CHASING WONDER AT NIAGARA FALLS -CANADA JOURNEY

It was our second day in Canada, and we planned to go to Niagara Falls on a day trip through Air Links Travel. I was very excited to see the mighty Niagara Falls from the Canadian side.

We had our breakfast at the hotel restaurant and took a cab to Bay Street, which was the pickup point for our day tour to the falls. I observed that most of the cab drivers in Canada were Pakistanis and were very polished and well-mannered.

As we went quite early and our pickup time was at 10.30 am, we decided to cross the road and have a look at the harbour. 

Bay Street is Toronto's primary north-south financial and media hub and houses the headquarters of Canada’s major banks and the Toronto Stock Exchange. 

Originally named "Bear Street" due to frequent bear sightings in early Toronto, the street was renamed in 1797,  after it was extended to connect to a bay at the Toronto Harbour. 

We stepped into Harbour Square Park, which was on the Toronto harbor. It is next to the Harbour Square condos, the Jack Layton Terminal, and the Westin Harbour Castle.

The park was opened as part of a planned 85 million dollar waterfront project started in 1964, and was completed in the early 1970s at 250 million dollars.

The park was very pleasant, filled with huge trees and long stretches of green lawns with a waterfront boardwalk. Located next to the Jack Layton Ferry Docks and on the shores of Lake Ontario, Harbour Square Park offers downtown folks a spot to sit and watch the ferries travel back and forth to Toronto Island. 

We felt very serene sitting on the benches and had beautiful views of the downtown skyline.

There was a life-sized bronze statue of an old man, depicting the beloved former NDP leader and ardent cyclist Jack Layton riding a tandem bike. The piece is affectionately called "Jack's Got Your Back" and was created by artist David Pellettier. It featured an empty front seat where visitors are encouraged to hop on and take photos.

There was a Sundial Folly, a bisected, hovering concrete orb located in a reflection pool in Harbour Square Park West. 

At 10.30 am, the bus arrived, and it looked very small, but once we climbed inside and got seated, we felt comfortable.

Our guide for the trip was one Mr Haroon, who was very efficient and helpful, he greeted all of us, briefed us about the tour, and explained the timelines to be followed.

The total travel time was about an hour and forty-five minutes from Toronto. 

Our first stop was at Niagara Whirlpool for a quick restroom break and to stretch our legs. This is a spot where all the tourists stop to have a beautiful preview of the Niagara Falls ahead. 

The Whirlpool Rapids Lookout points on the viewing platform and surrounding Whirlpool Gorge area offer views of some of the most intense, dangerous water channels in the world from 250 feet above the water, which rushes through the narrow channel at 48 km per hour.

The name "whirlpool" arose because, located about 4 kilometers north of the main falls along the Niagara Parkway, the river drops 15.8 meters in a short stretch, creating massive 3-to-5-meter standing waves and a violent counter-clockwise vortex.

Rapids are rated as Class VI Rapids, which is the highest possible danger rating and the water completely is un-navigable.

However, those who have time and energy, can take an elevator 70 meters down through the Cliffside to a quarter-mile wooden boardwalk right at the river's edge.

We saw the Whirlpool Aero Car, an antique cable car suspended directly over the swirling center of the vortex. It was traveling through the air between two points on the Canadian side, crossing the US border line four times along the way. I wanted to go in it, but the queue was too long, and we were on a tour.

Just a 5-minute drive from the falls, we came to the 20,000-square-foot Canadian-themed Maple Leaf Place. It had welcome signs designed specifically for tourists to park and take a landmark photo easily. 

The admission was free, and it included a tour and tasting at a real maple factory, an expansive souvenir gift shop, and an art and culture section featuring local Canadian artists.

Giant Canadian Icon Statues, like oversized outdoor and indoor figures, including a massive Moose statue and Mountie icons, were scattered throughout the place.

Our group was welcomed and taken to a rustic barn-like setup, and sleek flight boards with small sampling cups of golden, amber, and dark syrups were offered.

