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Scenes from our Toronto visit: Aurora at Ontario Place

Anitra and I haven’t seen our Toronto family and friends there in a while. Luckily for us, there was a last-minute deal, and so we caught a flight on the 26th and spent a few days in my former home. As much as I love Tampa, it’s nice to pay regular visits to “The Six”.

Click the photo see it at full size.

We spent one of our evenings at the Aurora Winter Festival, a big display of lights and other winter activities located at Ontario Place, Toronto’s waterfront park in search of a full-time purpose. Here are some of the photos I took while there.

One of the attractions was the Arctic Retreat, a “maze of snow packed walls and ice shards” with ice sculptures, electric orbs, polar bear light sculptures, and this tunnel:

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

The Luminous Gardens and Whimsical Forest featured colorful displays:

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

You can’t have a Canadian winter display without moose:

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

For those who wanted to move about and do more than look at things, there was a sizable ice rink and a long line for the ice tube slide:

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

And, as you might expect, there was food aplenty, including the offerings of this Toronto mainstay:

There were a number of stalls selling their wares in the Christmas Village, including this T-shirt that shows you how to pronounce “Toronto” the way the locals do:

Click the photo see it at full size.

Click the photo see it at full size.

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Day and night

My view, this morning:

Photo: Joey's snowy, bare-treed yard in Toronto.

Toronto.

My view, this evening:

Photo: Joey's green, palm-treed yard in Tampa.

Tampa.

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My go-to answer to the question “So what are your new year’s resolutions?”

The old-school version:

The new-school version:

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My toast for this New Year’s Eve

B&W photo: Man holding a glass of wine in a toast -- 'Cheers to the people who love us, the losers who lost us, and the lucky bastards who get to meet us.'

Let make this new year a great one.

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I have truly been accepted by my American in-laws

Photo: Joey deVilla and his Christmas 2018 present: an ammo box!

Click the photo to see it (and that super-festive background) at full size.

Never mind what side of the gun debate you’re on for just a moment — the important thing about this gift is that it’s proof that they have truly accepted me into the fold. And isn’t that the True Spirit of Christmas?

The gift reminds me of this Saturday Night Live skit:

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It’s happening!

Anitra and I have booked a last-minute flight to Toronto, just because the opportunity and some good flight tickets came up. Let me know if you’d like to catch up! We arrive late Boxing Day afternoon, and return to Tampa late New Year’s Day afternoon.

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“No, Mr. Claus…I expect you to die!”

Cue the slow heavy metal music! Click the photo to see it at full size.

Have a safe and merry Christmas, everyone!