hkskyline's 2023 in TORONTO

[hkskyline]

As part of my year-end round-the-world adventure, I ended up in Toronto at its coldest time of the year. Luckily, a few days were walkable with good weather and the streets cleared of snow and ice. However, I was not immune from winter storms. More on that in the upcoming parts.

Although with interest rates going through the roof, there is still a big construction boom in downtown Toronto, with condos going up everywhere. I suppose the construction and economic cycles are not necessarily in sync and the building boom tends to lag behind. Here is a compilation from my recent walk on a sunny wintry day.

[geomorph]

Originally Posted by hkskyline

I'm liking this one the best!

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures so far! It looks like there hasn't been much snow yet.

[yaletown_fella]

Originally Posted by geomorph

I'm liking this one the best!

Yonge and Spandrel-edge.

Oddfellows Hall needs a vertical expansion to cover up that G&C eyesore. It'll just be difficult and probably cost-prohibitive to do it in a way that respects and preserves/restores the building in its entirety.

[EastSideHBG]

Wonderful!

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Nice pictures so far! It looks like there hasn't been much snow yet.

It's sporadic, and a white Christmas is not always guaranteed. There was a fairly big one that came during my visit though.

On Jan 25, 2023, a major winter storm swept through southern Ontario. Between 11am and 8pm that day, 10cm of snow fell at Pearson Airport, while northern and eastern suburbs received more with 15cm in Brampton and Whitby. The forecast called for up to 20cm in the Greater Toronto Area into Thursday. With barely any winds, a lot of the snow accumulated on branches, which is not common and made the wintry scene extra spectacular.

This photo set was taken from various points around David Dunlap Observatory in the northern suburb of Richmond Hill the day after, as blue skies returned.















































More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. Was there a reason you were in Richmond Hill? It seems like an odd place to go from halfway around the world. It would be like going to New York City and wanting to visit Nassau County.

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Nice pictures. Was there a reason you were in Richmond Hill? It seems like an odd place to go from halfway around the world. It would be like going to New York City and wanting to visit Nassau County.

Actually most of my friends are in the 905 area so I tend to stay north of the city and only head downtown if I have something to do that day.

David Dunlap is an interesting story. It's now surrounded by suburbia so I doubt stargazing is possible with all the light pollution, and part of its grounds is being developed into houses/townhouses so I wanted to see how much has been lost.

[xzmattzx]

Originally Posted by hkskyline

Actually most of my friends are in the 905 area so I tend to stay north of the city and only head downtown if I have something to do that day.

David Dunlap is an interesting story. It's now surrounded by suburbia so I doubt stargazing is possible with all the light pollution, and part of its grounds is being developed into houses/townhouses so I wanted to see how much has been lost.

That makes sense. Interesting about the observatory; I didn't even think that it might be useless with the housing all around it now.

[hkskyline]

During the 19th century, an Innkeepers Licence was needed to sell alcohol in small quantities. Properties with 3 beds for travellers and a shed for animals or vehicles who also can provide hot meals could apply for a licence.

Montgomery's Inn was built in the 1830s not only as a hotel, but a gathering place for drinks and games, somewhat like today's community centre. It was frequented by new arrivals into the country as their first stop. Today's museum was pieced together with pieces that reflect the era, as the building's contents were sold in auction after Thomas Montgomery's death in 1877.































More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm

[xzmattzx]

Nothing like a historic tavern

[hkskyline]

Little Canada is a miniature world inspired by Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg. The dream began in 2011 when the founder reached out to model railway clubs for help. This 2 floor attraction across from Yonge-Dundas Square is still growing with more sections due to open in the coming years.









































More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm

[hkskyline]

David Gibson was a Scottish immigrant who made a living as a surveyor, helping the British colonial government settle this part of the colony. His original farmhouse was burned down after he fled following a rebelion in 1837, rebuilt into what we see today when he returned from the United States. Now hidden from Yonge Street behind highrises, the building was saved but had to be re-decorated for that era.













Surveyors used a Gunter's chain to lay out the lots for the colonial government. There was an urgency to settle Upper Canada, fearing the colony could be under threat from the Americans south of the border.













More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm

[xzmattzx]

Where on Yonge Street is that Gibson House?

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Where on Yonge Street is that Gibson House?

It's right next to North York Centre station.

[hkskyline]

The Aga Khan Museum showcases Islamic art from around the world from Spain, North Africa, Iran, India, Central Asia and China. It was the first of its kind in North America, and like many of the city's more famous museums, it does host an occasional free admission day and I took good advantage of that.





These 15th century blue and white pharmacy jars are believed to have come from Syria. They were used to store ointments and dry drugs, with the design lacking spouts and handles that are usually associated with liquid bottles.



This 14th century brass bowl has an Arabic inscription with titles of a high-ranking officer.



Ivory horns were associated with noble hunting, such as blowing signals or using it as a drinking vessel after the hunt.



This flask was believed to have stored larger amounts of liquid, with loops around the body for easier transport.



Various Koran manuscripts were on display, such as this 11th century piece from Milan. Rosettes marked the end of each verse, which could be interpreted as pausing the reading or to take a breath.



This North African manuscript dates from the 9th-10th century.



An Iranian physician wrote the "Anatomy of the Body", a first in the Islamic world to show the entire human body's anatomy.















This panel of 4 tiles from 16th century Turkey came from Iznik, which was famous for ceramics.



This 14th century bronze astrolabe from Spain was an astronomical device to determine the positions of the sun, moon, planet, and stars. It had inscriptions in Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic.



This Iranian dish from the 17th century was influenced by Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Iran exported cobalt to China during the ceramic production boom when the Mongols ruled.



This Chinese porcelain from the Ming Dynasty has the Arabic word "cleanliness" at the centre, indicating it is used for rituals.



This tray from India is made of mother-of-pearl, black lacquer, and wood with Indian, Persian, and European influences. Gujarat was famous for mother-of-pearl art in the 16th and 17th centuries.



More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm

[mr.John]

I find it very odd ( and suspicious) that you seem to have an unlimited travel budget that allows you to tour the entire world non stop for the last decade or so.You must be a very rich individual with a lot of spare time

[hkskyline]

Originally Posted by mr.John

I find it very odd ( and suspicious) that you seem to have an unlimited travel budget that allows you to tour the entire world non stop for the last decade or so.You must be a very rich individual with a lot of spare time

I actually flew this round-the-world on points redemptions (4 separate tickets from 3 programs) and kept a tight budget. The regional trips within Asia are generally very affordable since it's a short flight from home anyway. Even during the pandemic, I did 2 long-haul trips and prices were still very OK since people were reluctant visit Hong Kong with mandatory hotel quarantine.

[hkskyline]

Toronto's subway network is quite small, although it is considered decent by North American standards. Unfortunately, a series of violent and random attacks have taken place across the network during my stay, making people a bit nervous when riding the Red Rocket. To make things worse, there is no mobile reception in the tunnels at all, so in an emergency, you need to find a panic button on the train and hope whoever picks up on the other side can ring for the police.



An old train station in midtown has now been renovated into an alcohol store, although it has kept some of its historic roots.







The University of Toronto has a beautiful campus of historic buildings spread across a few large blocks of downtown.























More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm

[hkskyline]

Here are a few more snowstorm aftermath scenes from a community park along the Rouge River in the suburbs.











































More photos on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/toronto.htm