The maple syrup experience was an exciting journey into one of Canada’s most iconic traditions. 

We discovered the history of maple syrup, watched the fascinating process of production, and tasted a variety of pure and infused syrups.

From learning how sap is transformed into liquid gold to experiencing the rich flavours that make maple so special, this hands-on adventure blends education, storytelling, and indulgence.

The place also offered a chocolate factory experience with a fun and creative look into the art of artisanal chocolate making. 

From the viewing area, where massive factory windows allowed us to watch the precise process of crafting premium treats, we saw firsthand how chocolate is transformed into edible art. We also enjoyed a guided tasting of gourmet chocolates and unique confections.

Those who were hungry could step onto the outdoor patio and enjoy some of Niagara’s best wines, beers, and spirits under the shade of a giant canoe that was right across the street from the roaring Niagara River. 

The "Over the Fall" illusion station was a playful backdrop where we could pose and pretend that we were plunging over Niagara Falls in a barrel. 

A glittering, artistic tree installation was in the main showroom area, and there were plenty of souvenirs for tourists to take back home. 

Our next step was Niagara Falls, Hurray! At last, we were about to finally see them.

AN EXCITING EVENING IN TORONTO - CANADA JOURNEY

Our first son, daughter-in-law, and our grandson live in the US, and we visit them frequently. This time, we planned a short trip to Canada to see the mighty Niagara Falls from the Canadian side and also visit the Canadian Rockies.

When we visited Australia way back in 2012, we had a guide and coach driver named Doctor Phil. He was very humorous and friendly, and, noticing my enthusiasm to travel to different places in the world, told us that he was a Canadian settled in Australia and that the Canadian Rockies were stunning to see and we should definitely visit them one day.

We started from the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport for Toronto and landed in Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), located in Mississauga 15 miles northwest of downtown, after three hours.

Toronto Pearson International Airport is Canada's largest and busiest airport, handling global, international, and domestic flights.

Since we had taken only hand luggage, we came out of the airport quickly and checked into the hotel we had already booked. I saw that the hotel was equipped with exceptionally good toiletries, a point I noticed in every hotel we stayed in, while in Canada. 

By the time we checked in, it was nearly time for lunch, and after searching online, we found an Indian restaurant, the Khazana Toronto. Our hotel was located quite close to the restaurant, so we walked back and forth.

On our way, we saw the St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica, the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, and one of the oldest churches in Toronto. 

It was primarily financed by Irish immigrants who resided in the area. The cathedral has a capacity of 1600. 

As we walked by, I saw that a marriage reception was being held, and it was beautiful to watch the festivities.

There were many heritage homes on the way, with signboards containing information about their history.

We observed that the streets were clean and traffic was orderly; as the signboards were very explicit, we easily reached our destination. The ambience and food in the restaurant were good. 

Having rested for a while, we wanted to explore Toronto by the evening bus, as this bus trip was supposed to be very captivating, and we were leaving for a tour to the Niagara Falls the next day.

The bus tour would be for a duration of 90 minutes with a live tour guide speaking in English.

We started for Sankofa Square, where we had to purchase the bus tickets.

Sankofa Square formerly known as Yonge–Dundas Square, is a public square and outdoor venue at the southeast corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East in downtown Toronto. The square was conceived in 1997 as part of a revitalization, effort for the intersection and the stretch of Yonge Street.

Since its completion in 2002, the square has held many public events, performances and art displays, establishing itself as a prominent landmark in Toronto and is presently one of the city's prime tourist attractions.

The city owns the square and is the first public square in Canada to be maintained through a public-private partnership

Controversy arose over the namesake of Dundas Street, Henry Dundas, whose amendments to William Wilberforce’s abolitionist parliamentary motions delayed the full abolition of slavery in the Slave Trade Act 1807. Toronto City Council voted in 2021 to rename Dundas Street and other civic assets named after Dundas, including Yonge–Dundas Square.

