Toronto Sights Photo Blog

Silver City

2008-10-23T05:30:00.001-05:00

Silver City, originally uploaded by Jim Crocker.

Toronto Hydro building on a beautiful fall Sunday in October.

Mushroom Mansion

2008-09-04T16:25:00.001-05:00

Mushroom Mansion, originally uploaded by Jim Crocker.

According to Google this is an artist's studio. Sculpture Garden. Toronto

Toronto fog

2008-08-30T06:12:00.002-05:00

Toronto fog, originally uploaded by Jim Crocker.

Foggy day, downtown Toronto. Cool effect by taking the brightness setting up a few notches.

Toronto Summer Skyline

2008-08-27T19:01:00.002-05:00

Toronto Summer Skyline, originally uploaded by Jim Crocker.

Air Canada Center to the right. Gardiner Expressway in the foreground and new condos everywhere.

Piper Pilot

2007-02-24T18:32:00.000-05:00

A couple of seconds from touchdown at Buttonville airport just north of Toronto.

Toronto Cold

2007-02-24T11:56:00.000-05:00

Wintery day. February 2007 looking south from 404 and Sheppard.

Fireworks

2006-12-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

Toronto City Hall. Cavalcade of Lights 2006.

Morning Fog

2006-11-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

Early morning ice fog. First tee, Thornhill Country Club. Season is over.

Royal Ontario Museum

2006-11-07T06:43:00.000-05:00

Big reno job going on at the ROM, corner of Bloor and University. Gotta think it took some balls to approve this expansion model - very modern, disjointed. From a distance currently looks like a building fell over.

TAGS:ROM, museum, Toronto Photos

People in glass houses...

2006-11-05T08:33:00.000-05:00

...and IT is so interesting. Too much partying.

TAGS:University of Toronto, tired, Toronto Photos

University of Toronto Tower

2006-11-05T08:14:00.000-05:00

Famed Soldier's Tower, Memorial Room Window at the University of Toronto.

TAGS:Toronto, University of Toronto, stained glass

Toronto Subway

2006-11-04T08:40:00.000-05:00

From the overpass at Merton and Yonge. One of the spots on the Yonge line where it's not a 'sub' way.

TAGS:Toronto, TTC, Toronto Photos

Classic Car

2006-10-24T06:40:00.000-05:00

Beautiful Chevrolet Corvette at Toronto Classic Car Show and auction, October 2006.

TAGS:Toronto, corvette, car show

Fall in Toronto

2006-10-10T05:54:00.000-05:00

Generally not the best colours this year - it's been too warm. Using HDR to exagerate what's there. Picture from duck pond in the middle of Thorhnill. Didn't see the large mouse behind me until the shadow showed up in the picture.

Still using the trial version of Photomotix.

Toronto Underground

2006-10-03T05:49:00.000-05:00

PATH is a major shopping and eating connector that links most of Toronto's downtown core. In the winter, it means never having to go outside.

Original photo edited with Paint Shop Pro's brush strokes effect.

TAGS:Toronto, PATH, Paint Shop Pro

Berries in Fall Colors

2006-10-02T20:10:00.000-05:00

TAGS:Toronto, fall colors, colored leaves

CN Tower Windows

2006-10-02T19:57:00.000-05:00

CN Tower reflecting in the windows of nearby office building.

TAGS:Toronto, CN Tower, Toronto Photos

Warrior

2006-09-23T06:14:00.000-05:00

Not messing with this guy. Piper with ceremonial guard, Veteran's Memorial parade.

TAGS:Toronto, bagpipes, warrior

Pipe and Drums

2006-09-17T20:51:00.000-05:00

Veteran's Memorial parade.

TAGS:Toronto, bagpipes, red

Musical Instruments

2006-09-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

Veterans memorial parade. Toronto. Musicians took a break - instruments didn't.

Toronto City Hall

2006-09-04T20:06:00.000-05:00

Another HDR image. This one super worked over and it shows - too much exposure in the top corners. A Photomatix watermark that comes with trial version of Photomax is also visible.

