Peter & Teresa Go Global...
DAY 1: Started out at 18:00, Sunday 13th, as planned - first unexpected problem - taxi driver had never been to Heathrow before and started looking for it on a Central London Street Map – I became navigator. St.Giles Hotel comfortable, reasonable, £3/30mins broadband access, good location for airport.
DAY 2: 7 hour BA flight left a little late, but apart from some predicted turbulence, went well, good food and drinks. Flicked watches back 5 hours. Limousine to Hotel Victoria - central, comfortable, good value, free broadband access, but should have booked deluxe room - ours had no tea/coffee making facility. Amazed by 27 miles of underground shop-lined walkways (the ‘PATH’) that often popped up to street level inside office blocks and hotel foyers. Whilst it's only 19:50 here, I am writing this at 00:50 UK time – having started the day walking to an ATM at 07:30 – time to shutdown!
DAY 3: The weather absolutely dominated the day, pouring non-stop. We were unable to visit the Toronto Islands, any of the Parks, the Distillery District or the CN Tower. We escaped the rain by taking to the subway (underground trains) and streetcars (trams). Lunch in China Town was an authentic Dim Sum experience. The Crystal (an amazing new architecural structure) was unfinished, Ontario Place (a harbour-front entertainment area) was closed, so we made do with sightseeing from streetcars and walking the ‘PATH’, this included the impressive BCE Place (which reminded us of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Many down’n’outs, even begging by standing in front of cars at traffic lights pleading! Bodyclock not adjusted, tired at 21:00!
DAY 4: Bodyclock definitely not adjusted, awake at 05:30 – never mind, catching train at 08:30 from magnificent Union Station which runs like an airport, arrive half-hour before departure and wait for train in lounge area. First half of journey was through commercial and/or derelict landscape, but this eventually gave way to orchards. Comfort/Coach class was Amtrak's standard class but was easily equal to UK First Class – comfortable, spacious, quiet, with leg and foot rests and reclining seats. Our jacuzzi suite was on the 18th floor, directly overlooking the Canadian ‘Horseshoe’ Falls – stunning. Wet, cold and windy here, but it didn’t stop us walking around the Falls area – we definitely did the right thing choosing to approach the Falls from the Canadian side.
DAY 2: 7 hour BA flight left a little late, but apart from some predicted turbulence, went well, good food and drinks. Flicked watches back 5 hours. Limousine to Hotel Victoria - central, comfortable, good value, free broadband access, but should have booked deluxe room - ours had no tea/coffee making facility. Amazed by 27 miles of underground shop-lined walkways (the ‘PATH’) that often popped up to street level inside office blocks and hotel foyers. Whilst it's only 19:50 here, I am writing this at 00:50 UK time – having started the day walking to an ATM at 07:30 – time to shutdown!
DAY 3: The weather absolutely dominated the day, pouring non-stop. We were unable to visit the Toronto Islands, any of the Parks, the Distillery District or the CN Tower. We escaped the rain by taking to the subway (underground trains) and streetcars (trams). Lunch in China Town was an authentic Dim Sum experience. The Crystal (an amazing new architecural structure) was unfinished, Ontario Place (a harbour-front entertainment area) was closed, so we made do with sightseeing from streetcars and walking the ‘PATH’, this included the impressive BCE Place (which reminded us of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Many down’n’outs, even begging by standing in front of cars at traffic lights pleading! Bodyclock not adjusted, tired at 21:00!
DAY 4: Bodyclock definitely not adjusted, awake at 05:30 – never mind, catching train at 08:30 from magnificent Union Station which runs like an airport, arrive half-hour before departure and wait for train in lounge area. First half of journey was through commercial and/or derelict landscape, but this eventually gave way to orchards. Comfort/Coach class was Amtrak's standard class but was easily equal to UK First Class – comfortable, spacious, quiet, with leg and foot rests and reclining seats. Our jacuzzi suite was on the 18th floor, directly overlooking the Canadian ‘Horseshoe’ Falls – stunning. Wet, cold and windy here, but it didn’t stop us walking around the Falls area – we definitely did the right thing choosing to approach the Falls from the Canadian side.