It was not until December 2023 that the City Council approved "Sankofa Square". This name, a Ghanaian term from the Akan people, refers to the act of reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from the past. 

Citing costs, in December 2023, Toronto opted to keep Dundas' name for the street, but to rename Yonge–Dundas Square, the Dundas and Dundas West subway stations, and the Jane–Dundas branch of the Toronto Public Library.

An official grand opening for the new name was held on August 23, 2025. The grand opening featured Caribbean short films, live music, an artisan and vendor market, and basketball clinics.

The intersection is one of the busiest in Canada, with over 100,000 people crossing the city's first pedestrian scramble daily.

As we walked towards the square, we observed that the busy streets had people of different ages and nationalities; most were tourists, and the atmosphere was electrifying indeed.

Sankofa Square was dazzling with the iconic digital billboards placed all around, and gradually as the sun started setting, the bustle of the crowd increased.

The square is continuously illuminated by large billboard screens and corporate logos, resembling Times Square in New York City, Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, and Piccadilly Circus in London.

It is 1 acre in area and is shaped like an irregular pentagon. It is made with modular raised square textured granite slabs with a diagonally running zinc canopy, demarking the southern edge. 

As we went nearer, we saw a movable plinth that served as a stage for concerts. There was a live show going on, small trees lined the southern edge and a transparent canopy covered the plinth.

As we walked along, we discovered to our delight that the centerpiece of the square is the array of fountains designed by Dan Euser of Water Architecture. Two rows of ten fountains were spread out across the square's main walkway, so that one could walk through or around the fountains. 

Unlike many other city fountains, the square's fountains are meant for water play and include a sophisticated filtration system. 

The entire rock surface is of a very dark colour and effectively absorbs sunlight, thereby creating a warm surface on which to rest. The water runs under the dark rock slabs and is thus heated by them, so that the fountain water is solar-heated. 

The fountains comprise a dynamic art installation and water sculpture in which the 600 water jets are programmed to vary dynamically over time. 

The square is Toronto's only 24-hour water play area, open all day and night except during special events, maintenance, and other exceptions. 

Many people drink from the ground spray nozzles, we found some people even filling up water bottles from the ground sprays, and since water play is one of the intended uses, the water is tested daily, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., by the Toronto health department, and water is treated with bromine, which many bathers prefer to chlorine. 

Surrounding the square are major landmarks, including the Toronto Eaton Centre the downtown retail hub; Ed Mirvish Theatre; and the 33 Dundas Street East building. The heavily illuminated Eaton Centre is said to be a shopper's paradise, though unfortunately, we didn’t have time to shop.

We could see the CF Toronto Eaton Centre 3D Billboard, a massive high-resolution LED screen on the exterior of the Eaton Centre. This digital out-of-home display was created by combining two adjacent screens into one of Canada’s largest outdoor LED billboards, providing brands with a huge canvas for vibrant motion content and 3D-style visuals that stand out in the city’s busiest retail and entertainment district.

A media tower installed in 2017 is located to the northwest of the square and has a curved video screen, and is advertised as the tallest media tower in the world. 

Another large media tower, complete with a video screen, is a major feature of the Rogers Media building on the southeast corner of Dundas Square. 

The introduction of the imposing media tower, screens, and brightly illuminated advertising billboards has been too great a personal sacrifice for some residents, who feel that the neighborhood's identity and character are lost.

As we were strolling around, we saw the brightly coloured open-top double-decker bus that we wanted to travel for the tour.

We paid, got the tickets, and went up to the open top for a better experience; it was awesome to see all the brightly lit billboards so closely.

At the designated time, the bus started, and we enjoyed breathtaking views of the cityscape from the comfort of our tour bus.

As the bus went on its way, from the guide, we learned fascinating stories and insights about Toronto's history and culture.

The Art Gallery of Ontario was a masterpiece of modern architecture that looked fabulous lit up at night, and the iconic Toronto sign at Nathan Philips Square, illuminated against the backdrop of the city skyline, provided the perfect photo opportunity; we wished we could have visited it at leisure. 

