Those of us living in tourist areas generally take for granted all the sights to explore and rarely go, unless shepherding visitors around.
I live in the suburbs of one of the greatest cities in the world, namely Toronto, Canada’s largest metropolis [fourth largest in North America, behind New York, Los Angeles and Chicago].
Toronto has been named “best place to live”in an index of city rankings compiled by The Economist. [More points of interest HERE.]
We go there for concerts, museum exhibits and sometimes for shopping and dining, but sightseeing? Not in years!
For the recent occasion of my 60th birthday (Jan. 2015), we had tickets for a Bob Seger concert [photos and music HERE], and, since it was on a Saturday night, stayed the weekend.
Although it was cold, there was no snow on the ground and the winds held off for a change. Ideal for a stroll through the area on a lazy Sunday.
The beautiful Hotel Le Germain – entranceOur room with luxurious king-size bed and all amenities.All the comforts of home and more, including ice bucket, wine glasses and big screen TV.View of the world famous CN Tower from our roomThe arena was just steps from the hotelCN Tower, viewed from the ground at close range.Tower entrance – we didn’t go up because they wanted $32.00 per person and we’ve seen it many times before.Ripley’s Aquarium Canada and Toronto SkylineAntique passenger train on display at Roundhouse Park. There is interesting artwork all over Toronto. This sculpture is one of two on the outside of the Rogers Centre, a domed stadium with retractable roof.Heading home. View from the highway.View from the highway #2. Toronto has a lot of interesting architecture.
Have you ever been a tourist at home? What are the attractions there?
Looking forward to your comments!
“Sundays in my City” is a photography carnival hosted by Claudya Martinez ofUnknown Mami. Click on image for details and this week’s link up. Travel the world without leaving home!
Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
🙂 Ah, Debbie. Makes me feel great to think I’ve seen most of the places in the pictures! We loved Toronto. And yes – it is usually true we never get around to sight seeing unless we’re taking a visitor around. That’s one of the reasons we resolved to explore our area whenever we got a chance.
I’ve got happy memories of Toronto and can’t wait to visit again, hopefully this year!
Hi Vidya; Here’s hoping we can meet up, if you come for a visit. 🙂 I plan on playing tourist in Toronto again, but when the weather gets warmer. Thanks for dropping in!
Oh no! You’re the second person to have said that! 🙁 If the slideshow isn’t working right, then I’ll edit the post. Thanks for letting me know, Kim. Yes, Toronto is beautiful. Cheers!
Debbie, you are correct, we don’t see the places of tourist interest in our own city.I am living in New Delhi but visit them when relatives and friends come. The photographs you have sent are superb.
It seems, we take these things for granted when we live here. I want to change that though, and do some more touring when the weather warms up. Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for visiting. 🙂
Hi Clowie. Nice to see you, again! 😀 You’re right, we do forget how nice things are here at home. I want to do this again, when the weather warms up. Thanks for visiting, old friend.
Have had this feeling for a long long time. Both my dad and DH have a transferable job. So I am a permanent tourist. Lovely pics. The CN tower shot is superb.
I would love to be a permanent tourist! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the photos. We are proud of the CN Tower, for sure. It’s a great landmark. Thanks for visiting.
Hi Francene. 🙂 It’s the 4th largest in North America, but on the world scale, it sits at #51. Of course I’m biased, but it is a beautiful, multicultural city with lots to see. This was just a small glimpse.
Thanks for dropping by The Den.
Loved the pictures and your “touristy” post. I live in a tourist mecca but try to stay as far away from the areas where they gather as possible. That sounds horrible, I know. There are simply too many people for me. I would love to visit Toronto someday. It looks beautiful.
Nice to meet you and welcome to The Den. 🙂 I know what you mean about the crowds. We wanted to go into the aquarium, but it was jam-packed. Not a good idea on a Sunday! Toronto is quite unique and multi-cultural. Something for everybody. Thanks for dropping by.
I love being a tourist in my own town now and then. Makes me appreciate it more as we tend to do our daily routines and not partake of all the great things offered.
Unfortunately WordPress was being naughty (or could it be my end? Who knows?) Couldn’t see the photos and it just kept whirring away. Sigh. I bet they were great though. Toronto is such a fun city. I’ve enjoyed being tourist there a few times and always find it a great time. Hope I get there sometime to meet you, Debbie.
