AUGUST 10

Ray works out at the fitness center. I sleep.

We eat breakfast at a nice spot a couple of doors down on Bloor Street and decide to take a photographic tour or Toronto that is mentioned in one of the books in the room.

But first we must receive the ceremonial out-of-town haircut. We trundle over to Danny's near the hotel and get clipped.

Afterwards we hop on the subway (Voted Best Subway on the trip) and after getting our bearings, start the tour. The first stop is a sculpture garden that is under construction, so it's a bust. The second stop is a school of design that itself is a design.

Then we hike, and I mean hike, to Bathhurst Street for some pictures of the street art, as well as Ray’s attempt at spreading our good fortune on a mannequin.

And then we find it—unexpectedly, like finding an unknown oasis in the desert—instructions for how to do the boogaloo. Our pilgrimage is coming full circle. And yet somehow boogalooing down Bathurst doesn't quite play as well as it would have on Broadway.

Here Ray demonstrates his newly formed significant boogaloo skill next to the instructions we discovered.

This street may be the most eclectic street
I've ever seen, and, remember, I live in Madison. Various places are decorated with all manner of strange and exotic things. The building to the left believed strongly in recycling, while the one below, if one looks closely, celebrates entymology.

Then we hit the Hockey Hall of Fame and retire to an eatery for lunch and to watch the Sox play the rubber game of the three game series with the Yankees.

We watch the Sox pull ahead 1-0 and head back to the hotel where Ray watches the intense finish with the Sox again victorious 2-1. It’s a great series for the Sox. But our focus is now on the Skydome (Motto: We’re huge!) and the Blue Jays (Motto: We’re loud!).

We negotiate with a local entrepreneur getting front row seats in the upper reaches of the place for $15 Canadian.

But our goal of roaming the place was blocked by stadium policy, not to mention its design and we spend the game with our new friends in the sweltering dome.

The Skydome, renamed Rogers Centre, is cavernous, especially so since the roof is closed this evening because of expected inclement weather. The sound system works well, maybe too well, and the graphics are the best I've ever seen. Out of town scores are displayed well and one can easily track what's going on in games in progress. But it is big. And busy. Hardly a spare moment goes by without some exhortation or shameless plug. Even the game ball was delivered via FedEx in a van by FedEx employee Felix Chen.

Ray ponders the game's progress and our journey's end while our new special friend, Russ, oversees.

AUGUST 11

We rise early and depart early to arrive in St. Charles by 4 pm, dropping Ray off and landing in Madison soon thereafter.