#toronto ferry island

[uglyandtraveling]

Urdu Vlog | Toronto Islands Tour | Ferry from Toronto Downtown to Ward's Island

The Toronto Islands are a group of 15 small islands located in Lake Ontario, just south of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They're a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike, offering a range of activities and attractions. To reach the islands, you'll need to hop on a ferry from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

Once you arrive, you can enjoy biking around the island, visiting an amusement park, relaxing on the beach, trying delicious food, capturing stunning views of the Toronto skyline, exploring beautiful gardens, and even tying the knot!

Ferries operate year-round, shuttling visitors to and from Centre Island, Hanlan's Point, and Ward's Island. The ferry ride duration is around 8-9 minutes from Toronto Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Toronto’s Navy Undergoes Repairs At Season’s End,” Toronto Globe. October 27, 1932. Page 11. ---- Trillium and Bluebell, the biggest ships in the Toronto Transportation Commission ferryboat fleet, are in drydock in Keating Channel. The two paddle-wheel ferries have carried their last load of holiday-makers for this year, and are up for overhaul. Hulls scaled and repainted, rudders tested, sea valves, renewed, and engines refitted, they will come off the chocks ready to face the picnic season of 1933. In the picture at the left above the Trillium is shown in the floating dock, and, nearer the camera, the Bluebell dismantled and waiting her turn to be taken out of the water. Centre, one of the Bluebell’s fifteen-foot paddle wheels is shown out for inspection. At right is a view of the Bluebell’s side, showing the place where the paddle wheel whirls when in action.

[batrachised]

"I first read Anne of Green Gables to my grade 3 class in Vernon River. When we got to the chapter in which Matthew dies, we all sat still and quiet until one student said, “I didn’t know a teacher could cry.”'

-Deirdre Kessler, a former Poet Laureate of P.E.I. 

"I recall reading Montgomery at specific times and in particular places. I remember reading Anne of Avonlea with my best friend in her back yard after our grade 5 teacher had read Anne of Green Gables aloud to the class. We were hooked. I reread Anne of Green Gables and Anne’s House of Dreams in a residence room at Carleton University when I was preparing to go to Nigeria as a CUSO teacher. I read Volume I of The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery while watching my young daughter play at a park. In more recent years I have gone directly to those passages that sustain me. I marvel at how deeply the words on the page connect writer and reader."

-Margaret Steffler, Professor Emerita at Trent University

"I grew up 27 kilometres and 98 years from Lucy Maud Montgomery: nearer in space than in time to her life and her creations. Growing up a writer within that circumference, it was hard to say if Maud cast a shadow or a gleam across the literary landscape and Island imagination. In the shadow of saccharine oversimplifications and commercialization, the writer was tempted always to challenge, to write against her legacy. But on an August day by a brook or on a December evening meeting a sharp-tongued character with a sharp eye on Island cultural characteristics, the writer is required to recalibrate: to recognize that we write, here, in her gleam. Happy 150 years since that first glimmer."

-Jane Ledwell, PEI writer

"For the past ten years I have lived in a small town in central Pennsylvania. (You can’t buy twenty pounds of brown sugar at the hardware store, but it’s that kind of place.) It’s nice enough, but it isn’t home. As someone who grew up in Toronto – attended a girls’ school – and then went east, I was probably fated to identify with Jane Stuart, Jane of Lantern Hill. I wasn’t born on the Island; I can’t make jam; and I was born decades too late to take the train from Union Station across on the Tormentine ferry. But I thrill to mornings on the Island and long for its sea winds, and just like Jane, I live through being away by never really being away: “Because in a very real sense Jane was still living on the Island.” I may live here, but I am there.

I’m glad that L.M. Montgomery understood how that feels."

-Claire Campbell is a double expatriate, a Canadian living in the United States and an Upper Canadian-born who misses the Maritimes.

"To me, teaching Anne of Green Gables in Iran was an unexpected journey that brought profound inspiration and hope. Little did I know that this classic tale of Anne Shirley’s resilience and feisty spirit would become a beacon of empowerment for my predominantly female students. Their connection with Anne's unwavering determination and her strong character ignited a spark within them that eventually helped spark an uprising against a relentless dictatorship. Witnessing these remarkable young women, who had once found solace in Anne's story, rise up against four decades of draconian rule in Iran has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. The Iranian women have taken the lessons of Anne’s perseverance to heart and channeled that spirit into a courageous struggle for justice and freedom. This is a testament to the enduring power of literature and the indomitable spirit of those who dare to dream of a better world."

-Sam Roodi, professor of Global Citizenship at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, Canada

"Recollections of childhood reading experiences tend to blur repetitively, but, for me, one memory is categorically singular. I was nine years old, home from school sick. My dad, on his way to work, stuck his head inside my bedroom door and said, “Here, try this.” He handed me a blue hardback of Anne of Green Gables. When he returned that night, I had finished it. For that whole day, I lived inside the skin of a different person. In a blur of astonishment and devastation, I learned that it was possible for a beloved fictional character to die. And I explicitly knew I was a different Margaret from the one who had woken up that morning. I remember my startled recognition, in so many words, that Thornton Burgess’s animal stories – hitherto completely satisfying – would never be quite the same again.  My life as a reader had suddenly and irrevocably expanded."

-Margaret Mackey is Professor Emerita in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta

"You inspired my mother to be a writer, when she was a little girl in Texas; you inspired my father, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, to see beauty all around. My little sister is named for your Anne. Every day I think about or read your work and try to imagine who you were within and between the lines. Thank you, thank you for giving me so many reasons and ways to read, to write, to connect with others, and to be."

-Elizabeth Rollins Epperly

"Maud’s writing first spoke to me when my own world had gone very quiet. I dwelt in a small town in regional Australia and was rarely able to leave my home due to chronic illness. Instead, I lived vicariously through her tales of girls and young women on an equally small island, about as far away from my own as it was possible to be. She showed me that life lived on a domestic scale could be just as vivid as that on the wider horizon. Unable to travel elsewhere, I gained strength from Pat’s decision to remain in a home to which she was so powerfully attached. Later, as a young teacher in a rural boarding school, I found comfort in my isolated state from Emily’s example of writing through her difficult feelings. Later still, when I reached Oxford, it was Anne’s experiences at university and her rich relationships with the kindred spirits she found there that resonated with special force. Maud’s words have been inscribed on each stage of my life, a tapestry of experiences that I have shared with her remarkable heroines, and which I will continue to weave in the decades yet to come."