You’re so right, Cathy and I plan to do this again, when the weather warms up. 🙂 Oh no! The slideshow wasn’t working for you? 🙁 All’s well at this end, so please try again, if you can spare the time. It would be great to meet you!
Those are some wonderful pictures, Debbie. Seeing our own city where we have lived for so long through a tourist’s eyes can always be great fun. I remember when I was living in Delhi and when some relatives from some smaller town would visit us they would want to go for ‘sightseeing’. And I would often say no when they wanted me to go with them, because to me if felt that that’s what tourists do, not the local Delhites. But having grown up enough since then I can now understand why it helps us to see the same sight or a same architectural fixture with a new pair of eyes. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Yes, things definitely look different when your are viewing them as a tourist rather than a tour guide. I plan to do this again, when the weather warms up. Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for visiting, Beloo. 🙂
It’s just the same for us. We live in Jaipur which is a BIG touristy place. All our friends and relatives are in so much of awe of our city whereas the last we must have seen the tourist places of Jaipur was some decades ago when we visited the city as a tourist! How ironical! Loved your pic album here! 🙂
Yes, I think this is true for most of us. 🙂 We had fun rediscovering some of these places and want to go again, when the weather improves. Glad you enjoyed the photos!
Hi Mike. 🙂 Yes, the CN Tower is gorgeous at night! Oh yuck – poutine!! Can’t stand the stuff. LOL (Guess I’m not Canadian enough, eh? 😉 ) Glad you enjoyed the post.
If I were to travel to Toronto I would definitely want you to be our tour guide and we would definitely go to a concert :). You look like you’re so much fun to be with and I know hearing your stories will only facinate me! You make the perfect tour guide!
Sounds like a great plan, Corina! 😀 Toronto is “Music Mecca”, which is another reason I love it. Everybody who’s on tour comes here. Maybe Black Sabbath will show up! 😉 I would love to show you around, but better wait until the weather warms up. Thanks for visiting.
I can totally relate to the idea of being so comfy in your own city that you don’t really know the sights! It takes a visitor to bring out the tour guide in you 🙂 I have family in Toronto, but who knows when I will visit! Ah, to travel again.
We’ve lived here a long time and have seen many of these sights before, but it was fun to revisit them as tourists, instead of tour guides. We’ll do it again when the weather warms up. 🙂 Hope you get to visit your family in Toronto, Shailaja and perhaps then we could meet as well.
Lovely pictures, Debbie. No, sadly I’ve never been a tourist at home. But then again, after travelling around like a nomad, I’m no longer sure ‘where’ home is 🙂
So in some ways, I guess I am a tourist everywhere.
After living in Memphis for 39, Trudy and I went back for a visit. We went to downtown, in the Beale St. area… We must have looked like tourists, because several good hearted locals offered to show us around, for five or ten dollars. We, of course, played dumb, and asked a lot of questions. Ironically, this story was one of the first three blogs I ever wrote and posted. Glad your post brought my past exploits back to memory. Thanks, Debbie.
GREAT pictures! LOVE the artwork on the building. That was really cool. Your room looked fabulous. Sounds like a great weekend! And I know exactly what you are saying about living in a tourist city but not sight-seeing it: I grew up in Niagara Falls (NY) and hardly ever went to see the Falls unless company was in town. THEN, as an adult I came back and did the whole touristy thing: I was overwhelmed and amazed at how beautiful it all was. How did I miss it all those years? Isn’t it funny how life works like that? Now every time I go back, I want to go to the Falls again…
Glad you enjoyed the photos, Michele. I thought it was a cool sculpture. It’s one of two but we didn’t get to the other side. You can see more here: Rogers Centre Sculptures We actually go to Niagara Falls (Ontario) quite often, but not as much since our favourite restaurant there closed down. 🙁 Back in the 70s and 80s, it was our “party town” and we had a great time there. Let me know when you plan on visiting The Falls next time, and maybe we can meet up; either side of the border. 🙂
A few years ago a few friends and I decided on a walking tour around our city and it’s amazing what you see when you see things with the eyes of a tourist. Enjoyed your slide show. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, after living in an area for several years, one becomes complacent about these things. When the weather warms up, I want to go back and re-discover even more. Glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for visiting, Suzy. 🙂
Lucky you Debbie 🙂 The first time I read about Toronto was in an Archie’s comics, their entire class has gone for a tour there…I wish to visit one day …wow so many places to see and so little time!