TAGS:HDR Photography, Toronto City Hall, d50

HDR Photography

2006-09-02T15:01:00.000-05:00

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range Imaging. By taking a series of pics at diffent settings and merging them the resulting photo contains more colour range and intensity than a normal photo.

This one taken at Edwards Gardens.

TAGS:HDR, Toronto, flowers

Think Pink

2006-07-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Cool front and awning on boutique hotel just off Yonge Street. From the top ranking in Google for 'Cosmopolitan Toronto': Cosmopolitan Toronto hotel is the latest Toronto Boutique and zen Hotel. It is a hotspot for a romantic weekend getaway, Toronto meetings and meeting ...

TAGS:Toronto, buildings, hotels

Bank Next Door

2006-07-06T05:54:00.000-05:00

Two of Toronto's more uniqe towers - Scotia Bank and condos at One King West. Perspective doing a real favour to the condo tower which is barely half as tall as the bank tower.

TAGS:Toronto, buildings, city

Rusty Ranger

2006-07-04T10:14:00.000-05:00

Sitting empty and high in the water. Tied up near the Docks entertainment complex just off Cherry Street.

TAGS:Toronto, boats, docks

Close-up: PCMD's

2006-07-02T13:20:00.000-05:00

Close up of the Pool Cues of Mass Destruction outside Air Canada Centre. Toronto downtown is big into wierd, bad, steel art - see the woodpecker and massive rusted sunflower in previous posts.

Towering Reflection

2006-07-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

CN Tower, Rogers Centre and Pool Cues of Mass Destruction reflecting off Air Canada Centre glass.

Honey, we bent the condo...!

2006-04-23T05:52:00.000-05:00

Wierd affect from this angle. Tried straightening the image but left tower still appears bent. Could it be the same architect...?!

Arch Bridge

2006-04-16T05:47:00.000-05:00

This cool arch-bridge over the Humber River in Toronto's west end seems like it should be out of place - but isn't.

Humber Engineering

2006-04-11T05:01:00.000-05:00

Massive girders holding the Gardiner Expressway and Lakeshore Drive above the Humber River.

Hiring: Toronto Maple Leafs

2006-04-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

The problem when you hire badly in the first place is you have to do it all over again. In anticipation of an early start to the golf season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have apparently begun the hiring process for next year.

TAGS:Toronto Maple Leafs, Air Canada Centre, hockey

Flying North

2006-04-02T17:46:00.000-05:00

It's almost golf season. Flags are going in. Pro shops are opening. And the Canada Geese are returning to their natural habitats on the fairways and putting greens of our golf courses. Caught this one landing (no really) at Buttonville Airport.

TD Bank Funky...what?

2006-03-31T16:36:00.000-05:00

Keeping in mind that the bird in the previous post confuses me, probably no surprise that this pic does too. This is some kind of funky advertising/poster/technology on the way into the food court in the TD Bank Center. Fact is, this picture is 10x clearer than what you see live. It's like looking through an optical grate, where you only see the image at a certain angle. What's even more confusing is once you see it, it's still not clear what the purpose is. Maybe it's just cool?

Big Bird

2006-03-30T06:54:00.000-05:00

First give me some credit. How tough was it to not call this picture 'Giant Pecker'. Fortunately, I'm more mature than that. This ugly woodpecker 'sculpture' outside the Toronto convention centre has always kind of confused me. First, it really is ugly. Second, it sits on a pole in the middle of nowhere. Third, it's right on the way to the Rogers Center where the Toronto BLUE JAYS play. Blue Jays, not Toronto Peckers. On closer inspection, not visible, is another pecker that sits on the far side of the pole, not really visible for anyone. One question: why?

Big Bank Tower

2006-03-28T20:08:00.000-05:00

Scotia Plaza tower on a cloudy day. Home of Scotia Bank, this is the 2nd tallest tower in Canada and the 21st tallest in North America. The exterior features smooth Tennessee marble.

Toronto Convention Walk

2006-03-26T07:14:00.000-05:00

Skywalk from Union Station to Toronto Convention Center and Skydome. Well known location to all Toronto Blue Jays and Auto Show fans.

