June 28, 2019 Friday Day 40
Woke up early without any bed bites or sleep interruptions, so the motel served its purpose. I checked on the car which I had plugged into an outside outlet at the far end of the motel and it was still slowly charging. I then went for a swim in the motel's indoor pool. It was a nice size but very humid and chlorinated. The deck was being rebuilt.
Then went to the breakfast area and were greeted by a mob of Sikhs. The motel was hosting a bus tour of Sikhs from the Punjab in India. They were virtually all male and primarily older. They were from a seniors club and were dressed in Sikh style clothing. There was no one in the breakfast area except us who was not part of that group. The tour guide was a Indian-Canadian who had immigrated to Canada over 40 years ago. We spoke at length, he seemed to welcome the break from the Sikhs, and he recounted the difficulties and discrimination he had experienced in Canada, but he also expressed his gratitude for the good life Canada had afforded him. He said that the travelers were on a two week visit to Canada and were up from Toronto for two days and one night.
The breakfast was a chaotic affair. At one point my wife's English muffin was squished down in the toaster by another guest's bread. The food area was pretty messy, spreads like peanut butter were being taken right out of the jar and the owner was furiously, but unsuccessfully trying to resupply the food. At least the breakfast had fresh fruit and was filling.
After breakfast we quickly packed up and exited for downtown with a 48 mile electric charge. We took Parry Sound Drive, Joseph and Isabella streets, the latter going under a high railway trestle into a very cute downtown.
The town is located on Parry Sound, which has the deepest, natural, freshwater port in the world. The town is named after the sound which was named by Captain Henry Bayfield, yes he of Bayfield WI fame which we passed through earlier in the week, for William Parry, an Artic explorer. The town has a permanent population of about 6,400, that swells considerably during the summer. For the first part of the 20th century area's economy was centered on explosives and munitions plants. Today tourist is the main economic driver.
We parked by the harbor and observed the great lake cruise ships. The sound opens up to Georgian Bay, which has 30,000 islands. and then out to Lake Huron.
Then we walked through a park and entered a local historical museum. At the other end of the harbor is the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. He was a great hockey player who was born and raised in Parry Sound and played his entire career with the Boston Bruins. Pretty small and pricy, $9, but a must see if you are a Bobby Orr fan. After quick stops in the gift and ice cream shops, we took a stroll on the Fitness Trail which roughly parallels the shoreline and provided nice views of the bay.
We then drove through town and exited at the southern end and resumed our drive to Toronto. Back on the highway it was a long, monotous drive through very green, but flat brush and new forests. As we got closer to Toronto farms began to appear. We stopped for a Subway sandwich lunch and gasoline as it began to rain.
As we approached Toronto during rush hour we encountered major traffic congestion, both going into and out of town.
Toronto sort of took me by surprise. I knew that it is a major metropolitan area, but I had never been there and was not prepared for what I saw. Perhaps it was because we had really not been in a major city since Minneapolis. My first vision of the city was forests of residential towers and lots of construction cranes.
We entered the entertainment district, south of the downtown business area on an elevated freeway that ran past lots of sleek glass and steel office buildings and more residential high rises. Found our hotel without problem, but had to unload in the rain and park around the block in an underground garage to avoid a $45/day parking charge at the hotel. We had reserved a room in the Executive Hotel Cosmopolitian, a former apartment building so we have a spacious suite with a nice view. The hotel is at 8 Colborne Street, a narrow street, in the heart of downtown. Various taxes amounted to 24% of the bill.
After unpacking we walked around the downtown. I felt like a tourist gazing up at the tall buildings and people watching the well dressed pedestrians. Very much like New York City or San Francisco. Entering the westside neighborhood we passed through Union Station, a large handsome edifice, which was still crowded with passengers and were headed in the direction of the Rogers Center to see if we could get in and see the baseball game. Toronto Blue Jays vs. the Kansas City Royals. Two teams having very poor seasons and going no where in the standings. As we approached the stadium a young man solicited us to purchase his two season tickets. They were very good seats, 5th row box, slightly down the line from first base. He was seeking $120 a piece for them. I expressed interest in the seats, but not the price. We had an extended negotiation and he reduced the price, but not to a level I was interested in, so I walked away. Shortly thereafter he pursued us and we agreed on a price of $80 US. Thus we watched the Blue Jays pull out a come from behind 6-2 win. Two, loud, but joyful Royals fans 2 rows behind us who had traveled to Toronto from Kansas City primarily they said to see the game were very disappointed. The ballpark was completed in 1989 and was the first with a fully retractable motorized roof. One outfield wall is the wall to a luxury hotel. We could see some of the hotel guests in their rooms. Weird seeing a baseball game indoors on artificial turf. Little noise in the stadium, less than 19,000 in attendance and no organ or piped in music. We purchased some Labatt beer and fries. Usual ballpark exorbitant prices. However it was bobblehead night and we were given two of them which we will mail to the grandkids when we return to the US.
This was the beginning of Canada Weekend so the town seemed to be emptying out and after the game many of the restaurants were closed. late We ate a late dinner at the Irish Embassy Pub and Grill. Reasonable food and low priced beer. Then walked back to our hotel.
