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| STREET CULTURE IN CALGARY |
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| 'FAMILY OF MAN' SCULPTURE IN CALGARY |
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| CALGARY ARCHITECTURE |
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| CALGARY SHOPPING CENTRE |
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| TORONTO'S ROGERS CENTRE AND CN TOWER |
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| DOWNTOWN TORONTO |
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| NATHAN PHILIPS SQUARE |
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| POSH NOSH AT THE CN TOWER |
As I headed towards Calgary, where I would be catching a plane for Toronto, my last chance of seeing a bear was evaporating. Since bears generally avoid humans this was perhaps to be expected, especially since I had undertaken all the recommended precautions whilst camping and walking in the US and Canadian National Parks. Whilst an encounter at a safe distance would have made my day, I suspect that if I ever had come within earshot of a bear, they would probably have skedaddled as soon as they heard the clatter of my trekking poles.
At 12.15pm the bus deposited me just outside the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in downtown Calgary. I didn't need to get to the airport until the evening so I had half a day free. I popped into the Hotel and they kindly agreed to look after my luggage while I explored the city.
On the same block as the Hotel is the 626 ft Calgary Tower with its revolving (no, not revolting) restaurant, glass floor and 'unforgettable panoramic views of the City' (their words). I decided not to part with my cash on this one as I would soon be seeing the much higher CN Tower in Toronto.
Calgary has a smart and wealthy look to it, probably due to it being the oil capital of Canada. There were lots of yuppie types in suits walking the streets purposefully with leather folders under their arms, or engaged in earnest conversation in restaurants.
I visited the Fort Calgary Interpretive Centre and learned much about the origins of the city and its development through the years. Calgary had been an important stepping stone to the exploration and development of the Northwest Territories, and this seems to have been achieved without the same level of conflict with the Native Indians that occurred in the USA. Much credit for this was due to the important role played by the North West Mounted Police, later renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
I continued my walk along the southern bank of the Bow River (same river as in Lake Louise Village and Banff), detouring onto Prince's Island. There were lots of temporary fences erected as workers repaired the damage caused by June's floods.
My walk continued on until I reached the new Peace Bridge which, being covered, is more like a tunnel. I just hope peace is maintained between the potentially conflicting mix of speeding cyclists and dawdling pedestrians for whom it has been built. I took a look at the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre before returning to the downtown area using the +15 Network.
The +15 Network, otherwise known as the Skyway, is a series of walkways 15 feet above street level that interconnect many of the city's buildings. The intention is to make the movement of pedestrians about the city safer by keeping them separated from cars. It certainly succeeded in getting me lost.
Many of the downtown restaurants are located in a pedestrianised street called, naturally, Stephen Avenue. After eating a Chinese (meal, that is) I returned to the Palliser to collect my luggage and catch the 300 bus to the airport.
My WestJet flight didn't leave until well after midnight. After a three and a half hour flight which involved crossing two time zones, I stepped out of Toronto Airport shortly before 7.00am. Public transport to downtown Toronto was less than obvious, but I managed to catch a bus to a subway station and then ride the subway into the city centre, all without paying - completely inadvertently, yer honour, I just couldn't find anywhere to pay.
I came back up to street level at Dundas Station to be greeted by a scene not unlike Central London - dull, grey and dirty. After a short walk, which would have been even shorter had I known that Osgoode Station was closer to my destination, I found the Canadiana Backpackers Hostel. It was too early to book in but they let me have some breakfast, take a shower and store my luggage.
Toronto is a much bigger place than Calgary with nearly 5 times the population and, being closer to the east coast, has been established rather longer. I had also learned by now that Canadians don't pronounce the second 't' in Toronto so I should be calling the place Toron'o.
From the Hostel I initially headed towards Lake Ontario, passing the Rogers Centre where the Blue Jays Baseball Team are based and the iconic 1,815 ft CN Tower. In nearby Roundhouse Park, locomotives from the Toronto Railway Museum were on display and Steam Whistle Brewing served me with free beer.
I continued on to Queen's Quay where ferries depart for tours of the various islands just off Toronto, but couldn't see much across the water because of the fog. I struck north along Bay Street passing Union Station before coming to the Financial District. Underneath here is PATH, a network of over 17 miles of underground walkways linking nearly 1,200 shops, restaurants and services. It's Toronto's equivalent to Calgary's Skywalk, but appears to be much more successful commercially.
I continued north past Nathan Philips Square and the Old and New City Halls until I reached Bloor Street. Taking a left I came to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) where they were displaying art relating to David Bowie. Finally, a walk through Queen's Park and Chinatown took me back to the Hostel.
My initial impression that Toronto has some similarities to London stayed with me. It has a mix of modern skyscrapers and old buildings. Whilst walking under the raised Gardiner Expressway road near the lake shore, I noted how badly the reinforced concrete support structure was crumbling. Workmen were out repairing this. Several major new constructions were underway including a second platform at Union Station Subway.
For the evening I had booked supper in the revolving gourmet 360 Restaurant at the CN Tower. It was expensive, but after existing on Subway takeaways for some time I was due a treat. Also, by eating, I didn't have to pay to go on the viewing platform. The nighttime views over Toronto were great.