-Chelsea Wallis

"My Maud testimonial begins with Brenda K Weber's testimonial. At an LMMI conference decades ago, she recalled a stuffy academic party during which a graduate student had approached her to make small talk. The student had a shaved head and a well-known enthusiasm for science fiction, and he wore black sneakers to this department party. When she told him she was about to attend a conference on Montgomery, his eyes lit up. "I love Emily of New Moon!" he exclaimed, and went on to babble about it for the next ten minutes. I love Weber's story as a reminder that we will find kindred spirits in the most unexpected places. I also love it because the graduate student in that story...was me. I discovered Weber's paper years later, and I think it captures me perfectly: a little too extraverted, a little fashion-ignorant, and still completely in love with Emily."

-Joe Sutliff Sanders is a specialist in children’s media in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge

"I open the cocoa-splattered, tatty book. Hand-written – hand-scrawled – memories of sensory pleasure: spicy, sugary, crunchy, hearty, homey. I open my mother’s falling-apart recipe book. In it are generations of recipes, passed on from great-grandmothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, friends, daughters, and daughters-in-law. A whole museum of feminine companionship.

You, too, held such a collection – a testimony to your own experiences of motherhood, of sisterhood, of friendship, of love. And when I open Anne of Green Gables, The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook, and then also Aunt Maud's Recipe Book, I share in these experiences. I find recipes to add to my own cocoa-splattered, tatty, hand-written recipe book. Liniment cake (with vanilla this time) made for birthdays, raspberry tarts for Sunday afternoon fun, ice cream that tastes of clouds … I open these books and I find comfort; I find love; I find motherhood."

-Daniella Dedekind is currently completing her MA at the University of Pretoria, South Africa

"On a recent spring day, I glanced out the window of my fourth-floor apartment and saw a flurry of white crab apple blossoms fluttering gracefully through the air, dancing upward on the wind. The whole urban landscape was transformed, and in that moment, I felt so thankful, not only for this glimpse of the wild nature of my city, but also for Montgomery and her nature-loving heroines, who taught me about Snow Queens and Wind Women and Flashes and how to live each day with eyes and heart and mind open to the beautiful surprises of the world around me. "

-Tara Parmiter is a Clinical Professor of Expository Writing at New York University.

"When I was in the third grade, my mother bought me Anne of Green Gables as a birthday present. I kept asking for sequels every year, and when I was in junior high, I learned that Prince Edward Island was a real place. During my university years, I visited the Island for the first time and stayed for three weeks. After several trips and working with a travel agency, I landed a job as a tour guide on PEI.

At first, I just liked to see the various seasons described in Montgomery’s books; then I wanted to feel the joy of spring after a long winter. Before I knew it, it had been 28 years in PEI.  Again, this spring, I'll go into the woods looking for mayflowers. Gilbert's love, expressed through gathering these small flowers for Anne, still touches my heart after all these years."

-Katsue Masuda 

"Like so many of us, my introduction to L.M. Montgomery came in childhood, at a time when I read voraciously, so hungry for departure. Back then, I had no clear sense of myself as a lesbian, but I knew intuitively that something about me was strange and “different” – or, as Montgomery herself might have put it, “queer.”

Because, at the time, there were so few novels for young readers with LGBTQ+ characters, I learned to find myself in other, less overt mirrors. It was in Montgomery’s books that I saw the clearest echoes of my own unarticulated desires. Emily Byrd Starr’s world is populated by older, unmarried female characters who show no interest in finding male partners. Valancy Stirling casts off the constraints of her disapproving family to pursue the existence she wants for herself. And Montgomery gave me Katherine Brooke in Anne of Windy Poplars, arguably her most overtly queer character.

I know, of course, that Montgomery wasn’t writing for readers who were gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender – and I know her opinions on lesbianism, expressed with such vehemence in her diaries – but she was writing for those of us who were “queer,” in the broader sense of the term. I’d like to think that she’d be able to understand my deep gratitude for the ways her work has always made me feel seen."

-Katharine Slater is an associate professor of children’s and young adult literature at Rowan University

"When my fifth-grade teacher read Anne of Green Gables to my class in the sixties, it was the comedic episodes of Anne dying her hair green and getting Diana drunk that made the book enticing. Throughout the decades since, as I aged and my interests changed, there was something new that appealed to me with each reading: a description of a beautiful garden as I planted one of my own, a reference to a special type of needlework as I learned to quilt, a humorous episode about Anne’s attempts in the kitchen as I also struggled in this regard, the love and bond between Anne and Marilla as I experienced those same emotions with my children and grandchild."

-Joanne Lebold

"L.M. Montgomery has not just inspired my family; she has shaped it. My great-grandma Cora first read the books aloud to her students in a one-room schoolhouse. Her daughter, my grandma Penny, and her daughter, my mother Christy, spent countless family vacations tracking down old copies of Montgomery’s books. It is pretty easy to figure out where my name and my sister’s came from (Emily and Anne, naturally). Montgomery has inspired our travel, showed us the joy in unraveling historical puzzles, supplied countless treasured memories, and connected us to friends all over the world. We have studied, collected, honoured, researched, discussed, savoured and loved Montgomery’s works. And we’ve done it all together. We have learned that Montgomery’s legacy is not just literary; it is intergenerational and personal."

-Emily Woster

#maud150 is a collection of tributes for Maud's 150th birthday. the above are a handful of my favorites.

[kaaaaaaarf]

hey karf! my gf is turning 30 next month and we’re going to toronto to celebrate and see the leafs play! i’m wondering if you have any recs for the city, be it your fav food/coffee spots, nature things, things to see/do. already planning a visit to the ROM per the dino boys :)

Hi Anon!! ✨That sounds so fun!! I hope you enjoy the leafs game, and I'm so glad you're going to the ROM!! 🌿🦕

I really recommend hitting up Kensington Market. It's outdoors and there are a lot of cool vintage shops and food places! If you go, you have to go to FIKA cafe. They make these amazing cardamum lattes and cardamum buns.

