Hot off the train from the Prairies, Mark and I hit Toronto (albeit a little late, see previous post).

Our first stop was the CN Tower, which I have visited before and therefore knew what to expect.

After travelling 113 stories up in a glass lift, the glass floor is 342 metres above the road, and the brave can look straight down.

Unfortunately the even higher sky pod was closed, but we made the most of the view we had.

which is pretty special

We spent some time in the “Old Town”, which has clearly been revitalised and is extremely picturesque. There’s a Flatiron building which was completed in 1892, and which is quite charming.

We enjoyed the St Lawrence Market and bought some delicious nuts and beetroot chips made by a Greek man. I wish we’d bought more! I also found some fresh garden peas here and enjoyed them enormously on the next part of our train journey.

We visited the Distillery Historic District

This area is made up of Victorian warehouses and factory buildings, which are arrayed alongside cobblestoned streets and which have been transformed into  an interesting and eclectic range of shops, restaurants and galleries.

There is a lovely little botanic garden at St James Church and it was a mass of tulips. I do enjoy a nice garden!

Our next stop was Niagara. I haven’t visited from the Canadian side before and loved it. This is the view from the restaurant where we had lunch.

But getting up close and personal the power of these falls is just amazing.

Mark was thrilled to see them. Please note the cap – he has had so much stick for this cap everywhere we’ve gone in Canada! We should have bought him a local team’s cap. He’ll be ok in NYC though ;).  I made all his clothes except the cap and jacket.

There are three waterfalls here – Horseshoe, American and Bridal Veil. I took a panoramic photo clearly showing the Horseshoe and the American falls.

 The daffodils were in full bloom everywhere – so lovely

Of course we took the boat into the falls – the Hornblower. I didn’t really bother with the red poncho as my own raincoat did a much better job of keeping me dry (smug look here!)

This is a really beautiful building on the Canadian side that has been left neglected, which makes me so sad. I hope they work out what to do with it before it moulders into dust and rubble.

We then went over to Niagara on the Lake which is a breathtaking little town and one that I would like to go back to and explore more. On the way we saw this little chapel which is reputed to be the smallest church in the world, although I’m sure that distinction belongs to a church we saw in New Zealand!

Being springtime, the blossom was indescribable. This is the main street of Niagara on the Lake.

A long view of the street showing the clocktower

I hadn’t realised that George Bernard Shaw had been domiciled here for a number of years. There’s a statue commemorating this fact

As well as three Shaw Theatres. Apparently on a good day 8,000 people attend the theatre here!

A last photograph of a little apothecary shop on the main street, which is really more of a museum. So delightful.

Next up, back on the train all the way to Halifax, Nova Scotia!