This was an unexpected bonus for us as we both liked the idea of travelling through here but due to the sheer size of the country we couldn't tackle it on this trip. This would give us a good taste of what it was like.
Canada is the world's second largest country by total area and its common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the longest in the world. The land occupied by Canada was inhabited for millennia by various groups of Aboriginal peoples before the late 15th century, when British and French expeditions explored, and later settled, along the Atlantic coast.
Canada is made up of 10 Provinces and 3 territories and in our time here we would only be visiting the Province of Ontario with the first stop being Toronto. Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America.
We were going to spend 4 nights here and when we arrived the weather was freezing so we headed straight for the hotel on one of the many trams that are everywhere. It was here we would meet up with my Mum's cousin Hazel and it was great to hear a friendly Glaswegian accent again. We spent the day catching up and wandering about the city centre in the freezing cold wind before she had to head back home.
The next day the rain joined the wind so we didn't do too much but we did manage to head out for a massive walk along the lake to get some photos of the place.
Toronto has a small set of islands off the mainland that has been built up with reclaimed land over the years. The islands are a popular recreational destination, and are home to a small residential community and Toronto City Airport. They are connected to the mainland by several ferry services.
The islands comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America, though some service vehicles are permitted. Recreational bicyclists are accommodated on the ferries, and bicycles, quadracycles, and canoes can be rented on the islands as well.
Luckily for us the weather changed and the sun came back and we headed over to the islands to check them out and decided the best way of getting around would be to hire some bikes! These bikes were weird and basic as they had no gears and most worryingly, no brakes. To stop we had to cycle back the way which was bizarre to get used to but we were soon flying about.
The islands were great as they were so peaceful and scenic there was hardly anyone about. It helped that it was off season and a mid-week day as we could imagine how busy it must get in the summer. At some times we felt as if we had the island to ourselves and we were able to sit and admire the views across the lake to the city, as well as the local wildlife that included a ferret and baby ducks and geese.
Niagara Falls:
The Niagara Falls are one of the most famous waterfalls in the world and are located on the Niagara River, straddling the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The falls are 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo, New York and 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.
Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections separated by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls, the majority of which lies on the Canadian side of the border (around 90%), and American Falls on the American side. The smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island.
Niagara Falls were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment en route to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America.
The Horseshoe Falls gets the name from the shaped crest that is 671 meters (2,200 ft) in width. At the center of the Horseshoe Falls the water is about 3 meters (10 ft) deep. It passes over the crest at a speed of about 20 mph. The fall is 53 meters (173 ft) high, has an average crest elevation of 152 meters (500 ft) and faces northwards. The depth of the river at the base of the falls, estimated at 56 metres (184 ft), is actually higher than the fall itself.
It was great to go and have a look at them even though we got soaked as the force of the falls get swept up by the wind and permanetly soaks the path at the edge that provides the best view. At night time the falls get lit up and offer a different viewing experience.
An interesting fact for you is there are only 14 people who have tried to go over the falls in some version of a barrel. Eight tight rope walkers made their way across the falls. Two people swam over the falls. Two dare devils flew a plane under the bridge and the other jumped off a diving board.A total of six people died going over the falls.The most recent stunt man to make it over the falls was a 40 year old man.
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