Have they finished all the renovations or is that a silly question?
The Maple Leaf Lounge
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Have they finished all the renovations or is that a silly question?
AFAIK, no, they're not done yet.
Admittedly, it's been two years since I've been to Toronto (and they definitely weren't done then) but I'm fairly sure they're still working on it even now.
I'm particularly interested in whatever they're building in the Great Hall, across from the VIA Rail ticket counters....
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The first Union Station reno:
Yes, they actually ran a train through the wall. Watch carefully for all the Union Station signs, as well as good old Cara. (I worked for them in my youth.)
Yes, they actually ran a train through the wall. Watch carefully for all the Union Station signs, as well as good old Cara. (I worked for them in my youth.)
no they filmed it in an aircraft hanger in California with to full size replicas of the CP locos (one since scrapped, the off non-functional and stored).
see the trivia entry for the film at IMDb.com for details.
As long as they can prove they've had two doses of the vaccine.
I think at this point, it's still only for families who've been separated via Covid rather than actual travel for leisure.
Because from what I understand, the U.S doesn't currently have a plan on reopening and currently isn't planning on reciprocating. So, if one travels for leisure, they might find themselves stuck. At least that's the way I've understood it.
Because from what I understand, the U.S doesn't currently have a plan on reopening and currently isn't planning on reciprocating. So, if one travels for leisure, they might find themselves stuck. At least that's the way I've understood it.
Which is quite a flip-flop from a few weeks ago. What a difference a new variant makes (not to mention anti-vaxxers spreading misinformation).
I'm in favor of keeping the borders closed to anyone who can't prove they're fully vaccinated (or have a damn good medical reason why not; "it's against my religion" is not a valid reason, since the virus doesn't give a damn what its host believes).
Imagine this: More locals were able to enjoy Banff this past year, since it wasn't overrun by crowds from elsewhere. I realize this sounds a bit xenophobic and unfriendly, but just consider that it must be a bit like the people in Venice, who have come to hate tourists. Sure, they spend money and give the economy a boost, but they also contribute to noise, pollution, and general chaos that must really grate sometimes.
Or even think of Calgary, during the Stampede. They held a very scaled-down version this year, with far fewer events, limited attendance, the fireworks were shown on TV (with local shows in the four major cities; I was treated to 15 minutes of very loud noise a few blocks away, but due to the height of the trees, I couldn't see anything).
There are Calgarians who couldn't care less about the Stampede. They might watch the parade on TV, but that's it. It's noisy, disruptive, and I've heard that they find it a bit offputting to see so many fake "cowboys" (think politicians who normally wear suits all dressed up in their brand-new Western outfits that just screams "This is a costume, and it's obvious that it's a costume because I have no idea how to even pretend to look comfortable wearing it!".
Sorry, no offense intended to Mr. Laser Beam, who has been so very enthusiastic about many Canadian cultural events and our TV shows and has asked interesting questions over the years. I tend to think of you as an honorary Canadian.
I'm just in a very bad mood these days for a number of reasons and am looking forward to when I can just make a decision to actually go to the mall or anywhere else without worrying about covid protocols...
I just checked the State Department's website. US citizens can return home, but we have to prove a negative COVID test. So if I visited now, I wouldn't be stuck.
Sorry, no offense intended to Mr. Laser Beam, who has been so very enthusiastic about many Canadian cultural events and our TV shows and has asked interesting questions over the years. I tend to think of you as an honorary Canadian.
Aww thanks
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Sure, think of it as a local staycation before the crowds arrive. Enjoy while you can!
Yeah, he's certainly made an effort to know us over the years. Three cheers for LB!
Maybe it's State-dependent, but the latest article I'd read (as of yesterday) quoted Biden as saying they were taking their time and wouldn't be rushing into it.
Of course, today is Wednesday which is when the renewals were set, so something could have changed since then.
Yeah, he's certainly made an effort to know us over the years. Three cheers for LB!
d'awwwww
I'm fairly sure this only applies to citizens of other countries, such as Canada, who wish to visit the U.S.
Even before the recent (tentative, as of August) reopening, US citizens who are already overseas will be able to return home without incident:
https://ca.usembassy.gov/travel-restrictions-fact-sheet/
Specifically:
None of this really applies to me, specifically, right now, because all of my vacation time for this year has been spoken for and so I couldn't visit Canada right now anyway.
That being said, I'm VERY much looking forward to returning, and as of next summer, I'm definitely making plans to do so. I mean, I know full well how serious this pandemic still is, but I also miss Canada terribly, and I will try my best to get back there as soon as it is safe to do so.
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Well, the people who live there are enjoying the peace and quiet, except for when out-of-province cars are spotted (the interprovincial travel rules are all over the map - pun somewhat intendedSure, think of it as a local staycation before the crowds arrive. Enjoy while you can!