People really like going to St. Lawrence Market as well—it's indoors and if you go, you need to get a peameal bacon (also known as Canadian bacon) sandwich. It's a lot more food based, but there are some retailers in there.

Museum wise, the AGO is also a great visit! It's our art museum...and if you want to get real weird with it, there's also the Bata shoe museum. Yes—shoe museum.

My favourite coffee place in town other than FIKA is Jimmy's. Their coffees have a signature yellow lid and I get one at least once a week. There are a bunch of locations all over the west end of town, including in Kensington.

If you end up on Queen Street, you should go to Black Market Underground. It's very punk, and is one of my favourite vintage shops in town. It also has a record shop inside, and an Indigenous Punk clothing retailer.

If you wanna enjoy some nature, I think you have three options. #1 is The Beaches (which you may remember as being the neighbourhood Remus lives in) There is a boardwalk and some really lovely beaches. There are also some cool shops, but I haven't been out there in ages other than to go to gigs!

Choice #2 for nature would be High Park...if you're coming next month you might actually be right in time for cherry blossom season! It's the biggest park in the city and it's rather lovely.

Option #3 is Toronto Island! Ferries run all day to and from the island. You get some really great views of the city from there, and there are all sorts of activities to do.

I have infinite more food and drink recommendations, so feel free to message me if you want more.

Have the best time!! <3

[the-hollyday]

Missing Ontario

“Island Time” becomes less of a cheeky joke and more of a spiritual state of mind.

For the past couple years now Jethro and I have been using two weeks of summer to head out to Ontario and visit family. This was a new special development in my life, firstly because the 2022 trip coincided with my very first instance of Paid Time Off from a job; I had a mullet, I didn’t own a pair of formal shoes, and I felt like I was maybe finally “earning” adulthood. Secondly because I was going to meet Jethro’s extended family. For context, despite having known each other for a decade, I did not meet Jethro’s parents until one year prior. It’s an amount of personal privacy that I am both confounded by and envious of, and either way respect immensely.

The Ontario trip always feels like a bit of dream, but I would chalk most of that up to my lack of travel experience, even on the smaller scale of around my own country. So many things are so close to what I know and yet just slightly different. The buildings, the brands, even the flora seem like close approximations of what I would see in my day to day in BC. I think I know what variety of tree I’m looking at until I get a little closer and realize I have no clue. Like a dream that you believed to take place in your own house, only to wake up and realize you have no familiarity with the location your brain chose as a substitute. There seem to be some esoteric rules around the sale of liquor in Ontario, and despite having it explained to me multiple times I could not tell you for certain whether you are allowed to buy gin and beer at the same store, or what time in the evening you are now shit out of luck. Also why am I only allowed to by singles or cases? The half-sack eluded me.

There are three main stops on the trip: Topsy Farms on Amherst Island, cottage country just outside of Sydenham, and Toronto. And both trips where done in the same order as well, a kind of system shock shotgunning us right into rural farmland before heading to the more manicured wilderness of high-privacy cottage properties, all packed tightly together on the lake, and then back to bustle and urbanity in the city. It felt like a forced system reset before a 10 day long relaunching process, and an absolute joy to not see my phone at all for the first 3 to 5 days of the trip.

The whole of Amherst Island is beautiful and pastoral, with gravel roads and ivy trails clinging to old buildings. On the view from the ferry the landscape is dominated by multiple wind turbines, imposing giants that made me think of huge white pins being stuck into the map of the province; remember Here. We stay with Jethro’s godmother Leah, and we fall asleep to the sheep bleating in the distance, get up late in the morning for coffee, and then spend the rest of the day walking, swimming, and socializing with Leah and whoever else happens to stop by the farmhouse. “Island Time” becomes less of a cheeky joke and more of a spiritual state of mind. Sometimes when I find myself too wound up in my everyday life I try to access the bodily feeling of being back on the island - the wind of the bluffs cools my hot skin and dries my wet hair.

Veggie dogs on offer at the bluffs kitchenette.

The slow living continues as we move to our next destination, which is Grandpa Greg and Grandma Carol’s dream eco-cottage nestled just between Birch Lake and Desert Lake.

A quick intermission:

It was at this point in writing this piece that a couple things occurred. Firstly, I spent quite a lot of time on google maps trying to find the lakes the house was on, including using google street-view to travel along Canoe Lake Road to try and get my bearings; a trip that makes me carsick more often than not in person, and also apparently virtually through the computer screen. I had to go lay down for a moment. The other thing was that in my map searching I did find that there is a “Steely Dan Island” on Canoe Lake. Imagine the rest of this piece being written with Steely Dan playing in the background.

Rikki don’t lose that map pin.

Grandpa Greg is a green engineer who has designed a beautiful home with multiple eco friendly features — low flow and composting toilets, good airflow through the house, and the larder in the basement has an ambient temperature low enough to store perishables even in the summer. And keeps whiteclaws cool too, which was important to me. Most of this portion of the trip is spent, again, sleeping in, drinking, lounging, and socializing. But with a different feeling. You can be washing your coffee mug at the kitchen sink and look up to a family of kayakers in a space of water that up until that point you had imagined to be private property belonging entirely to the Allens. But my favourite piece of the house design is that every window is a picture frame, each looking out onto a carefully selected view of the property, framed by leaves and tree branches artfully encroaching into the view. Grandpa Greg told me during the first house tour that his direct inspiration was a trip on BC ferries, and the walls of the ship lined with large rectangular windows to capture natural landscapes as art. It was a different view of a BC Ferries ship than I had ever considered — I was (and still am) certain that every aspect of those particular experience are tailored to push my specific buttons. But the implementation of the picture windows at the cottage are effective — the kayakers are unexpected, but also impersonal; a painting where the subject could only have just appeared while you weren’t looking, and will likely be gone when you look again, off on their own business.

