Balls Falls

‘Look closely, the beautiful may be small’  Kant

Toronto

Stepping out from union station Toronto looms over you like an impressive Gotham City. A mixture of 19th Century municipal edifices and glimmering giant glass skyscrapers. Ooooooooooo!

Gotham city 

Greater Toronto, however, is . . . well. Shabbier. Even Toronto’s renown ‘coolest-street-in-the-world’ Queen Street West, is oddly grubby. My Air BnB host Annie acknowledged its tatty-at-the-seams-style, ‘when my sister first visited she thought Toronto was a dump’ she laughed ‘but its just got that kind of style’. (What run down Margate? I wondered to myself).

However there are many arguments against gentrification and what it lacks in looks it makes up for in proactive kindness. I arrived during Toronto Pride. It was hard to miss, every shop, bank and hotel had rainbows slapped across them. One thing I noticed on my travels across Canada is the Canadians are ‘nice’ and very concerned about acceptance, especially of the LGBT community. Toronto pride is big and befitting the city a bit shabby-chic. I stood for three hours in a puddle to be part of it and despite the rain, it was fabulous!

Rainbow-tastic Toronto Pride

It was a colourful celebration of difference, and in present political climates seemed all the more important. Being easily pleased with a fancy costume I appreciated the more RuPaul elements of the parade but one uniquely surprising group were my stand out favourites. A little like finding a Scottish fudge shop in a rain-forest village, dear reader, I give you Toronto Pride’s dancing hot-dogs:

LGBT Hotdogs . . . Of course

Yes. A dancing hotdog helping us celebrate our unique differences Toronto Pride 2018

Balls Falls

So. All of a sudden here we are at the penultimate stupidly-named place on our ‘Woolley Butt Street to Useless Bay’ Very-Serious-Adventure. Balls Falls. The little known cousin to Niagara. Overlooked by honeymooners world wide. Balls Falls. No not a reference to Ed Balls Strictly dalliance but a humble waterfall in Ontario Canada.

Once again the trip to find Balls Falls was scuppered by my ‘I don’t drive’ (phrase of the leper). I spent a good 45 minutes in the Toronto Information centre with two twelve year old assistants trying to find a way there on public transport until the lad finally looked at me and said ‘yeah you should hire a car’. ‘Yes. But that would be illegal. And is why we’ve spent all this time trying to find a bloody bus which goes anywhere near because as I mentioned when I arrived ‘I DON’T DRIVE’ you Instagram-attention-span- ignoramus!’ (obviously I didn’t put it quite like that, I thanked and left. I would have had to explain ‘ignoramus’ anyway).

So a train, coach and taxi journey later saw me arriving at Balls Falls Conservation area. And it was a total delight! A grown up would have left early, packed a picnic and enjoyed the whole day there. (I recommend that) I had one and a half hours (mmmm not really recommended) but I made the most of it dashing into the information centre then charging off down to the lower (reportedly larger) falls. The whole area is a beautiful natural reserve which includes walking trails, original settlement buildings and small but charming waterfalls.

Make that cup of tea and join me for a stroll . . .

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Balls Falls Conservation Area Ontario

Towards the end of the day I noticed that locals were turning up with their kids and dogs for an early evening walk and I could see why. It was tranquil, home-spun, comforting. On the way back to the car park I could here a loud croaking on further inspection it was coming from small pond. Now I know I spoil you with my BBC Natural History quality videos, such as ‘Rainy up the inside passage’ and the fascinating ‘ Life on the Seattle Monorail’ but I think you’ll agree this has ‘award winning’ all over it, enjoy:

spot the toad (or frog) (or troll)

 

The David Attenborough Award Winning ‘The Croaks’

Balls Falls may not have had the blistering power of Niagara, the wall of sound or the fancy firework displays but if I was on a honeymoon . . . well maybe I might like the gentle walks and passing butterflies. I might prefer to be surrounded by nature not crowds.  To listen to the croaking brook and have the time to sit and stare. Maybe Kant is right . .

‘Look closely, the beautiful may be small’.

 

Next stop Bender Street Niagara Falls!