Jadran

It was a bit of an eyesore, yet still sad to see her go.

After all, she'd been sitting at the foot of Yonge St in Toronto for 40 years.

The ship was officially called the Jadran, but the restaurant was called Captain John's Seafood and Captain John's is how she was always known by locals and tourists. 

These were taken in 2010, before the city closed the restaurant forever. 

There was an actual 'Captain John' - John Letnik was an eccentric man with big dreams that he could never let go of.  If anyone is interested in the long, sad story of ruin, just google it. There's lots to choose from.  It was once a fine dining, floating restaurant back when Toronto had few fine restaurants and virtually nothing at the waterfront. Those days (of few restaurants and nothing at the waterfront as well as Captain John's being even a good restaurant) ended a long time ago and over the last 20 years or so it has become a rusting relic of its past glory. Letnik got to ride away on her as she was towed to Lake Erie to her new home at a scrapyard and waved to the crowds that lined the shore to watch. 

Below is a time lapsed video of the engine-less ship being towed out of the harbour on Lake Ontario. Watching her being turned around by the two tugs is pretty interesting. 

Hundreds of people went down to Harbourfront to watch, and thousands more watched the live stream video online (yes, myself included)

And then, because it was easy for me to do, I hightailed it down to watch her go through the Welland Canal.

First up is the tug Molly

followed by the braking tug Jarrett, into Lock #2

and a better view as they head to Lock #3

hmm, the bow looks much better

there were pictures on twitter of a couple of raccoons scrambling up the poles which led to (unconfirmed) rumours that there were a 100 or so raccoons on the boat as she was towed away. You're welcome, Port Colborne.

It's been a long time, but I'm back... sharing with Our World Tuesday, 
and signs, signs

lost cat

This poor cat doesn't look so much grumpy as perhaps wary 

but he definitely needed to come in out of the cold. 

In late March I received an email from a frantic Postcrosser anxious about her card that she'd sent more than a month previous. I checked over my messy desk to make sure, but no. She wrote back, saying she'd send me another if I didn't get it. It was taking a long time, but with everything happening in Ukraine, I waited another week or so before writing back that, still, no card. Bless her heart, but she did send another and it arrived just 3 days before the final 60-day expiry date. I thanked her profusely, and then thought no more about it.

This card arrived in my mail on Tuesday and I immediately went from the mailbox to my computer to register. It had already been registered. How could that be?

I searched further and recognized the user name.....

You can clearly see the the cancellation from Ukraine that dates it 20 Feb 14 (200214) 
and the Canadian mark stating it's arrival on 1 May 14 (140501)

Where has this cat been hiding all this time? 

He looks the type who will probably never tell.

PostcardFriendshipFriday

bloomin' 'eck!

The recent heat wave we've been experiencing has helped push this Century Plant through a sudden and unexpected growth spurt. A hole had to be cut through the roof of the conservatory at Allan Gardens (Toronto) in late March as the plant reached the glass ceiling. Almost half of its 15' (4.5metres) is outside the greenhouse.

The 75 year old agave actually bloomed a week ago and now is waning, but is still pretty impressive. if you want to see it though, you'd better hurry

Within a couple of weeks it will die and already the leaves at the base are shrivelling and collapsed. The stalk will eventually turn brown and then be cut at the base. 

WhimsicalWindows

the world awaits

It was 1972 when I had my first transatlantic airplane trip. I don't remember what type of plane it was. I don't even remember which airline it was. It is pathetic what I don't remember. It was to Glasgow, I know, because that was where my mother was from and the extended family were still there. Cousins I had only ever heard stories about. An aunt and uncle who wrote letters and from whom we received Christmas presents every February (one sister was a bad as the other, as I later learned my cousins also eagerly anticipated their Christmas presents sometime in February!)

My mother had not been back to Scotland since 1952 and then it was by ship. I cannot imagine that journey with a 2 year old baby.

I am glad I had the chance to get a taste of the excitement of air travel before things went all pear shaped. It was an event. One that you dressed up for. You looked forward to the surprise meal and the little bottles of alcohol - some of them I still have. Years later, I would help myself to the cutlery as a souvenir. I also remember how certain rows would be designated 'non-smoking'. Right. As if the smoke did not waft across the aisle or over to your seat anyway. It was always so very quiet with anticipation as the plane descended and once on the ground, there would be a collective outtake of breath and we all clapped. If we weren't buckled into our seats, I am sure there would have been a standing ovation for the captain's safe landing.

