Head to Toronto – Visit the Hometown of Wang Jianmin’s Blue Jays

This week, Taiwanese baseball player Wang Jianmin, who has once again become the focus of attention, donned the Toronto Blue Jays uniform to return to the Major League mound. His performance not only showcased his perseverance and dedication, but also made people wonder—what kind of city is Toronto, really? Today, MOOK Travel takes readers on a journey to Canada’s largest city to explore all the exciting and fun things Toronto has to offer.

In the Indigenous language, “Toronto” means “a place where people gather.” This meaning seems even more fitting in modern times. As Canada’s largest city and the fourth-largest in North America, Toronto, much like Taipei draws Taiwanese people and New York draws Americans, attracts Canada’s youth through highways like Highway 401 and Highway 11, turning it into a city of dreams. Toronto may not have the clean freshness of Vancouver or the elegant beauty of Quebec City, but what it offers is a complex and diverse urban style.

 

When it comes to Toronto’s iconic landmark, the CN Tower is undoubtedly the top choice. Standing at 553.33 meters tall, the tower was built both to solve issues with television signal transmission and to showcase Canada’s industrial technology to the world. Since its completion in 1976, the CN Tower held the Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest freestanding structure until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in 2007 (Taipei 101, with a roof height of 449.2 meters, was once the world’s tallest skyscraper).

 

Visitors can take a high-speed elevator ride that lasts just 58 seconds to reach the observation deck at 346 meters above ground, offering one of the most complete views of Toronto. The daytime view here may actually be more spectacular than the nighttime one, as Toronto isn’t particularly known for its bright lights. On a clear day, you might even catch a glimpse of Niagara Falls across Lake Ontario. On the level below the observation deck, there’s a transparent reinforced glass floor (Glass Floor), where looking down at the ground 70 or 80 stories below feels truly surreal. Although the observation deck is already very high, there’s an even higher level at 447 meters—the SkyPod—which is 100 meters taller than the main observation area and currently holds the title of the world’s highest man-made observation deck. As the saying goes, “To see a thousand miles, go up one more floor.” The view from the SkyPod will definitely make you feel that the extra money and wait are well worth it.

When viewed from above, the new City Hall resembles a large “curly bracket.” These two arc-shaped, yet unevenly tall buildings were designed by award-winning Finnish architect Viljo Revell. Since their completion in 1965, they have become one of the downtown landmarks of Toronto. The Philip Square in front of City Hall is named after former mayor Nathan Phillips, who contributed greatly to the city. It is now a popular spot for locals to rollerblade in the summer and ice skate in the winter, and skate rentals are available. The old City Hall, located diagonally opposite the new one, was built in 1899 and now serves as a courthouse. This historic and elegant building is also worth a visit.

The 1997 Oscar-winning film *Good Will Hunting* tells the story of a genius young man named Will, who worked as a janitor at MIT and was discovered after solving a difficult math problem written on a hallway blackboard. However, Will’s rebellious personality gave the math professor a headache, so he called in his psychologist friend Sean to counsel Will, thus beginning the compelling story of a “mind catcher.”

 

Although the movie is set in Boston on the U.S. East Coast—where MIT, where Will was discovered, and Harvard University, where his girlfriend studied, are located—in reality, most of the film was shot in Toronto, and several buildings at the University of Toronto stood in for those elite American universities.

 

Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto is vast in size, even spanning Queen’s Park, and includes 17 colleges and over 120 departments, making it the largest university in Canada. Filming locations included Whitney Hall and Knox College in the central campus, as well as the main University College building, which are also worth seeing. Additionally, Victoria College, located north of the campus, was another filming site. It houses a library and student union where you can purchase University of Toronto merchandise.

 

Walking through the campus surrounded by 19th-century British-style classical architecture, with its strong academic atmosphere and serene green gardens, you might feel as if you’ve stepped into a scene from the movie *Good Will Hunting*, as professors and students pass by, perhaps discussing coursework.

From a small dock behind the Westin Hotel, you can take a ferry to the Toronto Islands. The so-called islands refer to 17 islands on Lake Ontario, with the main ones being Ward Island, Centre Island, and Hanlan’s Point. These islands are connected by land bridges. The Toronto Islands offer one of the most complete panoramic views of the city. The Toronto skyline, headlined by the CN Tower, attracts many photographers to set up their tripods here. Walking through the islands’ woods and small lakes, and enjoying a leisurely stroll to the other side, you’ll be greeted by an open and refreshing view that invigorates both body and mind. Lake Ontario, stretching as far as the eye can see, is almost like the sea for Torontonians—so vast that it’s almost indistinguishable from the ocean, with the only difference being fresh water versus saltwater.

 

Centre Island has the most entertainment facilities. It’s recommended to rent a bicycle to enjoy a peaceful ride through the tranquil surroundings, or you can rent a small boat to paddle on the lake, or play in the sand by the shore. The entire island chain feels like a hidden paradise, a world apart from the bustling city of Toronto just a 10-minute ferry ride away.