I really enjoy visiting new places. Exploring architecture and culture, seeing what's different and what's the same, and marveling at history often turns into an adventure.
So from time to time, I plan on sharing photos here of places to which I've traveled. And while digital photography has allowed me much more leeway than I had when I was 5 (see
The 5-Year-Old Photographer) in how many pieces I capture of each city, it still isn't that easy to narrow it down to my favorites.
To begin, let's go to Toronto.
For those unfamiliar, Toronto is Canada's largest city. It's also the capital of Ontario and home to over 2.5 million people. 49% of Torontonians were born outside of Canada, making it a very diverse place.
The St. Lawrence Market is one of my favorite places in all of Toronto. In the second half of the 19th century it was Toronto's first city hall and jail. Today this building hosts a giant market 5 days a week where all sorts of food (as well as some non-food) items are sold. It's a great place to pick up a fresh snack, try a peameal sandwich, and explore.
Inside... one of these things is not like the others...
The Distillery District is an amazing project built out of the remains of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery. It's now an entertainment area as well as supposedly the largest preservation of Victorian Industrial architecture in North America. The area is really uniform but still has unique spaces. And there is so much beautiful brick work.
There's often good live music there too. Dancing is totally welcome.
At one end of the Distillery District sits Kolios, a sculpture by Michael Christian. It's an amazing gigantic piece of metalwork. You can sort of get an idea of his size from that street lamp nearby. I like to call this shot
Kolios Prepares (To Take Over the City).
The Distillery District isn't the only place for art installations though. The next one is a disco fallout shelter. At least that's what the sign says. Although I'm not sure if it's just disco-themed or if we're supposed to go there should disco rise again.
I also had a secret alley find of this on the outside wall of a comic book store. Well it was a secret find until I loudly gasped and started photographing it. That may have drawn a bit of attention from passersby... who them came to look at it too.
Then there's Chinatown. You're just walking down the street and suddenly everything is different. It's an amazing distinction. Among the changes are a lot more people covering the sidewalks, a whole lot more signs, and the predominance of the color red--a marker of good fortune, happiness and loyalty in Chinese culture.
In contrast to the busy crowded Chinatown, the quiet and spread out University of Toronto can be found just to the north. This area is full of Romanesque and Gothic Revival architecture as well as gardens and open green spaces.
And if you're looking for somewhere even more peaceful, there are the islands in Lake Ontario. Hello, nature.
The trip to Centre Island was the first time we resorted to transportation other than feet. It was probably for the best since it would have been quite a swim. Plus, it allowed us to really step back and look at the city.
So there it is, just a few pieces of Toronto in a 12-photo nutshell. There are still several places I couldn't include in this brief glimpse but would definitely recommend - including a whole underground part of the city (that I don't have any photos of because we were too busy trying to find our way around it).
So many styles and people and foods co-exist in Toronto. Anyone could probably find an area of the city that would appeal to them.
Kristin takes photos... of Toronto.
©2010 Kristin Serna This post and these photos cannot be republished without my permission.
