9th Jan: ticket to ride

I watched the sunrise over the Niagara Falls.

Then I got to eat so much for breakfast, it made me so happy. The Hilton put on a good buffet breakfast so I rose to the challenge by conquering: grapefruit, orange, cranberry muffin, carrot bread, waffle, fruit salad, French toast, raisin toast, breakfast potatoes, danish, cornflakes, so much freshly squeezed orange juice and black coffee. I was stuffed and ready to take on the day, which really only involved a bus ride, 10 hours of bus ride.

The bus had wifi, so this was amusing for some time. The un-amusements included gangstas booming their rap music for more hours than I would like to count, and people having what I would estimate as 5 hour phone calls. We arrived and simply cabbed to our hostel and slept!

8th Jan: ocean of noise

Mum did not finish her pancakes that the cooking woman had lovingly prepared and scooped mystery fruit next to this morning. I hope the lady did not look in the bin and see the rejection. After our last breakfast at the downtowners inn we checked out and made our way to the bus terminal. We were heading off to Niagara Falls!

2 and a bit hours later we arrived in Niagara Falls. We had a very talkative taxi driver, who pointed out many sights and told us many novel facts about the streets as he drove us to out hotel!

We checked into the Hilton and jumped around our room with delight. There was more than one tiny room. In fact there were two King size beds, a couch, a Jacuzzi AND a view of both the American and the Canadian falls! Woo. We had some Starbucks for lunch, and went on a three star walking tour of Niagara. The falls were stunning, my words cannot really do them justice. We looked at them for hours, and from many angles. It was most enjoyable. The maid of the mist (a boat tour of the falls) does not run in the winter. This is because it is both very cold in general, and because the temperature is so low, the mist near the water freezes and turns to ice pellets. I am sure the maid of the ice pellets would be a much less successful ride. Niagara is a very touristy town, mostly hotels, ‘fun’ museums for kidz, outlet malls and loads of restaurants. We were pure and simple folk and managed to enjoy the falls for what they were and did not need the glory of neon Mickey Mouse to help me enjoy the falls.

I did however feel the urge to makeshift some bathers out of underwear and go swimming in the Hilton's pool. It was ridiculously warm, and had a three-story water slide!

We bought some cider to bring up to our room and enjoy with our view. We had such a nice night watching the falls light show, chillin’ in our room, taking turns in the Jacuzzi and drinking our cider!

7th Jan: animals

Today we went to the Toronto Zoo. We had faithful pancakes, surprise fruit, coffee and cordial for breakfast. I was so put off by the creamer I took my coffee black. We triumphed the Toronto public transport and caught a metro and a bus 35km to the zoo.

We tried to swindle our way in by using their promotion of a half price promise, which would come into effect if there was a forecast of -10. Sadly only the wind chill was -10, and this did not seal the deal. First up we enjoyed the white rhino, and the white rhino enjoyed Sophie. It stirred and took a blurry look at Sophette.

We wandered around Africa, where the animals were either in a nice warm pavilion, outside and surprisingly active, or off display. I did wonder where these animals off display are being kept. There were quite a few, among them the large Elephant, large Hippo and the pygmy hippo. We trekked over a kilometre to get to the Canadian Wildlife section. Who would have guessed the grizzly bear was in hibernation! Bastard! We checked out the moose, we gently called to it(i.e made moose impressions), and stirred the moose’s from their seated position. They strutted around, which was really cool, they seem very awkward animals, they are SO large, and have very lanky legs that don’t seem to function quite so gracefully. The sad part was, they did not have their antlers. In winter a moose will shed its antlers!

My highlight was the Tundra section. We saw arctic wolves, they even howled dramatically as a pack AND two polar bears. They were astounding! We watched them for ages, they frolicked around, ate and were generally amazing. Oh, they did not appear to be the largest land predator.

Next we saw the Americas, and TWO sloths! They stunk so much, but they were there hanging upside down, not moving, and probably growing algae and mould.

