Hello and welcome to Weekend Coffee Share #3! I’m glad you are here. Please come on in and help yourself to a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate at my coffee station. I’m eager to share my news and photos with you.
1. Awesome Coffee Share Party #2
- At closing time this past Sunday, Coffee Share party #2 had 30 participants, a new high! Several blogger friends accepted my direct invitations and joined the link up for the first time. Thank you, everyone, for coming.
- I’m liking the diversity of the blogs that we have so far. I hope you enjoy the party. Please continue to link back or ping back, and leave a comment on my blog and the blogs you visit so we know you’ve dropped by.
2. Winter Cycling
The weather here was good this past week, cloudy with some sunny breaks and scattered flurries with no significant snow accumulation. I was happy to cycle outside to exercise most days. I choose quiet places to keep a safe distance from everyone else.
One example of a quiet public space is the Canadian National Exhibition grounds. The buildings in this huge area sit empty since all events have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At normal times, they’d be filled with conference or exhibition organizers and attendees.
The main entrance to the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) grounds is the Princes’ Gates.
3. The Princes’ Gates
This entrance was built in 1927 to commemorate 60 years of Canadian Confederation. The stone and concrete gates were designed by the Toronto firm of Chapman and Oxley and are a fine example of monumental architecture in the Beaux-Arts mode.
A Roman arch forms the centre gate and is flanked on each side by a colonnade of nine Ionic columns. The nine columns represent the participating provinces of Confederation (Newfoundland joined Confederation in 1949). At each extremity of the Gates are curved pylons with fountains at their bases.
Sculptor Charles D. McKechnie created the statues. The Winged Victory atop the central arch is flanked by figures representing the CNE’s commitment to progress through industry, education, and the arts. In the lowered hand of the Winged Victory is a single maple leaf, a symbol of Canadian independence and autonomy.
The gates were opened officially on August 30, 1927 by Edward, Prince of Wales, and Prince George. They have been known ever since as the “Princes’ Gates“.
In front of the Princes’ Gates is the Piazza Princes’ Gates designed by firms from Milano and Toronto. The landscape elements of this piazza celebrate the Princes’ Gates and the Canada-Italy connection. Ten long bands of Canadian granite interpret the original symbolism of the Gates’ columns into the surface of the piazza – each is engraved with the motto of a Canadian province.
Seating blocks at the end of the granite bands are marked with the name of the corresponding province or a territory. The blocks are crafted of twinned pieces of granite – representing Milano and Toronto – joined together by light. Piazza Princes’ Gates was officially opened on July 19, 2006.
I enjoyed cycling in the sunshine on a gorgeous winter day. The rest of my week went well. Your turn:
- How did your week go?
- What do you think of the Princes’ Gates design?
- Any fun plan for the weekend?
I’d love to hear your comments.
Linking with Thursday Doors, Life This Week, Senior Salon, The Weekly Smile.
Copyright © 2023 natalietheexplorer.home.blog – All rights reserved.
Natalie the Explorer 
I love the magnificent gates and arches! What a wonderful place to walk. I can imagine a feeling of pride in your country as you visit. I think you know this, but I always appreciate the history behind the doors.
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Dan, I’m glad you appreciate the history behind the doors. Every time I walk by the Princes’ Gates, I imagine the ribbon-cutting opening ceremony and how cool it is that I’m walking through the same entrance that the two princes did.
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Natalie, the gates are magnificent and I can see why you love to cycle there. Lots of open spaces with beauty and history in every direction. Thanks for the link-up. I met some new-to-me bloggers here last week and look forward to adding even more interesting people to my blogroll in the weeks to come. Making connections is what it’s all about.
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Suzanne, The Princes’ Gates and CNE grounds are excellent for physical distancing during this pandemic. I’m happy to explore the many historic buildings in the area.
I’m glad to hear you made new blogging connections from my link up. I’d appreciate if you could mention my blog link up in your post to extend our connections to others.
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I love the majestic gates, Natalie! I can’t think of a better place to take a walk and absorb the beauty and history. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous photographs.