We saw a quaintly named Village Idiot pub right across the Art Gallery of Ontario.

We passed by Toronto’s primary LGBTQ+ district, the Church-Wellesley Village, commonly known as "The Village", located right in the heart of downtown Toronto. It has a striking history. 

In the 1950s, City Park Apartments near Church and Yonge became a hub for the early gay population, earning the nickname "the Queens' Palaces" due to its affordable and accepting environment. 

In the 1960s and 70s, gay life originally centred on Yonge Street spots like the St. Charles Tavern. In the mid-1970s, the Church Street corridor featured low rents, attracting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who opened friendly, alternative spaces. 

On February 5, 1981, Toronto police raided four gay steam baths, making over 280 mass arrests. The massive community protests that followed galvanized political activism, and following this event, the epicenter of queer life solidified around Church and Wellesley. 

In the 1980s, the 519 Church Street Community Centre emerged as a safe meeting place for social and political groups, solidifying the neighborhood's identity. 

The Village was at the forefront of the HIV/AIDS crisis, giving rise to essential support spaces like Casey House, one of the first AIDS hospices in North America. 

The Village is a highly walkable area, featuring a rich array of queer-owned businesses, dining spots, nightlife, and community centres.

The village looked dynamic and colourful with brightly dressed men strolling around.

Chinatown and Little Italy were the usual cultural hubs bustling with nightlife.

We saw the Old City Hall featuring a large, 340 ft tall clock tower that is a terminating vista for Bay Street south of Queen Street West and is also prominently visible from Queen Street and Nathan Phillips Square. The clock tower was the tallest structure in Canada for 18 years, from 1899 until 1917.

We then went along the trendy Queen West strip, known for its art galleries and eclectic shops, before entering the lively Club District, where the pulsating nightlife seemed to fill and throb the air.

Our bus passed by The Well, a testament to modern urban development, and the famous Rogers Centre, home to the city's beloved sports teams. 

It was thrilling to enjoy breathtaking views of the CN Tower lit up in all its glory, as well as see the shimmering and towering skyscrapers of the Financial District. 

After concluding our bus tour, we had a quick dinner and went back to our hotel.

OUR HOLY VISIT TO SRINGERI

We wanted to visit Sringeri for a long time, and finally we got the chance to visit one day. We started from Mangalore early in the morning; the distance from there to Sringeri is around 110 km and takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours. We would be passing through the Kudremukh forest area.

The journey was thrilling, we had a clear blue sky with an occasional white cloud passing by, on both sides, there were coffee plantations with steep driveways, and big houses were scattered far apart with beautiful gardens. I noticed that most of these gardens were adorned with bright red hibiscus flowers.

Part of our journey took us through a ghat section, and our driver, Jayaram, navigated the car with utmost care and patience.

On the way, we came across the Tunga River, skipping down cheerfully from the mountains, 18 kilometres from Bhadravathi, It joins the Bhadra River to become the Tungabhadra River.

Sringeri is a hill town in the middle of the forest and is the Taluk headquarters of the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka.

As per Hindu Mythology, it constantly rains in Sringeri and particularly in June, July and August, it is difficult to reach due to the heavy rains

The name Sringeri is derived from Rishyashringa-giri, a nearby hill which is believed to have housed the hermitage of Rishi Vibhandaka and his son.

According to existing legend, Adi Sankaracharya is said to have selected the site as the place to stay and teach his disciples, because one day, when he was walking by the Tunga River, he saw a cobra with a raised hood, it was providing shelter from the hot sun to a frog undergoing labour. Astonished that natural enemies had acted against their instincts, he felt that this land had divine powers, and he stayed here for twelve years.

Sringeri was established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, who founded the Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharada Peetham, the first of four monasteries he created to spread Advaita Vedanta.