We had to wait a super long time for the bus to catch home. Two consecutive buses did not come. The dark and cold were approaching. We made the journey home, and were so tuckered out form all the walking around and enjoying of the zoo that we skipped the shoe museum, and went home. We even managed to have trouble with our seemingly simple dinner or bagel, avo, tomato and salad. The salt and pepper we had spied last night in the free for all had been taken! A dinner – ruined. Well not ruined but less enhanced. Finding clean plates, forks and knives was a general struggle too! We tried to go out for coffee at Starbucks, but it is apparent that people in Toronto do not drink booze (we could not find one liquor store) they drink coffee and hog café tables. We had to go to a second cup, and search long and hard for an available table.

the skyline looked like crooked teeth

We woke up and got to enjoy pancake breakfast with some identifiable and some unidentifiable fruit. Mum and I enjoyed (as much as we could) coffee with powdered milk, and Sophie enjoyed some form of juice, perhaps. With this nourishment in our systems we were ready for the day’s adventures.We strolled around Toronto. It is what I take as Canada's New York - but on a much smaller scale and with fewer people, and hot dog stands. We made our way down to the harbor where I thoroughly enjoyed Lake Ontario. It is unbelievably large. Nothing else compares, well I suppose except for the other great lakes.
We then went up the CN tower. This was so exciting. The tower is about half a kilometer tall which makes it the worlds tallest building. It weights about as much as 23,214 elephants. Many world records have been set in it, including someone pogo-ing up all 147 fights of stairs, and someone in a wheelchair somehow climbing all these stairs to the top. It has a glass floor observation deck which can support the weight of 14 hippos. We jumped around on the observation deck, while some people would timidly look at it, touch it with a toe and get photos on the very, very edge.
The sights were amazing, and the elevator ride was fun, 22km/hour, my ears did a lot of popping. We had a chai tea in the revolving restaurant. It doesn’t revolve very fast, but when you noticed it, it was a weird feeling.After this experience, we checked out the gold RBC bank. Rumor has it that the bank had so much money, it decided to invest in gold (on its self). This was very cool, and the building gleamed in the few patches of sunlight we received. We went into the lobby in hopes of more cool findings, but no. We ‘rode the rocket’ (subway slogan) to the University of Toronto. It had a really nice campus, and the buildings were so pretty.
We blended in with the students, read their newspaper and strutted around until it was time to go to the ROM (pictured above). The Royal Ontario Museum has free admission for the last hour of opening on Wednesdays. We bustled in with a few others, and enjoyed the totem poles, the dinosaur exhibit, the stuffed animals, and most of all the stunning mineral collection. Oh, the museum was such a delight. We then walked across town, for the free AGO night (Art Gallery of Ontario). We lined up with many other thrifty Toronto-ers. Art galleries make me feel good. I enjoyed my time spent appreciating works of art, and what some consider art.

We walked home, and bought some soup for dinner. A seemingly modest dinner - but it proved difficult to concoct. The lack of can opener was the first struggle. Stabbing a can with a knife, will not, contrary to popular belief pierce the can, and open it. Mum went down to the front desk, where the man did have a can opener, he was just saving it for later. So with cans open, the situation looked somewhat better. Until I almost knocked over the stove in an attempt to turn it on. When it was on, only two of the hot plates worked, so we had to shove off some poor English girls, as our meal was quicker. With the soup almost hot, the next step of bowls almost proved our defeat. We were almost about to resort to the polystyrene cups on offer, but the English girls gave us three Tupperware’s to slurp out of! The day was saved, and the soup was served!

i put on my overcoat and walked out into winter

Today we took in the last of what Ottawa had to offer. Had some cheerios in the lovable kitchen. There is Sophie enjoying the backpackers.We said our goodbyes to maxi-pippins:

I think only Sophie was brave enough to pat him goodbye. We wandered out into the snow, and finished the last leg of the hearty walk. We walked down to City Hall, and then around and into the Currency Museum. It was surprisingly good. We had some Timmy Horto's for luncheon on the go and hurried off to the bus station, as our last bus line up which was meters and meters long had inspired fear. We arrived in plenty of time, and got what we thought to be good positions on the bus. But the trip soon turned to ruins. Mum was next to dubbed "poking Peruvian" who kept on poking her and saying stupid things and generally being stupid and annoying. The bus was heated to 30 degrees, and as a result Sophie was feverish and I was terribly bus sick (for the better part of the 5 hour trip). We finally arrived in Toronto (an hour late!!) and checked into our hostel. We tried to find alleged 'little India' which was meant to be just down the road, but we could not find it, so settled on pizza and fries with lots and lots of mystery dipping sauce.