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Jill, The Princes’ Gates and CNE grounds hold fond memories for many residents and visitors, especially for the huge fair and air show at the end of each summer (before the pandemic). I appreciate its beauty and history more as time goes on. Thank you for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
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Hi Natalie, I appreciate learning about the Coffee Share. I am still in the process of reading all of the posts. Always a reward at the end of my day. I switch to tea at that time.🙂
You are right about choosing quiet places. That is how I determine where to go for hikes around here. Sometimes I see only 2 other people or no one. I wonder if it feels a little eery to enter the quiet CNE grounds? Wonderful photography, Natalie! I enjoy learning more about Toronto from your posts. Thank you for sharing!
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Hi Erica/ Erika, Great minds think alike. I switch to tea in the afternoon, too 🙂
I enjoy all the quiet places in Toronto during the current lockdown because the city is busy during normal times. It’s almost like a treat to explore the CNE grounds by myself while I’m mindful of the economic impact. I don’t find it eery because outside the Princes’ Gates, road traffic is still on, lighter than normal but still there. Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend!
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It’s been a gloriously crazy week here with family visiting — a blessing I don’t take for granted. Feeding at least a dozen every night for dinner has been a lot of work but well worth the effort!
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Welcome, Michele, to Weekend Coffee Share blog party! Glad to hear you had family visiting. I hope you’ve got help with dinner preparation and clean up after.
Please link back to my blog by mentioning and include the URL to this Coffee Share somewhere in your blog post. Thank you. Have a nice weekend!
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I have never been to Canada, anywhere in Canada, although in theory, living in North Central PA, it is not that far away. The more of your pictures I see Natalie, the more I find myself thinking…maybe when this pandemic is behind us. Maybe a Bucket List trip! So, I loved the pictures of the Princes’ Gates. Before I Started reading the information, I would have thought they were much older than 1927.I love the strength of them, the breadth and the symbolism as well as the space. Thank you for the tour a nd the invitation. Going to my post to brush up and will be right back for my cup of coffee! Best, Michele
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Michele, A bucket list trip to Canada post-pandemic is an excellent idea. If you ever visit Toronto and our schedules work out, I’d be glad to show you a part of my city. I look forward to reading your post at the link-up.
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Thanks very much Natalie, that is definitely something to hope for and plan.
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The photos of the Princes’ Gates are fantastic. Such wonderful architecture and history. I have seen the Peace Arch on the British Columbia side of Canada, as you cross into Canada. Nothing at all like the Princes’ Gates though.
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SadiRose, I’m glad you liked my photos of the Princes’ Gates. The width of these gates and the Beaux-Arts design of the central arch and columns make them look very different from the Peace Arch.
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Enjoying your visits to places via photographs. Places that I will never see. Closest I ever got was Winnipeg during high school with the marching band. And Flint, Michigan in the 70s. Just finished my Coffee Share article, and now must find lunch before my occasional Zoom meet-up with siblings in 40 minutes. Best wishes for your weekend and the week to come!
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Lizl, Interesting that you’ve been to Winnipeg. Have a fun Zoom meet-up and a great weekend!
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The Princes’ Gates are beautiful! They almost remind me of the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin. What interesting history.
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Thanks, Laurie, for your comment. Thankfully, the Princes’ Gates have a peaceful and family-friendly history. In normal times, at the end of summer, thousands of people, many are families, pass these gates to go to the fair and see the air show over Lake Ontario.
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This gate looks almost Italian, but so fresh compared to the old, medieval arches in Italy. Very nice design. This week I’ve been too busy to prepare a coffee share post. I’m organising photography contrsts for my camera club and there’s loads to do right now. This weekend we’re celebrating Burns night on Zoom with friends and I’m really looking forward to that. We’ll have dinner together, play music and enjoy each other’s company and a good whisky.
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Susanne, Your weekend plan sounds great. Have a good time and all the best with the work you do for your camera club.
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Hi Natalie I feel like I’m getting to know your city through your posts. We are having a heat wave here just now. This is our first burst of very hot weather this summer. It’s later than usual so we’ve been a bit spoiled with milder than usual summer days.
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Jennifer, I hope the heat wave doesn’t last too long as prolonged high heat is uncomfortable. I take advantage of this quiet time to explore local sights and share them on my blog.
