After my conference in the USA at the end of June, I crossed the border and headed to Toronto for a short break.
六月底出席完在美國的會議後，我便飛往鄰國的多倫多放放假。
My first day there (1st July) happened to be Canada Day, and the Canadians celebrated the occasion with lots of fireworks. Having just arrived there, I decided to go on an adventure to the Woodbine Beach by Lake Ontario following the route given by a hostel staff. I sensed something not quite right when most revellers alighted at the underground station before what I was told, and when I alighted, I checked the map and with station staff and indeed I’ve gone to the wrong place! Fortunately there was still time to find the right route, and I didn’t miss any fireworks after all.
我在多倫多的第一天（7月1日）剛好是加拿大國慶日，不少地方都放煙火助興，我也決定湊湊熱鬧，向旅舍職員問過路線後，便出發往安大略湖畔的Woodbine沙灘。我坐地鐵前往那裡時，但見大部分人都在旅舍職員告訴我的前一站下車，已覺得不對勁，待我下車後，查看地圖又問過地鐵職員，才知道原來被旅舍職員「老點」（指錯地方），幸好時間尚早，還有時間重新找路途，總算沒有錯過放煙火。
When the fireworks finished I walked along the same road to the underground station and came across Gerrard Street East which had the same name as where my hostel was and had a tram route running. Knowing how the roads in American and Canadian cities often adapt a grid lay-out and how some roads can stretch on for long distances, I quickly checked the route map of the tram and decided to hop on to a waiting tram so that I wouldn’t have to get squeezed in the underground. It turned out to be a good move because the tram took me through an Indian-Pakistani district which has a good number of restaurants and other shops. I went back two evenings later for a meal and looking around the shops there.
煙火表演後，沿著原路走回地鐵站返回旅舍，經過Gerrard Street East，可以坐電車，這條街跟我旅舍所在的街是同一名字，心想美加大城市街道往往形成矩陣，而且街道可以跨相連城市延伸一段長距離，剛好又有電車停站，我便趕快查看電車路線圖，然後馬上上車，免得跟一大班人擠地鐵。沒想到電車會經過多倫多的印度巴基斯坦區，沿路的食肆和商店吸引到我兩晚後重臨吃頓飯和逛逛。
The Indian-Pakistani district typifies the make-up of Toronto’s population. Even coming from Australia which has a high number and diversity of migrant population, I was still struck by how many ethnicities and cultures I came across in the streets of Toronto city centre. Another case was the west side of the city where Spadina Avenue was a mix of Chinese and South-East Asian shops and restaurants but one street away it turned into a hippie district. It was indeed a rather interesting blend.
那個印巴區正好是多倫多的縮影，澳洲移民數目和種族之多，我早已司空見慣，但到了多倫多市區，看到更多移民和不同的文化，讓我嘖嘖稱奇。市區西面的Spadina Avenue也是多文化融合的另一例子，這條唐人街一大段都是中國和東南亞商鋪，但隔了一條街便變成得很前衛、嬉皮，與唐人街大異其趣。
The Ontario Parliament (left) with its wooden east wing (centre) and marble west wing (right) - the west wing was originally wooden but rebuilt with marble after a fire
However as a tourist city, my impression is that Toronto hasn’t got too much to offer and there’s little that one can’t see elsewhere. A trip to the outer islands in Lake Ontario made up for this disappointment to some extent. On a warm sunny day, those islands were filled with people making use of the last day of the Canada Day long weekend. There were plenty of people cycling, swimming, sailing and picnicking everywhere. The islands also offered plenty of vantage points for looking back to Toronto city centre, and to me the feeling was actually somewhat like looking towards Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon side!
不過對遊客而言，多倫多的景點乏善可陳，而且沒有很多是世界其他大城市見不到的東西，幸好多倫多對開在安大略湖的外島，總算也可彌補一下這方面的不足。那天天公造美，加上是長週末，不少人都一家大少湧到島上騎單車、游泳、泛舟和野餐，島上多處也可遠望到多倫多市區的景色，感覺倒有幾分像從尖沙咀遠眺港島一樣！
Toronto by the lake front 湖畔的多倫多市區
On my last full day there (4th July) I joined a day tour to the Niagara Falls and the surrounding area. I’ve already had a glimpse of it on board the flight from Boston to Toronto on 1st July, and I couldn’t wait to see how big it would be close up! The Niagara Falls actually consisted of three waterfalls, with one main one and a small one on the American side and another on the Canadian side. The Canadian Horseshoe Falls were the largest of them all, and walking along the cliffs lining the Horseshoe Falls and Niagara River (where the waterfalls descend into) one could already feel the power of the waterfalls through the mist and rumbling sounds of the water flow! I also took the boat that sailed upstream to the foot of the Horseshoe Fall, and that really made everyone feel the full strengths of the current and force of Nature. The Niagara Falls clearly hasn’t lost any of its punch since the melting of the glaciers which gave rise to it millions of years ago!
