Niagara Falls

Growing up in Sarnia, whenever anyone came over from Ireland, we would make the trek to The Falls. It was an obligatory Canadian trip. Back then all I could remember was the drive and then the Falls. Lots of water - A wishing fountain and more water. Well it was my duty to allow my children that same memory... oh, and Christopher as well. My little brother needed to experience this with his niece and nephews! It was a sunny day and we headed off. The drive wasn't too bad once we got out of Toronto traffic. Entering Niagara Falls it felt somewhat larger and more colourful. I remember a few malls along the way with some funky, cheap souvenir shops...now there are hundreds of shops which means hundreds, upon hundreds of shoppers. The water seemed almost secondary. 

After fuelling up at The IHOP(International House of Pancakes) we headed to the water. Hearing that sound made my tummy felt full of butterflies. I remembered that too. The sound of the water. It was all rushing back...(water metaphor omitted) LOL . Once we saw the water, the kids were amazed. 
"Where did it all start? Why is there a rainbow? I want to get wet. "

Desperate hunts for a loonie to look through the special binoculars ensued!

We headed to several spots in order to garner the best view. We finally got to the top end of the Falls and were able to get to the guardrail to see the water barrelling over the edge. It was mesmerising. Cohen was especially mesmerised! We all got sprayed by the mist and had our photos taken - did heaps of selfies and we quickly did a lap of the souvenir shop where I had to repeatedly say, "what does a stuffed purple snake have the do with Niagara Falls?" 

We could not find the wishing fountain...I guess there is not enough business in wishes. A bit of the magic had gone but we still left feeling like we saw something super special! 

 We did not go into any of the "attractions" that, again, have nothing to do with The Falls. I don't think the kids missed out by not going on a ride, buying a bubble blower or walk through a laser strike course! I just didn't want their memory of Niagara Falls to be one filled with arcade colours and sounds! It was about the water, after all.

Niagara Falls on PhotoPeach

The ROM

Museums are boring! Well that's what I used to think...but the ROM is amazing. It has space to move around in...kid friendly exhibits and signs that kids can, and want to read. It has also remained true to what it is..a museum. So many times on this trip we have gone to something, like the Zoo..and there is also a waterpark and games...as if kids need all that to be constantly enthralled in their environment. Don't get me wrong. My kids love their devices and the words, "there is no wifi" sends their little hearts into a panic, but luckily enough, they also have brains and were able to use them during the museum trip. They read signs...asked questions, wondered, shared, with Museum staff, their own facts about animals and Egypt and the learned...and they did all this without the aid of any gimmick... unless you call bumble bee wings a gimmick! The dinosaur exhibition was amazing and the sheer size of these beasts was mind boggling. The kids loved talking with museum staff about the animals of Canada and hearing their facts about them and sharing their own stories of what they had seen so far on their trip. The ROM itself is beautiful. The building and the totem poles are beautiful. I was so glad to have my opinion of museums changed and to see that the kids could enjoy it as well - you know - old fashioned family fun! The music is Night at The Museum Theme Song. Enjoy! What do you mean we're going to a Museum??? on PhotoPeach

Rock and Roll and Science?

We headed to The Ontario Science Centre to relive yet another one of my childhood memories, and on the recommendation of one of my former students, Emily. The Science Centre had grown since my childhood. It was an amazing place where chaos rules and kids can touch things and there is fun. What a concept. Adults telling kids - "hey go ahead...touch it! Want to do a puzzle? Want to see how this works?" No more rushed parental conversation where a quick explanation is given in order to move along quickly. We actually took our time. We could have spent all day there...easily. Cohen loved opening and closing the "sneeze" machine...surprising passing guests! Madeline attempted to make shoes out of recycled materials while Theo perfected his paper aeroplane skills! 3 kids, 3 adults...we could do this! My favourite exhibit was the moon chair - watching the kids try to navigate a chair around and find obstacles - making them feel like they are in space - walking and working. You had to do opposite of your natural tendencies. To go right you turned left and to go forward you steered backwards. The kids found this concept quit easy - I think the gaming industry has something to do with this. Their fearless use of a remote control and having an innate sense of how to problem solve. I would have become totally frustrated that I could not, logically, get this chair to move. I stood in awe of their natural knowledge! There aren't tonnes of photos as I was busy actually doing stuff! Cool , eh! The song is Weird Science by Oingo Boingo! Enjoy! Weird Science on PhotoPeach