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Love your success with the link up here. Well-done. Today is our 50th Wedding Anniversary and we await the arrival of our family. Due to covid we had one lunch yesterday, another today….and in contrast to your cold, we are having a heat wave! Thanks for your link up! See you Monday at mine. Denyse
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Thank you, Denyse, for joining my Coffee Share link up. I’m glad to host a virtual party where bloggers come together to share their thoughts. Your 50th Wedding Anniversary is an extraordinary event. Congratulations and wishing you and your family a wonderful time!
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My week has been very eeeeehhhhh. Feeling better this weekend than I did during the week thankfully. The Princes Gates look nice – and winter ….that sounds nice to haha. It’s not quite warm enough to justify the air conditioning being on here but it’s that bit too hot for my preferences too.
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Welcome, Vanessa, to my Weekend Coffee Share blog party. Glad to hear you’re feeling better this weekend. I heard about the heat wave in some parts of Australia. Stay cool.
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Hi Natalie, I’m joining your linkup for the first time! Thank you for the opportunity to share my blog with your readers. Your posts always give me the urge to travel to Canada! It’s been at the top of my travel wish list for many years. Who knows if we’ll ever make it! I love the Princes’ Gates – they remind me of Rome. Regards Christina
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Welcome, Christina, to my Weekend Coffee Share blog party! I hope you get to visit Canada when it’s safe to do so. If you ever visit Toronto and our schedules work out, I’d be glad to show you a part of my city. Thank you for sharing your blog. Have a great weekend!
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Hi, Natalie – I love those gates and miss the CNE grounds.
Thanks so much for sharing this.
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Hi Donna, Most Torontonians would remember these gates and the “Let’s go to the Ex” song. Thank you for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
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Looks like a major tourist attraction to me, Natalie. It’s a pity that the Princes’ Gates is so empty due to the pandemic.
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Yes, many events and venues have been closed during the pandemic to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus. I’m optimistic that they’ll re-open as soon as it’s safe to do so.
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I really enjoyed seeing that magnificent architecture. Wow! Thank you for sharing Princes’ Gates, it must have been a great ride around there.
It is awesome that the coffee share have grown under your gentle care 🙂
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Maria, I’m glad you enjoyed seeing the Princes’ Gates. The CNE grounds hold special and fun memories for many residents in Toronto, myself included. It’s wonderful to cycle and see all the buildings up close without crowds. Thank you for continuing with Weekend Coffee Share.
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Sunshine, exercise, stunning architecture! What a lovely outing!
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I agreed 🙂 Thank you, Ju-Lyn, for joining us. Have a great weekend!
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I am enjoying your link up Natalie, many thanks for having us over. Canada is definitely on my list of places to see one day, when we can travel again, but in the meantime it’s great to be able to read posts like yours and experiences some of these places through your words and pictures. The gates look fabulous!
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Thank you, Debbie, for joining my Weekend Coffee Share blog link-up. I hope you visit Canada when it’s safe to do so. If you ever visit Toronto and our schedules work out, I’d be glad to share a part of my city with you. I’m glad you like the Princes’ Gates.
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A beautiful place to visit. Your photos are lovely and do it justice. I’m glad you’re having fun with your coffee share. So cool that you’ve got a variety of bloggers interested.
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Ally, Thank you for your kind words about my photos. I envision the blog party attendance as ebb and flow, always renewing and refreshing. I hope the Coffee Share link up continues to do well under my stewardship.
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Great photos! That looks like such an iconic place. A little bit of Euro-style in Canada. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and are able to get out and about and perhaps do another ride 🙂
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Trent, The Princes’ Gates hold fun memories for many Toronto residents. One of them is the annual 3-week summer fair in August and the air show on the long weekend before Labour Day. Last year was the first time in my recollection that the fair and air show were cancelled due to the covid-19 pandemic. I’m optimistic that they’ll resume when it’s safe to do so. The sun is shining today so a bicycle ride is coming up 🙂
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The Prince’s Gates look very stately. They are great photos.
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Thank you, Regina, for your comment. Have a great weekend!
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Natalie, your photos and descriptions always chastise me for always driving too quickly through Toronto where I was working a couple of days each month for a while; always working. They were pleased with my work and paid me well enough, but with all that work, I made few memories and missed all of what you have shared over the months we’ve got to know each other. I’m thankful, but with some regrets. Many thanks
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Gary, Work trips are usually time-bound and intense so it’s normal to miss out on local sights. Blogging makes up for some of that as it lets us read about places to see and things to do. Enjoy the weekend!
