Places we have been.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Toronto Islands

On a sunny and warm Sunday afternoon, my friend Maricel and I decided to take a trip to the Toronto Islands, located offshore from Toronto.


The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in Lake Ontario. The most popular ones are the Centre Island, the Ward's Island and the Hanlan's Point.

The Centre Island hosts Centreville, a children's amusement park. There are several swimming beaches on the islands, including Centre Island Beach, Gibraltar Point Beach, Hanlan's Point Beach (which includes a recognized 'clothing optional' section) and Ward's Island Beach. Also, the Toronto City Center Airport lies at the north-western tip of the Islands.

Recreational boating is also popular on the islands. Hence, the Islands are home to the Island Yacht Club, Queen City Yacht Club and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. There is a public marina, the Toronto Island Marina, and several smaller clubs including the Toronto Island Sailing Club, the Sunfish Cut Boat Club and the Toronto Island Canoe Club. There is also a dragon boat regatta course and grandstand.

You can check this website link for more detailed information on Toronto Islands: http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/index.htm

The islands are serviced by ferries, water taxis and other boats. There are four public ferry services. Three of those provides links for passengers and service vehicles from a dock at Toronto Harbour Front on Bay Street to docks at Hanlan's Point, Centre Island Park and Ward's Island. Service frequencies vary by time of year. Below is the schedule during summer time.
The fourth public ferry service provides a vehicle and passenger connection from a dock at the Bathurst Street to the Toronto City Centre Airport. The ferry makes the round trip across the 121 metres channel every 15 minutes during airport operating hours. There is no public access between the airport and the rest of the island chain. Apart from the ferry services, the yacht clubs and marinas on the islands provides services to their members and guests.

We took the ferry bound to the Centre Island. The fare was CAD 6.50 per person. Being a sunday, the queue was very long but it was moving fairly well.

As we sail off to the islands, the view of Toronto waterfront and skyline looks amazing.


The view when we were approaching the Centre Island.

Just after few minutes we disembarked the ferry and headed towards the park area to relax and enjoy the soothing atmosphere of the waterfront. This place is certainly beautiful; pretty landscape, the recreational land and water activities available, a long stretch of beaches, park areas where people can rest, play and have family picnic/barbeque.






The Manitou Beach
The Pier
Manitou Beach

We spent some time at the beach area and subsequently decided to go for canoeing.

The Boat House located south-east of Centreville amusement park offers canoe, rowboat, paddles, kayak, pedal boat rentals. One can pay with a credit card or cash, with cash payment they require to leave an identification card with them. For the canoe rental, we paid CAD 20 per person per hour. Since all the canoes were taken at that moment, we were advised to make a reservation and wait for specified time. I was quite concerned to take my bag with us in the canoe so I was looking for a safety place to deposit our things. Lockers are provided in the Boat House for CAD 2.00. We hopped into the canoe with our vests on. My friend, Maricel volunteered to steer the boat. I thought I could also do it but after so many years, I wasn't sure if I could still do it well.


The Boat House

In my hometown Loreto (Dinagat Island), we learned to paddle a boat and swim at our very early years. Our house lies right next to the river leading to the open sea. We didn't have formal swimming lessons though, but good enough to stay afloat and to swim from a distance to the shore. Wearing a vest was not even available to us then.

Anyway as we started to navigate, our childhood memories came rushing to our minds. Paddling a boat is very much a part of our lives. Each time we go to the farm and to visit the fish coral, we have to take the boat. We had a good laugh talking about those good old days. We covered quite a distance for an hour. Certainly, we had so much fun.

The Cabel Cars above
The Royal Canadian Yacht Club



After the boat ride, we went to the Centreville to take the cable car ride. A good retreat from a strenuous canoeing. The ticket costed CAD 4.75 per person. It was a relaxing ride.


From there we went to the Olympic Island for the photo sessions. I didn't know that Maricel is a photography enthusiast. She had her camera, various lenses and a tripod. She has no choice but to take me as her model. We spent the rest of the evening taking photos. Until now, I don't know if I had given justice to her photography as I haven't seen the photos yet.

The Toronto Skyline from the Olympic Island


Ferry sailing off to Toronto


We took the ferry back to Toronto at around 8pm. It was such a great trip.

Posted by: Jernie
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Monday, July 7, 2008

Going-up North of Toronto

We attended a house-warming party last June 28 in Thornhill, north of Toronto. Like any other Filipino gathering, it is an opportunity for me to meet kababayans (fellow-filipinos) and to have Filipino food. When we got to the place, we were greeted by Nang Thelma with open arms. We met the guests and the table full with Filipino dishes took my undivided attention. It was very heart-warming to feel like we're home. I have to mention my favorite among those dishes are the crabs (sautéed in butter, very delicious) and cassava 'lidgid' (cassave 'suman'). It's been a long time since I had it.

We shared a long table at the garden with my cousins Yetyet and family, Joyzen Santoya and husband Dave (who came from Massachussets), Nong Boy and some other guests. We left at around 10:30pm.




The following day Monday, we went for a day trip to the north of Toronto with Joyjen, Dave, Yetyet and family. We started off at 8am from Scarborough and drove up north through the town of Markham. We haven't been in this area before, it seems to be a pretty place. Looking at the landscape and houses around it clearly shows its diversified culture. There was even one which looks like a typical German house. This town is considered as the fourth most populated town in the Greater Toronto area, after Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton. It is also a home to technological companies like IBM, Motorola , Toshiba, Apple and the many more.



We drove further north and later on reached the Cook's Bay which is a part of Lake Simcoe at the Keswick, Ontario. While driving by the lake, I was fascinated with the view and the houses/villas at the water front.