The time spent at the cottage is the driving reason for the excursion out to Ontario in the first place. 2022 was the year Jethro’s middle brother Fionn graduated high school, and then the youngest, Calum, in 2023. I was very much a guest on a trip specifically meant to circle wagons for the last available times before all three boys were off to their respective cities and busy with all the things young adults are. We played badminton, watched movies, and spent time in Sydenham eating poutine from the chip shop in front of the Foodland. And of course playing games.

I have developed a reputation among the family for being a euchre spectator. I did not grow up with much gaming culture in my household, the extent would be Scatagories or Pictionary with extended family on a holiday visit. We favoured creative-focus left brain games, and I could not tell you who was the winner of any one of them. Often there was no winner. So suffice it to say I was a bit out of my depth with real number and strategy capital “C” card games. I struggle with quick small math in general and my main objective in a game is usually just to have something to do with my hands while we’re chatting.

The Allens have had the police called on them for fights over bridge games.

But the atmosphere is thrilling. There’s something about sharing the space with someone who cares very deeply about what they’re doing, however small and fleeting it may be. It feels electric, and you can’t help but laugh and cheer for a hard fought victory, or even share the frustration of a difficult loss. I was much better at the off-road croquet that we paired with gigantic blue gin and tonics.

A croquet crime in progress.

It’s been hard saying goodbye at this point in the trip. We spend the majority of our time at Greg and Carol’s, and both times there’s been something final felt in the air, a moment when you realize that you’re watching your partner say goodbye to the children he remembers his younger brothers being. I hug everyone tight before we go, feeling less a stranger to them every time I experience the sadness of leaving.

And on to Toronto. And getting back to the city at this point feels right, forget a heartbreak by immersing yourself in the busyness. We stay with Jethro’s cousin Laurel and have between two and three days to visit museums, art galleries, and restaurants, often ending the nights with a glass of red wine on the porch with Laurel. Our most notable meal was in 2022 in the distillery district at El Catrin Destilleria, where Jethro and I got the drunkest we have ever been at a restaurant off of the largest and best spicy margaritas we’ve ever had. The food was amazing as well of course, I recommend the Lime Carlota icebox for dessert, but share it with a friend because it is massive.

Talking about experiencing Toronto is the part of the trip I tend to trust my perception the least in, partly because we’ve spent the least amount of time there, and also because I’m starting to feel like maybe the culture in any city is going to be more favorable than my current thoughts on Vancouver. The buildings are older, the amenities are closer together, and I watched a family walking down the street towards a public pool with the children already in their bathing suits, because they lived close enough to a community centre for that to be practical in the middle of the city. Laurel is able to walk to groceries, her daughter’s daycare, an endless amount of restaurants and coffee shops, and the beach of Lake Ontario.

On our last full day in the city Jethro and I walked down to the beach to start our day with a dip in the lake. It was cooler than it was on Amherst, but still pleasant, especially in comparison to glacier fed BC lakes. I was beginning to pine for my own bed at this point, excited for the opportunity to visit Casa Loma in the afternoon, but also growing exhausted from not ever being on totally familiar footing anywhere I went.

And then almost more quickly than I wished we were back on a plane home.

I mentioned in the previous post that we are going to Japan this year, and this is specifically in leu of Ontario. Fionn has moved out of their grandparent’s house, and is building a full adult life for himself in Toronto. He made a solo flight over to BC and stayed with us a couple days and we got to tour him around our city, and make bad choices in front of him we didn’t have the freedom to when he was a teenager. Calum is home for the summer and working at the chip shop we ate at while were visiting.

Jethro repeatedly “promised” me a 2024 trip that was about him and me, and not all about visiting his family, and we’ve had our eyes on Japan for a while. He definitely worried that he was overextending me with constantly meeting new people and bringing me all over the province. But I feel a real sense of loss not going back to Ontario this year. Last Christmas Grandpa Greg and Grandma Carol gifted us a photograph of the bluffs on Amherst Island; there’s an inherent knowing among people who have visited the spot that it’s a special place.

The point in summer we were over there in years before has past, and it seems like I’ve forgotten to do something very important.

[jackhues]

do you think that if aus girlfriend’s son becomes an f1 driver then there might be a toronto f1 race weekend due to aus being popular in toronto? like imagine past and current toronto maple leafs going to the race weekend.

okay realistically (as a toronto resident) a toronto gp in toronto would cause so much traffic and everyone would hate it (i know nascar hosts/hosted one, but there's a lot of development going on in that area now). but this is an au and we're gonna ignore all of that. i'd put the gp on the toronto islands, which wouldn't bother anyone since it's on the islands, so it's close to downtown (a ferry ride away) but not in the way of anything.

i think right before his first year of f2, there's talk of a gp in toronto, and it gets confirmed quickly and it's all ready for his first year in f1 (he spends 2 years in f2). basically there's a lot of talk about it bcz there's a toronto kid who's actually good at racing and it's his first race - and he's auston matthews' step-son. so there's a lot of hockey fans there, and not only hockey fans, but hockey players as well. there's older leafs players (including guys who played for other teams after the leafs) and p's college hockey teammates are there too (she's probably around 18, 2 years or so younger than her brother) and so a lot of people are excited for it. there's a huge turnout, and cameras on the hockey players at all time, but he gets a podium in his first home race, so everyone's insane about that. he carries a canada flag at one point during the race, and his mom's family (who disowned his mom) are fuming at that.

[kirstielol]

Heading to Toronto for a mini holiday. Not sure where in Canada your located but was wonder if you had been? If so do you have any suggestions for sightseeing wine drinking foodies such as my guy and me?

i'm about a 45 minute drive from toronto! that's so exciting, toronto's such a fun city! i go there a lot in the summer.

there's a restaurant at the top of the cn tower, you get a 360 view of toronto and the entire restaurant spins super slowly, so as you're sitting at your table you'll get to see the entire city. the food there is great too, on the fancier side, i definitely recommend checking it out! the cn tower is fun to check out anyways if you've never been before, even if you just go to the observation point and not the restaurant.

if you're looking for something fun to check out during the day there's a big ripley's aquarium! i've been a few times now and it's always super fun to walk around and see everything there. you get to pet manta rays at the end which is my fav part lol

the science center in toronto is another awesome place to check out. i've been going there since i was a kid, super fun place to walk around and spend a few hours during the day, lots of interactive exhibits and such.

the st. lawrence market's fun to check out too, lots of awesome fresh food. could grab lunch there!

also the toronto islands! you can buy ferry tickets and head over to the islands.. it's really nice to walk around there, there's gardens and cute cafes!

