Canada Day

Last weekend was a 3 day weekend thanks to Canada Day!  On Saturday a group of us, including Benedict, Peter, Franz, Yvonne, Chris, Mathilde, and myself went to the Islands.  We went to Ward's Island beach again and we swam, snacked, laid around, and people watched.  We then walked to the other side of the island where we saw the oldest lighthouse on the great lakes and some live music amidst the Wisconsin-esque scenery.  When we finally got home we walked to the Metro and picked up some burgers, hotdogs, potato salad, and sweet potatoes (which Chris and I had to teach the foreigners how to eat) and we went back to grad house and grilled out on the patio.  It was the perfect way to end the day.  

On Sunday Yvonne and I went to the Gay Pride Parade which was quite the experience.  There was so much celebrating and cheering, costumes and birthday suites, water-guns, water-balloons, free condoms, rainbows, confetti, dancing, and most of all, pride.  Following the parade Yvonne and I met up with Aline and we walked and got to Hero Burgers (gluten free buns people), and then decided we would go to Aline's "Canadian parent's" house to swim in her pool and watch fireworks.  Chris and Franz came too and we swam for a bit, walked to get pizza, and sat in the grass in Aline's front yard to watch the fireworks that her Canadian Dad bought.  It was a stark contrast to the Fourth of July, the neighborhood was mostly quite with very few decorations.  Maybe everyone went to Ottawa?  Either way it was a great day and we all went home exhausted.

Monday was adventure day.  Aline and Yvonne took me on a bike tour of Toronto.  I rented a bixi bike (Toronto's rent-a-bike system) and we biked up to Don Valley park, which borders the river.  We stopped for a picnic in the woods and later for slushies in town.  Finally we reached the beach we had been searching for, a tiny little beach next to the river that you can't even see from the bike trail.  It was perfect for laying in the sun and climbing on the rocks in the river.  Eventually we biked back downtown and had dinner and drinks with Siebe on the patio of the Town Crier.  In the end we biked for at least six hours.  My legs and butt are a bit sore, but it was so worth it.

Beach:

Bike Tour: