A lot of people call Toronto’s most famous urban symbol the CNN Tower, because it rolls off of their lips so easily. But in fact, it is the CN Tower, named after the Canadian National Railway, which built the tower in 1974. It can be seen from all over town. We drove down the city’s main arterial, Yonge Street, once the world’s longest road. We drove for miles and miles past retail stores, malls, and restaurants…it seemed endless. Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot got their starts on Yonge Street.
Down at the waterfront, there were lots of people enjoying the sweltering day. All-day parking is $25 (!), but there is lots to see…the Showboat tourist boat, the Tall Ship Kajama, the cruise terminal on Queen’s Quay, and a lovely flower-filled coffee shop. We ate at a wonderful Somali Restaurant, Xawaash, which served wonderful chicken shawarma with salad and hummus, one of our favorite dishes, and Mutabbal, grilled eggplant dip made with garlic, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil. We also had a bowl of an unusual vegetarian stew, Mbogga, made of spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes. It was absolutely delicious.
The last two photos are leftovers from Niagara Falls….every night in the summer, the city has fireworks, and they were too pretty not to share!
