Island Paradise Dominican Republic

This is our third time in the Caribbean heaven on the island paradise of the Dominican Republic. We are working our way around the island from Puerta Plata to Punta Cana and now down to La Romana with the stellar resort called Bahia Principe Luxury Bouganville. DR is toasty warm, beautiful beaches and inexpensive as a fall getaway.

So far this resort is perfection in the hot tropical sun. Great resort, excellent food and service and fun entertainment, yesterday we watched a night time circus.

We went ATV and dune buggy riding yesterday and can recommend the excursion (Crazy Wheels) but would strongly suggest using goggles and and a bandana to keep the dust at bay, sunglasses alone do not cut it.

Our next excursion is a tour of La Romana and are looking forward to Wednesday.

Pretty badlands in Caledon

The hills that were wild and free, then fenced and barred from visitation, now the exposed soil can be visited, if you have the money. Known as the Caledon or Cheltenham Badlands, the site is along Olde Base Line Road (1739) northwest of Toronto and the cost of entry is per car. A 90 minute visit during the week (dusk to dawn) is $10 while a weekend or holiday visit is $20 and reservations are required.

What makes the hill special is that livestock stripped the hills cover and left the dirt exposed. The dirt was then eroded by the rain and left a spiderweb of small gullies and rounded mounds, or hummocks, of reddish brown clay, streaked with grey shale - all of it is Queenston Shale.

It's beautiful on the Bruce Trail heading towards the badlands

@jmhcet Fall in the #gta is better when you are at the #cheltenhambadlands in #caledon. #badlands #erosion #fall #autumn ♬ sonido original - sing this song - power_ballads&more

I bought a ticket for a weekday because weekends in Autumn are way too busy. And this was the first time I kept off the road (250m) and took the Bruce Trail route (320m) in through the forest and up to the viewing stand. The trail is a bit up and a bit down and in rain will become a little slippery, so be careful.

Interesting photos of Toronto

Bright lights and an amazing roster of events keep the social life in the big city of Toronto hopping year round. While most art installations are temporary, sometimes they make a big impact to the scenery and I wish they could have remained in place. Other things, like buildings, are here one day and gone the next and often you don't realize that you are taking photos of history.

The Gardiner is in the midst of a multi-year refurb project and the York-Bay-Yonge off ramp was demolished.

Winner every time at the balloon popping game at the CNE. Even though it has a permanent home the annual exhibition has to be torn down and setup again every year.

The spaceship bathroom structure named the Oculus Pavilion along the Humber trail

The cube houses are supposed to be demolished soon as the site is redeveloped

Toronto's favourite bath toy, the giant rubber ducky along the waterfront in 2023

Getting ready for the annual Toronto Carnival celebrations

Of men and monsters in the historic Distillery District

Some fire breathing during the annual Winter Solstice celebration and parade in Kensington Market. The event is held December 21st.

Toronto's bike share seems to be doing well. These bikes are piling up around King Street

MLB Toronto Blue Jays mascot ACE waves a flag on the field. Better luck next year Blue Jays!

The impressive space inside Brookfield Place is often host to some great art installations

It could be a ghost keeping an eye on pedestrians in the historic Distillery District but it's part of the Fantastic Planet art installation

Union Station is a hub for transportations and also for events and art installations - Like Humanity, above

A light festival in Toronto

Some passenger swans from the waters at the Toronto Island park

Golden Zanzibar club interesting facade and title board announces major events with tie ins to the girls

Man those old banks new how to build some impressive looking structures along Yonge Street

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto coming July 2025

Toronto's annual exciting race weekend in and around Exhibition Place is returning next year from July 18 to 20, 2025. Thunder Alley, pit row and the main straightaway heading towards Princes' Gates will be full of race cars burning through the 11-turn track.

The speed festival comes with plenty of on and off track action and entertainment, including the team paddocks full of big rigs and racecars from several series including the NTT IndyCar Series. The track setup will begin in June, turning the home of the Canadian National Exhibition into a high-speed race street track.

Race teams will begin setting up the pits and paddock spaces ahead of the weekend, then the practice, qualifying and racing start on Friday. Free Fan Friday will hopefully be back as it allows entrance to the race for a voluntary donation to Make-A-Wish Canada.

Then the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto weekend culminates in the NTT IndyCar Streets of Toronto 85-lap, 151.81 mile on Sunday, July 20.

Northern Lights above the Greater Toronto Area

Solar flares popping off on the sun are making an amazing light show as the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, fill the north sky in the Ontario and down into the US in the late night, early hours of October 10/11, 2024.

