Canada #20 Vancouver to Toronto
After trekking across Canada on the Canadian Trail, we took to the skies in a virtual flight across the country at Flyover Canada.
Strapped into our seats in a darkened room, we soared above the land in an eight minute video journey from east to west through the four seasons. With snow-covered mountains and never-ending prairies, deep blue lakes and tumbling waterfalls, the scenery was spectacular and the special effects almost convinced us we’d flown cross country.
A few days later we did exactly that in the opposite direction, on a five hour flight from Vancouver to Toronto. From our window seat, our bird’s eye view of Canada rivalled that tourist ride in Canada Place.
We said goodbye to beautiful Vancouver with one last glimpse of the city, the water and those stunning coastal mountains beyond. We could see places we’d become familiar with – the white sails of Canada Place and the cleared green area at the top of Grouse Mountain.
We flew over more mountains, sometimes separated by shimmering blue lakes or narrow winding roads.
Later the mountains became more rugged and wild – could these be the famous Rockies we’d read so much about?
Soon the mountains were gone, replaced by broad flat farmland stretching to the horizon. From above the fields looked like giant geometrical puzzles, with different shapes neatly fitted together. We were intrigued by the circles and, although we asked later, no one could explain their purpose.
At one stage, we flew again over water and decided it must be one of the great lakes. The deep blue, dotted with tiny islands, contrasted with the green of the land, densely forested and jagged along the water’s edge.
Then came more farmland, this time worked in neat grid patterns edged with dark green stands of trees. The fields were split by long straight roads; we could even see cars heading in both directions.
Eventually Toronto came into view. It seemed to go forever; a vast sprawl of homes, shopping centres and rows of high rise towers with wide green spaces in between.
The city centre, defined by a long strip of skyscrapers, was dominated by CN Tower, a building we would come to know well. Beyond the cluster of towers we could see more blue – Lake Ontario, so large it merged with the blue sky on the horizon.
The next part of our Canadian adventure was about to begin.
Wow! Lovely photos. Made me dizzy just looking at them…in a good way. 😉 Happy travels.
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We did have a spectacular view all the way.
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Beautiful. Glad you had a clear day for your real flying over Canada. Simulated flight would be interesting also. Look forward to your next adventure.
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The autumn colours in the simulated flight were amazing.
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Great photos yet again Carol! Those circles are intriguing – the whole area makes for a really striking geometrical pattern. I wondered if it was due to the topography – but then thought it would be an incredibly regulated topography to produce such results! I do love a mystery! Canada is very beautiful and I’m looking forward to seeing your photos of Toronto.
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Elaine and Jonno both suggested irrigation methods as the reason for the circles. We spent 11 days in Toronto so I have many photos to share.
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Beautiful! What a treat to see the landscape change like that. Awesome!
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It was so interesting to see the differences as we travelled from west to east.
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Very beautiful and dramatic photographs! Sometimes there IS joy in flying…
Peta
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Yes, flying isn’t all bad. 🙂
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What an amazing landscape. I love the mountains and the city and the patchwork of farmland.
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It was interesting to see how quickly the landscape changed.
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Amazing photos!! Happy you had clear skies while flying over!
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It was so clear up there.
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Great photos from a classic flight. Canadian scenery is fantastic isn’t it, so dramatic and so changeable as you travel further east. I think the circles in the fields are created by the irrigation systems that pivot from the centre.
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Elaine also suggested irrigation methods as the reason for the circles. I guess the patterns wouldn’t be visible from ground level.
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Those views from the plane are just fantastically fabulous! I’ve seen something similar to those circles and I understood it was to do with the irrigation system being a long arm moving round a central point – like the hand of a clock. That might be a possiblity here?
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That sounds quite possible.
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Just watched a programme about Arabia where they showed similar round fields – all due to the irrigation system used – The circles are crops irrigated with a self-propelled sprinkler irrigation system that rotates around a central point commonly called a “center pivot system” or “center pivot.”
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This seems to be the consensus. It certainly makes for a fascinating view from above.
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Looks amazing from the air I have to say!
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It really was. I was so glad to have a window seat for this journey.
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Great post and wonderful photos. Thank You. We have been in Toronto few times and once visiting the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.
Happy Sunday!
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We visited Niagara too.
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The Rockies next time, Carol? 🙂 🙂
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Wouldn’t that be great!
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You grabbed some really good shots through that airplane window. 🙂
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There was so much to see, the five hour flight went really fast.
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It’s such a gorgeous country and I love the diversity in Canada too!
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We did too, Lorraine.
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I was going to suggest UFO landing sites. More fertile than the surrounding field. No? OK, then irrigation. Great photos. I have been to Canada, but never flown across it. I’ll put it on my bucket list. 🙂
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We were lucky to see all this because our return flight was at night.
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You were lucky!
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What a great idea to show off the beauty of just a part of that country.
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I thought these overhead photos were too interesting not to share. Having a window seat is a real treat.
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Just love those overhead shots – gorgeous!
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We had a very clear day. I love having a window seat.
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I’m always surprised when photos through plane windows come out OK as the windows are double-paned and the outer pane is often quite murky. I just hope for the best! Do you have a particular trick? (or is that giving away too many secrets!!)
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These windows weren’t particularly clean either so I just took lots and hoped some would turn out. 🙂
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Canada is such a big country and you had clear skies for your journey. You flew over us in Alberta. I hope you waved. 🙂
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We had no idea what was below us but it was interesting to try and guess. We were told in Toronto that the flight would have actually entered US air space before landing in Toronto too.
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I love the description of your flying views – and great photos – it must be lovely looking back at your Canadian adventure
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It is nice to revisit all the wonderful places we went to. We had a great trip.
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Wow, amazing photos Carol. It looks absolutely spectacular and sounds like you had the best trip. 😊
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It was a great trip Miriam. I was so pleased to have a window seat for this part.
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