Category archives: Travels

  • Doors Open Toronto - Part 3 - Osgoode Hall

    • A friend of mine in the legal system was kind enough to treat me to lunch at Osgoode Hall earlier in the year.  During the week the rooms are occupied with legal proceedings and one large room functions as a fabulous restaurant.  Since my friend works for the legal system I was able to have a personal tour of the build[...]

  • Doors Open Toronto - Part 2 - Toronto City Hall

    • This year the headquarters for Doors Open was located at the Toronto City Hall.  For Doors Open, Toronto City Hall officially opened their brand new rooftop garden.    Here is a small blurb from the City of Toronto website: From concrete to living garden, the Toronto City Hall podium roof, where visiting dignitaries w[...]

  • Doors Open Toronto - Part 1 - Le Meridien King Edward Hotel

    • Once a year the city of Toronto opens it's doors to historic and new buildings across the city to the public for free.  This often includes buildings that normally have so much security to enter that they destroy suspicious looking keys you might have, to buildings that haven't had people in their rooms in 30 years. I[...]

  • Australia Photos - Bondi Beach

    • Bondi Beach and the Costal Walk: Bondi Beach Don't want to swim in the ocean?  How about a swim in the ocean side pool at the rec center? Coastal Artwork Oz style playground...I only saw these in use in Bondi

  • Australia Photos - Surfers Paradise & Byron Bay

    • Surfers Paradise: It has a Wasaga Beach, ON feel, but with skyscrapers. Byron Bay: A busier but nicer beach than Surfers. Mongers - great food in a cardboard box. This was Reids lunch, doesn't look to appealing, but there is grilled fish, sweet potato strips, fries, and an awesome dipping sauce.  Bas[...]

  • Australia Photos - The Great Barrier Reef

    • The Great Barrier Reef: Our four level catamaran The reef from inside the semi-submersible boat, which is why it has such a strong blue/green tinge. The embarrassing but life saving blue Stinger Suit. It's a thin fabric to stop stingrays and jellyfish from coming in contact with your skin. Snorkeling[...]

  • Australia Photos - Daintree Rainforest

    • The Daintree Rainforest is a tropical rainforest near Daintree, Queensland, on the coast, north of Cairns in tropical Australia.  At around 1200 square kilometers the Daintree is the largest continuous area of rainforest on the Australian mainland. Part of the forest is protected by the Daintree National Park and drain[...]

  • Australia Photos - Port Douglas

    • Port Douglas is a town in North Queensland, Australia, approximately 70 km  north of Cairns. Port Douglas developed quickly based on the mining industry. Other parts of the area were established with timber cutting occurring in the area surrounding the Daintree River and with settlement starting to occur on lots around[...]

  • Australia Photos - Noosa National Park

    • Just past the halfway point of my trip and halfway up the eastern coast of Australia in the beautiful Noosa National Park. This is the view from Reid's parents cottage.  Do you see the stingray between the boat and the dock? The patio where we had an amazing lunch of battered & breaded fish, fries, mango, avoca[...]

  • Australia Photos - Fraser Island

    • Fraser Island is considered to be the largest sand island in the world. The road on the island was just loose sand and impossible to drive in without four wheel drive. Our tour give that looked like Kurt Russels younger cousin. A fresh water stream, looks like a pathway since the water is so clear. The stra[...]

  • Australia Photos - Brisbane

    • The middle of my trip and the middle of the east coast of Australia is Brisbane.  I got to take a bit of a break from tourist and experience a smidgen of local life.  It was much appreciated. University of Queensland Chantelle & Reid The purple leaves are slippery and seem more like a flower petal. Wi[...]