Our trip was on a tight budget, but the Fairmont Royal York hotel offered us a deal we couldn’t refuse. So we stayed there. What should have been a pleasant experience, our first night there was pretty awful. We were checked in to a smoking room (didn’t even know these still existed in developed countries?), and couldn’t be moved until the next day. The bedding and our clothes stank of cigarettes. For a non smoker, it’s pretty offensive.

We woke up early and visited the CN Tower. The views were spectacular. We couldn’t afford the rotating restaurant, but there is one directly underneath which is really good value considering you’re in one of Canada’s most famous landmarks. We had a beautiful burger with maple bacon as we looked out on Toronto.

As we descended, we took a look round the Toronto Blue Jays shop and around the Rogers Centre stadium.

Had a lovely ride on the small, quaint subway system, the TTC, which still use coin tokens. It’s cute, in a non-condescending way. And some of the old signage is just gorgeous.

We looked around The Bay department store, and some old senile lady clocked us, with the opening gambit “you boys are handsome”. She didn’t hold back her inquisitive thoughts on our origins, either (we both look quite tanned!). And she said we had cute feet. This woman told us her story. She’s from Cornwall, of French ancestry, and moved to Toronto when she was young. We then excused ourselves quickly and found haven at Starbucks.

And then who should walk in… the crazy old lady. I proceed to bury my head in a TTC map waiting for her departure.

In a nod to our previous destination, I purchased a Double Gulp Mountain Dew along with some Twinkies (found it very hard to find those in NY!). And in true class, proceeded to the front desk with Double Gulp in hand, and complained about our room. It worked!