TAGS:Toronto pictures

Peaceful Setting in Heart of Toronto

2006-03-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

Picture taken out the back Lobby of the Sheraton Hotel. Sheraton is a great hotel for tourists and locals alike - central, great parking, good bar, connected by the Path Network underground to the rest of the downtown, wi-fi. Right across from City Hall.

TAGS:Toronto Pictures, Toronto Hotels, Waterfall

KLM 747 Landing at Toronto

2006-03-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

Pics like this usually go on my other blog, JC's Toronto Plane Pics. This one has been getting big time views over at Flickr also.

Outdoor Plants in Toronto

2006-03-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

The problem with growing plants outdoors in Toronto is that sometimes they mutate, get large and take on a grungy appearance. This beauty outside the entrance to the Royal York Hotel on Front Street.

Power Lines

2006-03-15T13:54:00.000-05:00

I once asked a friend of mine from Europe what he noticed most about Toronto. His answer was very interesting - "all the poles full of wires". Take a look around. He's right. We've got ugly wires everywhere. These one's run throught the parking lot at the Finch subway station - and, to be fair - they've got fields full of these in Europe too.

Royal York Hotel Toronto

2006-03-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

The grandaddy of Toronto hotels. Built in 1929, this hotel has lots of stories. From the hotel web site:

On June 11, 1929, the hotel officially opened as The Royal York. It was the tallest building in the British Commonwealth and quickly set the hospitality standard of the day. The magnificent hotel became known as a city within a city, rising in 28 floors of architectural splendor and replete with mechanical genius and opulence never before seen in Toronto. It boasted 1,048 rooms - each with radios, private showers and bathtubs. The 1.5 acres of public rooms included a 12-bed hospital, 12,000-book library and ten ornate passenger elevators. The Concert Hall featured a full stage and mammoth pipe organ weighing 50 tons, which surpassed anything else in Canada with 300 miles of copper wire. There was a glass-enclosed roof garden, the largest hotel kitchen in Canada with a bakery that could produce over 15,000 French rolls a day, a 66-ft.long switchboard manned by 35 telephone operators, its own bank and golf course (now known as St. George Golf & Country).

TAGS:Toronto Pictures, Royal York Hotel, Toronto Hotels

Toronto Reflections

2006-03-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

From the North American Life building at Finch and Yonge.

Toronto City Hall Skating

2006-03-11T17:47:00.000-05:00

Skating at +10 degrees. Toronto City Hall. Outstanding day for being outdoors and getting pics. This skating rink was a floating garden in a post here from September.

One King Street West

2006-03-11T16:31:00.000-05:00

Spectucular spring day in Toronto. Picture of recently built, cool, condo hotel at One King Street West. Built on the old Toronto Dominion Bank building, this slender beauty stands 51 stories.

Halifax is cool too.

2005-09-07T18:05:00.000-05:00

I was away over the long weekend. Roadtrip to Halifax. Not too many pictures because too busy having fun. Was impressed with the city. It's small but lot's going on. Lots of bars. The waterfront is very busy. Halifax is a regular stop on the cruise boat circuit. Queen Mary 2 is scheduled in next week. Here's my favourite boat. Theodore the tug boat.

TAGS:boats, canada, Halifax

Twister emerges

2005-08-30T09:12:00.000-05:00

Here's the twister emerging from the clouds. Great picture.

TAGS:tornado, clouds, Fergus

Birth of a Tornado

2005-08-30T08:38:00.000-05:00

Earlier I posted an observation that one reason the Toronto storm went generally unreported was because of the tornado in Fergus. Fergus is smaller town, an hour or so northwest of Toronto. A friend of mine just passed along a couple of photos showing the twister in Fergus taking shape. Very impressive.