I am sure this is a sumptuous meal

I also remember the stops in Gander for refueling. I was fascinated at the isolation of the place but as my ears usually hurt, I was also glad when the aircrafts were able to make extended journeys without the need to stop before going over the ocean.

The other day, I was reading an old Reader's Digest magazine I had found. Remember when they used to put the index on the back cover?

As it was too hot outside to leave the nicely air conditioned cafe, I read the whole thing front to back and back to front.

The adverts were as, or more, interesting as the stories and the lame humour.

travel was becoming more accessible to more people and the world was waiting for us to visit. Or at least Europe was.

















 and airplanes were were all over the advertising

yup, the advertising was as misleading then as it is now -

that is a downpayment of 10%

but really, a flight from Montreal-London was $453.60 economy class.

If $1 in 1960 is worth $7.75 in 2012 (according to one website) then this trip to a "whole new world of experience, new pleasures and perspectives" would today cost $3,515.40. Probably with taxes and tariffs added. No wonder my family had to wait another decade to even consider the possibillty.

a different corpse

There has been great anticipation all week. The world's largest flower was about to bloom! There are two Amorphophallus Titanum (aka Corpse Flower) or Titan Arum for short, in the Niagara Greenhouse that is now known as Niagara Floral Showhouse. Every day since Monday last week, the staff tried to give an estimate of when it possibly might open.

As in all things natural, it is not as predictable as one might wish. So, with a day off on Wednesday, I headed off down the peninsula to Niagara Falls to have a look because I thought I wouldn't have time to go back until next Monday and by then it might be too late. This thing only blooms for a couple of days once it has opened. It also grows by inches every day and was, as of Wednesday, up to 93.5" - that is 8'!!

Sadly, it was showing no signs of opening when I got there. They started charging an entrance fee in March but it was only $5 and for an extra $5 you got a seasons pass, so I thought that seemed a good deal, and I may just want to go back.....

Here is my photo of the flower (nicknamed Morphy by the staff) with it's friend in the back at a paltry 35"

with a closer view......

The plant is exceedingly rare and this one will be only the 22nd to ever bloom in a greenhouse. Apparently they can be dormant for years and years without blooming. And since they are indigenous to Sumatra are not widely seen by many people. The two bulb like structures, called corms, were donated to the Niagara Parks Commission by someone in New Hampshire and each weighed 150kg.

Then, by Friday, the smaller of the two plants had a sudden growth spurt and grew a staggering 6 inches after a 5 inch growth the day before

photo from NPC website

The greenhouse has extended its hours to 9:30 PM in honour of the blooming, to accommodate as many people as possible who wish to see it.

Then, just in time for the weekend, and around 10PM on Friday night it opened!

Photo from NPC website

The smell, which has been described as like rotting meat, is apparently at its worst during the first few hours. So most people - including the poor staff at the front desk - will miss that rare peculiarity.

Maybe I will be able to catch the second flowering.

in aisle 25

It was all quiet on Carlton Street in front of this shrine on Friday afternoon, but Wednesday morning was a different story. People actually started lining up on the street on Tuesday night to be first to enter the new Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens (MLG) when it opened at 8AM on November 30th. Almost exactly 80 years after its original Grand Opening as a hockey arena and home to the Toronto Maple Leafs (until 1999)

Now, it is a grocery store.

I had to see it when it was still all bright and shiny new

(and in full disclosure, this was only my second time ever being in this place of so many memories)

It is a store with special touches












and a giant Amazing Wall of Cheese

and a popular sushi bar placed at the outside wall with windows onto the street for some great theatre

When it was first announced that a grocery chain had bought this iconic building, there was much gnashing of teeth at the effrontery of it all. MLG is considered a hallowed shrine. It was not only used for a beloved hockey team, but was also the venue for many other sporting events, not least for wrestling and boxing. Then there were the concerts - Elvis and the Beatles among them. 

This new store is actually full of mementoes of these events. From the pictures on the pillars to the old posters on the walls and even the cafe tables are a collage of old sporting event memorabilia shots.

