Ripley's Aquarium and CN Tower

Tuesdays With a Twist

Ripley's Aquarium and CN Tower

Some Highlights

CN Tower

The CN Tower is one of Toronto's best-known landmarks.
Ripley's Aquarium sits at the base of the tower and across the square is the Roger's Centre home to Blue Jays Baseball.
Going east along Front Street is the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and then Union Station.
This is a busy part of town.

Our goal was to visit the Aquarium and CN Tower.

We decided to take the GO Train into town rather than drive.  Depending on whether there is a baseball game or not, traffic can be very heavy and parking at a minimum.

As it turned out the Blue Jays were playing and there were a lot of people in the area.

It was raining when we arrived at Union Station so we took Skywalk, which is an indoor walking route, to the CN Tower.

It was so exciting to see fish, including sharks swimming overhead.

A wall of Sea Anenomes looked like a garden of flowers.

There were many different types of jellyfish.

This happy-looking fellow is a sawfish.  He was swimming over our heads.

Who doesn't want to have their picture taken while sitting inside a fish tank?

By the time we went up the CN Tower the sun was shining.

I watched them build the tower in the 1970's and believe it or not this was my first time going up.  I have a bit of a thing with heights, but I was okay.

The picture above is looking out over the lake and Island Airport.  In the bottom right of the picture is the Rogers Centre.

I think they had a good time.

TIPS:

1) I was glad we took the GO Train into the city.  When we were ready to go home at 3:30 p.m. rush hour had already started and it would have taken a minimum of 2 hours to drive home.

It is easy to jump onto public transit like the subway, bus, and streetcar if you are already in the city.

2) I purchased our tickets for the Aquarium and CN Tower as a package and saved a bit of money.  I also purchased them online and downloaded them onto my phone.  That was good because we avoided line-ups and pretty much walked right in.

Thanks for stopping by.

This is an original Fair Meadow Place Publication.

Barbara

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Set the Table - Fiesta Cubana

Set the Table - Fiesta Cubana

When I think of Cuba the first three things that pop into my head are:

Pilar Cuba

Beautiful beaches,

Cayo Coco, Cuba

Old cars,

and Ernest Hemingway.


There are many other things that come to mind.

I love the Cuban people.  They are warm and welcoming.




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There are the fedora hats that the Cuban men wear.  There are cigars, and a drink they call Cuba Libre made from rum, cola, and lime juice.

When I found these plates featuring drawings of old cars and Cuban license plates, I knew I had to do something with them.

There are four Cuban car melamine plates in the set and each one is a little different from the others.

I don't know if parrots live in Cuba, but I thought they added a little colour to the table.

Of course, there's the rum.

I don't know the name of this pattern.  I have been trying to find out.  It is made by Wm Rogers  Oneida.  I am guessing they are c1950's.  The pattern looks Art Nouveau, though.

Pilar, Cuba

Back to the beaches.

We were on two beaches in Cuba.  One was in Cayo Coco and it was clear, sandy and generally very good.

This picture and the first beach picture near the top of the post were taken at Pilar.  You can see the bottom of the sea here for quite a distance out from shore and this is where we found a good number of starfish.  The water when the picture was taken was about thigh high.

When you take off your shoes and put your feet into the sand here it is like putting your feet into flour.  The sand is so soft and fine.

I must say that I judge all other beaches by Pilar, now.

Most nights at the resort where we stayed there was a floor show with lots of dancing and music.  The young men and women dancers would encourage visitors to dance with them.  It was great fun.

As for Ernest Hemingway, I know that he spent some time in Cuba as well as sailing to and from there to Key West.

I understand that this book, 'To Have and To Have Not' was loosely related to Cuba and the Florida Keys.  I say loosely because Cuba is never mentioned in the book.

There was a movie made based on this book starring Bogart and Bacall, but the movie strays a bit from the book.

I noticed that there are places like restaurants and bars in Cuba bearing the name 'Hemingway'.

Cayo Coco, Cuba

I see my hammock is still waiting for me.

Hasta la vista Cuba.

A List of Elements on the Table

The white round tablecloth 90" Round Tablecloth

Tropical flowered tablecloth - Thrifted

Round green placemats, yellow plates, Cuba car plates, Green napkins, Parrot napkin rings - Pier 1 Imports

Silver flatware pattern unknown - Thrifted

Green wine glasses - I have had them a long time

Green Cuba Libre glasses - Thrifted

Rum and Cigars, Cuba (but can be purchased in Canada)

Books, hat, flower pots, and yellow jug, clay couple dancing - part of my collection.

Thanks for stopping by.


This is an original Fair Meadow Place Publication.

Barbara

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Eden's Door, Tobago

Eden's Door, Tobago West Indies

On a recent trip to Trinidad and Tobago, we visited Eden's Door where we found an interesting lady who has created a very special place.

Her advertisement advised us that we would find "Farm and Fitness Trails nestled in an urban tropical forest."

That is exactly what we found.


Immediately after arriving, we were greeted by Jennifer Bailey, who is the proprietor.

We were asked to sit in the bamboo shelter with the orange roof where she chatted with us about her farm.

Jennifer Bailey

Our skin took on an orange hue while we sat in her bamboo shelter.

Dr Bailey talked to us about her vision of an organic farm, fitness trails, and glamping experiences.

The farm is in a forested valley with steep sides.

Trails were built and can be seen switchbacking across the hills from the bottom of the valley.  The trails accommodate anyone interested in exercising and fitness.

Stairs have been built to either ascend or descend the trails.

On the hills, there is all manner of produce growing including mango trees, lime trees, cashew trees.  There is sweet potato, cassava, pineapple, banana, just to mention a few.

There are also raised beds where produce is grown.

Jennifer has planted almost everything herself.  There is so much work to be done.  As we sat on the lower part of one of the trails, she told me an application had been made for a 'woofer' and that one was coming soon.  She was hoping to get a second one as well.  

'Woofer' is an acronym for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms.
A 'woofer' is someone who signs up with the organisation as an intern to learn about organic farming by participating hands-on in the farming process.  They are often young with a college or university degree.

  

Some small cabins are being built up on the hill.  

Although Jennifer has planted most of the property herself, she does have help with the buildings.

Corporal Bailey's General Store is located near the front of the property.

Corporal Bailey's picture can be seen above the arch in this picture.  He was Jennifer's grandfather and he ran a general store on the property until 1938.

Jennifer considers herself to ba a global citizen and her decorating style reflects that.

She likes bright colours in blue, gold, yellow, and red.

Once a month, on the full moon, Jennifer hosts a Moonlight Hike and Cook-Out.
This must be booked in advance.

Participants hike up to the top to greet the full moon and then descend to the Bamboo Shelter where supper awaits.

I hope we can schedule one of these dinners on our next visit.

Dr Bailey has led an interesting life.  I won't tell you everything.  Hopefully, you will be able to visit Eden's Door yourself and learn more about Jennifer and her farm.

Jennifer Bailey

LP #83, Plymouth Road
Mary's Hill, Tobago
Ph 868-329-7785
www.edensdoor.com
edensdoor83@gmail.com



Thank you for stopping by.

I do enjoy your comments.

Barbara

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