Toronto featured in an Archie comic? Well, I guess it really is famous, then. 😀 I know what you mean; my travel bucket list is very long. Thanks for visiting.
I had to smile when reading about ‘seeing our local sights only when we shepherd visitors around’. So true. I was actually disappointed that you slide show was so short. You have some great shots there.
What a HOT hotel room… never have seen the likes in Germany. And you have given me an idea for another blog.
Glad you enjoyed the photos, Angelika. 🙂 There’s much more about Toronto in the links, if you’re interested. We loved the hotel room and the service was impeccable. (Expensive, but worth it – the bed was so comfortable!) I’m glad we decided to stay overnight. Let me know more about the blog, if you go ahead with it. I’m intrigued.
Though I used to live in Toronto years ago, I’d rather be a tourist in Vancouver/North Vancouver. 😉 I have played tourist when an occasional friend would come and visit. I recommend any and/or all of the following in no particular order: Lynn Valley Suspension bridge (free) and/or Capilano Suspension bridge (longer and pricier); the seawall(s) in West Vancouver and/or Vancouver by Stanley Park; Stanley Park as there are various shows to see as well as walking, rollerblading or biking along the trail around it, including Lost Lagoon; Queen Elizabeth Park with its bounteous gardens; Science World for unique experiences and an intriguing movie; etc. That’s all I can think of for now… 😉 <3
I’ve always wanted to visit Vancouver, Elly, but have never been further west in Canada than Winnipeg. Hopefully someday. The latest issue of CAA magazine has an article about the Rocky Mountaineer train tour that I’d love to take and the features about Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics made it so inviting! Thanks for sharing your favourite attractions. 🙂
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50 thoughts on “A TOURIST IN TORONTO – SUNDAYS IN MY CITY”
🙂 Ah, Debbie. Makes me feel great to think I’ve seen most of the places in the pictures! We loved Toronto. And yes – it is usually true we never get around to sight seeing unless we’re taking a visitor around. That’s one of the reasons we resolved to explore our area whenever we got a chance.
I’ve got happy memories of Toronto and can’t wait to visit again, hopefully this year!
Hi Vidya; Here’s hoping we can meet up, if you come for a visit. 🙂 I plan on playing tourist in Toronto again, but when the weather gets warmer. Thanks for dropping in!
I can’t see the photos…
but I hear Toronto is FABULOUSSSSS. xx
Oh no! You’re the second person to have said that! 🙁 If the slideshow isn’t working right, then I’ll edit the post. Thanks for letting me know, Kim. Yes, Toronto is beautiful. Cheers!
The city is indeed beautiful! I can se you really enjoyed your visit. I agree we do need to be tourists in our own city sometimes.
It was really fun to play tourist, Indy! 🙂 We had a great time and plan on doing it again when the weather is warmer. Thanks for visiting.
Debbie, you are correct, we don’t see the places of tourist interest in our own city.I am living in New Delhi but visit them when relatives and friends come. The photographs you have sent are superb.
It seems, we take these things for granted when we live here. I want to change that though, and do some more touring when the weather warms up. Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for visiting. 🙂
It looks a lovely place to spend a weekend. We so often forget to enjoy what is on our doorstep!
Hi Clowie. Nice to see you, again! 😀 You’re right, we do forget how nice things are here at home. I want to do this again, when the weather warms up. Thanks for visiting, old friend.
Have had this feeling for a long long time. Both my dad and DH have a transferable job. So I am a permanent tourist. Lovely pics. The CN tower shot is superb.
I would love to be a permanent tourist! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the photos. We are proud of the CN Tower, for sure. It’s a great landmark. Thanks for visiting.
There. I learned something new. I didn’t know Toronto was the world’s 4th largest city. I’d love to visit. Maybe in my dreams.
Hi Francene. 🙂 It’s the 4th largest in North America, but on the world scale, it sits at #51. Of course I’m biased, but it is a beautiful, multicultural city with lots to see. This was just a small glimpse.