), but they were really unimpressed when Americans who claim they live in Alaska took a detour to see the sights in Banff and Jasper - those parks are not even close to a direct route between the 49th and whatever place they cross into Alaska.I live three hours from Banff, and it's been 17 years since I was there last (Mother's Day weekend, 2004). No Greyhound means no way to get to Calgary, where they had a tourist bus running a route from Calgary-Canmore-Banff a couple of times a day.
A friend invited me to stay the weekend, and at the time she had a courier job - Calgary-Canmore-Banff. On the Friday she asked if I'd like to come along for the ride, and I never turn down a trip into the mountains (I'd happily live in Canmore, surrounded by my favorite mountains, if I could afford it). So after she was done with her deliveries, we took a drive out to Mt. Norquay, to look at the skiers getting one last weekend in before spring, and then we went to Lake Minnewanka.
Lake Minnewanka was still mostly frozen over (melting and slushy on the shore, so very unsafe to walk on the ice), the air was chilly but not cold, and it was so quiet. The bears weren't around, and neither were the humans, as there was still a fair bit of ice and snow around.
The quiet of that place is something I will never forget. This lake, carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago, surrounded by mountains, is one of the two places I've been where I felt so absolutely relaxed. The other was in the rainforest at China Beach on Vancouver Island. I could have stayed there all day, but we had to get back to Calgary.
Well, either way, it seems to be one-way at the moment until one of us opens it up.
None of this really applies to me, specifically, right now, because all of my vacation time for this year has been spoken for and so I couldn't visit Canada right now anyway.
Next time you do, you must visit the Muskokas, or Manitoulin Island. I live not far from the island, about an hour and a half. If you like astronomy, it has some of the darkest skies around.
Well, I must admit to being jealous every time you talk about the place
You have a beautiful backyard! But err yes, it's sad that Greyhound cut service, not only to the west now, but to the rest of Canada.I haven't been out west very much, admittedly, but when coming back from my eclipse trip in 2017, we went back up through Canada, stayed a night near Glacier National Park in Montana and got a glimpse of Waterton as we headed back up, and I've been as far west as Lethbridge, haha. Then we met up with some friends and stayed in Cypress Hills before heading back east, and wow, that park is like a village in itself given how big it is.
While at Glacier National Park, had a great hike on the Iceberg Lake trail. Feet were tired by the end of it, but it was so worth being rewarded by a view of the glacier.
I lived in Toronto during the filming and it was big news in the city papers at the time. There was a renovation planned for Union Station and it was financed by the filming. I don't doubt that there were some scenes filmed elsewhere, but I've also read stuff on the internet about how it was all filmed in Calgary which is nonsense. I would believe that the actual few seconds of the train hitting the wall may have been done in a hanger, but most of the scene was in Union Station Toronto. Basically, I was there, take it or leave it.
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We just had a thunderstorm and a bit of rain. It's about time.
Though BC needs it more. It seems like half the province is on fire (which is fairly normal for summer these past few years, but this time it's places I've stayed for holidays or where I had family).
Well, the U.S ordered the border between U.S and Canada to be closed until August 21st.
I don’t know how it was for others around the country, but where I am the moon was a real dark red Monday night, so much so that if it had been full, I would have been checking to see if there was a lunar eclipse I somehow missed hearing about. It was quite an interesting sight, but it turns out it was apparently caused by all the fires out west.
The weird thing about the border closure during the pandemic was that it wasn’t entirely reciprocal. We barred Americans from entering the country for non-essential purposes. They barred us from entering the country at land crossings. So if you tried to drive to the States, you couldn’t get in, but if you flew, then no problem, assuming you met whatever health screening requirements were in place. I never really understood why one was OK, but the other was not.
I don’t know how it was for others around the country, but where I am the moon was a real dark red Monday night, so much so that if it had been full, I would have been checking to see if there was a lunar eclipse I somehow missed hearing about. It was quite an interesting sight, but it turns out it was apparently caused by all the fires out west.
Yeah, I'd heard about the wildfires out in Northwestern Ontario, and those out of Alberta too, with the winds blowing them all the way. It was bad several nights ago because I had watery eyes and had trouble focusing them which happens at times due to allergies.
Maybe something to do with better screening at airports? Or maybe just a loophole they forgot to close.
Yeah, haze is one thing astronomers don't want. We have some nice dark skies where I am, with a dark sky sanctuary reasonably nearby, and haze and light pollution are the number one things we don't want. Although 2 years ago, we had a big public astronomy event at the dark sky park (Killarney Provincial Park if you're wondering) and that weekend, it turned out there was a huge power failure across parts of Ontario, which in the end turned out better for observing and showing the public stuff. It was only when we went back to our host cabins that we had to make do with no power at all for the entirety that we were there.
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