These red and green lights, shimmering across the sky were visible to the naked eye and if you just look up without focusing on any area you can see the lights flickering, or pulsing. We stopped just off the road on Highway 25 just north of Acton where we could safely watch the show and take photos - they always look better through a camera or smart phone on night mode.

Projections suggest that the lights will be visible Thursday, Friday and possibly into Saturday. So find a dark place and look to the north.

Win Tickets to Toronto Snowmobile ATV and Powersports Show 2024

The Toronto Snowmobile ATV and Powersports Show is coming to the International Centre October 25-27, 2024 and you can enter my contest to win tickets to the event (see info below). UPDATE: the tickets have been awarded to the winner, congratulations and enjoy the show.

You will be able to check out the gigantic halls of the International Centre to find Manufacturer Displays, test drives and live, indoor Freestyle Shows with so many machines you will be ready for year round fun. The Freestyle Shows are included in your show ticket. Show hours are Friday: 1pm-9pm, Saturday: 10am-7pm and Sunday: 10am-5pm and the parking is free.

From the Toronto Snowmobile ATV and Powersports Show's website, "The BIG SHOW by the Airport, the WORLD’S LARGEST Snowmobile and ATV show, the show to bring your entire family to and meet up with your friends. The show where Snowmobiling and ATVing continues to grow!"

To enter the contest to win a pair of tickets (two tickets good for one-day entrance) to the Toronto Snowmobile ATV and Powersports Show comment on this post, or send me an email at jmhcet@gmail.com. It will be first come, first served so good luck and enjoy the show.

Fall and the return of Salmon Spawning in the Credit River

The salmon have reached up to Georgetown, Norval and beyond on their brutal quest upriver from Lake Ontario, heading to their spawning grounds along the Credit River. Early October is the peak spawing time as cooler lake temperatures and rainfall have added to the river making it possible for the large fish to make it upstream in the relatively shallow waters.

Youtube video of the Salmon Run

Fall colours are progressing nicely in the river valley

We parked at McNab Park on October 8, 2024, just off Highway adjacent to the Credit River on Noble Street and followed the path along the river where we started spotting the dark shadows in the water. The fish seem to gather their strength in deeper waters and make bursts of speed when they hit the shallows. The baby fish then swim downstream and live in Lake Ontario until it is there turn to make the trip back to their birth location.

Looking towards Highway 7

Nuit Blanche Toronto 2024

Toronto’s all night art festival is back starting tonight at 7pm and continuing throughout the night until 7am. The two big areas seem to be the area around Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore campus and along Queens Quay, the rest is spread out at various locations. City Hall seems devoid of any installations which is disappointing because they had some of the biggest and best art installations.

One of my favourite experiences of the night was at Little Norway Park down near the Island Airport. It featured two opposing bleachers placed close together titled "Closer Together". People in the bleachers cheered those that passed through the space between the bleachers. It felt good!

Friends also celebrated the 33rd birthday of the man in the foreground

The theme is bridging the distance and the City says "the highly anticipated all-night celebration of contemporary art, returns tomorrow. This year's event promises to be an extraordinary showcase featuring more than 90 art installations across the city. This free event invites art enthusiasts and the curious alike to explore innovative works created by local, national and international artists. Additional information about the event including a complete list of installations and locations is available on the City’s Nuit Blanche website: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/nuitblanche/  Date: Saturday, October 5 to Sunday, October 6"

"Linescapes" at Humber Polytechnic

"Midnight Flora" under the Gardiner in Bentway Park

Part of "Arguing Signs" along the Waterfront

Over 90 art projects are on the menu and the TTC will be offering all-night service on the subway to assist in getting around for the event.

"Lumen: Air" at Humber Polytechnic

"Lumi" at the Simcoe Wave Deck

@jmhcet Sitting on #LUMI #artinstallation at the #simcoewavedeck during #nuitblanchetoronto ♬ MISSION IMPOSIBLE - tom jordan

I will be bringing my artistic lite-bike in again for Nuit Blanche but will start my journey around 1am to see what it is like when the crowds die down. Late at night, or early in the morning did make for smaller crowds but even on a bike I could not see all the projects I wanted to visit. The concentration of art installations at two locations - Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore Campus and along the Waterfront strip, left the other installations scattered remotely around the city and even on an ebike I could not travel fast enough. By 4am the downtown core looked deserted.

See a mega gallery of Nuit Blanche photos after the jump.