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Toronto, Canada

Toronto: A Walk to Explore

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2004-09-14 10:25:28

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The summer was hanging on this early September. The morning was cool enough to wear a light jacket but one could get away with shorts because the day would eventually heat up.

I had visited Toronto several times but never ventured into the magnificent Royal York Hotel. It is here I stepped off the bus coming from my hometown for a day's outing. To stay at this hotel can set you back some CDN$200.00 but it costs nothing to take a peak at the 1929 décor of its elegant lobby. The hotel is linked to the Union Railway Station, opened in 1930. Behind Union Station, take the escalator then walk through the set of gray doors that lead underground to find yourself at the Air Canada Centre, home of the Maple Leafs hockey and Raptors basketball. If you don't have time or the inclination to watch a game, a tour costs CDN$9.50.

I got a bit lost in Union Station, but I didn't care. Eventually I found myself exiting onto Font Street. Opposite Union station, is BCE Place with its all-metal interior to support the weight of the huge glass atrium. Attached is the former Bank of Montreal, 1886, a gray stone rococo structure. This building houses the Hockey Hall of Fame. Even if you're not a hockey buff, it's still a great place to see artifacts on display such as goalie masks, skates and stick collections. Visit the replica of the Montreal Canadiens' locker room. And now on display is the "lucky loonie" buried in the ice at Salt Lake City for our Canadian women and men gold Olympic winners. Tour costs CDN$12.00

Down Front Street are many of Toronto's oldest and well-preserved structures, including the Flatiron (Gooderham) Building which started life in the 1890s as a distillery. A few minutes walk further and you can delight your sight and smell of the fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats at the St. Lawrence Market. You can even grab something to eat and drink. The smells made my stomach growl. Even though ...