Thanks for dropping by The Den.
I like the pic with CN Tower from the ground. Well composed 😉
Welcome to The Den, Maytree. 🙂 It was difficult to get it into the frame. Took a little camera juggling. Glad you liked it and thanks for visiting.
Loved the pictures and your “touristy” post. I live in a tourist mecca but try to stay as far away from the areas where they gather as possible. That sounds horrible, I know. There are simply too many people for me. I would love to visit Toronto someday. It looks beautiful.
Nice to meet you and welcome to The Den. 🙂 I know what you mean about the crowds. We wanted to go into the aquarium, but it was jam-packed. Not a good idea on a Sunday! Toronto is quite unique and multi-cultural. Something for everybody. Thanks for dropping by.
I love being a tourist in my own town now and then. Makes me appreciate it more as we tend to do our daily routines and not partake of all the great things offered.
Unfortunately WordPress was being naughty (or could it be my end? Who knows?) Couldn’t see the photos and it just kept whirring away. Sigh. I bet they were great though. Toronto is such a fun city. I’ve enjoyed being tourist there a few times and always find it a great time. Hope I get there sometime to meet you, Debbie.
You’re so right, Cathy and I plan to do this again, when the weather warms up. 🙂 Oh no! The slideshow wasn’t working for you? 🙁 All’s well at this end, so please try again, if you can spare the time. It would be great to meet you!
Those are some wonderful pictures, Debbie. Seeing our own city where we have lived for so long through a tourist’s eyes can always be great fun. I remember when I was living in Delhi and when some relatives from some smaller town would visit us they would want to go for ‘sightseeing’. And I would often say no when they wanted me to go with them, because to me if felt that that’s what tourists do, not the local Delhites. But having grown up enough since then I can now understand why it helps us to see the same sight or a same architectural fixture with a new pair of eyes. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
Yes, things definitely look different when your are viewing them as a tourist rather than a tour guide. I plan to do this again, when the weather warms up. Glad you enjoyed the photos and thanks for visiting, Beloo. 🙂
It’s just the same for us. We live in Jaipur which is a BIG touristy place. All our friends and relatives are in so much of awe of our city whereas the last we must have seen the tourist places of Jaipur was some decades ago when we visited the city as a tourist! How ironical! Loved your pic album here! 🙂
Yes, I think this is true for most of us. 🙂 We had fun rediscovering some of these places and want to go again, when the weather improves. Glad you enjoyed the photos!
This was terrific, Debbie, and that is the first time I recall seeing the CN Tower at night! It’s awesome. Did you have any poutine for a snack? 🙂
Hi Mike. 🙂 Yes, the CN Tower is gorgeous at night! Oh yuck – poutine!! Can’t stand the stuff. LOL (Guess I’m not Canadian enough, eh? 😉 ) Glad you enjoyed the post.
Great pictures! It sounds like you had a fabulous time. I have never been so loved hearing all about your visit. Makes me want to go too! ♥
Glad you like the photos, Kathy. Come on up and I’ll show you around! 🙂 Thanks for visiting and WELCOME BACK!!
If I were to travel to Toronto I would definitely want you to be our tour guide and we would definitely go to a concert :). You look like you’re so much fun to be with and I know hearing your stories will only facinate me! You make the perfect tour guide!
Have a great week Debbie!
Sounds like a great plan, Corina! 😀 Toronto is “Music Mecca”, which is another reason I love it. Everybody who’s on tour comes here. Maybe Black Sabbath will show up! 😉 I would love to show you around, but better wait until the weather warms up. Thanks for visiting.
I can totally relate to the idea of being so comfy in your own city that you don’t really know the sights! It takes a visitor to bring out the tour guide in you 🙂 I have family in Toronto, but who knows when I will visit! Ah, to travel again.
We’ve lived here a long time and have seen many of these sights before, but it was fun to revisit them as tourists, instead of tour guides. We’ll do it again when the weather warms up. 🙂 Hope you get to visit your family in Toronto, Shailaja and perhaps then we could meet as well.
Lovely pictures, Debbie. No, sadly I’ve never been a tourist at home. But then again, after travelling around like a nomad, I’m no longer sure ‘where’ home is 🙂
So in some ways, I guess I am a tourist everywhere.