Woke up early without any bed bites or sleep interruptions, so the motel served its purpose. I checked on the car which I had plugged into an outside outlet at the far end of the motel and it was still slowly charging. I then went for a swim in the motel's indoor pool. It was a nice size but very humid and chlorinated. The deck was being rebuilt.
Then went to the breakfast area and were greeted by a mob of Sikhs. The motel was hosting a bus tour of Sikhs from the Punjab in India. They were virtually all male and primarily older. They were from a seniors club and were dressed in Sikh style clothing. There was no one in the breakfast area except us who was not part of that group. The tour guide was a Indian-Canadian who had immigrated to Canada over 40 years ago. We spoke at length, he seemed to welcome the break from the Sikhs, and he recounted the difficulties and discrimination he had experienced in Canada, but he also expressed his gratitude for the good life Canada had afforded him. He said that the travelers were on a two week visit to Canada and were up from Toronto for two days and one night.
The breakfast was a chaotic affair. At one point my wife's English muffin was squished down in the toaster by another guest's bread. The food area was pretty messy, spreads like peanut butter were being taken right out of the jar and the owner was furiously, but unsuccessfully trying to resupply the food. At least the breakfast had fresh fruit and was filling.
After breakfast we quickly packed up and exited for downtown with a 48 mile electric charge. We took Parry Sound Drive, Joseph and Isabella streets, the latter going under a high railway trestle into a very cute downtown.
The town is located on Parry Sound, which has the deepest, natural, freshwater port in the world. The town is named after the sound which was named by Captain Henry Bayfield, yes he of Bayfield WI fame which we passed through earlier in the week, for William Parry, an Artic explorer. The town has a permanent population of about 6,400, that swells considerably during the summer. For the first part of the 20th century area's economy was centered on explosives and munitions plants. Today tourist is the main economic driver.
We parked by the harbor and observed the great lake cruise ships. The sound opens up to Georgian Bay, which has 30,000 islands. and then out to Lake Huron.
Then we walked through a park and entered a local historical museum. At the other end of the harbor is the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. He was a great hockey player who was born and raised in Parry Sound and played his entire career with the Boston Bruins. Pretty small and pricy, $9, but a must see if you are a Bobby Orr fan. After quick stops in the gift and ice cream shops, we took a stroll on the Fitness Trail which roughly parallels the shoreline and provided nice views of the bay.
We then drove through town and exited at the southern end and resumed our drive to Toronto. Back on the highway it was a long, monotous drive through very green, but flat brush and new forests. As we got closer to Toronto farms began to appear. We stopped for a Subway sandwich lunch and gasoline as it began to rain.
As we approached Toronto during rush hour we encountered major traffic congestion, both going into and out of town.
Toronto sort of took me by surprise. I knew that it is a major metropolitan area, but I had never been there and was not prepared for what I saw. Perhaps it was because we had really not been in a major city since Minneapolis. My first vision of the city was forests of residential towers and lots of construction cranes.
We entered the entertainment district, south of the downtown business area on an elevated freeway that ran past lots of sleek glass and steel office buildings and more residential high rises. Found our hotel without problem, but had to unload in the rain and park around the block in an underground garage to avoid a $45/day parking charge at the hotel. We had reserved a room in the Executive Hotel Cosmopolitian, a former apartment building so we have a spacious suite with a nice view. The hotel is at 8 Colborne Street, a narrow street, in the heart of downtown. Various taxes amounted to 24% of the bill.
After unpacking we walked around the downtown. I felt like a tourist gazing up at the tall buildings and people watching the well dressed pedestrians. Very much like New York City or San Francisco. Entering the westside neighborhood we passed through Union Station, a large handsome edifice, which was still crowded with passengers and were headed in the direction of the Rogers Center to see if we could get in and see the baseball game. Toronto Blue Jays vs. the Kansas City Royals. Two teams having very poor seasons and going no where in the standings. As we approached the stadium a young man solicited us to purchase his two season tickets. They were very good seats, 5th row box, slightly down the line from first base. He was seeking $120 a piece for them. I expressed interest in the seats, but not the price. We had an extended negotiation and he reduced the price, but not to a level I was interested in, so I walked away. Shortly thereafter he pursued us and we agreed on a price of $80 US. Thus we watched the Blue Jays pull out a come from behind 6-2 win. Two, loud, but joyful Royals fans 2 rows behind us who had traveled to Toronto from Kansas City primarily they said to see the game were very disappointed. The ballpark was completed in 1989 and was the first with a fully retractable motorized roof. One outfield wall is the wall to a luxury hotel. We could see some of the hotel guests in their rooms. Weird seeing a baseball game indoors on artificial turf. Little noise in the stadium, less than 19,000 in attendance and no organ or piped in music. We purchased some Labatt beer and fries. Usual ballpark exorbitant prices. However it was bobblehead night and we were given two of them which we will mail to the grandkids when we return to the US.
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| Sculpture on the outside of the stadium |
This was the beginning of Canada Weekend so the town seemed to be emptying out and after the game many of the restaurants were closed. late We ate a late dinner at the Irish Embassy Pub and Grill. Reasonable food and low priced beer. Then walked back to our hotel.
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