Stories / Cultural tourism / Canada
"Toronto, Almighty Toronto!" This is how
I would represent this city. Dreams are coming true in Toronto, the largest,
and one of the most important cities of Canada. In contrast to other cities
Toronto has its own unique spirit.
Where: Toronto, Canada.
When the “journey” started, we saw the
amazing nature of Vancouver,
the ocean breeze, fog, forests different in their splendor, and many more. Then
we saw Victoria
as the most English city in Canada, keeping its own traditions and guarding the
country from the west. Later on we moved to Winnipeg,
the hub for businesses.
That city is a testing field for companies both from all over the world and
from all corners of Canada. Moreover, the city keeps its historical importance
and meaning, having something memorable to offer. The next step was a trip to two small towns,
i.e. the resort by the Clear Lake, and Boissevain,
where you can find the history as part of people’s lives, and simply have a
good time and relax. And, finally, here we are, in Toronto. This city is going
to complete the journey in Canada for now; however, there is something more
coming up as it is far from being over yet.
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| Canadian flag |
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| Highway |
The name Toronto derives from the First
Nations’ language, I personally heard the version of “place for meeting”, where
the First Nations used to meet up. The second version is “place where trees
stand in the water”. So, you may choose either of them or Google the
information and find it out.
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| Downtown Toronto |
Toronto is the largest city of Canada,
so basically it means that the city is extremely important to the whole country. Broadcasting mainly streams from Toronto so
that the city controls the airing all across Canada. Here is the link to the official website of the city.
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| Downtown Toronto |
Toronto has a lot to offer to its
guests. Thousands of tourists are coming to the city, hundreds of immigrants
are trying to get into the country, and millions of deals are signed daily. So
you can imagine how big and important this city is. If you want to find some
information of what Toronto offers, check this website out.
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| Toronto Harbor |
Most obviously that you are going to
start your trip from the very center, the very heart of Toronto, which is, I
would say, the Union Station. From that station you can go any direction and
get to some interesting and wonderful places. As Toronto is located by the Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes,
you might want to see it and be part of it. Then you need to walk out the
station and go kind of backwards. The moment when I was in Toronto, there were
construction works and many exits were temporarily closed, but I am sure they
are open now. Perhaps, the easiest way is to walk out to the Bay St. and go to the intersection with Queens Quay W. That is a new part of the city, new
buildings, shops are built each year. I remember my trip in 2007 and I can tell
you that in 2012 the city expanded and got closer to the water; it seems it
added some land to be able to build more by the water. So, take a walk and DO
take pictures; there is no doubt that you will enjoy it.
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| Toronto Harbor |
There are new stores at the harbor; take
your time to visit them and find some souvenirs for yourself. I can tell you
due to my own experience that I regret that I have not bought some of them at
those stores. Well, I thought I would find the same ones cheaper, but I did not
find them at all. So, if you see something you would like to purchase and keep as
a good memory of that trip, do it!
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| Toronto Harbor |
Toronto is a huge city and it will take
you a week (at least a week) to see everything in downtown. Definitely, once
you get there, you also go shopping and it takes time. A good place for
downtown shopping is Eaton Centre. It
is a very comfortable place with everything you might ever need. It is a huge
and famous shopping mall and office complex. There you can find all famous brands,
for example, Sears, Canadian Tire, McDonald’s, H&M, Mexx, Hallmark, HMV,
Starbucks, and many many many more, if you are interested, go check the website of the
mall.
Part of that district is historical and
it gives you a chance to see lots of old buildings with their own history. The
impression you might get is terrific. You can spend a whole day wandering
around and going up and down, changing different levels of the mall and walking
outside, or stopping at a café to grab a cup of coffee. Moreover, if you are
traveling by subway, it is very easy. There are many subway stations in
downtown, some of them are in the Eaton Centre and some are near.
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| Eaton Centre |
In addition to the abovementioned, you
have a chance to see even more just simply going shopping. I mean the street,
on which this mall is located, Yonge
Street. It used to be the longest street in the world. Well, it depends if
it is counted as part of the Highway or not, but citizens tend to consider it
as the longest street.
Canada is also famous for and very proud
of its education system and offers one of the best educations in the world. One
of the most prestigious universities in the city is the University of Toronto, which is located near Queen’s Park and not far from Yonge Street. So, take your time and
walk there. Actually, there are many universities in Toronto and even in
downtown area. So, whatever you see you are going to be satisfied.
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| University of Toronto (one of the campuses) |
There is a very nice place to visit
while you are in the city, and it is the Olympic
Park. It is quite easy to find it. You can ask somebody on the street or
simply go to the world famous CN Tower,
the tallest building in Toronto. Well, we will get back to the CN Tower in the
second part of our journey in Toronto, as for now, we still have a lot to
cover. Getting back to the Olympic Park, I was going to mention the beauty of
that place. Walk there, spend time, take pictures, grab some food and get cold
or hot drinks (depending on a season when you get there) and simply relax and
enjoy the moment!