我離開多倫多的前一天（7月4日）參加了一個一天旅行團前往尼亞加拉大瀑布和鄰近地區。早在7月1日由波士頓飛往多倫多時我已有機會鳥瞰大瀑布，令我更想親臨瀑布旁感受那般氣勢！尼亞加拉大瀑布其實由三道瀑布形成，美國那邊有一大一小的，但加起來也不夠加拿大那邊的馬蹄瀑布大，沿著瀑布和下游尼亞加拉河的懸崖觀看之，河面大且水流湍急，水聲隆隆，衝下瀑布時濺起飄得又高又遠的水花，有如一層薄霧，高時甚至遮日！旅行團也包括坐船逆流而上至瀑布底部，船駛到瀑布近處，但覺腳下流水有如萬馬奔騰，頭上水花如急雨灑下，令我深深感受到尼亞加拉大瀑布真的不容小覷，自遠古時代冰河溶化後形成的瀑布，至今仍然洶湧澎湃，歷久不衰，大自然的力量果然令人生畏！
The American Falls (left) and the Canadian Fall (right)
Now see the Niagara Falls for yourself! 現在讓你感受一下大瀑布！
Afterwards the tour took us to the picturesque historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where the Niagara River met Lake Ontario. It was such a clear day that the skyline of Toronto, more than 60 km away, was still visible from the beach of the town!
之後旅行團來到Niagara-on-the-Lake這個典雅的歷史小鎮，那裡也是尼亞加拉河與安大略湖匯合之處，那天天朗氣清，站在河畔的沙灘也望得到超過60公里外的多倫多！
The last stop of the tour was some wine tasting on the way back to Toronto. I have never thought that the Niagara region would be warm enough to grow grapes and produce wine. While the standard white and red wines are nothing spectacular, Canada is quite famous for its ice wine. The freezing winters and its quick onset would allow the snap freezing of grapes and concentration of the sugar in the little juice that would remain in the grapes. Canada is the only country in the world that can produce both red and white ice wines, and of course I took the opportunity to buy one bottle of each, for some sweet memories of my stay in Canada.
行程最後一站是試酒，我一直不知尼亞加拉地區原來氣候夠溫暖可以種葡萄兼釀酒，雖然當地的白酒、紅酒並不是太出色，但葡萄一到冬天會因天氣急速轉冷而結冰，糖份全都濃縮到小量剩餘未結冰的汁液，把汁液提煉出來後便可釀製冰酒（ice wine）。加拿大不祇以出產冰酒為名，還是世界上唯一可以釀紅、白兩種冰酒的地方，所以我也把握機會各買一瓶，為我這個加國之旅留下甜美的回憶。
六月底出席完在美國的會議後，我便飛往鄰國的多倫多放放假。
The Toronto skyline from the top floor (22nd floor) of my hostel
從旅舍最高層22樓望到的多倫多市區景色My first day there (1st July) happened to be Canada Day, and the Canadians celebrated the occasion with lots of fireworks. Having just arrived there, I decided to go on an adventure to the Woodbine Beach by Lake Ontario following the route given by a hostel staff. I sensed something not quite right when most revellers alighted at the underground station before what I was told, and when I alighted, I checked the map and with station staff and indeed I’ve gone to the wrong place! Fortunately there was still time to find the right route, and I didn’t miss any fireworks after all.
