A night in Toronto: education and decadence

[vaneramos]

Admission to the Royal Ontario Museum is free between 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Fridays. It's one of my daughters' favourite destinations and I'm happy to take them. Today we picked Sylvie and Sarah up at the university after Sylvie's last class and drove to Toronto for an evening of entertainment and education. Here is Sarah posing with a hadrosaur.



The main entrance has a fabulous tiled ceiling. I wonder if this in any way inspired Guy Gavriel Kay's novel, Sailing to Sarantium. I will post separately, and behind a cut, a 1024 x 764 desktop version of this image.



We perused a wing I had never seen before, the extraordinary glassworks collection. Sylvie and Marian were particularly excited about these displays.



Friday evenings offer special features: tonight it was traditional Thai music and dance. I was unable to approach close enough to take any photos. However I did take several other interesting shots of various displays, which I will post in the near future. We explored the temporary exhibit on felt, the weapons and armour, the bat cave and parts of the natural hsitory section. I was pleased to see a new display describing Ontario's scarce Tallgrass Prairie ecosystem.

After three hours we were tired and hungry, so we headed down Bloor Street to Futures Cafe and Bakery for some decadent desserts. On the way we passed the famous Bata Shoe Museum. I'm anxious to visit it, and Marian expressed enthusiasm, too.

Marian and I had creme brulee cheesecake, Sarah had praline cheesecake, and Sylvie and Brenna had a delectable chocolate mint torte. I helped Brenna finish her piece.

By the time we left Toronto around 10:15, heavy snow had started falling. It just won't let up. Highway 401 was already snowcovered and I couldn't see dividing lines or shoulders all the way home. I was a bundle of nerves by the time we got back. I haven't driven in such bad conditions for years. Despite this stressful ending, our evening was definitely worth the trouble.

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

that tile ceiling is a glory! i can imagine standing under that and getting the urge to look for a kneeler.

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[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

The interesting thing about the entrance is that you walk into this grey stone space that is always swarming with people, your eyes are led through high arches down wide, inviting galleries, and you never think to look up. It isn't until you climb the stairs, past massive, dark West Coast totems, emerge on the second floor gallery and look out that you notice this glorious ceiling. The space is quieter, by now everyone who passes is intent on some particular destination, and the noise and hubbub below take on a strange quality, as if the world and its troubles have momentarily receded from view, leaving you and your companions alone to contemplate grandeur.

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[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

ooh, that sounds really nice. your description almost made me feel it. :)

[danthered.livejournal.com]

Marvelous pictures! I haven't yet been to the ROM, but someday. Yeah, last night's driving was no fun at all, tellyawhut...

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[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

If I don't take the girls at least once a year, they start asking about it, which is a high recommendation. The Friday evening deal can't be beat, and I hear they always have special events at that time.

The driving sure was hairy. I didn't think I was going to make it up the Dufferin Street hill in this little Echo. I probably wouldn't have gone yesterday if I had known how the weather was going to turn out, but all's well that ends well.

See ya tomorrow.