Toronto

As I had spent my 26th birthday in Mexico, I spent my 25th in Toronto. I guess I might have to start making a tradition of traveling out of the country for my birthday. By March of 2014, I was just riding out the end of my lease to then move to Austin. I had taken the previous Canadian trips, as you have probably already read, and wanted to make sure I saw Toronto before moving down South.

I worked on March 21st and then right after work, hit the road. I drove all the way through and made it to the Canadian border in Michigan. It was about 1 in the morning and I was asked a few questions and then, for the first time, not taken into secondary questioning. I drove a little longer and ended up in Forest, Ontario. I stayed at the Forest Golf Resort and Hotel.

Roadside sign for Forest Golf Resort and Hotel advertising a 27-hole public golf course and Fabrizio's Family Restaurant, with a marquee below reading 'Restaurant Closed'

There was actually nobody at the front desk so I had to call a phone number and someone drove up. I was then go checked in and then got some sleep. The next morning, I checked out and explored Forest a bit. There was a Ford dealership across the road, so I decided to check out the Mustang they had in their showroom (you can see my Focus in the background).

Bright lime green hatchback vehicle with open rear hatch displayed in a car dealership showroom with large windows

With Canada being on the metric system, their speedometers really look like you're really hauling.

Modern digital car speedometer and gauge cluster with circular design showing zero mph and minimalist black face

I heard about Coffee Crisp bars so when I stopped at the gas station to fill up and get some breakfast, I decided to try a Coffee Crisp bar.

Coffee Crisp chocolate bar wrapper being held, showing the distinctive red and tan packaging of the Canadian candy

A while later I finally hit Toronto.

Multi-lane highway driving view with several vehicles ahead under overcast skies

I decided to check out the mall so I parked the car and walked around a bit.

Tall cylindrical high-rise residential tower with horizontal striping pattern under dramatic cloudy sky in urban setting Construction scaffolding on urban building with digital billboard displays and elevated transit structure visible at street level Red Lexus hatchback at urban intersection near Dundas Square with large digital advertising screens and fire truck visible

I finally made it to the mall.

Downtown street view with modern glass office towers including Manulife building under overcast sky

I walked inside the mall and saw Herzing's Toronto campus.

Interior atrium of shopping center showing Herzing Career College signage under expansive glass ceiling with metal framework

I took the elevators up to the campus. Unlike Winnipeg's campus, Toronto's was closed. I did get a few pictures from the outside.

Modern reception lobby of Herzing College with frosted glass wall displaying college name and dark leather seating Welcome banner for Herzing College featuring institutional logo with stylized flame design Herzing College information board listing programs across five schools: Legal Studies, Public Safety, Design, Technology, Healthcare, and Business

When I went outside, I saw some people preaching. I see this wasn't just isolated to the US.

Busy pedestrian intersection at Yonge-Dundas Square with crowds, street furniture, and Fresko restaurant signage visible Street evangelist sign displaying 'House Rules' with religious prohibitions against various behaviors and lifestyles

I then decided to drive around and see more of the city and also the CN tower.

CN Tower visible in distance along Toronto street with heritage brick buildings, overhead streetcar lines, and pedestrians CN Tower framed between modern residential towers along downtown Toronto street with traffic signals in foreground Dashboard view driving toward CN Tower through canyon of contemporary high-rise buildings on overcast day Urban corridor of dark glass office towers and modern architecture under heavy grey skies View through vehicle windshield of heritage courthouse or government building with modern towers and CN Tower behind, overcast conditions

I saw what I wanted to see and I had a long drive back. I drove back but made sure to stop by Tim Horton's to get some coffee for the drive.

Tim Hortons restaurant interior showing illuminated red script signage above counter with menu boards and customers in line

It was a long drive back but I made a weekend trip to Toronto from Marshfield and was able to see everything I wanted to see before my move down to Austin.

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