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I love our Princes’ Gates as well. I love seeing them as we drive west along Lake Shore. You reminded me that I had a walk around the grounds as part of my lockdown bucket list!
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Jackie, Walking around the CNE grounds is a good idea. There are several interesting buildings to see and no crowd during lockdown. Have a nice weekend!
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These are magnificent photographs, Natalie. I have been reading quite a bit about Canada, lately. It sound very beautiful.
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Thank you, Roberta, for your kind comment about my photos. Canada is a beautiful country. I’m happy to share a tiny piece of it on my blog. Have a great weekend!
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It is beautiful, Natalie. Enjoy your weekend too.
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Toronto has so many great places to bike/walk and explore. From the moment I read the name of the gate, I wondered where it came from. So, thanks for explaining the meaning of The Princes’ Gate! I also had no idea that the single maple leaf on your flag represents Canadian independence and autonomy.
My week was busy as all the ones prior. February will be more relaxed. I hope. I was going to finally stay in one place this weekend, but we just ran out of propane. So, that’s what we are doing right now, driving to the closest town, 40 minutes away, to fill our tank so we can keep cooking and taking hot showers. 🙂
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Liesbet, Busy is good when the return on your time investment is worth it 🙂 Cooking and hot showers are essentials in my book. Hope you got the propane you need.
Toronto’s iconic landmarks like these gates have history and symbolic meanings behind each structure. At one point before the pandemic, I was interested in doing volunteer walks in the city centre so I started learning about the landmarks that I like. I’m sharing some of them on my blog. I’m glad you like reading about them. Have a great weekend!
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Very imposing, Nathalie! Well maintained too. Enda
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Welcome, Enda, to Weekend Coffee Share! I hope you enjoy the link-up and will return any week 🙂
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Great photos as ever. Thanks also for the insight into them – you can see the Italian influence, I think.
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Glad you like my photos, Jo. Hope to see you at the Weekend Coffee Share link-up although I know you mentioned that you’d have to switch your posting day. Enjoy the weekend!
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Wow, so beautiful, thanks for sharing. I really need to head up to Canada. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you, Patrick, for joining us. Happy belated birthday! Have a great week ahead.
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The Princes’ Gates are magnificent! And such rich history. Thank you for coffee and for hosting. The participating is so great, and I’ll try and visit as many coffee shares as I can. Have a great weekend! ❤️🤠
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Diana, I’m glad you like the Princes’ Gates. We have a great blogging community here. Thank you for your participation and support. Happy Sunday and wonderful week ahead!
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That’s some gorgeous architecture! I’m glad you can still go out and exercise without the weather getting in the way! Thanks for continuing to show us around your hood!
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Thank you, Sanch, for your comment. January weather has been good so far. Exercising outdoors keeps me mentally and physically healthy. Have a great week ahead!
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The Princes’ Gates look amazing. On to add to our list for when we can return to your beautiful country. The perfect place to cycle.
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Max, I’m glad you like the Princes’ Gates. There are lots of places to explore in this city. Thank you for stopping by. Have a great week ahead!
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You are certainly promoting added bucket list destinations. Great pics and history. Thanks for the post.
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Thank you, Antoinette, for your comment. I’m fond of my home city and eager to share its beauty with my blogger friends 🙂
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Hi Natalie, I love the Princes’ Gates, they’re stunning. They could be in any European capital city, it’s a style I’ve seen a lot during my travels. Wishing you a great week ahead!
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Hi Cheryl, Yes, these gates have Beaux-Arts style which originates from Paris, France and shows up in many European, North and South American cities. Thanks for linking up with Weekend Coffee Share. Have a wonderful week ahead!
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I never get tired of looking at big gates like these ones!
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Hi Natalie, when I first saw your photo I thought you were in Berlin. I never realised that Canada had such beautiful architecture. Although I have been to Quebec where I experienced the beauty of French architecture. Thanks for sharing your outing and I’ve linked up with mine, although I’m a little late. #weekendcoffeeshare
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Hi Sue, So glad you linked up this week. Your photos are beautiful. What a view you have where you live. Toronto has a mix of architectural styles that I enjoy discovering when I’m out and about. I’m pleased that you like the Princes’ Gates.