[ts1989fanatic]

Just a dumb Q but why can't Canadians go to the US shows? Cause it's too far?

(Cause for example I've seen Australian people flying to the USA too, which is incredibly wild, Ik,) I'm not shaming Canadians. But I'm just wondering.

It’s not a question of distance but more of cost, I live on Vancouver Island and for my wife and I to travel to either the USA or Toronto if she does the same as she did for reputation the cost would be prohibitive.

With ferry travel flights tour tickets hotel food and anything else we might need, we would probably be looking at over $4000 all in.

We are working stiffs with a mortgage loan payments and various other bills that can’t be ignored or put off.

I am sure that there are plenty of people who wouldn’t sneeze at spending that amount of money to see Taylor Swift in concert, unfortunately for us and probably many like us that’s not an option.

[aloneisalonenotalive]

I could have stayed home last night

I could have stayed home last night, in comfortable clothes watching a familiar TV show, bored out of my mind. Instead I held a girl’s hand and felt like I was dying. Maybe a part of me was, the part that had never touched someone with purpose before, never felt the gentle roughness of another person’s hand in mine, their thumb softly circling, reminding me of their presence. If so, that part was shrieking with discomfort, burning red hot with uncertainty and anxious analysis. Should it have hurt that much? I can’t tell if it was a stabbing red flag warning me to head back to safety, or the normal pangs of change. Because change hurts, I can tell you from experience. Outgrowing the skin you’ve hidden behind your whole life can’t help but leave scars.

Two winters ago I was so bored I woke before dawn to greet the sun on an island engulfed in January snow. My roommate and I got ready in darkness, took the ferry with the fisherman, and stepped onto the quiet residential island just as the sun started rising behind the Toronto skyline. It was the kind of cold that no skin can survive uncovered, yet it was so crystalline and beautiful that we couldn’t help baring our hands to take pictures. Ice lacing latticework patterns across tree branches, waves pounding snow-blanketed shores. As the sun rose, it brought little warmth but an abundance of much needed light. Our pictures showed us, bundled up against a ferocious climate, and a winter landscape wrought in frigid clarity.

I don’t know what I was looking for on that island, and I know even less what I’m looking for when I go on dates now. There are some beautiful things you can only find through pain — throwing yourself into unfamiliar settings, baring yourself to natural elements beyond your control. That pain isn’t a mistake, it’s a sign of growth. I wish I knew if there’s beauty on the other side of this pain.

[equallyshaw]

ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ ʙᴏʏ - Qᴜɪɴɴ ʜᴜɢʜᴇꜱ. ᴘᴛ 3.

Snippet that has characters face claims:

warnings: swearing.

word count: 3.01k

@pierrelucduboiis - love u and all the support !

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Piper stared at the ceiling in her private suite at the Carlyle Hotel in New York city, down the hall from her brother, Natasha and Eric. The four had landed around 2 am private jet after spending a week in Manhattan Beach. Which meant now, there summer in the States was winding down. They'd be spending three days here and then off to Toronto and potentially Vancouver to see some of there family friends. Piper heard a knock before her door opened, revealing Joey and a tray of breakfast. "You read my mind, Joe." She mused, sitting up and pulling the sheets to her covered chest. He smiled, making sure everything was good before walking and giving her a playful salute. She hopped off the bed and quickly jogged to the closet, throwing the door open and smiling at the sight in front of her. Quinn Hughes discheveled on the floor, on his phone, with the most incredible bed head. He looked up at her and caught her smile, "What are you smiling at at this ungodly hour?" he mused getting up and stepping towards her, pushing some hair behind her ear, whilst staring into her eyes. She giggled softly, as he leaned in and pulled her in by the waist as he kissed her. She melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him in as close as possible. They broke apart, blushing likes fools. "Well theres this guy that hurriedly ran in here when somebodies brother mentioned Joey would be stopping by with breakfast." She joked looking down at his bare chest, softly rubbing it with her index finger. "Hmm, some guy huh?" He said with delight in his eye. She nodded looking up, "Hmm. He can't seem to get a brush through his hair though. Got any tips?" She said playfully pushing some of his hair out of his eyes. "Ohh, cheeky girl." He said picking her up and jogging over to the bed and throwing her down gently.

She grinned, as he laid down next to her. "Hi there." She said leaning in and giving him a quick peck. He grinned, throwing the comforter over them.

Two hours later, after many cups of coffee and croissants. Natasha, Piper, August, Eric and Quinn made there way out of the hotel and went for some more coffee before heading over to some sightseeing places the twins had always wanted to go. "You're saying that all the times you've been here, you've never gone to central park?" Eric asked as they all got there coffee and the twins nodded. "Our parents would go for like early morning runs sometimes but we never got to go." August explained, taking ahold of Natasha's hand. She smiled up at him, "Also, I wanna do the Roosevelt Island air ferry or whatever it's called." Piper added. Quinn got quiet and tense, which Piper took notice of quickly. "You okay?" She questioned looking up at the boy. He nodded, but she didn't take that answer. "Are you afraid of heights?" She asked and he hesitantly nodded. She softly smiled, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. He looked down at her, giving her a confused but cute look. "Its fine. We don't have to do it." She smiled, pulling him along to get back with the other three.

