Monday, December 22, 2008

Chapter 9

The streets in Toronto are lined with buildings that provide evidence of Canada’s architectural heritage that Jon was completely impressed by. Between Union Station and the Eaton Centre are treasured landmarks, innovative skyscrapers, and fine examples of modern architecture. All of this impresses Jon and Richie alike. Ava is even interested because she loves to people watch. Danielle no longer has Jon’s hand she is taking pictures and so is he. However, every time they stop for a bit he has his arm around her or he takes her hand again. Danielle tryed to show them things that actually interested them. She had them head to Old City Hall, the fact that it no longer fit the area around it made it an interesting enough building. She even told them what she learned about the building. “This center of municipal government was opened in 1899 in a ceremony, after taking ten years to build and going more than ten times over the original budget. It was built in textured two-toned sandstone. The interior now serves as law courts. It almost got demolished when they built Eaton Center but public protests saved it.”

She pointed out Nathan Phillips Square, the plaza fronting City Hall, and even walked up onto the overpass walk to get out of the way of other tourists. Ava is watching them fill the square for the ice rink that will soon be there.

“Jon this is probably a good place to do the interview you’re kind of away from people so the cell phone won’t bother them.” Danielle pointed out. Jon had completely forgot he was supposed to do a call in.

”OH good call I’ll try to make it quick.”

After Jon completed his interview he walked back to the rest of his party, “Ok work is over.”

”Good because we have more to see.” Danielle held her hand out to Jon and he smiled taking it. They all started walking, she would show them the Rogers Center, the Canadian Walk of Fame and finally end at the CN Tower.

“Hey I’ve seen lots of pictures of this thing.” Richie tells her.

“And it's even more amazing to go into. NO one is scared of heights are they.” Danielle asks.

“No.” Ava answers excitedly.

“Great lets go. The CN Tower is Canada's most recognizable landmarks and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It's only been here since 76 and it was built to symbolize the strength of Canadian industry and is the tallest tower in the world.” Danielle told them reading from a brochure, after Jon bought her ticket again refusing to let her pay for herself. “Although the tower inspires a sense of pride and inspiration for Canadians, its origins are rooted in practicality, as people living in the Toronto area now enjoy the clearest reception in North America from its microwave receptors. The view from each of the 4 lookout levels gets more amazing the higher you go.”

After their visit to the CN tower, they get back on the subway and head back to the hotel. Stopping at one of the restaurants inside for dinner. Finally after dinner they head to their rooms. Richie and Ava thank Danielle for the tour and Jon accompanies Danielle to her room.

“I like you.”

“I like you too Jon.”

“No seriously. I like you. I don’t wanna…Oh damn this is going to come out really really bizarre, please don’t laugh
at me.”

She noticed that Jon for the first time ever that she's seen, didn't look 100% confident. “Ok.”

”This isn’t the actual question I just wanna feel you out on something?”

“Feel me out or feel me up?” Danielle smiled trying to lessen his stress.

“Feel you up later.” He’d take a deep breath. “What would you do if I asked you to the marry me?”

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Chapter 8

They would get off the subway and walk up to street level and Danielle would instantly start walking in the direction of Casa Loma.

“How do you remember this?” Jon would ask her.

“Because this was one of my favorite things I saw here. Besides you can’t really miss it.” She pointed to a huge Castle.

“Daddy can we live in a Castle like that?” Ava smiled.

“Sure baby, on the 2nd Tuesday of next week.”

”Cool.” She smiled not getting it.
Danielle led them to the entrance and Jon paid for her to get in.

“Thank you.”

”No thank you for bringing us here, this looks amazing.”

“Well Casa Loma is amazing. It was the residence of Sir Henry Mill Pellatt in the early 1900's. Pellatt was a military officer knighted by King Edward VII and who made it to the Queens Own Rifles. He was also an industrialist and financier. There is a audio tour which we should get one of it’ll tell us more about each room.”

Richie walked over and got the audio equipment and they started to walk around. Jon never let go of Danielle’s hand. “This castle sits on 5 acres of land and there are amazing gardens outside, that unfortunately are closed now. But there are stables on the grounds that are connected by underground tunnels and a tower that has a amazing view of the skyline.”

”Lets go daddy.” Ava smirked and pulled Richie down a hallway.

Danielle smirked at Jon and told him there is a Harry Potter stairway in this castle.

“A what?”

“You can’t tell me with 4 kids you don’t know what Harry Potter is?”

”Oh I do but I don’t know what you mean by the stairway.”

”Well in Hogwarts they have stairs that change positions remember?”

”OH yeah, I thought they were cool. The stairs move here?”

“No but if you come this way.” Danielle walked up the stairs and looked left then right trying to find the area again. “Well I thought it was this way. There’s this area where like 4 or 5 stairways converge it's a riot.” Finally after roaming through the castle for 30 min they come across what she has deemed the Harry Potter Stairs and Jon takes a picture knowing his kids would approve. The 4 of them spent a good 2 hrs in the castle, everyone even heads up to the towers, down through the tunnels into the stables and finally back to the subway into downtown. They got off the subway and started walking.

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