At the entrance is a collection of the old chairs from the arena painted in blue and (artfully?) arranged on the wall in the shape of a maple leaf. The original walls were left exposed and one can still see the imprint of the risers next to the new escalators. Further up and not yet finished will be an athletic centre and a new hockey rink for the nearby university. This building and its owners has also been riddled with controversy over the years, which just adds to the legendary status and the controversy continues (but I won't bore you with details. google it if you are really interested)

This is as much a tourist attraction as a grocery store for a badly needed vibe in this area and there were staff galore handing out maps and brochures and guiding you to see the sights. Halcyon, who was with me, desperately wanted to get a picture of their specially designed t-shirts, but everyone declined (bosses were likely watching carefully on the security cameras) but I managed a covert shot of these two poor sods in1930s newsboys outfits who wandered around handing out free bags and colourful brochures for the special events being held.

and then there is aisle 25.

where near the end, surrounded by soy sauces, is a red dot.

this folks, is the very spot of centre ice. 

seriously, next to the amazing wall of cheese, this was possibly the biggest attraction

and as you can see by this large billboard (interestingly seen across the street at Church and Carlton) 

this was a major, show stopping event.

the world didn't end

Today the world was supposed to end (after it failed to do so May 21st. Remember that one?)
It just crashed a little.
The day started out okay. I read about a ceremony to honour a tree and I thought I would head on over and maybe get a good post out of it to share with you all.

The tree is 300 years old, which is impressive enough by itself. It sits on the edge of a short road and at one time was a boundary marker between the villages of Burlington and Aldershot. This is a majestic white oak that stands about 30 metres (98') high and has a 50 cm (19") girth. And now it has a plaque honouring it as possibly the oldest and largest white oak in the country.
The ceremony was fine, though it was a small crowd who gathered because, well, it was at 2pm and wasn't announced to the public except for an article in this morning's paper. And most people probably aren't all that interested in a ceremony about a plaque for a tree. There would have been a far larger crowd had anyone suggested chopping it down, I'm sure. But the Mayor was there to give a speech, also the local alderman and the town's arborist (all, incidentally named Rick - much joking over that ensued) They were flanked by speeches from two Janes - one from the historical society and the other the new MP at her first official public event. There was apple cider and delicious oak leaf shaped cookies afterwards.

Some people went to extremes to get a good shot.













Some people decided to change lenses.
And dropped the newest one.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going off to have a little cry.

an escape

We drove for hours. To get away from the crowds. It almost didn't work. It seems Tobermory was very crowded. We couldn't even get into one area of the National Parks because the parking lots were all full! Most of the boats were fully booked, too, though we did manage to get on one glass bottomed boat to see the ship wrecks below. By then my memory card said it was full. Bollocks. I remember many a time on family trips, running into gas stations and drug stores to get another roll of film. You could find them everywhere. Not so with the memory cards. And certainly not in a place that is only open for business six months of the year. So they say. Though, I guess when film runs out after 36 shots and memory cards are reusable after hundreds (except my defective one, sigh) I can sort of understand it.

Still, I managed to get a shot of this to share with you.









It won't mean too much to most of you who are from so far away, but this ferry brings back those "oh, I remember" moments to many of us of a certain age.....

a boat going on a boat.

















This is what takes you from the top of the Bruce Peninsula over to Manitoulin Island.

We didn't go on it because we didn't have enough time so we headed for a less crowded beach (which quickly got crowded as more people were directed here by the guide at the Cyprus Lake parking lot)

A rocky beach. (where I borrowed a camera...)

with the most indescribably stunning scenery

it takes your breath away every time

scaffolded

It was a beautiful morning so when I finished work last night, I decided to head out for a walk along the beach and a coffee on the waterfront. 

I decided to do this in Hamilton.

(this is an evening view of the beach from a previous night. the beach faces east, so the sun would have been in the way...)

Anyway, this would normally involve going over the Skyway, 











but because it was early and the light was perfect, I decided to get some photos of the newly erected scaffolding that has gone up on the underside of the Toronto bound portion of the Skyway.

There seemed to be an awful lot of traffic for 7am on a Saturday morning, and I thought at first that the lift bridge was up (which was odd, seeing as how I had checked before I turned down this route) but it turns out it would have made no difference which route I wanted to take as I would have ended up in this mess.


This is what happens when there is an accident on the highway, the Niagara bound portion, on the first day of a holiday weekend...

by the time I got there, the light was no longer quite so perfect.

This scaffolding will be up until late next year as they repair and repaint

more pics on my other blog at Sightlines


... as if the traffic wasn't enough, it has taken me hours - hours - to post this because everything on this computer is running slow, from Picnik to Blogger. Anyone else experiencing that?


You can see more bridges over at Sunday Bridges, hosted by "Louis"