Hoops, Toronto, ON

Gord and I had supper at Hoops on Yonge Street (just north of College Street). It’s a big restaurant and there were maybe five of us at supper time. 

Terry Fox Run 2018 - Liberty Village, Toronto, ON

I participated in the third annual Terry Fox Run this morning in the Liberty Village run (it's close to my 'hood).  I'd done it last year for the first time and this year I was also a volunteer.  It was a great day for it ... hot and sunny!

Terry Fox (1958 – 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian and cancer research activist.  In 1980, he began the Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research.  He hoped to raise one dollar from each of Canada's 24 million people.  He began in St. John's, Newfoundland, in April and ran the equivalent of a full marathon every day. After 143 days and 5,373km/3,339 miles, he was forced to end his run outside Thunder Bay, ON, when the cancer spread to his lungs. His hopes of overcoming the disease and completing his marathon ended when he died nine months later.
The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research.  Almost $800 million has been raised in his name.

I raised $1,445.  Thanks to Gord, Christine, Sky, Darlene T., Shawna, Kim, Baljeet, Joanne, Yvette, Jennifer, Margo, Nawaf,  Marianne, Annie, Lance, Kevin and Rosemary,  Sox, Craig and Wendy, Elaine and Bill, Franca, Malcolm and Mary, Darlene M., Sandra, Trish, Mary, Simone and Steve, Judy and Doug, Andy and Nikki, Eduardo, and Liz!

I dedicated my brisk walk to Gord.

You could buy a teeshirt for a $20 donation.

High Park, Toronto, ON

It was a cool grey afternoon (15C) and I headed to High Park to go for a walk to get my 10,000 steps done.  I hadn't been to the park since last summer.

High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario. It spans 161 hectares (400 acres) and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology. 

High Park was opened to the public in 1876 and is based on a bequest of land from John George Howard to the City of Toronto. It is the largest park entirely within the city.

I entered from Colbourne Lodge Drive and walked through the zoo to get to Bloor Street W.

This person had the right idea!

There's a path I like on the west end of the park from Bloor Street W that leads to Grenadier Pond and I headed down it.

Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), Toronto, ON

The CNE is on now until after Labour Day.

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With approximately 1.3 million visitors each year, the CNE is Canada’s largest annual fair and the seventh largest in North America. The first Canadian National Exhibition took place in 1879, largely to promote agriculture and technology in Canada. Agriculturists, engineers, and scientists exhibited their discoveries and inventions at the CNE to showcase the work and talent of the nation. As Canada has grown as a nation, the CNE has also changed over time, reflecting the growth in diversity and innovation, though agriculture and technology remain a large part of the CNE today.

The Cat Show was at the CNE this weekend.  I volunteer with the Annex Cat Rescue, who had a table there and I was on the afternoon shift.

I went down early to walk around and check things out.  There is something for everyone ... rides (I'm a big wimp and don't do rides), midway, games of chance, food, shopping (I bought a kitty teeshirt), music and more!  It wasn't all that crowded when I got there about 11:30am.

There are always hot tubs for sale!

There is an Indigenous display

Legends of the Silk Road Come to Light, Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), Toronto, ON

While I was at the CNE today, I checked out the Legends of the Silk Road Come to Light in the Enercare Building.  I didn't know what it was and hadn't heard about so it was a pleasant surprise.  It's definitely worth checking out!

The CNE will "come to light" this year with a spectacular indoor lantern festival!

A stunning series of 17 illuminated sculpture installations will create a kaleidoscope of colour, themed around legends and myths associated with the ancient Silk Road.

In celebration of the year of Canada-China tourism, the awe-inspiring displays were created by 90 artists using 4,000 metres of synthetic silk, 55 metres of steel, and arrived in eight shipping containers that travelled more than 12,000 km from China to Toronto!

The CNE's indoor lantern festival is co-produced by DDM Entertainment and Events Inc.

The Bentway, Toronto, ON

The Bentway is a public trail and corridor space underneath the Gardiner Expressway that opened less than a year ago.  From July 8 to August 12 on Sunday afternoons, they have a beer garden and entertainment.  Gord and I walked there today.

Kajama, Toronto, ON

This afternoon Gord and I went on the tall ship, Kajama. ... we did the 2pm sail and docked again at 3:30pm.

Kajama (pronounced 'Kai – ya – ma') was built at Nobiskrug shipyard in Rendsburg, Germany, and launched on July 26, 1930 under the name Wilfred. She was a three-masted cargo schooner. Captain Wilhem Wilckens was her owner and master and he operated from the homeport of Hamburg from 1930 until 1960.

In 1960, she was purchased by Captain Karl Asmussen of Egersund, Denmark. Captain Asmussen renamed the ship Kajama after his two sons and his wife: Kaywe, Jan and Maria. The ship continued to work under sail until the mid1970s, at which time the Asmussens converted her to a strictly motor-driven vessel.

Throughout the years from 1930 until 1998, Kajama traded general cargo. Her voyages went as far south as Balboa in Northwest Spain, throughout Western Europe, and Scandinavia, and above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway. In January 1999 after the passing of Captain Asmussen the previous year, Kajama was purchased by Great Lakes Schooner Company of Toronto. After preparation for sea she steamed to England, Azores and on to Toronto. Kajama underwent a major overhaul and restoration to her original profile in just over ten months.

Here are Gord and I waiting to board the ship.

 Boarded!

And we're off!  Passengers were invited to raise the sails.

The Bentway, Toronto, ON

The Bentway is a public trail and corridor space underneath the Gardiner Expressway that opened less than a year ago.  Gord and I had checked it out during the winter and there was a figure-eight skating rink.

From July 8 to August 13 on Sunday afternoons they have a beer garden.  I checked it out after I did the Heritage Toronto - Liberty Reclaimed: History of the Village walk.

Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market, Toronto, ON

Today is the first Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market of 2018.

It was a gorgeous sunny warm day and I walked there this afternoon.  It was pretty crowded (but not too crowded) so obviously others had the same idea as me.  It's been a few years since I've checked it out and it's gotten livelier.

It was a fun spot to be!  There was lots to see and do ... musicians/entertainment, vendors, food, games, etc.

I headed north on Augusta Avenue from Dundas Street W.

Sunnyside Boardwalk, Toronto, ON

It is a gorgeous day ... sunny and 30C!  Gord and I headed to Sunnyside.  It's one of my favourite places to go for a walk.

We headed east towards Sunnyside Pavilion Café.  There were a few people out walking and some on the beach.  One older guy even went swimming!

Gord

We had lunch at Sunnyside Pavilion Café and then headed west again to our car.