我在多倫多的第一天（7月1日）剛好是加拿大國慶日，不少地方都放煙火助興，我也決定湊湊熱鬧，向旅舍職員問過路線後，便出發往安大略湖畔的Woodbine沙灘。我坐地鐵前往那裡時，但見大部分人都在旅舍職員告訴我的前一站下車，已覺得不對勁，待我下車後，查看地圖又問過地鐵職員，才知道原來被旅舍職員「老點」（指錯地方），幸好時間尚早，還有時間重新找路途，總算沒有錯過放煙火。
When the fireworks finished I walked along the same road to the underground station and came across Gerrard Street East which had the same name as where my hostel was and had a tram route running. Knowing how the roads in American and Canadian cities often adapt a grid lay-out and how some roads can stretch on for long distances, I quickly checked the route map of the tram and decided to hop on to a waiting tram so that I wouldn’t have to get squeezed in the underground. It turned out to be a good move because the tram took me through an Indian-Pakistani district which has a good number of restaurants and other shops. I went back two evenings later for a meal and looking around the shops there.
煙火表演後，沿著原路走回地鐵站返回旅舍，經過Gerrard Street East，可以坐電車，這條街跟我旅舍所在的街是同一名字，心想美加大城市街道往往形成矩陣，而且街道可以跨相連城市延伸一段長距離，剛好又有電車停站，我便趕快查看電車路線圖，然後馬上上車，免得跟一大班人擠地鐵。沒想到電車會經過多倫多的印度巴基斯坦區，沿路的食肆和商店吸引到我兩晚後重臨吃頓飯和逛逛。
Fashion, Indian style
印度式時裝店
The restaurant that I visited boasts of catering for up to 2000 people. It's no mean feat if it's true!
我光顧的餐廳說自己可以為最多2000人提供到會，真的這麼厲害？
The Indian-Pakistani district typifies the make-up of Toronto’s population. Even coming from Australia which has a high number and diversity of migrant population, I was still struck by how many ethnicities and cultures I came across in the streets of Toronto city centre. Another case was the west side of the city where Spadina Avenue was a mix of Chinese and South-East Asian shops and restaurants but one street away it turned into a hippie district. It was indeed a rather interesting blend.
那個印巴區正好是多倫多的縮影，澳洲移民數目和種族之多，我早已司空見慣，但到了多倫多市區，看到更多移民和不同的文化，讓我嘖嘖稱奇。市區西面的Spadina Avenue也是多文化融合的另一例子，這條唐人街一大段都是中國和東南亞商鋪，但隔了一條街便變成得很前衛、嬉皮，與唐人街大異其趣。
Kensington Avenue, one street away from Spadina Avenue, with its funky shops
與Spadina Avenue一街之隔的Kensington Avenue，趣怪商店多
The Ontario Parliament (left) with its wooden east wing (centre) and marble west wing (right) - the west wing was originally wooden but rebuilt with marble after a fire
安大略省議會（左），東翼用木建（中），西翼用大理石（右），是一場火災把原來的木建築燒毀後重建而成的。
The Gooderham Building in the Historic District 舊城區的Gooderham Building
However as a tourist city, my impression is that Toronto hasn’t got too much to offer and there’s little that one can’t see elsewhere. A trip to the outer islands in Lake Ontario made up for this disappointment to some extent. On a warm sunny day, those islands were filled with people making use of the last day of the Canada Day long weekend. There were plenty of people cycling, swimming, sailing and picnicking everywhere. The islands also offered plenty of vantage points for looking back to Toronto city centre, and to me the feeling was actually somewhat like looking towards Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon side!
不過對遊客而言，多倫多的景點乏善可陳，而且沒有很多是世界其他大城市見不到的東西，幸好多倫多對開在安大略湖的外島，總算也可彌補一下這方面的不足。那天天公造美，加上是長週末，不少人都一家大少湧到島上騎單車、游泳、泛舟和野餐，島上多處也可遠望到多倫多市區的景色，感覺倒有幾分像從尖沙咀遠眺港島一樣！
Toronto by the lake front 湖畔的多倫多市區
Toronto Island Airport, clearly visible from the lake front
多倫多島機場，從湖畔清晰可見
Toronto Island, a place to relax and have fun 多倫多島，消閑和玩樂的好去處
Toronto City's skyline provides a picture-perfect backdrop to the Island!
多倫多市區景色，正好是這個島上佳的背景！
On my last full day there (4th July) I joined a day tour to the Niagara Falls and the surrounding area. I’ve already had a glimpse of it on board the flight from Boston to Toronto on 1st July, and I couldn’t wait to see how big it would be close up! The Niagara Falls actually consisted of three waterfalls, with one main one and a small one on the American side and another on the Canadian side. The Canadian Horseshoe Falls were the largest of them all, and walking along the cliffs lining the Horseshoe Falls and Niagara River (where the waterfalls descend into) one could already feel the power of the waterfalls through the mist and rumbling sounds of the water flow! I also took the boat that sailed upstream to the foot of the Horseshoe Fall, and that really made everyone feel the full strengths of the current and force of Nature. The Niagara Falls clearly hasn’t lost any of its punch since the melting of the glaciers which gave rise to it millions of years ago!