closing time; you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here

So today was a Monday, a little to my knowledge is a day that most museums and attractions are closed in Ottawa! (bastards)

So first up on the agenda was a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts. CLOSED. But there was a cool statue of what I think is meant to be a spider out the front, so we amused ourselves with that as we planned our next venture. We walked along the Rideau Canals. which were so pretty and snowed over but apparently not icy enough to skate on...We strutted down to and around the University of Ottawa. It wasn't very happening for the first day back to school. No free chow or merch of anything, which was a severe disappointment. The campus was rather nice and whimsical. We then went on what I (and undoubted others) would rate as a Michelin five star scenic (and hearty) walk. It was 5 km of enjoyment. On the way we stopped at the old jail, which has since been converted into a hostel (which we tried to book, but was too sold out). We attempted to check out the Currency museum (which had an amazing greenhouse foyer with Giant Yap:

Believe it or not, this limestone was used as currency. Sadly the sign did not say how much the yap was worth (I would estimate from its size - a lot). Unfortunately this was where our experience with the Currency Museum ended - it too was closed.

We ventured on to the Supreme Court and the bibliotheque, where there was a suspicious bench which was very reminiscent (a.k.a exact copy) of one in Montreal.We crossed the boarder into Gatineau, Quebec. We tried to get into the Museum of Civilization but this too was closed. We crossed the river back to Ontario and enjoyed seeing Ottawa from a new angle. It was curious that some of the Ottawa was frozen solid, and some random patches were still flowing rapidly.Back in Ottawa we had some reviving bubble tea, and found that Sophie's shoes were wet, so had to stop our journeys and head home (with cider). I experienced a range of emotions in the hostel. Much laughter at the gimps and their yogurt eating contest, and then fear of crazy drug fueled Asians, angry at everything this world has to offer. If I could I would double lock my doors tonight!!

we came in doing cartwheels

Today we explored the streets of Ottawa in the extreme snow flurries and wind chill.

We set off from our hostel, leaving our bizzare Asian room mates who mostly seem to loll around in bed and venture out for short intervals at random times. We checked out the Chateau Laurier, wandered around the foyer of the 5 star hotel, and generally pretended to be guests. They had a Christmas tree expo on. The Tim Horton's tree was my winner:We did a lap of Parliament and took in the many statues in its surrounds. The funniest statue was one commemorating women getting the vote; "women are persons". Top stuff, they really are! We then went inside Parliament house, despite the confusion of many at the door. They thought it was closed, but I pushed through the doubtful masses and opened the door to be greeted by tour guide explaining there would be a tour in a matter of minutes. Parliament was so pretty covered in snow on the outside, and covered in lights and Christmas festivities on the inside. We went up the peace tower (with bells), where you could see all of Ottawa, from only about 10 stories height. The Rideau River looked gorgeous all iced over and covered in snow. There were also many gargoyles and flying buttresses to mums delight. We heard the bells chime at quarter to 12 and quarter past 12, but not at 12 curiously enough!

We had luncheon at the By Ward Markets and then ticked off many sights on the Ottawa visitors guide. We enjoyed the Peacekeeping Monument, most of the Nepean point, the exciting self proclaimed Cathedral AND Basilica of Notre Dame, the outside of the Royal Canadian Mint (we couldn't work out how to get in for free), the Prime Minister's house (where I yelled "Hi Steve" in the hope that he was in) and the Rideau Falls. We came back into town for Beavertails (a pastry covered in sugary treats served hot, in the rough shape of a beaver's tail) and coffee in a bowl. After being warmed and nourished, we walked down the Sparks Street Mall and enjoyed Ottawa by dusk. The city still had all its pretty Christmas lights up, and Parliament was all lit up!

We bought some Canadian brewed cider, and cooked a hearty stir-fry for tea. We then chilled out in our hostel with many a gimp.