"We do need to be at the hotel soon, though guys." Piper explained a few hours later, as they were finishing up a later lunch. The twins were needed to be ready to leave at around 6 pm in order to get to the exhibit on time with the Sussex's. They could not be a minute late. "Dude, there is not way were gonna get back on time." August explained. The group were all the way on the other side of time and walking would be too much. "I volunteer to rent a car." Piper said raising his hand. The group nodded, preparing to leave the resturant. Normal people, or people who weren't in the public eye like them, could take ubers and taxis but the twins could not. It was too dangeorus. Thankfully rent-a-car was down the street and they made there way down there. "Everybody buckle up...it may be a bumpy ride." August joked causing his twin to flip him off causing the group to laugh. "Alrighty, maps please." She said taking August's phone and putting in the hotel and were fortunate to be getting back in time to get ready. Piper pulled out of the spot, and into the street. They made it 10 minutes before, Piper noticed a black suv had been trailing them for the duration of the ride. "Auggie..." Piper breathed softly, looking into her mirrors. Her breathing began to speed up, her thoughts getting sucked into the music. Her eyes began to water, the feeling of having no way out was becoming reality. They were stuck in traffic. Unable to escape. "Auggie." Piper said a bit louder, her knuckles turning white. The four were stuck in a heated conversation not realizing the situation at hand. "No. No!" Piper screamed as she saw the window open and a camera coming in view. "Auggie!" Piper said as traffic began to move. She looked over to her right and saw another car next to them, they were surrounded. "Oh shit!" August said realizing what was happening. "Piper just keep driving, we are okay." August tried to reassure his twin. They came to another stop, and another suv came up to the left of them. "They're following us." Piper said through tears. "What the fuck is wrong with these people?" Natasha asked looking around the car. "They always find us, somehow someway." August responded. "Piper, keep your eyes forward." August said typing away on his phone. The scene was a blur as they waited in traffic, and it happened so quickly. Somebody hopped out the suv to the left of them and proceeded to take photos of Piper driving. Clearly, getting shots of Quinn and the others in the backseat. Piper sobbed, as her anxiety began. August could tell she was getting flashbacks, and proceeded to take control of the situation. "Get her out of that seat, Quinn. Now!" He demanded of the dark haired boy, and he unbuckled Piper and pulled her over the console allowing August to get into the drivers seat. Traffic moved on, allowing them to drive off. Natasha pulled the petrified girl into the backseat, Eric helping buckle her and the best friend pulled her into her arms. Piper's mind brought her back to the scariest time in her life, when her family was chased relentlessly back in the UK. Almost resulting in an car crash. Piper shook as August neared the hotel, the group feeling bad for the girl. They were scared, she had never given them any reason before to be.

August pulled into the back of the hotel, hopped out and with Joey's help they were able to get her into the elevator without being seen. The group piled in as Piper clung to her older twin. August knowing exactly what was going through her mind.

Piper layed in bed an hour later, clinging to her pillow as the room was filled with silence. Her brother softly knocked before walking in, and sat down on the bed at her feet. Her mind was racing, she was frustrated, furious, sad and an overall mess. "Pipes...you need to get ready." He said grabbing ahold of her hand. She looked towards him, sighing. She nodded sitting up and walking over towards the bathroom. She quickly went to brush out her curls that she had all day, putting some natural makeup and finishing off with a perfume choice. She headed into the closet and brought out her pink orange checkered midi dress with a matching headband. "You look 6." August joked as she walked out with her heels on. She stuck out her tongue and grabbed her purse. "You ready?" He asked and she nodded, walking out with him. "Did Joey hear anything on how he found us?" She asked and August looked down, and swallowed. "Yeah, Ill tell you later." He said as they stepped into the elevator. "Where is he?" She asked as they walked out towards the car that was taking them there with the group. "August." She said stopping and looking at him, demanding answers. August sighed, before looking back at his little sister. Piper's head cocked to the side in confusion before understanding what the look meant. "No. NO!" She said taking a few steps back. He would never do such a thing. "He didn't do it, Augs." She said as Joey walked outside. "I am afraid so Piper." Joey said placing a hand on her upper back. She looked up towards Joey and felt tears brim her eyes. "Quinn wouldn't." She repeated as she walked towards the car. Natasha and Eric were already buckled up as she got in the back seat with them. "Guys?" She looked towards the two and they had sad looks on there face. Unknown to her, Natasha had texted August that Quinn would in fact never do such a thing. He was the most undramatic person, somebody who honestly disassociated when around people. Especially the media. But that's what the palace had said, so he had to believe them.

They pulled up the event and saw the figures of Meghan and Harry pass through the doors of the Met. August got out first, opening the door for his little twin. She stepped out plastering a very fake smile on her face. She waved to the crowd, and walked towards the awaiting 'fans'. "Hi guys, how are you guys doing today?" She asked as her and her brother shook hands. "Six hours? Oh my goodness, we are not that importnant." The blonde joked, as she moved along to a girl that seemed to be her age. "Hi Piper!" She smiled widely and Piper smiled back, giving her a hug. "Hi, what's your name?" She asked the royal follower. "Im Audrey. I actually came from Vancouver just to see you guys!" She beamed and Piper took a deep inhale before smiling. "Vancouver? That's so far! It was very sweet of you to come see the exhibit." Piper said diplomatically. "Ofcourse, been following you two for years!" She responded and Piper nodded. "It was very nice meeting you, have a safe trip back home." Piper smiled before walking off. The twins waved one last time before walking inside. Eric and Natasha were inside waiting for them, drinking some champagne. The twins headed over towards Meghan and Harry first, before going off and greeting people.

"Piper!" Meghan smiled pulling the blonde into a warm and friendly hug. "Ugh, ive missed you so much. Too bad we missed you guys last week." She said as they pulled apart. "I know, youll have to come out for one of your breaks this year." Meghan responded with a smile. "Ill make sure you guys aren't on a trip to Switzerland. Miss that place." Piper grinned and Meghan smiled. "Are you okay though? H and I heard about what happened?" Meghan said rubbing her arm up and down a few times. Piper felt her lip begin to quiver and looked down. "Hey hey its ok." Meghan said stepping closer. "You're fine. You are safe, I promise." Meghan said lowly. Piper nodded, sniffling and trying to pull herself together. Thankgoodness they were in a private room before heading out into the exhibit. "Im ok. I just keep having flashbacks of it." She said and Meghan knew what she had meant. "I know, I promise you though that you are safe. And that, they will pass." She smiled at the blonde. "I know." She said with a soft smile. She turned towards Harry and August, and Harry pulled her into a hug. "So good to see you again, Pipes." The ginger cousin smiled. Piper nodded, and went on to ask about the kiddos back in California. The conversation switched over towards what had happened earlier, "Apprently Quinn this guy I was seeing, did it. But it just does not make sense." She said shrugging. Harry nodded, "Hmm. Palace confirm?" Harry questioned and she nodded. He gave her a sad smile, "Im sorry Piper." He said pulling her in for another hug. The hug ended when they heard that the exhibit was ready to begin.

