Where In The World Is Sum1?

Return to Toronto

Locale: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

         This is the last of four classes in a row, teaching the same class each time.  This is very unusual for me; I am glad the end is near in teaching this class.    My customer this week is the Toronto Police Services.  It's been a good week with a lot of discussion in this class.  I've been to Toronto before, but was to the west in Mississauga.  I've flown in and out of Toronto several times, but have never been in the city center near the CN Tower.  This trip was no exception, for one main reason.  Traffic here is about the same as any major city in the states.  Drivers are aggressive in some ways, but very polite in others.  So driving from my hotel in Markham to the waterfront area was out of the question.

         I did have a nice time driving here, my last entry details part of that.  But on Sunday, I drove from Syracuse, NY to Toronto.  I chose to drive north from Syracuse to Watertown NY, and cross into Canada there.  The bridge across the St. Lawrence Seaway is very tall, but needs to be if you think about it.  Ocean freighters ply the waters of this seaway to gain access to the ports along the Great Lakes.  This bridge is near the 1000 Islands region (bet you thought that was just a salad dressing, huh), with gorgeous views as you cross.  It's definitely a place I need to visit again!

         While I didn't take an photo's while in Toronto, I did on Friday as I was leaving.  I planned my route to go more south instead of across Canada to Detroit.  This allowed me time to visit Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.  I've seen the falls several times before, but never crossed in to Canada for some reason.  The falls mesmerize me.  Think about it.  Millions of gallons of water flow over these falls every day.  It drains water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, which then flows down the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean.  What I find amazing is the thought, "Where does all this water come from?"  Obviously the rivers and lakes of North America.  So why don't they dry up?  Well, one answer is rain.  Another is springs.  Springs bring water up through the ground where it bubbles to the surface, and is the start of a river.  On the other end, once at the ocean, think about the amount of evaporation that occurs to cause the rain, and repeat this cycle.  I am no scientist, especially when it comes to geography, and sciences like this.  So, I find this kind of stuff amazing.  I've seen water springing from the Earth in Montana, and right near Niagara Falls.  I'm just astounded that it never stops, never dries up.

Tourist Activities

         Niagara Falls  http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/


         My next trip takes me back to Toronto next Sunday (10/18), where I will then drive 2 hours north to the small town of Gravenhurst, Ontario.  I'm looking forward to that trip!