Oct.15 - CN Tower

The CN Tower, Canada’s wonder of the world, was the venue for our first outing. We had only been in Canada about 12 hours and needed some time to get our bearings. What better way to start the trip for those with vertigo!

We all strained our necks to look up at this amazing site, the world’s tallest freestanding structure, which stands 553.33 meters. Apart from being the center of tourism in Toronto, it is also an important telecommunications hub. The elevator ride took us 58 seconds, since the elevators were only running at half-speed because of the extremely high winds that day.

Approximately 2 million people visit the CN Tower each year. It was built in 1976 by Canadian National (CN) to demonstrate the strength of Canadian industry by building a tower taller than any other in the world. With its microwave receptors at 338 meters and an antenna at 553 meters, the CN Tower solves communication problems with room to spare. As the result, people living in the Toronto area receive some of the clearest television signals in North America.

At 342 meters (1,122 ft), there is a glass floor and outdoor observation deck. It’s a strange sensation standing on a glass floor looking down to the street ¼ mile below. More than strange, it is downright scary. The outdoor observation deck was closed due to the high wind.

Sitting in Sparkles restaurant, sipping a cappuccino, we had a stunning view of the city skyline and Lake Ontario. As it was our first day in the city, all we could do was look out and wonder what was in store for us over the next ten days.