😁.
Stay healthy! We're thinking of you.
B ❤️ M
PS: Here's the fountain at night and a beautifully lit market.