We are back from our holidays, not sure that we can say well rested as we were pretty busy for three weeks. We did manage to find some days where we just did a whole lot of nothing. I have finished the trip blog and it is in archive format at Winging It West. Here we are outside the Vancouver Aquarium.
The last of the confirmations were tonight in Markham. Colin and Patrick were being confirmed, so we were out to their place for dinner ahead of time. Susan was Colin’s sponsor.
Andrew was Patrick’s sponsor.
Claudia trying to sneak into the photo.
Second try.
Finally!
Another picture of the cousins. Eric not looking too excited.
By the time we finished with the Don Jail, all the other doors were closed. We decided to head downtown and hopped on the streetcar from the corner of Broadview and Gerard.
We got off at Dundas Square, where there is always interesting people and things to see.
Dundas Square.
Deciding where to go.
We headed into the Eaton Centre and up to Indigo.
Angela and Gillian posing with Bella and Edward.
Claudia trying on a new pair of reading glasses.
Next we headed for dinner at the E-on restaurant. We went here years ago for dinner when I was small. One of the things we had was the snails. Here is Gillian trying them out.
Claudia liked them as well.
Leaving the restaurant and heading back to Dundas Square.
The angel was gone but Batman was in her spot.
Not sure if I’d be handing my infant over to some dude dressed as Batman at the corner of Yonge and Dundas.
Some drumming and dancing going on.
We headed over to the World’s Biggest Bookstore. Here is Grandma and Gillian.
After there it was to the subway and back home. It was a long, but fun day in the the city. We enjoyed the diagonal crosswalk at Yonge and Dundas, although it seems to be every other light, so you really have to pay attention to your signals.
No there is not a typo in the title. We went downtown for “Doors Open“, but we only got through one door. The Don Jail was one of the new (and most popular) Doors Open for this year. It has never been open to the public before and starting this fall, Bridgeport Health who owns it would start renovations. This was an opportunity for the public to see it (for free, otherwise $20 per person over the summer).
We started the day at Yorkdale subway station and headed to Broadview. From there it was a streetcar to meet Carolyn, Mom and Alex.
We started out just above the G in Gerard Street when we got in line.
The lineup was long, and due to fire regulations, they could only take in 16 people, every 5 minutes. At least that was their plan.
The lineup seemed to move quickly initially, but then at some point it hit a snag.
This didn’t seem so bad when we reached this point. We had already put in an hour at this point, but we had been moving.
Watching people finish their tours.
Even once we got to this point we seemed to keep moving. After this section they led people to individual lanes in groups of 16. We were close to that point when we realized we weren’t moving anymore. One lady fainted in the heat and things were on the verge of turning ugly when two guys were taking pictures of her while she was laying on the ground. People were complaining to the event staff and pointing them out in the crowd.
The kids were good, they didn’t seem to mind. They were able to get out of line and go sit in the shade.
The back of the jail.
The police were out in full force, always a good thing around a jail.
Once we made it to the individual rows we had some hot dogs for lunch.
The old Riverdale Hospital, now the Bridgeport Health Centre.
This guy was an actual guard in the jail at some point.
Finally it was our turn to tour the jail.
Looking up in the rotunda
Some views from inside the Don Jail.
The old jail closed in 1977 (it opened in 1858), the new jail next door was completed in 1958. They use to serve salmon as part of their meal, the salmon was caught in the nearby Don River.
Some of the prisoners.
They filmed the bar scene from the movie “Cocktail” with Tom Cruise in the rotunda.
This was one of the Death Row cells, a little more room than the regular cells, but they spent their entire time in there.
We got to see the execution chamber where they hanged twenty six men between 1908 and 1962. Previous executions were done outdoors for public viewing. You can see the painted outline of the gallows on the wall.
These were the rows of cells for the general population
The cells measured 1×3 metres.
From the inside looking out.
Without the flash, this probably more likely what a prisoners view would be.
More cells.
These were office areas on the main floor.
“Every man who walks through these doors, walks through time”
The front entrance to the old Don Jail.
This was our tour guide who was pointing out the Govenor’s Residence.
The new section of the Don Jail is built right up against the old section.
They still have a little section of barbed (razor) wire on the grounds.
