Dentonia Park Plaque

Toronto Music Garden

It a small garden but it is unique in a way as it is inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach’s classic musical work. Its six sections are based on the six movements in Bach's Suite No. 1 in G Major. For example, the first section of the garden is designed in such a way that it gives you a feeling of flowing river with granite boulders and low growing plants. The second section is a forest grove with wandering trails to represent an ancient German dance 'allemande' in Bach's work.

Its shady trees, copses, and labyrinth-like inner spots make you forget that it is actually located in a very busy area of the city. It is a perfect place to sit quietly, meditate, study, stroll or relax when you are in the waterfront area of downtown Toronto.

Summertime

View of CN Tower from the garden

Waterfront

I have seen you before

Supercalifragilicticexpialidocious

It is not the longest word in English language but it is perhaps the most fun to learn and remember among those. ‘Supercalifragilicticexpialidocious’ comes from a 1964 Walt Disney musical ‘Mary Poppins’. It was coined from various Greek and Latin roots for a joyful and silly song but over the years it became popular and was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1986.

So how one is able to remember and pronounce a word that is 34 letters long? Well, actually it is quite easy. First, look at its individual parts and meanings:

Super: excellent

Cali: most beautiful

Fragilistic: delicate

Expiali: atone, to make amends

Docious: able to learn, educable

So all this translates to the state of being extraordinarily good; wonderful or fantastic. To pronounce such a lengthy word, it has to be divided it to its basic components.

Super – cali – fragil – istic – expi – ali – do – cious

Once you remember these simpler parts and above meanings, it becomes super easy to remember. It is also a cool way to impress friends and peers.

Ontario Science Center

A single day can’t do justice to all the sections of the science center. It covers a broad array of topics like astronomical science, technology, communication, geology and nature. Then most of its exhibits are designed to give a hand-on experience to the visitors and spur curiosity. There is always something new to learn when you pause and look closer. On most days, throngs of eager and excited youngster fill the place. It is places like these that nurture the inquisitive minds and inquiring nature.

One of my favorite exhibits is a replica of “Jacquard Loom”.  This early 19th century device to wave cloth is actually a precursor to modern computers. Replaceable punched cards were used in this mechanical device to change the patterns and to control the order of operations. 

Rain-forest in the nature section is a superb depiction to experience

Children love static charge generator

Virtual reality gaming dome

IMAX Dome and Mastermind gift shop complete the experience of a day filled with learning, entertainment and fun.

Snow by any other name ...

Winter is coming to an end. Intensity of sunshine and duration of day has increased steadily over the weeks. Temperatures are still barely above zero but snows have started to melt. Long icicles are hanging along the edges of roofs. Here are a few things that I learned about cold weather and snowfall during this winter. 

Cold weather starts at -10 C in Toronto.

Extreme cold is below -20 C (with or without wind chill factor).

Flurries are light snow showers that do not last long.

Blizzard is a heavy snowstorm that lasts for hours with high speed winds.

Sleet is rain mixed with snow.

Whiteout means that visibility is severely reduced during a snowstorm. In a true whiteout, there are no reference points and disorientation may follow.

Freezing rain occurs when surface temperatures are below freezing point. This causes most of the problems in winter. Ice accumulating on power lines can cause power disruptions. During the last winter, freezing rain was so heavy in Toronto that trees started to crumble under the weight of build up ice over branches.

Snow can further be classified into several different types depending on the shape of its flakes, how it is falling and how it collects on the surface. It is said that Eskimos have more than 50 words for snow and ice but whatever you call it, that is stuff which makes winters interesting.