我離開多倫多的前一天（7月4日）參加了一個一天旅行團前往尼亞加拉大瀑布和鄰近地區。早在7月1日由波士頓飛往多倫多時我已有機會鳥瞰大瀑布，令我更想親臨瀑布旁感受那般氣勢！尼亞加拉大瀑布其實由三道瀑布形成，美國那邊有一大一小的，但加起來也不夠加拿大那邊的馬蹄瀑布大，沿著瀑布和下游尼亞加拉河的懸崖觀看之，河面大且水流湍急，水聲隆隆，衝下瀑布時濺起飄得又高又遠的水花，有如一層薄霧，高時甚至遮日！旅行團也包括坐船逆流而上至瀑布底部，船駛到瀑布近處，但覺腳下流水有如萬馬奔騰，頭上水花如急雨灑下，令我深深感受到尼亞加拉大瀑布真的不容小覷，自遠古時代冰河溶化後形成的瀑布，至今仍然洶湧澎湃，歷久不衰，大自然的力量果然令人生畏！
An aerial view of the Niagara Falls; the upper side is Canadian.
半空遙望尼亞加拉大瀑布，河的上方屬加拿大。
Water flow with such a sweeping force
江水滔滔，生生不息
The American Falls (left) and the Canadian Fall (right)
美國的兩個瀑布（左）和加拿大的瀑布（右）
The Niagara River downstream of the Falls and the Rainbow Bridge linking Canada and the USA
瀑布下游的尼亞加拉河和連接美、加兩國的彩虹橋
Feel the power!
大瀑布的威力
Now see the Niagara Falls for yourself! 現在讓你感受一下大瀑布！
Afterwards the tour took us to the picturesque historic town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where the Niagara River met Lake Ontario. It was such a clear day that the skyline of Toronto, more than 60 km away, was still visible from the beach of the town!
之後旅行團來到Niagara-on-the-Lake這個典雅的歷史小鎮，那裡也是尼亞加拉河與安大略湖匯合之處，那天天朗氣清，站在河畔的沙灘也望得到超過60公里外的多倫多！
More than just tourism - the Niagara River also generates hydroelectricity
尼亞加拉河除了是旅遊區外，也是水力發電的重地
From the beach at Niagara-on-the-Lake: Youngstown, NY, USA on the opposite bank of the river (left) and Toronto at afar (right; magnify the photo to see it more clearly)
從Niagara-on-the-Lake的沙灘遠望河對岸美國紐約州Youngstown（左）和遠方的多倫多（右，祇要放大相片便可看清楚）
One of the many pretty old buildings at Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake鎮內眾多古式建築物之一
Symbol of Canada - in a contrast of two pretty colours
象徵加拿大的楓葉，紅的或綠的任君欣賞
The last stop of the tour was some wine tasting on the way back to Toronto. I have never thought that the Niagara region would be warm enough to grow grapes and produce wine. While the standard white and red wines are nothing spectacular, Canada is quite famous for its ice wine. The freezing winters and its quick onset would allow the snap freezing of grapes and concentration of the sugar in the little juice that would remain in the grapes. Canada is the only country in the world that can produce both red and white ice wines, and of course I took the opportunity to buy one bottle of each, for some sweet memories of my stay in Canada.
行程最後一站是試酒，我一直不知尼亞加拉地區原來氣候夠溫暖可以種葡萄兼釀酒，雖然當地的白酒、紅酒並不是太出色，但葡萄一到冬天會因天氣急速轉冷而結冰，糖份全都濃縮到小量剩餘未結冰的汁液，把汁液提煉出來後便可釀製冰酒（ice wine）。加拿大不祇以出產冰酒為名，還是世界上唯一可以釀紅、白兩種冰酒的地方，所以我也把握機會各買一瓶，為我這個加國之旅留下甜美的回憶。
Vineyards with windmills, the function of which is in fact to disperse the cold air that stays closer to the ground than warmer air!
莊園設有多台風車，功用其實是把聚在地面的冷空氣掃走！
Comments