On the brick wall were names of prisoners that were carved into the bricks.
By the time we finished the line-ups were gone. They turned away alot of people and alot of people just turned away when they saw the line-ups.
There were still people waiting to go in.
It was a long day and we can say we saw it. It’s been a part of Toronto history and it was an opportunity to see it in it’s somewhat original condition. The tour was good, just a little rushed. I’m glad I went, not sure about everyone else. We ended up back on Broadview and walked past the new Toronto jail. This one is slated for closure in a few years when the new Toronto South Detention Centre is completed in Mimico.
Happy Victoria Day, we had a fire in our chiminea and the girls roasted marshmallows. Or as a guy at work called them “sweetened cotton balls”, this guy is originally from Bulgaria, he had his first marshmallow recently and he is 25.
The girls had friends over to roast marshmallows.
As with all good fires, there comes a little smoke with it.
Sue and Mike brought over some sparklers for the girls.
Claudia.
Gillian making circles.
Gillian made her first confirmation today. It was a 10:30 AM start at the church. While waiting to go to the church, I took a picture of Angela in the mirror.
Gillian and her friend Veronica. They have been friends since JK.
A picture before mass started.
Aunt Jeannette was Gillian’s sponsor.
Considering their were close to 75 candidates, the mass was quick and things were done in an hour.
Gillian and Susan.
There were quite a few of the girls from Gillian’s school and class making their Confirmation.
Gillian with Father Joseph.
Gillian and a couple of her girlsfriends.
Cake, Gillian and Jeannette.
We were out to Dundas this weekend for the first of three Confirmations. Eric is the first to go followed by Gillian’s next weekend. We stopped at the Dundas Driving Park on our way to the church. Here is Angela on the splash pad.
Angela, Claudia and Gillian.
Angela posing in the park.
Susan and Claudia walking across the skating rink.
After Eric’s confirmation we went back to their place for dinner and the kids were hanging out.
Everyone huddled around Colin’s laptop.
We followed up Mark and Gaila’s wedding last night with Mom and Dad Swan’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Open House in Dundas. We started the day with mass. Gillian was a guest altar server along with Eric and Rachel for the mass.
Rachel, Eric and Gillian.
There was a Special Blessing after mass for Mom and Dad.
Mrs. McMurray (Maid of Honour), Mom, Fr. Curtin, Dad, Uncle Ken (Best Man)
Heading over to the Parish Hall for the Open House.
We did a slideshow of their 50 years and had it running through out the afternoon.
There were a number of guests who came from near and far.
The girls meeting Sister Francis and Sister Claudia.
Mom and Uncle Mike.
Siblings.
Claudia at the refreshment table.
Gillian signing the guest book.
Starting the clean up.
Dad looking a little worn out after a long day.
Colin, Patrick and Gillian.
St. Augustine’s on a beautiful day.
Stephen and Dad.
John, Raymond and Harry.
Papa and the girls.
Mark and Gaila tied the knot today and we were all invited to the wedding. They got married at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre after the Karate Tournament. We were a little early, so we walked around the centre.
The girls on the stairs.
After the tournament ended, they all chipped in to set-up.
Mark directing everyone.
Mark looking pretty happy.
The aisle. As you can see dress was casual.
Gaila and Mark exchanging vows.
When it came time for the ring, Mark had to break a piece of wood to get it out. It took a couple of tries, but he suceeded.
Filling out the paperwork.
Making it official.
The group photo.
They followed up the ceremony with a get together at the Galway Arms. It was a little crowded, but the food was good and we all had a good time.
We got together for Dad’s 80th birthday party at Carolyn and Danny’s. Shanna even called in via Skype to do a video call. Here is Emi talking to Shanna.
We ordered Chinese food for dinner.
Here is Angela, Claudia and Melissa talking to Shanna, David and Jesse on Skype. When Shanna called earlier Jesse was out on the ski slope. It was neat for the cousins to talk and see each other.
After dinner the kids (big and small) played some road hockey.
We brought Bella with us for the visit, she travels well in the car and she wasn’t all spazzy being in a different place.
Getting ready for some cake.
The birthday boy.
Brad doing his Grandpa imitation, either that or the kids tired him out in road hockey.
Angela with her second cake of her birthday week.