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Oh no! I missed the Linkz party!
Never mind, I will try next week …
Would it be possible to keep the Party open till Midnight on Sundays (Toronto time)?
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https://purplepumpernickelblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/24/happy-place-happy-space-comfort-of-art/
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Ju-Lyn, Thank you for asking. I’ll extend the closing time of upcoming linkups until midnight on Sundays Toronto time. I’m glad to have you at the party.
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Thanks so much – appreciate your accommodating my time zone & posting habits.
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They look so European Natalie – I love the statues and the clean lines of the gates – just magnificent.
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Leanne, I’m glad you like these gates. The details are amazing when I look at them closely.
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Hi Natalie – I just subscribed to follow your blog so I remember to pop over for the link up each week – I seem to get distracted on the weekends and forget! Hopefully I’ll be on the ball now x
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Thank you, Leanne, for your subscription. Now you don’t have to remember when to link up. I usually post once a week on Friday to start the link up and it stays open until Sunday. I look forward to having you at the blog party.
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It’s so good you’re able to get about on your cycle and snow hasn’t been too problematic of late.
I love how deserted everything is at the moment. Well, not here in Australia because in most places it’s ‘business as usual’ though there are some masks mandated in some places. But I see cities in lockdown and they’re like beautiful ghost-towns.
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Deb, It’s an excellent opportunity to visit local sights that are normally packed with people. After almost a year of social isolation and physical distancing, it’s almost startling for me to see photos of places packed with people in other countries, especially without masks.
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Natalie, although I have visited Toronto a number of times, I haven’t been to the CNE grounds. It was interesting to learn about the Princes’ Gates.
Jude
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Jude, It’s a treat to visit the CNE grounds at this quiet time. Normally there would be cars in the parking lots and people in all the buildings, with international conferences or huge events booked year-round. In August, pre-pandemic, the CNE holds a three-week summer fair that attracts thousands of people. It usually ends with an air show over Lake Ontario and on Labour Day before school resumes.
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Natalie, these gates are amazing and look so much older. Very spectacular.
Hope you have a great week ahead.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Rowena, I’m glad you like the Princes’ Gates. They’re almost 100 years young. I guess the sun, wind, rain, snow, etc. age them. Have a great week!
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Thanks very much, Natalie. I hope you have a great week too. It’s almost over now.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Rowena, My week has been great. “See” you at the upcoming Weekend Coffee Share link-up!
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Yes, and I’ve even got a doors post in this week.
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The Princes Gates are very impressive. Although I´ve been to Toronto,(mostly for business) I haven´t seen these. They look very European.
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Darlene, Business trips are usually time-bound and it’s normal to miss local sights. These gates are in Beaux-Arts style which originates from France. The Piazza is co-designed by a firm in Toronto and an Italian firm from Milano. I hope you consider joining the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link up.
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I commented earlier via Weekend Coffee Share.
Thank you for linking up this week for #lifethisweek. Great to see you and your blog here! Next week it’s about #sharingoursnaps and that’s an optional prompt. Join in each week for a friendly connection in a great community on-line. I am very grateful to you all. Denyse.
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Thank you, Denyse, for joining Weekend Coffee Share. I’ll see you at the upcoming blog party.
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They’re impressive gates, right enough! 🙂 🙂 I sometimes struggle to understand how life can still be so busy in these strange times, but I’m pleased to report I’m not bored yet. Just a little irked at the confinement. Nothing new there!
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Jo, You and I would not get bored ever 🙂 Fortunately, under the current lockdown here, I can still go outside to exercise or buy groceries. There is no curfew yet, no limit on how often or how long one can go outside.
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I can’t imagine cycling in winter! Even in the sun. I drove down to Alabama, 14 hours south of where I live in Michigan, for warmer weather and it’s only 38 degrees, F, and it’s rainy, windy and entirely miserable! Oh well, I’m not shoveling snow, so it’s all good!
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Dawn, 14 hours is a long drive and too bad that the weather in Alabama wasn’t great for your trip. Over here, the daytime high temperatures in the first 3.5 weeks of January were near freezing point without snow or ice storm so cycling was do-able. I wear layers and get warmed up after a few minutes of pedaling. We had one snow storm and a few cold days last week. This week it’s back to normal winter temperatures again.
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