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| The Olympic Park |
If you are there, at the Olympic Park,
you can see some hotels, which you are going to need during your journey. Take
your time, find and choose the most suitable hotel for you. One of the good
options can be the Ritz Carlton Hotel
located in downtown with a good view to the lake and the city. It is a tall
building, which means you get a very good view and unusual experience (if you
never had one before). And amazing design and helpful personnel will greet you
and make your stay comfortable.
Another good option I would like to
mention is the InterContinental Hotel, which is located nearby. It is
an unusual building with charming inside and perfect service. It also gives its
guests a chance to enjoy a perfect view both to downtown and to the harbor. InterContinental
Toronto Centre is located on the corner of Front
St. W. and Simcoe St.
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| Shopping malls downtown Toronto |
Moving on to the other location, we get
back to the Union Station and we will take a closer look at that area. I mean Toronto Dominion Centre, which is
famous with its worldwide corporations, shops and the underground area, which
we will talk about in the 2nd part of this journey. Those streets around it are
filled with shops, cafés, restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and just
anything. Among those building you might find different modern and old
buildings, which are very beautiful. Sometimes you can see that an old brick
church is standing among tall modern buildings with glass walls. It is truly
amazing and unbelievable how they can be together, but they are.
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| The Fairmont Royal York and Toronto Dominion Centre |
Getting back to the place, where we
started our journey in Toronto, the Union Station, there is a very good hotel I
would like to mention at the end of this part of the journey, it is The Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
It is a marvelous historic building, which is so much attractive to people that
it is unforgettable experience to stay there during your trip.
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| The Fairmont Royal York |
A perfect location in the very heart of
Toronto is complemented by the underground world, i.e. underground walkways to
the Union Station, Toronto Dominion Centre, to the subway station, other
buildings and, of course, many exits, so you always feel comfortable and safe
at the same time.
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| The Fairmont Royal York |
My impression was and still is simply
WOW! I couldn’t say anything else, so amazing it was. I can say that I got lost
a little when I decided to try the underground walkway first. To travelers I
would recommend to use the main entrance in front of the Union Station, it is
the easiest option. Or, if you take a cab, you simply name The Fairmont Royal
York, drivers know it pretty well.
Take a look at the true luxury style, the well-trained personnel and experience
the high level service! It is something you would not forget…
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| A
funny road sign |
I believe it is time to conclude this
part of the journey. However, we are going to have the 2nd part of this chapter
about Toronto and a surprise coming up right after. As for now, the next trip we are going to
have is… ladies and gentlemen, the Niagara Falls. I am sure it is everyone’s
dream, especially if you are or planning to be in Toronto. Therefore, keep
traveling, discovering other destinations and never limit yourself with typical
boundaries, keep exploring the world!
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| A
maple leaf on the sidewalk |
Kirill “Traveler” Malyutin
TO BE CONTINUED…
About Travel Smart series:
“Travel Smart” is a section,
narrating about different countries and good travel tips, advised by the
author, Kirill Malyutin. The series contains recommendations, including selected
places to visit, character accommodation, and reasonable
shopping. Simply get inspiration!
All stories of the series →
О серии «Travel Smart»:
«Travel Smart»
– раздел, в котором автор Кирилл Малютин рассказывает о разных странах и дает
необходимые в путешествии советы. Серия включает в себя рекомендации по
посещенным автором местам, характерным средствам размещения, а также разумному шопингу.
Вдохновитесь приключением!
Все выпуски серии →
Read also / Читайте также:
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"Toronto, Almighty Toronto!" This is how
I would represent this city. Dreams are coming true in Toronto, the largest,
and one of the most important cities of Canada. In contrast to other cities
Toronto has its own unique spirit.
Toronto is undoubtedly best city in Canada and the list of places you have shared in this article is really great. The Toronto is becoming a great destination for tourists over the years and this list is very useful for them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment! There is going to be a continuation of this chapter taking place in Toronto. This Thursday you can read about the Niagara Falls, and two weeks from that day you can read Toronto part 2 :)
ReplyDeleteas for me, Toronto is my favorite and i like the city
and you're right, many tourists come to Toronto, maybe, also because it's easier, you can cover more cities and town nearby simply coming to Toronto :)
In fact your creative writing abilities have inspired me to start my own blog now. Really blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a fine example of it.
ReplyDeleteMatt Levine
Thank you! i'll be happy to read your blog =)
DeleteToronto is host to many outdoor and indoor events such as a broad array of summer festivals, Toronto boat cruises, summer concerts, Canada Day events, theatre events, and performing arts events, and shopping and trade shows.
ReplyDeleteautomoves
A mix mind and pivotal words. Precisely what I was searching for.
ReplyDeletesegway stockholm