Rencontre avec une amie de Nouvelle-Zélande – 15 October 2023

 

New City Happy

All Black matches at the Rugby World Cup are something worth watching particularly if it is reputedly against the best team in world rugby at the time.  I had told everyone I didn’t want to know the outcome but  Bev and Joly already knew  but they kindly indulged me so I could watch it after we got up the next day.  What a match!  It was seat of the pants stuff and I would have been happy with whoever won as they provided a spectacle that is often lacking in rugby. 

 

It was a cold day, but not so in Joly’s place and it was a bit of a shock to hit the cold air as we headed into town to meet an old but young friend Lisa who is resident in Toronto these days.  It was with much excitement that we greeted each other in front of Union Station. 

St Lawrence Market Street

Joly took us to a café by the St Lawrence Market (the market has been there since the early 1800s).  The café was full so we braved the cool overcast day and had our coffee outside with a jazz band playing for our entertainment.  We then spent an hour or so wandering around the market until it was time to find some lunch.


Two perspectives of the "Flat Iron" building

 

After lunch we walked past Toronto's version of the Flat Iron building on our way to Toronto’s version of Times Square.  The square had a few neon billboards and there cars converging via a number of streets to make it car friendly but not very people friendly.  It was a also a little damp. On the way we had detoured into the Eaton Centre which is a very large mall full of brand names and no doubt other small retailers.  It was very busy and Lisa said it was a place to be avoided during the weekend. 

 

Yonge-Dundas Square (aka Toronto's Times Square)

The route took us past some of the University of Toronto buildings, past a statue of Winston Churchill  until we came to a park where there was old City Hall and the new City Hall.  The new city hall is beautiful and was designed in the 1960s by a Finnish architect who did not get to see the finished product, dying at the age of 56 from a heart attack.  The two office towers almost cup or embrace the dome which covers the council chamber where the councillors meet and debate. 

With Winston

 

Just over the road is Old City Hall which is a rather graceful old building.  Fortunately it has been repurposed and is now the Ontario Court of Justice.  It was due to be demolished after the new City Hall was built but the citizens objected and it is now a beautiful building for all to enjoy with a Unicef heritage listing. 

 

That evening we had a wonderful evening out at Le Select Bistro a very nice restaurant doing French cuisine.  The food and wine were superb. It was quite a treat. 

The woman was posing for another photographer and enjoying it

Runners in the Toronto City marathon.  They were going very slowly!

Looking toward old city hall

Note what the dogs are looking at.

 

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