Eric and Natasha followed behind the twins, talking amongst themselves. Eric was getting updates from Jack, since Quinn went straight to Newark as soon as he was 'kicked out'. "Quinn didn't do it. I don't understand why they keep saying that he did." Eric commented, and Natasha agreed. "No I know, it doesn't add up. At all." She responded drinking the champagne. "Also fuck this. I feel so bad for them." She murmured and Eric agreed. "It's so stuffy, so formal and so boring." He said causing Natasha to chuckle. The two caught some looks from those around them. Piper made a beline for them, and took the remaining champage that Natasha had and drank it quickly. Joey cleared his throat from near by, causing Piper to roll her eyes. "What do you say about blowing this joint?" Piper said arching an eyebrow, and looked between the sibilings. Natasha and Eric grinned, loving this side of the blonde. "What about Auggie?" Eric asked and they looked over towards him being engrossed in a conversation with somebody from Denmark. "Eh." She said shrugging before going over to Joey that she was going to the washroom. He nodded, having a nearby security dude escort her. Natasha and Eric followed, a few minutes after. Piper slipped out of the bathroom, as the security guy got called away for something. She met up with Natasha and Eric, and they made there way to a back entrance that she had been through previous times. She was going to get in a lot of trouble, but she wanted to be anywhere but here.

Over in Newark, Quinn was a complete mess. He didn't understand why he was being blamed for something he'd never do in a million years. Let alone have the thought of it. Jack had been so gracious in allowing him to hide out here for a few nights before they went back home to Michigan. "This is fucked up." Jack repeated as he looked through instagram. Quinn threw a throw pillow at his brother. Jack looked towards him and gave him a sad smile. "Im sorry." He said and Quinn nodded. "Oh god, she's getting trashed." Jack murmured a few minutes later after watching a snapchat from Eric. "Wait what?" Quinn asked already knowing who he meant. "Piper." He said replaying the snap for his older brother. Piper was jumped up and down, with champagne and shots in front of her. They were at a exclusive club that had a no phone policy but the three were able to keep theres, for security purposes. And well, she is a Princess after all.

The trio returned to the hotel a few hours later, Piper be the drunkest one of all. She walked into her room and saw Joey and August sitting at the table in the middle of the foyer. August looked up and at the same time jumped up, pulling her into his arms. "Woah, woah there buddy." She said softly pushing him off of her. Joey stood up, sighing and walking out and standing next to the door. Back in the room, Piper tore off her heels, threw them aside and tore off her purse and headband. she rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "What the hell was that?" August asked now getting mad, now that she was back safetly. "Auggie..not now." She said plopping down onto her freshly made bed. "No, you are not getting off so easily." He said pulling her up by the arm so she was sitting up now. "Stop!" She screamed, standing up and facing her brother. "Don't you dare fucking touch me!" She screamed, walking into the bathroom and slammed the door- locking it behind her. August groaned, realizing what had just happened. He heard a soft knock at the door, and he went to go open it. Natasha stood there in her pjs and looked absolutley adorable to August. He smiled at her, pulling her inside the room. She leaned up to give him a quick peck before opening the door and pushing him out, "Not a chance bud, go hang out with Eric." She said shutting the door in August's face.

Back in the bathroom, Piper sat down next to the toilet crying. She pulled her knees up to her chest and cried for god knows how long.

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Early the next morning, the twins got on there private jet with Joey ofcourse and made there way to Toronto. Piper walked off the plane and saw the black tinted range rover waiting for them, and saw the unmistakable grin of her best friend and second brother. "Charles!" She shrieked and took off into a sprint towards the dude. He wrapped his arms around her and spun her around, causing her to giggle loudly. He set her down and went to go greet August. Piper got into the back seat and texted Natasha that they had landed. She smiled as the two of them got into the front seat, "Please tell me we are doing what I think we are doing." Piper said getting in between them and looking between them. Charles and August looked at one another, "I don't know what you are talking about." August smirked joking. "Yeah, don't know." Charles responded and Piper groaned, plopping back into her seat and buckling. "Haha very fun." She mused, resting her eyes. Next time she opened them, they were at the royal's Toronto lake house.

—

@natashapierceeee: look who I met tonight !!!!

788 likes, 15 comments + limited.

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@blondepiper00: omg she’s so pretty !!!!

@ericpierce: holy crap how !!!

@auggiethegreat: seems like a brat

@blondepiper00: idk who u are — but that’s so rude

@charlesdowntown: yep seems like a bitch

@ericpierce: L.O.L

@natashapierceeee: get off my page w that garbage

@lhughes_6: why does she look like a child ??

@natashapierceeee: read the room bro. Read the room.

@ericpierce: ^^^

—

I hope you guys enjoyed !!!!

Part 4 coming soon :)

[clivemwilliams]

Canada 2023

31/08/23

Terrific day in Toronto started with a trip up the CN tower - 550 metres tall and simply amazing views! Not only was it a cloudless day but the Canadian Airforce Display team put on a superb performance down below us (!!) and I managed to walk on the glass floor (something I didn’t mange the last time I was here!). Even Judith was quite excited by the whole experience.

After a brief visit to a gallery of indigenous art we got the ferry to the Toronto Islands which are only 15 mins away and spent a few hours on the beach! The ferry journey itself afforded terrific views back towards Toronto with the CN tower always featuring prominently. The beach wasn’t too busy and we even managed a dip in Lake Ontario which was actually pretty warm.

Stopped off at a pub on the way back to the hotel for something to eat and reminisce about a great couple of days in Toronto.

[empty-cryptid]

🏖️🎶📚

Hello~

🏖 My favorite vacation is a road trip I took with a friend across Canada. We went from Manitoba to Quebec.

