Toronto, Columbus & San Diego

A couple of weeks ago David had to travel to Toronto in Ontario, Columbus in Ohio and San Diego in California with his work.  It was a whirlwind tour of Children’s Hospitals in just a few days so virtually no leisure time.  Nonetheless he managed a few snaps of the three cities.

The first stop was Toronto.  They had really no ‘free’ time in Toronto at all.  Views across the city skyline from the hotel.

Toronto Sick Kids Hospital where David was visiting is the brick and glass building in the centre. While Toronto is still a little chilly, it was at least sunny which was more than could be said for home !

   

Inside Sick Kids the building is architecturally interesting but the overall feeling was that there was ‘too much going on’, the walls and open spaces were too cluttered and busy and it actually took them sometime to fine the Emergency Department, something that should have been the first signs you see.

They did eventually find it…..luckily it wasn’t an emergency !

 

The outside of the building.

After a whistlestop visit to Toronto they were on a flight to Columbus, Ohio.

Now, Columbus doesn’t usually figure on many tourists itinerary.  It’s a harmless enough city, if not a little dull.  The weather didn’t help either, cold and grey.

The view from Davids hotel room over a grassy plaza in the centre of Columbus.

 

Columbus is the capitol of Ohio and as such has an impressive capitol building.

The main purpose of the visit of course was to visit the still-being-built childrens hospital – Nationwide Hospital.

Some parts of the construction were further ahead than others.

The new hospital is not far from Downtown.

After touring the new hospital the group had the chance to see a little more of the city.  Initially they walked through the Historic District, defined by the brick buildings, sidewalks and roadways.

Some of these views would no doubt be greatly enhanced in the Spring or early summer when flower and trees are in bloom and there’s some blue sky and sunshine !

The high-rise buildings of Downtown loom over the Historic District.

The Downtown core of Columbus is a mix of new and older architecture.  Here on East Broad street was the New Hayden Building (rh of the two tall buildings in centre of image).  Built in 1901 it was an early ‘skyscraper’ and is mostly original in appearance except for the 3rd Floor limestone detailing which was extended up from the 2nd floor in 1921 to give it a more classical appearance.  The small building to the right is the original Hayden Building (4 storeys with limestone clad exterior) and is the oldest commercial building remaining on Capitol Square built in 1869.  It was designed by one of the architects who designed the Capitol Building.

This is the Ohio Stadium – home of the Ohio State Buckeyes.  Built in 1922 for $1.3m it was renovated in 2001 – for $194m !   It currently seats just over 102,000 football fans and it is estimated over 34m people have passed through its gates since it was built.

 

Opposite the hotel David stayed in were a couple of interesting older buildings.  At 100 South 3rd St a home for a legal company while to the right of it the Central Presbyterian Church.

100 South 3rd Street illuminated at night.

Also downtown was the art deco LeVeque Tower.  Built in 1927 at 47 storeys it was the 5th tallest building in the World when it was first constructed.  Still an attractive addition to the downtown skyline.

A close up of the detailing on the LeVeque Tower in Columbus.

The LeVeque Tower is illuminated at night.  While the colours of the lights were white on Davids visit they change the colours for different events – red & green for Christmas, all green for St. Patricks Day, pink for Breast Cancer Awareness and red, white & blue for a number of weeks after 9-11.

David in front of the Capitol Building.  The Capitol Building was constructed between 1838-1861 with delays caused by politics, a cholera epidemic and labour difficulties.

A statue of Christopher Columbus, the cities namesake.

They also have a statue of William McKinley, who was the 25th President of the United States. McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo, NY in 1901 but he was an Ohio native and still takes pride of place in Capitol Square.

A newscast is being recorded outside the Capitol Building at the time David passed.

The streets of Downtown Columbus were hardly `bustling` – particularly after 6pm when like many other North American cities the downtown core became something of a ghost town.

Some nice old row homes in the Downtown area.

Views of Downtown across the Scioto River.

Finally, the Columbus Dispatch building at 34 South 3rd St – looks like something straight out of the 1930`s.

The next day the group were off to San Diego, California.

They were here to visit Rady Childrens Hospital.

Views from the hotel, over suburban San Diego.

The palm trees, blue sky and 85F temperatures definitely made a pleasant contrast to Toronto and Columbus !

The group had a few hours of `free` time in San Diego so they visited La Jolla and did a little shopping before heading for the Old Town.

The Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in San Diego is a victim to the West Coasts ability to extend the meaning of OLD and HISTORIC.  This church was built in 1927, but sits on the site of the the 1542 landing of the first European explorer to the region Captain Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo.

The Casa de Pedrorena de Altamirano is a home of a pioneer California family from Spain.

Tolers Leather Depot.

More views around San Diego Old Town.

Weird and wonderful vegetation abounds – they look like giant asparagus !

The Cosmopolitan Hotel, built in 1869 by stage master Albert Seeley for his travellers.

Then the group took advantage of the beautiful West Coast sunset, before heading home the following day.

March 21st 2011

We completed our citizenship ceremony and celebrations yesterday.