A perfect getaway from the hussle and bustle in the city. It is really a beautiful place. We dropped by the Inn On the Lake (http://innonthelake.net/index1.html) but the office was still close. So, we did hang around at the lake side and enjoyed the serenity and the view of the place.




Keswick is a part of the town of Georgina. From there we drove to the town proper to have some coffee and then drove further to the next destination. Driving in the country-side is so much fun. There was a place that looked like Ebeltoft, a place we usually drove in Denmark everytime we go to the beach area. The landscape somehow is similar to some places in Europe.

Peninsula Resort (http://www.peninsularesort.net/Home.php) in Pefferlaw was our next stop. The place was pretty big. They have a boardwalk, a park area, beach area, waterfront cottages, restaurant and river-side patio. It is a nice place to spend holidays with the family. There were few families camping in the park area and some really nice boats were cruising the lake and the river. It reminded me of my nice memories with my childhood friends in my home town Loreto.










Thereafter, we drove to the Point of Mara Resort and Trailer Park (http://www.pointofmara.com/trailer.htm) in Brechin. Though this place is smaller than the Peninsula Resort but it's kind of compact and cozy. It's more of a private place. Certainly, it is a very nice getaway destination for the family. There are camping and trailer areas, as well as waterfront cottages. It offers lots of activities for the family. When we got there it was so windy and a little bit chill hence, the water was rough. No way we could get into the water but some girls were brave enough to go for a swim. If time permits, I would love to stay in this place for a few days to get-away from the busy and noisy environment in the city.









By then, it was past lunch time. We decided to have a Japanese late lunch, so we drove back to Toronto. Yetyet's husband Alain took us to Maison du Japon in Woodbine Avene, Markham. It is a fairly good restaurant; nice location, fair ambience, good food but the service was below my expectation. A friendly approach and a smile from the crew would have made a difference.


After lunch. we drove back to Yetyet's home and spend the rest of the evening there with the karaoke session and the seemingly never-ending updates on our family whereabouts after more than 20 years of being out-of-touch.

Posted by: Jernie
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

A glimpse of Toronto Pride Parade


The Pride Parade commenced at 2pm at the Bloor and Church Streets going west to the Yonge Street, down to Gerrard Street and headed east back to Church Street. Thinking that it will take sometime for them to reach the Gerrard Street, I left the apartment at around 2:30pm. However, when I got there the floats were already passing by and the crowd was too much. I attempted to go closer but it was just impossible. All I could see from where I stand were just the floats. No way that I could see those ones walking and dancing in the streets unless I would climb up to a higher location. I should have gone there early.

The floats were colorful, artistic, bearing different themes and playing lively music. It was really fun, worth seeing for. Towards the latter part of the parade, there were banners and streamers bearing messages for their cause.

See some of my photo shots during the parade.

No doubt, it is a must see event if you happen to be in Toronto during this season. Be there early to have a good view of the parade and be able to appreciate it a lot more.

Posted by: Jernie
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Spainish Team claimed the Euro 2008 Title

The European football cup culminated last Sunday with jubilant Spanish team supporters as their team captured the Euro 2008 championship title.

Since the final game coincided with the Toronto Pride Parade at the core downtown, I decided to watch the parade first and subsequently retreated to the Dundas Square where the game was broadcasted. There was a big crowd intently watching as the game unfolds. During the 48th minute of the game, Spain advanced 1 goal over the German team. I was hoping that the Germans could turn the score around at the later part of the game but they failed to do so. Among the crowds were some supporters waving the Spanish flag and the German flag when the game came to an end.

They say pictures say a thousand words:





Posted by: Jernie
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Friday, June 27, 2008

Still on Euro 2008 Football Cup


Germany and Spain Teams are onboard for the final match on June 29 (Sunday). Certainly, it will be a lot more exciting to watch it with the crowd. I'll have to check the best place to be because the Pride Parade will also be taking place at the same time. I can't imagine how will it be in Europe specially in Germany. It must be crazy.

I was at the Brookfield Place during the first semi-final match (Germany vs. Turkey). It was relatively full but I managed to take a corner with a good view to one of the big screens. In the beginning I was kind of observing the atmosphere because I wouldn't know which team are they cheering for. So I stayed a little discreet when I cheer for the Germans. Not long enough, I got the sense that I was against the tide. We were out-numbered by the pro-Turkey team fans. Back in Germany, the fans must have been divided because there is a big population of Turkish immigrants specifically in Mannheim. The first half time culminated with a 1-1 score.

During the second half of the match I was in a better place, closer to more German fans. Some of the young ones had their football paraphernalia i.e. flags, shirts and caps. As the game was heating-up, the broadcast was interrupted, and interrupted and interrupted. I can't believe it but what could we do but release a big sigh and just watch the screen very closely for the score at least until the game was over. I was ecstatic that the Germans made it to the final. For a moment, I couldn't believe that I am this hooked to this football mania.
Back in June 2002 when I had my European tour, the football mania was very much in the air in every places we have visited. We could hardly comprehend how much the people there were glued to watching the game in the TV screens; in the bars, restaurants and open areas with humungous screens. I do remember, my friend and I kept talking a lot about it during the trip but now I think I understand (lol).

I happened to chat with a friend in Germany and I wasn't prepare for what she's going to tell me. That because the German team won the match over Portugal team, the major electronic shops and many other shops in Germany were offering major discounts in celebration of the team's victory. Funny huh! But it's true. She was one of those who arrived late at the shop hence, all the Wii games were all taken. I am wondering if there are more major promotions now that they won again the semi-final match.

Today the Spain team advanced to the final game facing the Germany team. In contrary, I watched the match alone at home. Spain team dominated the game with a 3-0 standing against Russia.

Looking forward to the final match on Sunday. Good luck! (Viel Glück!)


Posted by: Jernie
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