In Toronto, we found a book vending machine in a small used book shop that gave us a wrapped up book for a dollar. We couldn't find the peculiar swing in the alley way. Both of those are found in the Atlas Obscura. I have the book, but the website is neat:

We took a ferry to Wolf Island, and that was an interesting place. We walked all the way to the other end of the island, and the shale rock shore was pretty cool. When it got dark, we took pictures of churches, hoping to see a ghost in a window. We didn't, but the pictures were spooky.

Niagara Falls was alright. We took the tour behind the waterfall, but it was very crowded. The view was pretty.

We also went on a couple of wine tours. One of the places made ice wine, and the room where they let people taste it had a bar made out of an ice block. We were the only ones to not accept a parka. The rest of them were from outside of Canada. We were just happy to get out of the heat.

The butterfly sanctuary was awesome. There were so many different kinds of butterflies and chrysalis designs. (Did you know that butterflies drink sweat, tears, and blood?)

Next, we went on a gondola that got so close to the US border that I was charged for an international text. Oops. The view was wild from up there. It went over a river.

In Quebec, we met up with my friend's sister, and she took us around to some cool places. We walked the Mount Royal park loop, which is a beautiful hike. Montréal is a nice place.

It was a fun trip and I'd like to do another road trip soon.

🎶My favorite song is Piano Man by Billy Joel. I love hearing about all the different characters in the song. I also love the melody and wistful emotion in the music. Songs that tell a story and can paint a picture in my head are my favourite.

📚My favorite book(s). I love adventure stories, and Jack London does a great job writing them. The Sea Wolf and Call of the Wild are probably my favorite books, both by him.

The Sea Wolf follows the survivor of an ocean collision (Van Weyden, nicknamed Hump) who is rescued by a sea captain (Wolf Larson). Wolf takes a liking to Hump and sort of takes care of him while forcing him to be a cabin boy and learn how to defend himself from the crew. (It's been a while, I should read that one again)

The Call of the Wild follows a dog that gets taken from his home and sold as a sled dog. He has to adapt to the harsh conditions as he fights to survive.

Thanks for the ask!

[cmtuckerly]

Took a ferry and spent a day on the Toronto Islands with some film photographer friends. We had some good laughs, good conversations, and great memories. Here are some of those memories caught on super 8 film. 

[isfeed]

Toronto Island ferry suffers mechanical issue, prompting crews to perform emergency stop

A Toronto Island ferry suffered a mechanical issue on Thursday that led crews to perform an emergency stop at Jack Layton Terminal, the city said. Source: CP24 Toronto Island ferry suffers mechanical issue, prompting crews to perform emergency stop

[vlkphoto]

Life vests overhead

Flotation aids on the Toronto Islands ferry. Toronto, ON.

[sunmarketing]

Bucket List Travel -#2 Toronto, Canada

This is Bucket List Travel, a special series within the podcast Dr. Mary Travelbest Guide.

This is Carolyn Ray, CEO and editor of JourneyWoman, a women's solo travel publication based in Toronto. I'm going to share some tips and advice about my hometown with you. I'm actually a sixth-generation Torontonian, and my daughter is a seventh-generation Torontonian.  

  So this is my hometown, and I can tell you, if you're looking for an exciting, vibrant city, Toronto is it. We are, you might be surprised, the fourth largest city in North America, and very easy to get to from just about anywhere in the world. Toronto is a great getaway for those living in Canada and a steal for women coming from other countries because of our Canadian dollar. So you'll find a lot of value coming here for your money, 

  I want to share with you a bit about how to get to Toronto, which may surprise you. Of course, you may know about Toronto Pearson Airport, our international airport, but we also have a smaller island airport called the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which is right downtown. So if you can get a flight into Toronto Island, that's much easier. 

  But if you are flying into Toronto, Pearson, we have a wonderful train called the UP Express, which will get you downtown in about 25 minutes. If you are arriving at Union Station, you can get right on our subway system, the TTC, the Toronto Transit Commission. And it's very, very easy to get around on the TTC. It's a U-shaped route that goes north, just kind of starts at Union Station, and goes up both ways. And then there's an east, west route across the city at Bloor Street, which is B, L, O, O, R, we're building some more subways. You'll notice that when you're in town, and because of that, I just want to speak to a little bit about safety on the subways. Toronto is a very large city, and I just want to encourage you to be very aware. I know everyone thinks Canadians are very nice, but I also just want to remind you to be very self-aware when you're on the subways and on public transit.

  For things to do in Toronto, my number one experience would be to go to Toronto Island. It's very easy to get there on a ferry, and you can take a ferry over for the day. You can ride a bike, enjoy the beaches, or even get on a boat.

  If you are looking for a place to stay, there are many different kinds of hotels in Toronto, but I will say one of my favorites is the Fairmont Royal York, which is right across from Union Station. But I also like some of our boutique hotels, the Gladstone, the Drake, the Broadview Hotel. These are very lovely, locally owned hotels, creative, artsy, with really great rooftop restaurants and great views.

  I'll end with some tips on places to eat that you may not know about. I really love Spanish food, so I wanted to recommend Madrina y tapas and Patria. Patria is on King West, which is a very popular place to go for bars and restaurants. The Distillery District is one of our historic areas in Toronto, it’s a wonderful place to walk around and spend the day. And Madrina y tapas is one of my favorite restaurants there. There's also Yorkville, which is on at Bloor and Yonge Street. Kasa Moto is a Japanese restaurant that I would suggest there. And a secret you may not have heard of, this one is called Scaramouche, and it's a little bit farther north, but you can get wonderful views of the entire city. It's actually in a condominium, and you can see all of Toronto at night. It's lovely. And for those of us who like vegetarian food, it's Planta. There are two Planta locations in Toronto, maybe more now, great vegetarian menu. And of course, I must mention the St Lawrence Market, which has all, you know, all of the fresh food you could ever want. But also in the basement Manotas, which is a Spanish takeaway restaurant, and then also Busters, which is at the back of the St Lawrence Market, where you can get some wonderful seafood.

  Whatever you're doing in Toronto, I hope you have a great time. There's so much to do. There's so much to see, and I look forward to seeing you there. And if there's more information need about Toronto, please visit JourneyWoman.com. We've got lots of articles about the city. 

Thank you, Carolyn Ray and Journey Woman for this excellent episode. I love that you shared about Toronto on this one! 

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