TAGS:tornado, Fergus, clouds

Toronto Old City Hall

2005-08-25T06:40:00.000-05:00

Toronto's Old City Hall behind the fountains/skating rink at Nathan Phillips Square. Crazy, out of place tropical island in foreground. Old City Hall was built for $2.5 million back in 1899. Over the past couple of years a lot of work has being going on to clean up the outside of the building. It looks good. The front of the building which fronts onto Dundas Street is still covered in green tarps and scaffolding. Nathan Phillips Square is a public gathering place. The fountain/pool becomes a skating rink in the winter. Toronto's new city hall is just to the left of this picture.

TAGS:Toronto, Travel, Tropical Island

Toronto Storm Picture

2005-08-24T21:10:00.000-05:00

The storm that blew through Toronto last Friday went surprisingly under-reported given its severity. Because there was an actual (actual!) tornado in a small town called Fergus, most of the attention went there (note to Canada watchers - anything that makes us remotely American is reported by the press and gobbled up by the public; it's part of our national inferiority and love/hate relationship with the US - tornados would be one of those things... as would the opening of a Pro Bass Shop). Picture above is from Donalda Golf Club just after the storm. The Club will be lucky to reopen by the end of the golf season. Given the impact on so many people in the city, it feels a little awkward only showing pictures that affect the country club crowd. Ultimately...they'll be OK! Meanwhile scores of people lost cars, basements, yards etc. What's amazing is that no one died.

TAGS: Toronto, Travel, Flood

Tropical Movie Shoot?

2005-08-23T19:26:00.000-05:00

I can't really explain this picture. Last time I saw the moat/pool in front of Toronto City Hall people were skating on it - sometime in June. Just kidding. Now there's a tropical island with palm trees! Perhaps it's part of the movie shoot that's going on in the background?

TAGS: Toronto

JC's Bar & Grill Toronto

2005-08-21T13:23:00.000-05:00

Not really a bar. Just a really cool site (I'm easily amused) that I came across for generating neon signs and a whole bunch of other stuff. It's called the Generator Blog. Check it out here. Also this cool site for generating code and icons for Technorati Tags - like the Blogger one below. Here. See ya!!

TAGS: technorati, Blog Tools,

Thornhill Club Storm Damage

2005-08-21T10:49:00.000-05:00

Another shot of the damage from Friday's storm. This bridge was picked up by the water and moved over 3 feet. Crap on top of the bridge was being carried by the water flowing OVER the bridge. First hole of the Club's 'short course' is in the background. Thornhill is a Stanley Thomson designed beauty. From the Blues it plays a modest 6562 yards, par 71. However, the course is tougher than it seems with narrow, treelined fairways, great elevation changes and few flat lies. 50 years ago the Canadian open was played at Thornhill.

TAGS: golf, Toronto, storm

Sand Trap Water Hazard Thornhill CC

2005-08-21T10:38:00.000-05:00

More aftermath from a storm that came through Friday. Taken at Thornhill Country Club two days after the storm. One of the tributaries of the Don River flows through - and in this case - over Thornhill. Something like 80% of the traps are beyond repair and will need to be replaced. Normally, these traps are full of nice, white Bermuda sand. For those not feeling sorry for the Country Club types, the storm did plenty of damage to homes in the Thornhill area, most of it from flooding. In one case, 40 cars lost in an underground garage that flooded to the roof. Fore!!

TAGS: golf, toronto, storm

Adveritising is Big at the Corner of Dundas and Yonge

2005-08-20T16:35:00.000-05:00

It's not Times Square and it's brighter at night, but when it comes to beating the hell out of your consuming sensibilities, the corner of Dundas and Yonge is no slouch. Thank goodness true Canadian spirit remains intact - notice the can of Labatt's Blue under the LG sign. Party on dudes! This is one of the 'famous' corners in Toronto - although any intersection with Yonge Street is well known. All the streets in Toronto run either north-south or east west - which makes getting around pretty easy. Yonge Street is the most central of the north-south streets and therefore has the most stores, cars, bums, hookers, etc. The Subway runs under Yonge Street from Finch in North York (way the hell up there) to Union Station by the Lake. From there it loops back North a little further east. Shopping on Yonge Street includes anyting from the primo stores in the Eaton's Center to antique stores up near St. Clair to Canada's most shopped post yuppie, going on mid-life crisis outlet, Sporting Life.

