Toronto Zoo

Encompassing 710 acres, the Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in Canada. It is divided into seven zoo-geographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia, and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in tropical pavilions and outdoors in what would be their naturalistic environments, with viewing at many levels. The zoo has one of the most taxonomically diverse collection of animals on display of any zoo, is currently home to over 5,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish) representing over 450 species.

CN Tower, Toronto

With the Toronto City Pass we were also able to go to the top of the CN tower.

Built on the former railway lands, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest structure at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of Burj Khalifa and Canton Tower in 2010. It remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, a signature icon of Toronto's skyline, and a symbol of Canada, attracting more than two million international visitors annually.

This light you see shines on the tower at night, and you can see it all though the city.

There is also a glass floor at an elevation of 1,122 ft.

The outside walk is all gated so you don't fall.

Casa Loma, Toronto

We purchased a city pass in Toronto so we could see several attractions for a discounted price. One of the places was Casa Loma. Here is a little history.

Sir Henry Pellatt and Lady Mary Pellatt

Sir Henry Pellatt, the dreamer behind Toronto's famous landmark Casa Loma, was born to British parents in Kingston, Ontario on January 6, 1859.  Ambitious from his youth, Sir Henry Pellatt left his studies at Upper Canada College when he was seventeen to pursue a career in commerce in the family business. By the age of 23, he became a full partner in his father's stock brokerage firm Pellatt and Pellatt. That year also marked his marriage to Mary Dodgeson whom he met when he was twenty.

Even as a young man, Henry Pellatt embraced the spirit of the family motto "Devant Si Je Puis" or "Foremost If I Can". When he met his bride-to-be, Sir Pellatt had already achieved local reknown in 1879 for beating the U. S. amateur champion in the running of the mile. Travels in Europe gave him the love for fine art and architecture which would spur his vision of Casa Loma-"House on the Hill." This romantic side was mirrored by his other lifelong passion-his involvement with the military, specifically the Queen's Own Rifles.

A luxurious bathroom

Lady Mary Pellatt's quarters

A rug in Sir Henry Pellatt's room

Guest Room

View from the top

In one if the towers

A huge pool table in the cigar room

Amazing woodwork

A painting of Sir Henry Pallett

An organ in the great room

Dining room

Solarium

Gardens

That's the tower we were in!

For more information on Casa Loma check out the website. It is a really interesting story. 

http://www.casaloma.org/about.history.gk

Goderich, Ontario Canada

Heading to Toronto we stopped in Goderich for the night, there motto is Canada's prettiest town. It was a lovely little place right on the water with a small shopping strip.

No big chair, but we found some big shoes!

 As night fell, we went to check out the lighthouse in the park. 

Great way to start our trip into Canada!

Crossroads Village, MI

While driving through Michigan, Jonathan asked me to look up some things to do in the area. I found a train ride, and a halloween themed village. It wasn't expensive, so we went for it. For 13 dollars we got a pass into the village and a paper bag for trick or treating. :) There are more then 34 historic structures from the turn of the last century, and at you go trick or treat at all of them! And everything was decorated so awesome. It was like walking into a different world, we have never experienced anything like it before.

 Then we took a seat on the Huckleberry Railroad and enjoy a scenic 40-minute ride through woods and meadows and along the shore of beautiful Mott Lake.  This was the "modern" way travelers crossed the country more than one hundred years ago.  Most cars were constructed in the 1890's and are over 120 years old!

The narrow-gauge railroad's collection of cars includes 11 original and replica wooden coaches plus a classic red wooden caboose. The train is pulled by one of two restored coal-fired locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works. Engine #464 was nicknamed the Mud Hen and originally carried miners to Colorado on their quest for gold and silver.

We had a whole car to ourselves!!

We each got a big bag of candy!

Along the train ride, there were also decorations along sides the whole way.

In this building there is a 1912 Carousel that was only 1 dollar to ride.

Also, we rode the 1910 Ferris Wheel, also a dollar!

These are called Venetian swings. They were closed, but tempting. They are a self powered ride, and very pretty!

Also closed was the Genesse Belle a replica of a paddle wheel boat.

Had to get a picture of the print shop!