I was particularly excited about my business trip to Canada. I have a passport stamp from there, but it was only because I was in transit there to another country. That doesn’t even count !

Full disclosure: My time in Toronto was very short. I was here on business, so the opportunity to really see and appreciate the city was limited. However, I did get to do a few things in my “spare” time.

This trip was also poignant because I would again be leaving my son for a few days. We would be in different countries, different time zones. Because of my work schedule, I really didn’t have time to chat with him. When we did, it was for a few precious moments before I had to sleep. Surprisingly enough, because I was distracted by other things, I didn’t think about how much I would miss him. This lead to much less worry, and allowed to focus on work and on myself. It was a pleasant surprise!

I had one day to actually enjoy the city. There are quite a few things to see and do, so choosing what to do wasn’t easy. The first on our list ended up being Casa Loma. Built by Sir Henry Pellatt, this large mansion is touted as “Toronto’s Majestic Castle”.

It’s actually a nice place to see. I took my time looking at all the details and hearing about the history. My favorite room was the conservatory, where many wedding ceremonies are held. The stained glass ceiling was mesmerizing!

We also choose to see the CN tower. As a big tourist attraction, it is a little pricey. However, I’ve been to other towers (Sears, Burj Khalifa), so now it feels like a list that I want to check off. It’s a nice view and it is amazing to see how high you get up. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy, semi rainy day, so the views were limited. Still though, it’s amazing how high the building really is!

I also walked through the Distillery District, which had a lot of cool shops. I walked up and down Queens street, checking out the different shops and just really being in the crowd. The bonus was finding these delicious macarons from Butter Avenue!

Unfortunately, that was the extent of my time as a tourist. My husband tagged along and got to go to Niagara Falls while I worked. He had a great time. I was envious!

Though my time was short, I really did enjoy Toronto. I hope that I can come back soon to really appreciate all that it has to offer!