CN Tower and Bacon

This was a big day! The kids first streetcar and subway ride, a super high elevator ride to the top of the tower and then lunch at St Lawrence Market for the famous peameal bacon sandwich! Cohen loved the streetcar and took to it like a seasoned commuter. He asked for a newspaper so he could read on his "commute" and when I wouldn't give it to him, he went to sleep...as business do on their way to work! The subway was also a fun ride. The kids spent their time trying to stand without holding on to the rails! The subways today aren't like the ones I rode when I visited my Aunts in my youth. The lights do not go out when we go through tunnels. The subway cars area all one long car now too. Very cool and clean! The CN Tower was so much fun. Our Toronto CIty Pass helped us bypass all the queues and lines. There is a new addition since my last trip up the tower - the mechanical dog sniffers! You have to walk through these gates and then stop in the middle while strong puffs of air are blown onto your body and electronic sniffers and sensors suss you out for bombs. It went up 2 months after 9/11. The CN Tower attendant was happily explaining this to us...meanwhile in my head I am now adding terrorist plot to my list of things to be worried about while up a tower 126 or so stories high! Thanks Mr Friendly CN Tower Guy! Then my adult brain kicked in and I knew it made our trip safer...now just to worry about the normal stuff...like the elevator getting stuck! LOL! The kids loved the towers and immediately ran over to the windows to look down! We played a game of I spy that really battled my eye sight and their attention to details! LOL! We went up another level and walked on the glass floor. Again - the kids were fearless, as was Filo. I nervously stepped onto the floor with the help of Theo holding my hand. I can't say it changed my life but I've done it. This poster about the weight it can hold did little to appease my maths brain...how do I know that ll these people currently on the floor do NOT add up to 25,0000 blur jays? haha! We had a long walk to the St Lawrence Market for the famous bacon on a bun - peameal bacon! Yum! It was a long, busy and hot day but what a great addition to our holiday in Toronto! CN Tower and Bacon on PhotoPeach

Tarana...or bust!

Driving out of Burlington into Toronto was like a legoland puzzle of cars and trucks on tracks and I had to choose the right track or be stuck behind a semi for the duration of the drive. Luckily the lane gods were with us and we made the 45 minute trip with no stoppages...just a little slowdown when the Police had to zoom by for some reason... but we made it... Driving across Canada was less stressful than driving on these 5-6 lane highways. You see...there are posted speed limits...the ones the law requires you to do and then there are the inferred speed limits...the ones the drivers in ALL the other cars require you to do. Driving is constant mental battle of following the law and breaking the law due to car, peer pressure. When you find yourself pushing 115 in the slow lane, something's wrong. So I dropped it to 105 and let the crazy world of commuters pass us by. After all...I have the Fale Five in the car and they're more important than the pride one may feel being in the fast lane and getting there(wherever there is...) first. Driving into Toronto was like being swallowed by a concrete sea of high rises. Buildings of 60-70 floors surrounded us as we drove along The Gardiner and Lakeshore. Patches of green along the road that acted like nature provided little respite from our new home of concrete and people. However, as we got closer to where Christopher lives, the buildings shrunk and the old Toronto emerged. Tiny, brick houses dotted the streets. Trees and curious gardens replaced the corporate planted gardens and it felt ore homely. Christopher's street is lovely and full of houses that make us a little homesick for Grey Lynn. The diversity of the gardens, house colours and inhabitants differ from the suburbia of Burlington. Here, I have no idea who owns the Infinity as there are no driveways to park your trophies...all trophies/cars, are neatly parked on the streets...swapping sides once a month just to keep the locals on their toes and the parking officers in employment. Christopher is being a great host and seeing him getting to be a full time uncle is the reason we are doing this trip. My kids need to really know their Canadian family and so far it has been a very successful trip. We are going to be total tourists in Toronto. We have already been to the Zoo followed by dinner at my Aunt's house and today we tackled the CN Tower and downtown Toronto and the St Lawrence Market. I loved people watching and people listening. I think I heard over 10 different languages today. Toronto is diverse. You wear what you want and people sure do and I love it! Stay tuned for more Toronto (ta-raa-nah) posts! The music is, Lost by Blue Rodeo - a Toronto band and a favourite of mine. Lost is how we Fales feel while driving in Toronto...even with TomTom! xx The Fales xx The Fales are in Toronto! on PhotoPeach