Don't tell anyone, but I skipped church this Sunday.
We had this great idea.
It was the opening day of Ontario Place.
Ontario Place is an internationally acclaimed cultural, leisure and entertainment parkland located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The complex extends throughout three man-made islands along the Lake Ontario waterfront.
It must be 20 years since I was there, and DOTH (Daughter Of The House) hadn't been for a long time either. We decided to get there just as the gates opened - anticipating that because there was to be a firework display later that night, most people wouldn't arrive until late afternoon, so we'd beat the crowds.
We were the second people to walk through the gates (no fanfare) and it was quite remarkable that there were so few people around. We had the place virtually to ourselves until well after noon.
It was a gorgeous day -- just a light jacket needed since it's down by the lake.
We made our way over to the bumper-boats:
and managed the odd bump or two -- it was fun having the place to ourselves, especially since we weren't the greatest of drivers!
We took the Wilderness Adventure boat ride, and got a little wet.
We walked through the pretty conservation area a few times:
"I know I'm bow-legged, but what are you?"
We enjoyed a lovely paddle-boat ride around the Cinesphere...
which led us through a pretty little tunnel...
Where this family was waiting to greet us on the other side...
We said "Hi!" to a pretty red-winged blackbird...and managed to snap some photos of an unusually still barn swallow
"I hear something..."
"What is it? WHERE is it?"
``It`s coming...
``There it is -- a helicopter!``
We had a lovely lunch in a lakeside reataurant.
By now the park was filling up, but it was the water park, Soak City, that attracted most of the attention. And no wonder -- this was fun:
We had a lovely lunch in a lakeside reataurant.
By now the park was filling up, but it was the water park, Soak City, that attracted most of the attention. And no wonder -- this was fun:
See the big bucket at the top of the tower? Every 5 minutes or so, it would fill up with water and begin to tip...
drenching everyone below...great fun for what by now was a pretty warm afternoon!
We had thought we might stay for the 9:30pm firework display, but by 5:30pm we were pretty exhausted.
We did get a rest in the Cinesphere before we left...quite an amazing movie, Wild Ocean.
It`s a very moving account of how, each year ``an unbelievable feeding frenzy takes place in the oceans of South Africa as billions of sardines migrate up the Kwazulu-Natal Coast. WILD OCEAN captures spectacular breaching whales, feeding sharks, diving gannets, and massive bait balls inside and up close on the giant screen.``
Well worth seeeing, if you ever get the chance - and definitely enhanced by the big screen.
We`d had lots of fun, but it was also lots of walking, and my feet were beginning to take the toll...
...so, via a last meander along the lakefront, we made our way to the exit and home..
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI had a nice comment made by someone from the Ontario Place Facebook page, but I was just a bit suspicious of it, so I removed it. If that person was you, and you are legit, I am sorry - but thanks for your nice comment!
ReplyDeleteNice pictures, looks like a fun place to visit.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have holidays like that when my first son was very small. He always woke up with the sun everyday and so we got to vsit everything long before the crowds arrived, had lunch by eleven thirty and were done for by about three thirty.
What gorgeous pictures, Kathy. I love the view through the tunnel and the little family on the water. x
ReplyDeleteLooks like it was a fun day and I'm glad the weather cooperated. The water bucket thing looks hilarious. You got some really nice shots Kay.
ReplyDeleteYes, Snafu, I think we will use that strategy again sometime -- I really do hate crowds.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, the family of ducks followed us for some time, in fact, at times seemed to be leading us somewhere -- further out into the lake, where we really didn't want to go, so they finally left us.
Thanks, ChrisJ -- funny thing is, when we got home I realized I had had the camera on the wrong setting all day - but the pics turned out ok anyway - phew!