TAGS: Travel, Toronto

Big on Tommy Hilfiger

2005-08-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

One of a series of large scale advertisements hanging in the Eaton Center. This one for Tommy Hilfiger which would be sold in about half the shops in a mile radius of the mall.

The Green Monster

2005-08-20T07:25:00.000-05:00

Big storm in Toronto yesterday. All of the summer's rain came down in about 4 minutes. As a result lots of flooding, traffic mess, airport delays, etc. We got off light. Just the pool overflowed. Sort of not good for the neighbours down-yard of us but with all the water around they wouldn't have known it was us!

Toronto's Eaton Center??

2005-08-20T07:11:00.000-05:00

When the Eaton Center was built, Eaton's was the flagship store and the T. Eaton Company was one of the original partners in the builder's consortium. The center was synonymous with the store. Not now. Eaton's went out of business in the late 90's. Now the flagship store is probably H&M - but given they've got all the signage, let's call it Sears. The Toronto Sears Center?

The King of Retail

2005-08-19T21:57:00.000-05:00

An almost empty Eaton Center, 10:30 am Friday. By noon this place is busy - by 3:00pm it's jammed. Tourist destination. Good shopping but nothing unique. Get all the same stores in most Canadian malls. Just big. Great people watching. Follow the skywalk at this end of the Eaton Center over to the Bay store - probably the best department store in Canada. 7 or 8 floors. Merchandise you can't get anywhere else and great prices, especially on weekends. Best of all if you don't like it, you can take it back.

The Birds of Retail

2005-08-19T21:21:00.000-05:00

Canada Geese hanging from the ceiling of the Toronto Eaton Center. It's scary to think how many times this picture has been taken. I had to wait my turn to take this picture and according to the Eaton Center web site, the Eaton Center is Toronto's (and therfore probably Canada's?)#1 tourist attraction. These geese are the symbol of the Eaton Center and even make it into the logo (top).Given that the Eaton Center opened in 1997, Canada Geese were probably still kind of a cool bird. Not so much now - although some people apparently care. Their population seems to have exploded and geese can be seen occupying any green area, particularly near water. Ask any golfer. Strangest place I ever saw Canada Geese was a small (very) patch of grass at the entrance to London's Heathrow Airport. It's not clear whether they flew themselves or took Air Canada.

TAGS: Birds, Travel, Toronto

Toronto is a Clean City

2005-08-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

For as long as I can remember, Toronto has had a reputation for being a clean city. Almost always, that's a comparison to American cities of similar size. Overall, I guess that's probably true. It's actually what struck me about this photograph which is taken just below the CN Tower - probably one of the busiest tourist areas in the city. Of course it's early - but there were still perhaps 20 buses on the scene. Not all areas are like this though. And from my perspective, there's no question the Toronto the clean has been in decline for years. Garbage is actually a huge issue for Toronto as their isn't enough local capacity for the tons of crap the city produces every day. So, much to the dismay of environmentalists and residents of Michigan, the city sends something like 125 truckloads of garbage across the border to the US every day. What is it they say...one man's garbage is another man's gold?! Here's the City of Toronto's 'Facts About Trash'.

TAGS: Toronto, Toronto Skyline

Picture - Toronto Tourist Boats

2005-08-15T19:28:00.000-05:00

Toronto's lakefront is teaming with boats for touring around Toronto Harbour. These are two of the more interesting ones - Oriole and Showboat. Foreground is Northern Spirit, a 'classic' harbour party boat. All three are owned by Mariposa Cruise Lines. Toronto has a pretty decent harbour for touring around. Across the harbour and facing the city is Toronto Island. From there, great views of CN Tower, Rogers Center, Toronto skyline. Most of the tour boats in the harbour have shallow enough draughts to cruise the inland waterways in and about Toronto Island. I once tried to buy a boat like these. This was a few years ago when there wasn't as much competition as there is now. The financials for the tourist/event boat business at that time were remarkable. All booze based. Very low costs and very large mark-ups. No need to work winters! Could spend those down south - maybe even doing the same business. Here's the Google link for Toronto Harbour Cruises.

