Last Day in Toronto - Breakfast, Ice Skating, MOCCA, and Kensington Market

Started the day on Roceyenville for a little shopping and breakfast.  The shopping was mainly for Hiroko.  We did have a big old feast for breakfast though and it was quite tasty.  After breakfast we met up with Joe and Nobuko for a little ice skating.  Hiroko didn't think I was that good so we played tag and I skated backwards.  She couldn't catch me...  It was Nobuko's first time on the ice and she did a great job!  By the end of the day she was 'skating' by herself.  I'm sure she also had a few bruises by the end of the day, but that happens.  After that it was back to Queen Street where we ended up going to MOCCA (the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art).  The exhibits were meh.  But, it was fun to go.  After that it was off to Kensington Market, a great little area of Toronto so Hiroko could get some tea.  We stopped at a Chinese bakery and got some mandu which was tasty.  All in all it was a great trip and I'd love to go back and visit Hiroko again someday in Toronto!

 (Hiroko doing something outside - not sure what)

(We saw this place from the street car and decided to hop off and give it a try)

(Bike shop)

(Hiroko and I outside somewhere taking a photo)

 (Hiroko showing off her dance moves...)

(Joe tying her skates - I know she was just playing it up.  Then, I ended up tying Nobuko's.)

(And away they go)

 (This kind of gives you the idea of what the rink was like - $2 to skate, only for the rentals.  So, you could go and skate all day for free if you wanted.  Man, I love Canada)

 (I believe I was trying to get Nobuko to come back out on the ice)

(Joe was having a blast)

 (I tried to get her to let go for the picture but she said she wasn't ready)

 (There she goes - look at that stride)

 (Break time)

(While Nobuko was on break I got the chance to skate a little bit)

 (Back to lessons)

 (Hiroko playing it up for the camera)

(Hiroko and Joe)

(A quick little break for me - wearing rentals never feels great on your feet)

(Nobuko, Hiroko, and Joe)

(And she's off)

(A cute picture of Joe and Hiroko)

(By the end of the day she was able to do a full lap by herself)

(And I think she had fun)

(Hiroko, myself and Joe)

 (Here comes Hiroko flying in)

 

(MOCCA time)

 (Those are mops with different colors)

(I guess art can be anything these days.  We each picked out a favorite)

(Photo time in front of the art...) 

 (I believe these were famous movie characters that were zombified)

(We had to get our picture outside in front of the fun wall)

(And this is Hiroko's best jump - I don't even think she made it off the ground)

(Well, it got a little better)

 (Then I tried to do one with Nobuko.  I think she was going on 3 and I was going on 1, 2, 3 go...)

(That's ok, because this is what happened on the next try.  As you can tell, our synchronization was terrible...)

(An interesting wall somewhere on Queen Street) 

 (The ladies getting mandu - Hiroko got 6 so she could throw some in the freezer)

(And of course we all had to eat one...) 

 (But I was the lucky guy with the camera)

(Don't think this person will be riding her or his bike anytime soon) 

(Fun cookies...)

 (Some rice and beans at Kensington Market)

 (Hiroko posing again)

 (We stopped here to get tea and it was quite tasty)

(A little street art in the area)

(Some fun colored houses)

(My final photo with Nobuko - she fake cried to make me feel better)

(Hiroko just laughed...)

ROM, Ramen, and a Rink at Old City Hall

I spent about 5 hours walking through the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and probably could have spent another 5 hours easily.  There were a lot of unique and interesting pieces which is right up my ally.  I learned a little bit and saw some great pieces.  Even after being there, I'd go back again.  After the ROM, I finished my poutine tasting on Queen Street and then met Hiroko, Nobuko, and Joe for ramen.  It was amazing!  Of course, having a Japanese friend usually helps when finding good ramen.  After that, we went to City Hall to do some ice skating downtown.  Unfortunately, it was closed due to the snow.  Then we ended up at a crepe place on Queen Street.  It was a great time and another fantastic day in Toronto!

(Outside the Royal Ontario Museum - ROM)

 (This was as soon as I got out of the subway station - as you can tell, the snow started to come down)

 (A church caddie corner to the ROM)

 (A little different view of the front - again, notice the snow)

 (A few wardrobes as soon as you enter)

 (Bugs - the whole wall was filled with them)

(This was actually fabric)

(I can't quite remember what this was other than a sweet head piece)

(This was a piece made to change over time that is hanging on a wall - it was rather big.  What do you think it's made of?)

(Bottle caps, I believe from South Africa)

(A few busts from the Roman section of the museum)

 (Cupid)

(Hercules on a vase)

 (I can't quite remember what this was from but I liked it)

(This was in the Jewish section and made me think of my friend Tiff.  If a husband died, the widow was supposed to marry his brother.  However, this boot could get the brother out of the wedding.  I forget what it was called...)

(An old tree, probably 8 or 9 feet high)

(A sweet animal)

(I took the museum's Highlight Tour and this was our first stop, an ancient Chinese Buddha, a few thousand years old, with a new head)

(Next was an ancient Roman Gladiator's helmet)

(The oldest piece in the musuem I believe, or maybe the oldest person - she is over 6,000 years old) 

(The only dinosaur with a female name because she was found with her babies.  Why the man couldn't have taken care of the babies is beyond me - a little sexism perhaps?)

(The gem/geology/crystal/rock section)

(These were more rocks)

(Another interesting crystal formation)

(This was back in the Chinese section)

(Here were a few more statues and paintings)

 (Sitting Bull's supposed headdress, which I thought was pretty sweet)

 (As well as a few other articles of clothing)

(Back out into the snow - this woman was a trooper trying to get a good photo)

 (I believe this was part of a college)

 (Down to the subway)

(Another building in the snow)

(I ended up back on Queen Street to finish my poutine tasting)

(A little different black and white view)

(Hug Me Tree in the snow)

(This is how they do it in Toronto when it snows)

 (Don't think anybody's going to be taking this bike out anytime soon)

 (Time for some ramen...)

(Hiroko and Nobuko, hiding behind the menu)

 (I think Hiroko was having a good time)

 (Great shot by Nobuko)

(Here it get- a little better feasting on some ramen)

(Joe and Hiroko)

 (The owner of the ramen shop)

 (Back out into the snow)

(This man is a staple of the community according to Joe and here he was playing the drums)

 (The old City Hall at night)

(We came to the rink to skate downtown and it would have been awesome except it was closed)

(So, I had to at least stand on the rink)

 (Joe, myself and Hiroko)

(Hiroko having a good time again)

 (Hiroko making a snow angel)

(Here you get a little different view)

(Yep, definitely closed) 

 (I blew on the lens to clean off the snow and forgot and tried to take this photo...)

(Here it is in color)

(The Opera House)

(Back down to Queen Street and another view of the CN Tower)

 (We hung out at a crepe place afterwards, for dessert)

(Hiroko stuffing her face and Joe in the background)

(Another shot of the CN Tower)

 (Have a seat)

 (I got some ketchup chips which tasted more like vinegar than ketchup)

 (Hiroko showing off her ear - you had to be there...)

(A little nap time on the train)