Thursday, February 12, 2009

It makes every male feel small.....

I don't know what it says about Canadians, but our greatest landmark just happens to be one major phallic symbol. Yes, we are not ones to hide our national family jewels. Standing tall and er, er erect, the CN tower looms largely dominant on the horizon of Hogtown, aka Toronto the good. In fact, wherever you go in the city all you have to do is look UP and there it is, uncovered and kind of boasty.
The above shot I took on the ferry heading to Toronto Island last summer.....To the left of it, the white humpy thing? That's the home of the mighty Toronto Blue Jays......the Skydome. Silly name really given that it looks shrimpy beside the mighty warrior. In actuality, it is quite a large stadium, holding 60,000 people or so (I'm guessing because it rarely sells out these days.)


One of my all time favourite things to do is to attend a baseball game when we're back in the big city. Of all of my accumulated passions, it is the longest running. I was weaned on the game. The first song I learned was "Take me out to the ballgame..." My earliest memories are sitting in the stands with my Mom eating Crackjack and watching my Dad play third base.

For years, I played first base and hit first in the line-up. I can still throw hard, catch about anything and hit it into the outfield. As for my knowledge of the intricasies of the game many call a religion? Try me. It most certainly helps to know a thing or two about knuckleballs, sliders, line drives, golden glovers, pine tar, suicide squeezes and the infield fly rule when you want to have a chat with the boys at work.
It most certainly impressed my husband when we were doing the courting dance.....that and the fact that my Dad had Blue Jays season's tickets! One of the first presents he bought me was a new glove. Honest to God. First were the flowers bloomingly beautiful and delivered after our first date, then a copy of The Idiot by some famous Russian guy (I never managed to get through that one!!) and the third gift.....the one that lasted? A supple leather glove for his little southpaw (me). Ah, love......
Anyways.....the above and below shots of the mighty phallus we lovingly call the CN Tower were taken in between the unfolding action on the field at a Jays game last summer.
As soon as the sun started to head south, the national colours appeared, outlining it's best bits. There's no getting around the intrusive thoughts on what the lovely red glow conjured up. Remnants of from Canada Day of course.
Yes, what more could a gal want.....base running, homeruns, men in uniforms swingin' and a slidin', a view of a perpendicular structure standing tall up into the heavens and the constant cry of "Hot Dogs, popcorn....get your penis here!" I was hearing it right wasn't I? oh.....I've just been informed that it's peanuts.....hmmm....peanuts.


See the red ring? Just above that is the revolving restaurant. I've never had dinner up there, but have travelled up the side in the whooshing elevator several times to the lookout level just below. It's both an amazing experience (albeit really overpriced) and an amazing view of the city and of Lake Ontario. There's nothing like being way UP there looking down at the world in motion. Yeah, it's a bit of a rush....a 'right sexy turn on you could say.

or not....

This week's theme at Carmi's place is UP! Carmi, I couldn't help myself....had to take a Tower swipe at it. Check out other photo themes by heading HERE..........

13 comments:

Marja said...

Very simular as the sky tower in Auckland. They just love building these things.
Ah Toronto if you ever bump into a Van Hezewijk in Toronto its family of my mum

Gilly said...

Now I absolutely have no head for heights, and the thought of dinner in a revolving restaurant high up like that turns my stockach right over as I'm sitting safely here!

And I haven't a clue about baseball either!

But I enjoy reading your posts and coming here!

awareness said...

Marja...Will do! One never knows. :)

Gilly...I'm pleased you like to visit.
If you look at the second picture, you can see the elevator about halfway up the tower....yes, it zooms up and down on the outside. NOT a good thing for people who have a tough time with heights. There are nice gardens and a beautiful fountain at the base of it though and the whole area is an interesting collection of restaurants, pubs, offices and tourist spots....its also just down the street from Union Station which I love walking through....love train stations...and a whole bunch of theatres!!
Lots to do in Toronto. we're heading up to the area in a couple of weeks...no baseball, but most definately a trip into the city.

myrtle beached whale said...