Our ceremony was held at the same location as our exam on Expo Boulevard.  According to the judge holding the proceeding 59 of us became citizens yesterday afternoon, from an astounding 36 different countries.  David and I were the only ones we think from England and there was one lady from Scotland.

There was a little sitting around and waiting beforehand while they organised all of the people for their ceremony and their visitors. By the time the ceremony started the room was full.

On the wall the Canadian coat of arms - ‘A Mari Usque Ad Mare’ From Sea To Sea.

We then had to each swear one at a time around the room and then take the Oath in both English and French.

Liz unfortunately had prior engagements that afternoon so we had to settle for a portrait on the wall.

After we had all taken the Oath we were presented with our citizenship cards and certificates.  Then we had the opportunity to be photographed with citizenship Judge Ann Dillon and a guy in RCMP uniform who gained three different names during the proceedings.  Constable John/Gerald/Geoffrey thanks for taking part in the photoshoot anyway !

After the ceremony they held a reception with tea & cake but we didn’t stay as we had to get home, take Mojo for another quic walk before leaving him again to attend our social engagements Downtown.

We had arranged to meet with a few friends at Joeys in the Bentall Centre on Burrard St.  Most of our friends were working on Monday night but Stephen and Andrea were there before we even arrived.

Myself with Stephen

David with Andrea

Then our English friends David and Andrea arrived and we enjoyed plateloads of Ahi Tuna Tacos, Chinatown Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Sushi and Cheeseburger Sliders washed down with bellinis and beer.

David and I in Joeys

A little later in the evening Deb and Bob joined us after their long shifts.

Thanks everyone for supporting us and celebrating our becoming Canadian.  We had a great day and are very proud of our new dual-citizenship status.

We are Canadian!

Ceremony done. We are Canadian. Now to celebrate……

We are More!

Today we become more than British. We are Canadian!

Window Cleaning….with a difference

I saw this advertisement in a recent publication and the lengths some companies will go to to make their business stand out from the crowd is extraordinary. 

Presenting Men in Kilts.  Basically a window and gutter cleaning company and lets face it there’s plenty of those but none other offer the perceived ‘advantage’ (not sure you can really call it that) of their staff dressed in kilts. I’m also not sure if they’re ‘genuine’ kilt wearers given many have to climb ladders 3 or 4 storeys up !

Thank goodness Realtors in Kilts DOESN’T have a ring to it.

Hello ‘Missie’

On Saturday night we were treated to dinner at our friends Sig & Helens house.  They had a new member of their extended family for us to meet – a 9 week old Miniature Long-Haired Dachshund called Missie.

David gets the first cuddle

But I’m not far behind

She has a beautifully soft puppy coat and like all 9 weeks olds is a live-wire of chasing, jumping, nibbling and licking !

Sig and Missie

At that age everything needs to be explored, sniffed and preferably tasted.

Plus, on Thursday I have been asked to puppy-sit for a few hours in the middle of the day when the mum’s work schedules clashed and while she’s still so young and not fully settled with Buddy they didn’t want to leave her alone.  Sounds like a good job to me !

Hairy Head-Wrap

When Mojo was a puppy one of his favourite ‘moves’ was wait until you were sat on an armchair or the sofa and apparently paying him no attention, then leap up and over you until he was wrapped around the back of your neck and shoulders like a scarf. 

It gave him no end of delight to hear the squeal of shock from the poor unsuspecting human underneath.

While he has thankfully pretty much given up this annoying trait, just occasionally it rears its ugly head, as was the case one evening this week.

Only that ‘cute little puppy’ is now a 50lb beast…………….

Daily routine with a winter twist

This week has been a pretty typical week for the time of year – both of us busy with work and miserable weather.  Dog walks have remained pretty mundane as a result only helped a little this week by our dose of snow.

These few snaps from Tuesdays stomp along the Varley Trail at Lynn Headwaters.  We started the walk from the top of Lynn Valley Road rather than in the park itself as I had the Audi and not the 4x4 and didn’t much fancy digging it out if it got stuck.

Mojo can’t get enough of the white stuff – charging around continually after sticks.

The snow covered boulders in the river.

The handsome lad can’t hide his pleasure of a walk in the snow.

Although he struggles as the snow gives way under his great weight on the river bank.  Oh well, if all else fails, just eat it !

The BC Mills House

A most peculiar snowman in the picnic area – I think this guy needs some dietary advice.

  The park is very quiet while the trails are snow packed and icy.

Views up the river valley from the bridge

And back down over the picnic grounds from the trail returning on the East side of the river.

Who’s Been Walking in My Garden ?

The funny thing about snow days is that your tracks leave a print of your activity, there for all to see until it eventually melts away.  The same can be said of course for the hive of nocturnal wildlife activity we have and our front garden is a great example as there are no human or dog prints but plenty of others.

There are a maze of prints across the main flat area of the front garden which are clearly bird prints.  However, skirting around the edge of the open flat area are these larger prints.  Too big for a cat but most likely a racoon – the right number of long thin ‘fingers’.