Tip Top Toronto Part 6 - Farewell to fabulous!

Wednesday 20 October and Friday 22 October were spent with friends and shoes. On Wednesday I met up with my good friend Jacqueline who lives 90 minutes from Toronto. I hadn't seen her for 2 years so it was an emotional reunion. We went to a huge Chinese buffet restaurant called Mandarin. We ate til we couldn't move and talked til we were hoarse. Jacqueline and her husband Rod dropped me back off at the hotel afterwards and I spent the rest of the day relaxing and digesting. My Dad had decided that because I wasn't seeing Priscilla on Wednesday evening we would not venture in to the city but unfortunately the call of the chilli got to him. We looked on the internet to see where the nearest Wendy's restaurant was and followed the directions only to find out we were soon hearing in to.... yep you guessed it... the city!! We drove past the Princess of Wales theatre twice (twice!!) and despite heavily dropped hints he would not let me get a last minute ticket for Priscilla. Granted I would have been very greedy had I bought another ticket but we were right outside!! We finally located the restaurant and it turned out to be the only eatery that was closed in the whole of Toronto. Fortunately we drove down Yonge and found another one so my Dad's chilli craving was finally satisfied. He tucked in to the holy grail of fast food while I sat chewing on a hamburger (old fashioned no less) while pining for the pink bus. On Friday I visited the Bata Shoe Museum while my Dad did a tour of Casa Loma. Sonia Bata had so many shoes that they were eventually taken and housed in said museum along with celeb shoes and examples of shoes through the ages (and a special sock exhibition - oh yes!). My Dad took the car to Casa Loma and dropped me off at Bata with the aforementioned hop on/hop off bus ticket in my paw. The plan was to see the shoes and then hop on the bus and hop off at the theatre so I could wait at the Stage Door to try and catch some of the cast and ask for autographs. According to the map the bus stop was just down the road. Well I still haven't found it! The guy who worked in the Bata gift shop said it was just outside the museum so I waited (despite thinking it was odd that there wasn't a yellow sign attached to the lamppost) and watched as the bus drove past on the opposite side of the road. Now did I mention the buses only run once every hour? I could see from the map that I could not have walked to the theatre as it was about 1000 blocks from the museum and I didn't have a lot of Canadian dollars left so didn't want to risk hailing a taxi so I walked down to the Royal Ontario Museum and waited for what seemed like days for the next bus. Freezing doesn't even begin to describe the level of coldness I felt that day. Anywho the bus eventually turned up I struggled to climb aboard, a bit like the tin man when he needs oiling, and set off on my way to the Stage Door. I hadn't been there that long when out comes Mr Sheldon to grab a Tim Hortons followed by some of the cast who very kindly juggled their coffee and donuts to sign my programme. My Dad arrived after about an hour and whisked me away in the lovely warm car and filled me with lovely warm food. The night was my last trip to see the show and even though I was gutted that my week had come to an end it could not have ended better. I was pulled up by Thom to dance during the Country Boy number and when I told Tony afterwards he said "I know, we were watching from the wings". It had been planned all week!! I was given an unusual but wonderful souvenir from the drummer (the drumsticks he'd used that night) and a very special gift from Tony. I gave him a big hug goodbye, quickly said goodbye and thank you to Thom and Nick and left to meet my Dad who was waiting in the car. Apart from getting emotional during the show I had kept my tears at bay as I did not want Tony and the others to see that but as soon as I got in the car I broke down. I'd had the most wonderful week seeing the finest show known to man, met some wonderful people and got to see my hero again and all too soon I was leaving my happy place to return to the stresses of home. My trip had been my focus for so long and now it was gone. After a minor meltdown at the hotel and a long talk with my Dad I gathered myself together and put the painted smile back on and flew home. Now all my spare cash will be going in to the 'Priscilla on Broadway' pot  - any donations welcome!!

With Jacqueline at Mandarin. If I'd seen another noodle that day I think I would have cried!

This is actually a huge cowboy boot but seeing as I didn't take anything next to it for comparison you'll have to take my word for it.

Sir Elton's boots. His glasses match his heels in size!

Huge shoulders but tiny feet!

See ya Ralph!

Tip Top Toronto Part 5 - Bus Ride #4

Thursday 21 October was time for another sightseeing bus ride and later on my penultimate ride aboard the big pink bus. My Dad was accompanying me to the theatre that night so I made the most of having a photographer on hand. I was nervous because my Dad does not pull any punches when it comes to his opinions and that mixed with the fact that he is not a musical theatre fan made the prospect of him seeing my beloved Priscilla a tad daunting. But I was thrilled to learn during the interval that he was actually enjoying it. When I met up with him again after the show I gingerly asked him what he thought of the show as a whole and was bowled over when he said he thought it was a very good, funny, entertaining show and that Tony was, and I quote, spectacular! Yes!! I didn't think I'd be in any fit state to pose for pics after my final show on Friday night (but I did myself proud and held on to the tears until I got in to the car) so I proceeded to get all my snaps at the stage door while my Dad hummed Priscilla toons on his way to the car.