Very arousing post. Though the Blue Jays are flaccid these days perhaps they will rise up again and be the tumescent team they have been in the past. They have a hard schedule in the bombastic American League East. They are, however, the best team in Canada, eh?

carmilevy said...

Yeah, I'll admit it's pretty phallic...and I love it! I've always had a love-hate relationship with iconic architecture. Do I shoot it even though everyone else does? Or avoid it because I want to be unique.

In the end, like you, I pull the camera out anyway. Because you've proven here that even the familiar can have its story told from a fresh perspective.

I took a few CN Tower pics from afar when I was in Toronto last month. I'll post 'em soon (still sitting in my processing pipeline...sigh!)

Too bad the Air Canada Centre doesn't stand out better in the Toronto skyline. Home of the Maple Leafs...talk about flaccid :)

Pamela said...

I guess I'll put that on my To Do list. But, with all this phallic talk, that, too sounds a bit suggestive.

Great UP shot!

Mojo said...

.oO(I am not threatened, I am not threatened, I am not threatened...)

Lemme guess... their specialty is Coq Au Vin?

If I ever manage to make it to T.O. I'll happily shell out for dinner in the CN Tower restaurant as along as they don't complain about me shooting a few photos from the windows. Must be utterly awesome from there. Ooh! A night shot! Yeah, for sure. Think they'd draw the line at a tripod? Probably huh...

Shaz said...

I love heights and befoe my 40th Im going to skydive. Maybe when my first grandchild comes in July. Or maybe SHhhhh when ben and I manage to have our own little bubba lol I will email soon lol

awareness said...

Rick....I hear cialis has been added to their gatorade for spring training. May they find their mojo and rise again. And may they find a few who can throw some heat.

Carmi...ah, my poor Leafs. Though I can't imagine you're a Leafs fan if you grew up in Montreal???

I love the CN tower too. You can actually see it from my sister's front porch in north Burlington 40km away. As soon as I see it in our travels to visit family, i know I'm home again. I used to take groups of kids in wheelchairs up to the top when I worked at the rehab centre in Toronto....that was a workout!

Pamela....Toronto is best experienced in June or September. It is a beautiful friendly city....lots of theatre, museums, kids venues, concerts....sports, and wonderful, wonderful restaurants.

Mojo...you would be more than welcome to set up your tripod...The 360 degree view is really impressive.....skyscrapers on one side and the big expansive Lake Ontario on the other dotted with sailboats and cruisers. The people and cars below look like toys.

Shaz!! Oh my God! You have finally surfaced out from under the honeymoon covers! You're going to be a grandma?? What a rockin' one you will be....all grandmas should be able to belly dance. Look forward to your update email. I'm so glad to see you again.....you blogging again too???

bobbie said...

Good one. I'm sure most countries have some kind of structure much the same. this one's a beauty.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

That is quite a Building...(?) Is it really a buildinf or just this Big Spire with a Restaurant on top? LOL!

O loved your "penis" "Peanuts" thingy...LOL!
There are quite a few if these Phallic buildings all over the place, aren't there?
I would venture to say they are no dount ALL designed by men....! O wonder what that means?

Light and Voices said...

Ah to have dinner and a cup of coffee at that place would be delightful. Keep on shooting!
Happy Valentine's Day.
Joyce

awareness said...

Bobbie...Yes, I think there are replicas, but for a long time the CN Tower was the highest free standing structure in the world.

Naomi...there sure are, and what is that all about? I saw one in London that is phallic and relatively new to the landscape. In fact it stood out like a sore thumb! My first thought was...what the heck were they thinking??

Yes, it is a communications tower, a tourist attraction and a restaurant...that's about it. but, it was built in 1975 or thereabouts, and at that time a huge feat in engineering design. When the terrorists attacks happend on 9/11 there were many anxieties and rumours flying about that it was going to be a target. In fact there were a bunch arrested about a year later with plans of attacking it. It sits at the end of the business district.

Joyce...It would be fun. I don't know what the bar and restaurant are like now, but when I lived in Toronto, it didn't have a great reputation food wise which is why I never tried it out. Plus it was ridiculously priced. Maybe the food is better now. :)