Sri Adi Shankaracharya also established other 3 Mathas, the northern one at Jyotirmath near Badrinath, on the shores of the Alakananda river , Eastern Govardhan Math, at Puri and Western at  Kalikamath at Dwaraka on the Gomathi river .

After freshening up, we went to the Tunga River, which was flowing placidly. Near the shore, there were very large black fish, eagerly jumping out of the water to grab the food being offered by the pilgrims. These fish are considered sacred and so are not caught for human consumption.

Apparently, Adi Shankaracharya used to go to the other shore for meditation every day. Once there were heavy floods and the water level suddenly increased. Sensing Adi Shankaracharya’s dilemma, a big fish is said to have taken him on its back and crossed to the other shore.

Presently, there is a hanging bridge on the river to go to the other shore, where Narasimhavanam the site where the guru meditated is located. Beside it, one can see a deer park, Sanjeevani Sanskrit Patashala, and samdhis of many Acharya.

We could see people going about their work silently and some were seen meditating. It was a very serene and pious place.

The present presiding head (36th Jagadguru Shankaracharya) of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham is Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, who has led since 1989. His successor-designate (37th Jagadguru) is Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji, appointed in 2015.

The main Sarada temple initially had a Srichakram on a rock and then a sandalwood statue installed by Sankaracharya in 8th century. Later, it was built in stone and in 1960, the then Peetadipathi Srividya Teertha Swami had a beautiful golden statue of Ammavaru made and installed. 

The temple is beautiful and in the sanctum, we find a statue of Saradamba ammavaru, her left hand holding the Amrutha kalasam and a book , her right hand holds the Rudraksha mala, she has a smiling face with shining eyes, I looked at her in entranced devotion.

Disciples believe that Guru Rupini Trimurthis and their wives reside in the statue, and regular archanas with Lalitha Sahasra nama are performed here .

There is a big hall and Pradikshana Mantapa hall and Rajagopuram was built in 2014, its height of 127 feet. All Peetadhipathis,  before starting any important work, take permission from Ammavaru till today.

Opposite the temple is the Aksharabyasa mantapam  where getting the Aksharabyasam a ritual where children are initiated into learning by writing their first letters on a slate,it is believed to bring powerful and good results.

The day we went to Sringeri was the Peetadhipathi’s birthday, and 100 Bramhacharis had performed an extensive homam; just standing near the Yaga Mandapam gave us a holy aura and vibes.

The temple has received significant support from the Vijayanagara Empire and, later, from Tipu Sultan, who provided funds for its restoration after it was damaged in the 1790s. 

The temple is a major centre for Navaratri, a significant festival, celebrated over 11 days with grand processions and a Golden Chariot (Rathotsava) on the final days and Shankara Jayanti, which commemorates the birth of Adi Shankaracharya with special prayers and scholarly debates.

Another temple,  the Vidyasankara Temple, has been constructed in memory of 10 th Peetadipathi, who had built Sarada Devi Temple, its uniqueness being its twelve pillars, which showcase zodiac signs, designed to receive sun rays during specific months .

We later visited Chenna Kesavalayam, which was beautiful but incomplete; it has a spotless spatika Chandra Mouleeswara lingam brought from Varanasi 

When this mutt was started, Kalabhairava, Anjaneya, Durga and Kalimata temples were established by Adi Shankaracharya on its four sides.

Sringeri has now become a renowned centre of learning and devotion, and the best time to visit it is from October to March.

The Temple Trust offers free food and accommodation for pilgrims. We had our food in the evening, it was served hot and was very tasty. 

We particularly had a very divine experience, we had gone there in hot summer and on a special day, we had difficulty finding accommodation and finally with great effort we got a room with a tin roof and a single fan whirling away lazily, my hubby was doubtful if I could sleep in that room without AC but I said let us take it , after darshan and dinner, we came to the room and to my surprise it had rained profusely and weather had cooled down, I slept like a baby, I suppose it was only divine intervention. 

Our holy trip to Sringeri, though short, was very memorable.