TAGS: Toronto, Boats

Steamwhistle Brewery Toronto

2005-08-13T12:41:00.000-05:00

Kind of funky home of Steamwhistle Brewery near Toronto's Rogers Center. This shot taken looking south towards condos on Lake Ontario. Steamwhistle is a micro brewery making a pretty good Pilsner. See the rating here at RateBeer.com. The building used to be a locomotive repair shop for Canadian Pacific Railways. It was built a few years ago in 1929. Location is interesting. Basically right down by the Rogers Center, just up from the Gardiner Expressway. Lousy grass cutting job out front!

Picture - Roy Thompson Hall

2005-08-10T15:23:00.000-05:00

Different architecture around Roy Thompson Hall. Hall is a performing arts center at King and Simcoe streets. Known for pretty good accoustics. Cost $52 million. It opened in 1982. Web site here.

Canadian Culture

2005-08-05T21:15:00.000-05:00

Canadian culture - hockey, Tim Horton's, Inukshuks (sp?). A whole inukshuk mob scene here on the waterfront. A group of them just threw a cylist into the lake.

Picture - Humber Bay Bridge

2005-08-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

Cool pedestrian bridge on Toronto's western waterfront. Supposedly, this is a picture of the same bridge!

Toronto Windpower

2005-07-30T14:43:00.000-05:00

Where all the hot air comes from. Windmill on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. Called Windshare, this is a project of the Toronto Renewable Energy Coalition. In a 50/50 partnership with Toronto Hydro, Windshare owns this ExPlace turbine and the power it generates.

This is a noble cause and no question there are opportunities for windpower to help reduce power costs in office buildings, condos, etc. But the reality is VERY modest - as in powering the lobby lights in these buidings - not running them. Europe in particular is much further ahead of North America in this regard. However, Ontario/Toronto is living on the edge of an acute energy shortage, for which unfortunately, windpower will not be the answer. Currently, there only is one answer - but nobody wants it. Nuclear. This answer is so politically incorrect that it has stymied the building of any new power generating sources in the Province of Ontario for many years. As a result, Ontario purchases much of its power requirements from others, at costs well above the ceiling set by the government for consumers to pay. Everyone knows there's a crisis coming but no one so far is smart enough or ballsy enough to do what's required to fix the situation.

TAGS: Toronto, Windpower, Alternative Energy

Christopher Columbus Discovers Toronto

2005-07-29T15:20:00.000-05:00

Arrives just in time for Caribana. Toronto is a multi-ethnic city but this may confuse the hell out of him! This weekend TO will look a lot like some of those southern islands some of Chris' buddies banged into searching for the new world. Of course, this is actually tourist ship. The sails are for show. Boat is really diesel powered.

Picture - BCE Concourse

2005-07-27T20:02:00.000-05:00

View looking up the elevator of the funky concourse, BCE building. Once you start noticing, you'll see this concourse everywhere, particularly print ads, photo shoots. Probably better known for the Hockey Hall of Fame just behind to the left of where this picture was taken.

Drinking in Toronto Harbour

2005-07-26T05:29:00.000-05:00

Best view of Toronto waterfront from a bar. The Docks. Doesn't get any better than this. Staff are friendly. Beer is good although there isn't any draft and everything is Labatt's!! On a day like this - who cares??!

Mini-Golf in Toronto Harbour

2005-07-26T05:21:00.000-05:00

Mini-golf course at The Docks. Docks is an 'entertainment complex' - bars, driving range, swimming pools, soccer pitch, muscle beach north, drive-in theater - just off Cherry Street at eastern end of Toronto waterfront. Great place for a beer and pretty decent people watching. Big enough (huge) to attract a lot of corporate outings.

Sailing in Toronto Harbour

2005-07-24T07:20:00.000-05:00

Parasail overtakes an Albacore. This Albacore was lead boat in a fleet of about 50. Parasailer very skilled and worked his way through fleet several times.

