Watch Out There's a Segway About!

It was on a crisp, clear, chilly and fine winters day that I did the Segway tour of the Distillery District in Toronto. I took a segway for a spin around the cobled streets and grand perserved buildings that were once used in the manufacture of whiskey. Sadly that all stopped in 1994 and there is not a drop to be had here. Even if there was, I'm sure the LCBO would get in on it and charge you a small fortune. The buildings give a air of the grandeur that there once was. The shadows cast on the cobles by the tall warehouses set a creepy and sinister tone. Many films have been filmed here for that very reason - Chicago, X Men and Cinderella Man to name but a few.

After a 5 minute demo and test drive we set out onto the streets. It was strange to control the segway at first - there are no brakes - its all in your feet! Push your toes down to go forward and faster, push your heels down to slow down and go back. Move the handle bar in the direction you want to go - easy! We cruised around the streets admiring the buildings and hearing the history behind them. At first cautiously going forward and taking corners then after 5 minutes weaving in and out of people as they took up the street. As the wind hit my face I was glad I had a hat and gloves on. This was wind chill! It was amazing how smooth the ride was even over the cobles and pot holes. It was fasinating to hear how the distillery once supplied America in Prohibition and was once the largest in all of the British Empire. It was the most exciting way to see the distillery district and hear its history. The tour was over far too quickly. I could have played on my segway for hours more.

After the segways were safely back we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies and heard some more about the distillery and how it was turned from empty buildings into a commerical enterprise. Next I explored the art galleries with paintings reaching $60 000 and Soma Chocolates. It was great to see the chocolate being made from cocoa beans and turned into bars. The smell was delicious!

I left the Distillery district and headed west up The Esplanade. The sky was a amazing blue and the sun shine shone off the buildings. It was surprising that it felt so chilly. The CN Tower looked anew in the sun and the Toronto skyline sparkled. To complete the day I did some shopping at the Eaton Centre, had a burger and sweet potato fries at the Firkin and watched Avatar in 3D.