Canada > Everything closed on Labour Day

It is the first Monday of September, which means Labour Day in the United States and Canada. Labour Day is comparable to our Labour Day, with the difference that here everyone has the day off, giving them a long weekend. The travel distance to Toronto today is not very far. We choose to drive inland toward the city of London. In this region, many place names are strikingly derived from English towns. We also drive for a while along the Thames River. In the village of Thamesville, we try to find a place to eat or drink. Everything is closed. The streets are extremely quiet. One village further on, Dave’s Café is open. Inside, only locals are sitting in the entirely pink-painted café. “Do you folks want coffee?” A man next to us understands why he hasn’t seen us before in this village when we explain that we are from the Netherlands. There are no activities here around Labour Day. Everything is quiet. Everyone is at home or driving around in their cars, he tells us. In London, almost everything is closed as well. This is rather unusual for a city of 300,000 inhabitants. The center looks empty. A few cafés are open, but the atmosphere isn’t very inviting. We decide to drive on. Just outside London, there is a cheese factory.

Canada - The square in front of Toronto City Hall

Although we suspect that this museum will also be closed, we drive by anyway. Indeed, it is closed. We continue on to Brantford, where Ed and Andrea live. It’s nice to meet them. While we are there, we also connect with the Netherlands through Skype. Fun! In the late afternoon, we prepare for the last few kilometers to Toronto. As we get closer to the city, traffic becomes heavier. An accident on the opposite carriageway also causes us to end up in a “rubbernecking” traffic jam. But this is nothing compared to the miles-long traffic jam on the other side, where the road is completely blocked and traffic is at a standstill. Without too much delay, we drive into Toronto. The CN Tower, more than 500 meters high, towers far above the city. Toronto has 2.6 million inhabitants. Our hotel is located in downtown Toronto. We park for two nights in a public parking garage. It is rather expensive, but there is no better option in the city center. The streets are also quiet. In the Financial District, all the buildings are closed. There is more life at the Harborfront. Boats with tourists pass by, music is played in an open-air theater, and there are various bars. Open! We enjoy a beer and end the evening with sushi in a Japanese restaurant.