Picture the towering buildings of the Toronto skyline, iced with knee-high snows, casting shadows over a populous, metropolitan hive of wonder. Sound anything like your Easter half-term?

Over the course of the Easter break, Miss Mulligan ventured across the North Atlantic ocean, leaving behind a rainy Heathrow airport to land upon Canada’s northwestern shore of Lake Ontario in Toronto Pearson International Airport. Whilst this in itself was exhilarating enough, what was perhaps most exciting was the prospect of sharing this adventure with a true Canadian; the one and only Miss Easton. Having been greeted by the airport by Miss Easton and her family, Miss Mulligan headed away from Toronto to Miss Easton’s hometown, Vineland. Located in the Canadian province of Ontario, this quaint, agricultural community is littered with wineries and fruit farms, and springs to life by night in a labyrinth of Comedy Club shows and Ice Hockey games (one of Canada’s national sports).

Following a short, blustery stay in Vineland, Miss Easton and Miss Mulligan headed out to Niagara Falls to see the world famous series of waterfalls along the Niagara River, known for their colossal size and incredible beauty. These phenomenal, panoramic views were graced by the first (and only!) sunny sky of the week, to be outdone only by the unbeatable experience of walking behind the falls in order to see that which lies beneath. The colourful accessories adorning this journey of wonder included an impromptu meeting with an Ice Hockey team, land-crossing the American border on foot, and experiencing the blazing, neon avalanche of sight and sound that accompanies the night time Niagara experience.
           
It was at the very end of Miss Mulligan’s eight day adventure that she and Miss Easton returned to Toronto, the provincial capital of Ontario, for a more thorough exploration. Whilst significant highlights included climbing the CN tower (a building of over 530 metres in height from which you can overlook the whole of Toronto’s unique, mismatched landscape of skyscrapers and a boat-littered side island), The Royal Ontario Museum and the impressive Ripley’s Aquarium, it was, of course, the picturesque snow that truly completed the experience.

Miss Mulligan and Miss Easton trekked the streets of Toronto for three days, moving beyond the traditional tourist attractions in order to explore the inner workings of this vibrant city. Aside from meeting the local Mounties and bumping into a few aspiring English travellers, most impressive of all was the expressive graffiti work emblazoned on the buildings of Kensington Market street, depicting superheroes, sea monsters and Toronto scenes.
                           
Not only was this an incredible journey into the very fabric of what makes Ontario all it is, but it serves as a small reminder of the fact that you never quite know where life is going to take you, whether to a karaoke bar in a Toronto side street, or the fifth row in your first ever Ice Hockey game. Keep exploring!