A tourist in Toronto

I have always been a little uncomfortable on the transit system in Toronto. I don't know why. I'm more comfortable on the Paris Metro and buses or London's or Barcelona's for that matter. I think it is because I am not a tourist in Toronto and should know my way around. After all it's all in English and I have a general sense of the layout of the city. Anyway I decided to try and treat Toronto as if I was a tourist when Chris asked me to come into Toronto and check out wedding venues. I opted not to drive due to the anticipated PanAm Games traffic.

I drove to Aldershot and took the Go Train in to Exhibition. Chris met me there.

Next it was a streetcar to the waterfront.

This woman's job is to use the metal bar to change the switch on the track depending on
which route the streetcar is taking. Seems a little antiquated.

We ate on the waterfront and stopped in at a couple of the hotels to get information about group rates.

Along the way I was a tourist, taking pictures of the animal sculptures outside Paws Place
which Chris described as an "events facility for pets".

Next stop the ferry terminal with it's memorial to Jack Layton.

A fluffy puppy waiting patiently for the ferry.

Like Chris, I'm a sucker for the skyline.

From the ferry dock we walked out of the crowds and through the residential area of Algonquin
Island, to the the Algonquin Island Clubhouse.

Chris was right. The view was impressive.

Across Wards Island for a glass of wine and shared chocolate mint truffle cake at a lovely
patio

and then back on the ferry.

One of the things we like to do when I'm in the city as get a mani-pedi. This entailed another streetcar
(this one was one of the new ones), the subway and a bus. We were pretty late by this time so Chris
found a CAR2GO near the salon and drove me down to my Go station in a little Smart Car.

So there you have it, my day in transportation: Car, Go Train, Streetcar, Ferry, Streetcar, Subway, Bus, CAR2GO, Go Train. Car. - Whew.

The evidence of  the PanAm Games was everywhere, not just in the decorated ferry, but I rode the Go Train
with a volunteer and heard about her experiences, the blue and orange signs were everywhere and there were
also extra information people at the stations and near the venues.

It was a good job all that help was there because I still found the signage in the stations and terminals to
be minimal and confusing. The automatic ticket machine wouldn't accept my credit card so I had to walk quite a way to get a person in the ticket office. Luckily Chris had bought me a day pass so I just had to show that, after I met up with her, but she had her monthly pass on her phone and the turnstiles don't accept that yet (again, she had to find a person to show it to)

Fun day anyway. I got a better sense of some of the plans Chris and Jason have for their wedding and Toronto has lots for a tourist to see.