I think it’s good to be a tourist everywhere. 🙂 Come spring I’ll be doing this again, camera in hand. Thanks for visiting.
After living in Memphis for 39, Trudy and I went back for a visit. We went to downtown, in the Beale St. area… We must have looked like tourists, because several good hearted locals offered to show us around, for five or ten dollars. We, of course, played dumb, and asked a lot of questions. Ironically, this story was one of the first three blogs I ever wrote and posted. Glad your post brought my past exploits back to memory. Thanks, Debbie.
That sounds like a lot of fun, Mike. 🙂 I plan on playing tourist again, but after the weather warms up. Thanks for visiting.
GREAT pictures! LOVE the artwork on the building. That was really cool. Your room looked fabulous. Sounds like a great weekend! And I know exactly what you are saying about living in a tourist city but not sight-seeing it: I grew up in Niagara Falls (NY) and hardly ever went to see the Falls unless company was in town. THEN, as an adult I came back and did the whole touristy thing: I was overwhelmed and amazed at how beautiful it all was. How did I miss it all those years? Isn’t it funny how life works like that? Now every time I go back, I want to go to the Falls again…
Glad you enjoyed the photos, Michele. I thought it was a cool sculpture. It’s one of two but we didn’t get to the other side. You can see more here: Rogers Centre Sculptures We actually go to Niagara Falls (Ontario) quite often, but not as much since our favourite restaurant there closed down. 🙁 Back in the 70s and 80s, it was our “party town” and we had a great time there. Let me know when you plan on visiting The Falls next time, and maybe we can meet up; either side of the border. 🙂
That would be so awesome Debbie!! I will definitely do that! And hope that it can happen sometime this year… 🙂
Wow, such beautiful pics! I esp. loved the unique architecture pic. Marvelous, Debbie!
Glad you enjoyed this, Shalini. 🙂 Toronto is an interesting city and I plan to do more tourist stuff when the weather improves. Thanks for visiting.
A few years ago a few friends and I decided on a walking tour around our city and it’s amazing what you see when you see things with the eyes of a tourist. Enjoyed your slide show. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, after living in an area for several years, one becomes complacent about these things. When the weather warms up, I want to go back and re-discover even more. Glad you enjoyed the photos. Thanks for visiting, Suzy. 🙂
Lucky you Debbie 🙂 The first time I read about Toronto was in an Archie’s comics, their entire class has gone for a tour there…I wish to visit one day …wow so many places to see and so little time!
Toronto featured in an Archie comic? Well, I guess it really is famous, then. 😀 I know what you mean; my travel bucket list is very long. Thanks for visiting.
I had to smile when reading about ‘seeing our local sights only when we shepherd visitors around’. So true. I was actually disappointed that you slide show was so short. You have some great shots there.
What a HOT hotel room… never have seen the likes in Germany. And you have given me an idea for another blog.
Glad you enjoyed the photos, Angelika. 🙂 There’s much more about Toronto in the links, if you’re interested. We loved the hotel room and the service was impeccable. (Expensive, but worth it – the bed was so comfortable!) I’m glad we decided to stay overnight. Let me know more about the blog, if you go ahead with it. I’m intrigued.
Though I used to live in Toronto years ago, I’d rather be a tourist in Vancouver/North Vancouver. 😉 I have played tourist when an occasional friend would come and visit. I recommend any and/or all of the following in no particular order: Lynn Valley Suspension bridge (free) and/or Capilano Suspension bridge (longer and pricier); the seawall(s) in West Vancouver and/or Vancouver by Stanley Park; Stanley Park as there are various shows to see as well as walking, rollerblading or biking along the trail around it, including Lost Lagoon; Queen Elizabeth Park with its bounteous gardens; Science World for unique experiences and an intriguing movie; etc. That’s all I can think of for now… 😉 <3
I’ve always wanted to visit Vancouver, Elly, but have never been further west in Canada than Winnipeg. Hopefully someday. The latest issue of CAA magazine has an article about the Rocky Mountaineer train tour that I’d love to take and the features about Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics made it so inviting! Thanks for sharing your favourite attractions. 🙂