I turned 50. It's a strange feeling. I don't love the number, but I am also excited to get out of my 40's. They weren't kind to me. I lost my Dad, and in the process, lost myself. The things I loved to do, often replaced by endless doom scrolling. It takes work to come out of a state like this. I have been working on limiting screen time. I've silenced all notifications on my phone, ditched my Apple Watch for an analog one and found my love of music again by breaking out my vinyl.
Travel has also helped. part of the allure of photography for me is experiencing new cities. Photography has allowed me to do just that.
One of my bucket list destinations has always been Toronto. The goal, to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. My wife surprised me for my birthday and made it happen. For two full days we wandered the city and took in all the relics at the Hall of Fame.
So many feelings walking through the exhibits. High points, seeing all the women's memorabilia. This year's women's olympic hockey was so exciting and seeing the growth of the PWHL has been wonderful. Unbeknownst to me, my daughter has gotten very involved with following the Boston Fleet while away at college. She now has a space to get immersed in the sport I have always been obsessed with. It brings me such joy to talk hockey with her.
Seeing Gordie Howe's jersey and gloves choked me up. Maybe it's my age. Maybe it's nostalgia and the desire to watch him play again. Maybe it's the memories of his jersey being an iconic part of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I knew I'd get emotional finally visiting but, didn't realize it would be at this display.
The city is amazing. Very diverse, tons of artistic spots, great food, the architecture and most of all the scenic views. The Toronto islands are stunning. It's worth the ferry ride out just to see the skyline alone, the island is just a bonus. The beaches of the Great Lakes just hit me in all the feels.
For a place I knew little about, it quickly captured a piece of my heart. I can't wait for our next adventure across the border.
Things I learned while in Toronto:
1. Every skyscraper has a mall in the bottom floors in Canada. Often times we went looking for a coffee shop only to be lost inside a sprawling retail space. Every building we went in.
2. The Canadian side of Niagra Falls is more Americanized then the American side. Insane roadside attractions, zip lines and museums. The American side, a state park.
3. Canadian people love a good tower. Towers built with viewing decks and the elevator up on a track outside the tower so it can scare the piss out of you.
4. Use Apple Pay to pay for everything. No foreign transaction fees and it converts it automatically for you.
5. Exit signs are green in Canada. I never questioned our red signs in America until our visit. Red is the universal sign for stop or danger. Why would anyone run towards that color in case of an emergency?