Toronto

After visiting Niagara Falls, I took a bus and in a little bit less than 2 hours I was in Toronto, the most populated city in Canada. The most outstanding landmark... the CN Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in the world (553.3 m). This tower dominates the landscape of Toronto and it is almost always visible!



Toronto has a typical North American financial area with high buildings and narrow streets around which the rest of the city is built.



However, it also has an underground feeling everywhere else in the city... it has a quite developed "alternative" culture that make it really cool!



And art is another element of the streets design... like this not too conventional street in the waterfront.



Downtown is also full of traditional English/Irish style buildings. Those brownish/reddish building everywhere confer a nice old feeling to the streets of Toronto.



Most buildings and churches are not too old, as in any North American city. However, some of them look pretty nice.



The City Hall is quite strange... quite a bold design... I guess it is the typical building you either like it or hate it.



Toronto has some island just off shore. They are very undeveloped and covered by a huge park. It is were people from the city come to relax. On the way there by boat, the view of the city is pretty beautiful!



Typical image of Toronto Islands and their canals...



... and their beaches.



As any big city around here, Toronto has a Chinatown with more than decent Asian food. ;)



And a very nice area which could be called "punktown". It is fulled of punk rock bars and punks on the streets. Some houses are decorated accordingly.



If you go on top of CN Tower, you can have a good glimpse on the city:



...and the islands:



And you can even enjoy walking on a glass floor, provided you are not afraid of heights!



Well, some people really seemed to enjoy the experience... :)



Even museums exhibit nice designs. This is the Ontario Art Museum (or something like that!).



The university was also pretty interesting.



Finally, some cultural note. These are some Canadian coins.



I was nicely surprised by Canada. The country is much the same as the USA. I mean, a highly intercultural population living is spread cities with a high focus on business. However, culture was important here and it was nice. People were more respectful and nice. And you could walk on the streets at any time without feeling any risk. It really felt nice!! Their neighbor in the South should try to learn some things from Canada. (Well, I only visited two cities... but I felt it was enough to understand that big difference between the two countries).

Niagara Falls

The last weekend in August, I went to Niagara Falls and Toronto, Canada. Niagara Falls are one of the most famous falls in the world and they are in the border between Canada and USA. Actually, there is one town in each country called liked that: Niagara Falls. I checked the prices and to fly in the US side was quite cheap from within the US, so there I went. I arrived at night and could go to see the night illumination and some fireworks!

These are the so-called American Falls:



And these are the known as Canadian Falls:



At night, I could appreciate these falls were quite impressive, but they were much smaller than expected! And, as a matter of fact, from the American side, you can't see much of the Falls!

I wanted to experience the falls, and therefore, I went for all the possible activities there. I went down the cliff to be at the bottom of the American Falls...



... and took the "Lady of the Mist" boat to get almost within the Canadian Falls. I got pretty drenched!



I also checked them again from the edge...



... and enjoyed a closer look on the American Falls from that ship I mentioned before.



The best view you can get from the US is from an observation tower/deck:



I did everything possible in the American side (even visiting the aquarium, a museum or watching a movie), so it was time to move to Canada!



From Canada, the view was much better!! You are further apart from the Falls, but you gain perspective and can appreciate them as a whole. I enjoyed this view much better!



And you can get pretty close to the Canadian Falls!! So it was pretty much the same experience as in the US side.



Two more panoramas from Canada!




If you are going to Niagara Falls, do not miss the Canadian side!! If you only have time for one side, go for Canada!! seriously!

Nombre desafortunado en Canadá

Sí, Nganha (pronúnciese Engañá... o eso espero!) es el nombre de una oficina de cambio de moneda y préstamos. El dueño no debe saber mucho español... o nunca habría llamado su tienda así! Confianza lo que es confianza, pues que no da mucha ;)

Visto en Toronto, ON / Seen in Toronto, ON:


Explanation: This post is written in Spanish because that is the language in which it is "funny", or intents to... The text on the window, pronounced as a Spanish speaker would pronounce it, literally means "Cheated". Considering this business is a loan and currency exchange office, well... not very trustable! XD