My regular readers know how much we enjoy visiting markets, so you won’t be surprised we visited one in Toronto. St. Lawrence Market, a public market, is a popular tourist destination. While we were there, tour groups came through, and buses were constantly dropping off and picking up tourists.
First established in the early 19th century, the first market was damaged in the Great Fire of Toronto of 1849, so it was replaced. In 2012, National Geographic named St. Lawrence Market the world’s best food market.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
As a dog lover with “AQUADOG” as my license plate (AQUA, because I am a competitive swimmer with U.S. Masters Swimming), I got a kick out seeing Berczy Park’s Dog Fountain, a short walk from St. Lawrence Market. Opened in 1980, the adorable, dog-friendly park replaced a parking lot, and the fountain was added in 2017. Dogs appreciate the gravel area for doing their business, and they can get rehydrated at the ground-level fountain trough. The two-tier fountain features 27 painted cast iron statues of dogs that spit out the fountain’s water. Sitting atop the fountain wall is “Pam McCat,” named after the councilwoman who spearheaded the construction of the park.
What a hoot! The dogs are all looking up at the bone perched at the top of the fountain, and the cat couldn’t care less about the dogs. She’s keeping her eye on the two yellow birds perched on the arm of a lamp post ten feet away!
While photographing the pooches, I noticed they were looking a bit battered. That is all in the process of changing; the dogs are getting a new coat!
Nathan Phillips Square is another popular spot for busloads of tourists because of the “TORONTO” sign and fountain surrounded by downtown skyrises and Toronto City Hall.
We visited the square to photograph the huge sign, both during the day and at night. At 10 feet tall and 72 feet long, it gets a lot of attention! Originally constructed temporarily for the 2015 Pan American Games, the city decided to keep it permanent after it became a popular attraction for locals and tourists alike.
Seeing the sign at night was beautiful. Lit by LED, the lights can create an estimated 228 million color combinations. We only saw one, but it was well worth the walk from our hotel to see it!
Next up: TERRIFIC TORONTO #3: MANY MARVELOUS MURALS
Elaine-iaK's Travels: A Traveler's Tales of People, Places, Photos, Pools... and CHOCOLATE! 