 Freezing my toolkit off!

Thinking I wonder if anyone would notice if I hid this under my hoodie

With Trek and Luke who play Benji in the show (but not at the same time otherwise that would be a bit like The Shining with glitter)

With Gavin Lodge who apologised for walking past me and not saying hello. That's the first time that's happened!

With lovely Tad. One of the nicest men I've met.

With Will Swenson who Ticks all the right boxes (sorry!)

With Nick Adams who plays Adam. Acting - excellent. Singing - fantastic. Body - hot damn!

And with my hero - the incomparable, imitable, irreplaceable Tony Sheldon.

Tip Top Toronto Part 4 - Tower of Terror

Tuesday 19 October was the first day I spent exploring Toronto. This involved seeing the city from street level and sky level. My Dad and I spent a few hours on a sightseeing tour aboard a hop on/hop off bus and saw the different areas a few times so we could take in the sheer diversity. We finished the day off with a trip up the CN Tower which gives you a fantastic view but also a smidgen of vertigo!!

Fountain dodging in the Times Square of Toronto, Yonge and Dundas Square. (My Dad nicknamed it Old and Dumbass Square).

I wasn't even going to pretend to understand what goes on inside the Toronto Stock Exchange

That's more type of building! The home of Priscilla.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The tour guide explained why the windows are red but I was already too cold to listen. Riding an open top bus in October wasn't one of my best ideas!

Does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a hall of famous hockey stuff. Yawn!

Apparently St Lawrence Market has a stall that only sells caviar. I think I'll stick with Wendy's chilli.

Casa Loma. The home (well mansion) which was owned by Henry Pellattt, the guy who brought electricity to Toronto. As the tour guide kept telling us he had 59 telephones! I'd hate to pay his bill!

The Flatiron Building. The history involving distilleries was instantly forgotten but the mention of it being used in Three Men and a Baby got my attention.

The hotel the Queen stays at. I guess the 'Royal' may have given it away.

The old town hall which was used as the courthouse in the movie version of Chicago.

Union Station. The site of many Torontonian's hellos and goodbyes.

Air Canada Centre. Big sports venue. Blah, blah, blah. Sorry there is no real explanation but I heard the word sport and stopped listening.

I christen this budget barbie sightseeing bus Priscilla, Queen of Yonge Street!!

The only way is up!

Hello Toronto!!

A moment of madness before then remembering that my size and glass floors situated thousands of feet up in the air is not a good combination.

I took a wrong turning and ended up in the windy city!

Just wow!!

Me and Dad having a photo together at last!

 With my feet safely back on the ground and miniature CN towers, keyrings and magnets safely in my hand. Gift shops love me!!

Tip Top Toronto Part 3 - Clifton Hill frivolity

My Dad and I spent an enjoyable few hours on Clifton Hill hanging out with wax celebrities and unbelievable oddities

A Mountie always gets his man - or in this case a female British tourist that he wasn't even looking for

My date with the Hershey Kisses man. A match made in heaven!

My search for a comfortable chair is over!

The mystery of where double knit wool comes from is finally solved

Well it's better than having dead ones outside I suppose

Spot the genius

How can you take anyone seriously who's nickname is Madge?!

Here's Johnny! Incidentally Ham is my middle name.

Toto, something tells me we're back in Kansas!

I'm bigger than Tom Cruise. Well let's face it, who isn't?

Wishful thinking on my Dad's part methinks

An ice cream and a wafer

I've now seen London and Niagara by wheel

That is a hell of a backdrop!

This gorgeous bushy tailed cutie was residing next to the car park. Aw!

Tip Top Toronto Part 2 - Journey behind (and in front of) the Falls

Monday 18 October was spent getting wet at Niagara Falls. I got to see the falls up close thanks to the Maid of the Mist ferry and also got to go 'Behind the Falls', got drenched during the 'Niagara's Fury Experience' and see the lesser known Niagara Rapids while doing the White Water Walk. My Dad and I also enjoyed being fully fledged tourists and visited Louis Tussauds, Ripleys Believe It or Not Museum and the Sky Wheel on nearby Vegasesque Clifton Hill. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for me, I bumped in to Mr Sheldon who was spending his day off from Priscilla at Niagara. So at least I got soaked in good company!

Enjoying being totally dry for the first and last time that day

Look in the dictionary under 'attractive' and you'll see this pic

Stunning!

Taken just before I buried my camera at the bottom of my bag to save it from the wetness

I'm not surprised it's furious when it's constantly that wet!

Back on dry-ish land and resisting the urge to find a barrel or a tightrope


And finally the magnificent falls by night...