1) now that’s a room with a view!

Since G has been busy working all Canada Day weekend long, we planned a series of small breaks to ease his mind and ensure we did get some form of long weekend. On Saturday we spent the evening at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel at Terminal 3 at Toronto International Airport.

Why would we do something like this you’re probably wondering? ….

Well, when I was a teenager, I spent every free moment I had camped out at the foot of runways at Toronto International Airport watching planes take off and land. In fact, I have the airport to thank for my cycling strength and, in a way, for contributing to my Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon finishing. Back then, I used to cycle from Bramalea all the way down Torbram to Derry Road to watch planes. Considering I usually spent every clear day at the airport, that was a hell of a lot of cycling on these old legs of mine.

I was (and remain) a plane spotter. We’re an odd group of lads – not unlike trekkies – who are obsessed with one thing in particular. Namely, watching planes and recording their serial numbers in a small book. Corny but true.

That said, there is no better way to do this than from the comfort of a room that looks out onto the tarmack. It truly was a planes, trains & automobile outing as we drove there, watched planes and took a ride on the new “Link” which links the two new terminals. It was a ton of fun and lemme tell you there is nothing better than being at the airport when you don’t really have to fly anywhere. You can stroll the terminals without a care, inwardly laughing at all the poor sods negotiating the nightmare that is airline travel in this day and age.

2) oh, what a lovely bed!; 3) Wolfgang Puck Express in Terminal 1; 4) the funky sculpture in Terminal 1

5) the Link arrives; 6) G strikes the pose; 7) taxi mania!


8) Terminal 3 – day; 9) Terminal 3 – night; and, 10) the view from our room at 10:00pm

To finish off, and for Nephew E’s viewing pleasure, here’s a KLMasia 747 taking off.