Our Adventure to Toronto

 day 61 of 365

I called it our "adventure" but for me it was more of a 'challenge'.

I had to have the teenager up and in the car by 9........... anyone who has had a teenager knows that is a massive challenge!!

We were on the road by 9:00am.  Our plan was to drive to the outskirts of Toronto - park the car at a commuter train station and take the train into downtown Toronto (the traffic is IMPOSSIBLE - even for ex-Montrealers).  The adventure was taking the train - neither of the grandkids have ever been on a train.

We arrived in Toronto in time for lunch.  Our first stop was the CN tower.  

W wanted to ride the 58 second elevator to the top of this massively high building... go out on the observation deck and take photos,  (Have I ever mentioned I am deathly afraid of heights??)  

We stopped for lunch in their cafeteria.  Hamburgers chicken fingers 2 slices of pizza and a sandwich topped out at a whooping $68.00 !!!  We won't even discuss the cost of the elevator ride to the top for 2 adults and 2 children!!!

The crowds of tourists were suffocating (have I mentioned I hate crowds??!!)    and trying to keep track of the boys in the crowds was a massive challenge!

Despite my horrific fear of heights I did manage to point and shoot a couple of shots of downtown Toronto.............

 


Then we headed next door to the Ripleys Aquarium

Now picture thousands of people walking through a darkened aquarium - kids running everywhere (including our two) baby strollers and total chaos........... I was so busy trying to keep an eye on the kids (and yes lecturing them about running ahead and getting lost) I didn't take many pictures of the fish - BUT - I did get some beautiful shots of the aquarium when W and I went in the spring (click here if you want to see them)..............

there were pop up bubbles where kids would wiggle through a tunnel and pop up in a bubble in the middle of the aquarium........... our kids loved them - so did I till realized the tunnels were one way - so they didn't come out the way they came in...... le sigh

We finished off the aquarium petting bamboo sharks........ yeah bamboo - go figure!!

Then it was back on the train and a 3 hour train/car trip home............plus a quick stop at 8:30 for a bite of supper at one of the rest stops (which - if anyone is interested - cost me approximately 1/3 of the lunch meal)

OMG I was exhausted - and the day has made me question my bright ideas to keep the kids amused while visiting........ (maybe even the whole idea of them visiting) ....... le sigh