***This vacation was taken before I started blogging and before I started photos of my meals. It still contains relevant info on sightseeing and dining.***
Labor Day weekend 2007..I took a bus tour to Canada. I’ve always wanted to see Niagara Falls. The 4 day trip I found included not only stops to the Falls but also visits to Toronto and Thousand Islands. My vegan travel options were to be quite happily statisfied according to HappyCow.net!
During the motorcoach ride from Boston, we made a stop at a Canadian-US border duty-free shop for souvenirs. I purchased a few maple syrup products to satisfy my sweet tooth. When we finally arrived in Niagara Falls, my tour group stopped for lunch. I chose not to join the group at this non-veggie friendly restaurant, because I found a Chinese vegan restaurant online called “New York Chinese Restaurant” which serves veggies and mock meats. This town does not cater to vegans, so I was quite pleased to find this restaurant in addition to an Indian dining establishment. Niagara Falls was a sight to behold! While the US side was not as expansive, the Canadian side displayed a wondrous flow of water encompassing a large area. The boat ride by the falls provided us with sprays of refreshing water in the summer sun.
Toronto, being a cosmopolitan city had several vegan restaurants. I was thrilled! Fortunately the restaurant I chose in advance was not too far from where my tour bus stopped for a lunch break.
I ate dinner at Bo De Duyen, an Asian restaurant. For the soup, I tried bean curd with bamboo fungus. My side dish was congee, a spongy, soup-like vegan “seafood”. It was soft and very chewable, a pleasure to the palate. I then had just a simple vegetable dish for the entree. It was tasty, not too sour or salty. I love Asian restaurants that have lots of flavorful herbal teas, bubble teas, and exotic juices on their menu. This restaurant did not disappointment in that area. Had I more time, I would tried other dishes that took longer to prepare. However, I enjoyed the food here. Another thumbs up!
This city has many vegan restaurants with amazing menu. If only more time! I highly recommend you check out HappyCow Toronto to find out about all of the wonderful dining options in this vegan-friendly city.
A tour of Toronto by bus is the best way to see this large city. History buffs would enjoy a visit to Casa Loma castle. It was built by Sir Henry Pellatt, a financier, military man, and founder of the Toronto Electric Light Company. The estate has has beautifully decorate rooms, secret passageways, tunnels, stables, gorgeous gardens, and towers. Also make a stop in Chinatown, Greektown, or one of many ethnic neighborhoods. The CN Tower is a definite “must visit” to get a view of the entire city from the observation deck. There is even a glass bottom floor which makes you feel as though you are walking on air!
As we headed back to the USA, we stopped by the Great Lakes and the Thousand Islands on the US-Canadian border. Wealthy summer homes were built on these islands as a getaway.
A wonderful, scenic weekend trip and a great vegan dining experience in the Toronto region!