Tranquility Base

2005-07-23T08:01:00.000-05:00

Finally, the heat has broken. A beautiful Saturday morning in Toronto.

Last of the Muskoka pics

2005-07-19T18:10:00.000-05:00

Classic Muskoka. Trees and water. Old boat house and bunkie (what you can't see is the new multi-$million super-cottage just off to the right). Have noticed an interesting trend on this blog to evening pics. Could it be that this is the best light for my little Canon A520?...or, is it just a passing fad?

What lifes all about!

2005-07-17T15:30:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favourite Muskoka views. From the BBQ overlooking Lake Joseph. Nothing more relaxing than a nice glass of wine after a tough day on dock. I gotta get a cottage like this! Need the bucks to acquire a decent place in Muskoka. While cheap compared to Europe, some US lake country, properties here range up to $10 mil. Nice ones go for $1.5 to $3 million. Can get some 'starters' for $500K but probably stuck on a river somewhere with boats blasting by your dock. Check it out!

Muskoka sunset

2005-07-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

Great Muskoka sunset over Lake Joseph. Wenonah II in the background on one of her overnight lakes cruises. Muskoka is cottage country north of Toronto. Bunch of lakes but the most popular are Lakes Joseph, Rosseau and Muskoka. Goldie Hawn, Martin Short and more than a few hockey players with summer places up here. Towns in Muskoka include Bracebridge, Port Carling, Rousseau. Getting to north end of Rousseau takes approximately 2 hours from Toronto. Worth it. Along with great swimming, scenery also excellent lodges/resorts, outstanding golf, decent fishing.

Ken and Barbie Go Cruising

2005-07-10T18:23:00.000-05:00

Nice fake boat. Radio control model approx a meter long. It's sailing in a foot of water on a pond at Toronto Harbourfront. Bunch of old guys with their models have been doing this for years. Tourists love it. Actually, there were a bunch of nice (real) boats in town this weekend. Normal for summer plus Molson Indy weekend. Saw one from San Francisco. That boy's a ways from home!

Fun Rogers Centre Gargoyles

2005-07-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

These gargoyles greet you as you enter the Skydome from Front Street. Actually, Skydome is now called the Rogers Center. Rogers is the Canadian purveyor of lousy internet access, cell phones, digital cable, etc. Probably a decent company but despised fairly broadly for their terrible customer service. Everyone has a story. When it was built, Skydome was a modern wonder although that has mostly faded. Skydome's funkiest feature is it's retractable roof which can open to the elements or close to shut them out in something like 20 minutes. Home teams in the Skydome include the Blue Jays (baseball) and Toronto Argos (CFL football). The Blue Jays won back to back World Series here. For sports nuts, there's a hotel that looks out over center field. In early days before tinted glass, etc fans occasionally got the unexpected thrill of watching couples getting it on high above center field. Great fun for the kids and no extra charge! The facility had been in fairly steady decline until Rogers purchased it a couple of year ago - to go along with their purchase of the Blue Jays who had also been in steady decline. Here's the Rogers Center website.

Fiery Toronto Summer Sunset

2005-07-09T15:47:00.000-05:00

Taken from Lake Ontario over western part of Toronto. Double sun affect was real - not just bad photography. Seems to be caused by interference from clouds?

Topless CN Tower

2005-07-09T15:34:00.000-05:00

Top of the tower is gone in some low hanging cloud. Picture taken looking from Islands which are south of the city on Lake Ontario. White dome is the Skydome. Tower is over 1800 feet tall and is billed as world's tallest building?? Here is website with more info.

Toronto Skyline

2005-07-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

Great view of the skyline taken from an evening cruise on Lake Ontario. CN tower defines the skyline and the city. Skydome is the other big attraction downtown. Skydome is the white, round, ghosty thing in front, to left of CN Tower. Tallest building are all bank buildings - Bank of Montreal to left, black TD Towers in the middle, Scotia Tower just hidden by CN Tower. Royal Bank Tower is gold building to right. Good banks in Canada thanks to limited competition, government protection.