June 14, 2010

Tourists in Toronto: CN Tower

What's a tour of Toronto without a visit to the city's iconic landmark, the CN Tower? At 553 meters (1,815 feet) from the ground to the tip of its spire, the tower dominates the city's skyline and served as our orienting landmark whenever we were on the verge of getting lost. The main observation deck is 346 meters (1,135 feet) high and I'm not ashamed to admit that my stomach gave a lurch when we rode the glass elevator. Seeing the city drop away at 22 kilometers (15 miles) an hour can be unsettling.

CN Tower


The views (through very thick glass windows, of course) were well worth the slightly surprised tummy.

view of Toronto from the CN Tower
view of Toronto Islands from the CN Tower


The Look Out level is also great for a bird's eye view of the neighboring Rogers Centre, which almost everyone still calls the SkyDome.

view of the Rogers Centre or SkyDome from the CN Tower


One level down from the Look Out is the Outdoor Observation deck. The views are marred by a protective wire mesh but the wind at 342 meters is quite awesome. On the same level is the CN Tower's pièce de résistance: the Glass Floor. I almost didn't manage it—I couldn't look down and walk at the same time (hubby dear had no problem whatsoever and even tried to pull me until I threatened to make a scene). What I finally did was to stare hard at the thankfully solid wall, walk to the middle of the glass floor, stop, then look down. And here's the proof!

Exie and Hilda's feet on the glass floor of the CN Tower

22 comments:

Halcyon said...

Very neat views! I would have been afraid to stand on that plexiglass though. :)

George said...

Thanks for taking us along on your trip up the CNN tower. My daughter and her husband have been urging us to come visit them (they live in Buffalo, New York) and then go to Toronto with them. I'm not sure I could handle the glass floor, though.

brattcat said...

You are a very brave girl, Hilda. I got dizzy just looking at your photo through the glass floor. I don't mind being on the edge of high places but standing on a glass floor is another matter all together.

Chattahoochee Valley Daily said...

Great series of shots. I am feel my tummy getting left behind just reading your description.

As a fan of foot fotos, I love your parting shot.

Mike Rose said...

Hilda quite awesome photographs. Reminds me a bit of when I visited NYC and the Twin Towers. Mind you no glass elevator there.

I don't like heights but sometimes you just have to do it :-)

SRQ said...

Terrific shots! I don't recall the glass floor when I visited the CN Tower. (That was 20+ years ago, though.) Aren't you glad you summoned the courage to walk out on that floor and snap a pic? Bravo! I hope you continue to have a wonderful vacation.

Leif Hagen said...

Very cool photo of the tower; spectacular photos from the tower; spooky photo on the glass floor of the tower! Yikes!

Louis la Vache said...

«Louis» apologizes for not having visited this past week. He's had very little time for the computer.

Olivier said...

magnifique cette tour et la vue est grandiose. j'aime bien la vu des pieds ;o)

JTG (Misalyn) said...

Magnificent shots! and thanks for sharing some tidbits of info. Malamang kung ako ang nandyan pipikit na lang ako hahahaha. Like what I did in Burj Khalifa.

lewi14@gmail.com said...

Toronto is an amazing city. Your photos are amazing too. Perfect!

Cezar and Léia said...

wow that tower is massive!I'm enchanted by your pictures, thanks so much for sharing!
Toronto is a beautiful city!Lucky girl! :)
Léia

Elaine Yim said...

Wow, such a magnificient tower and views are awesome. Breathtaking!

Anonymous said...

You have many bird's eye views.

BlossomFlowerGirl said...

That is one very tall tower. Lovely pics.
Cheers.
Melbourne Daily Photo

Lois said...

I'm so proud of you Hilda! That is exactly the way I felt on the glass ledge at the top of the Willis Tower in Chicago. I looked straight ahead while I stepped onto it and then looked down. Once my brain adjusted to it, I was fine.

arabesque said...

hi hilds! welcome back! ^0^
wow, glad to see your vacation fotos.
nice shot on the last one, tee-hee.
very courageous of you!
have a good week ahead!

VP said...

I would be absolutely happy up there, and what wonderful pictures you took: the view is really awesome...

Lowell said...

All I can say is "breathtaking!"

I wouldn't ride up that thing for all the tea in China - as the saying goes!

Reminds me of Paris where the Eiffel Tower is the iconic landmark seen throughout the city...

mia said...

Omigaad just looking at the picture already makes me shiver. I have a real problem with heights!! I would have done the exact same thing if somebody tried to pull me in there - threaten to make a scene. Haha!!! I'm glad you stepped on it though!

AB said...

I get vertigo just looking at the photo of the glass floor

Kaori said...

You are a brave brave woman, Hilda! My stomache lurched just from your photos :D