Travel Tips

(This album refers to Toronto and not Niagara Falls. The VT website limits the number of travelogue albums per city. I have reached my Toronto quota. I therefore use travelogues of other cities for Toronto travelogues. For this Toronto album, I happened to choose Niagara Falls. Ironically, there is a Carillon in Niagara Falls too, by the Rainbow Bridge.)

When I compile my VT pages, I always look for subjects which are unusual or different in some way. I am not making light of the mainstream attractions, but they are covered in abundance on many VT pages. An unusual item is exactly that, something different to read about. I can then make my VT pages different and more interesting.

One day, by chance, I met a friendly young man called Gerald. While talking to him, he mentioned that he is a Carillonneur. I asked him the obvious question, what is that? He explained that he plays the Carillon. He proceeded explaining to me what a Carillon is.
He explained how a Carillon is bells in a Church, but not regular Church Bells. These bells actually play music. The music need not even be of a religious nature.

I became more curious and hence asked more questions. He was happy to answer my questions as this topic is his passion.

One day, he mentioned that he gives tours of the Carillon at his Church. I asked to do his tour. He agreed. Hence, on Thursday 30 March, 2006, I took his tour. I drove downtown, knocked on the Church side door at the agreed time. He subsequently gave me the tour of the Church and the Carillon. I had a most stimulating day. What really made it so dramatic for me, is that there are only 11 Carillons in all of Canada. I was really excited. In my opinion, reporting on this tour is definitely something unusual to spice up my VT pagers.

I thank Gerald very much for his generosity. He gave up much of his time for me. These 3 albums for you to enjoy, are the fruits of his generosity.

I visited the ornate METROPOLITAN UNITED CHURCH which is in Queen Street just west of Yonge in the centre of Toronto.

I could put more Church information here, but giving their website is easiest:
Metropolitan United Church

This picture clearly shows the thin spiral staircase. I snapped this one on my way down. My shoe is visible. Playing a Carillon is literally exerting for two reasons. One is the effort required to play it. Secondly is walking up and down all these stairs. I enjoyed the thin spiral stairs. They added to the excitement of reaching the Carillon.

What I found exciting was ascending to the Carillon. It is located high up in the steeple. This meant negotiating a thin spiral staircase. Gerald said that he does it so often, he is used to it. Given that there are only 11 Carillons in all of Canada, this was an exciting experience for me!

What intrigued me, is the distribution of Carillons.
There are over 200 in tiny Holland.
Huge Canada has only 11.
There is only one Carillon in the continent of Africa and that is in the Cape Town City Hall.
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Gerald happily demonstrating his talent.
Evident in this picture, are pictures stretched across the wall behind Gerald. Those are pictures of each of the eleven Carillons of Canada. Part of this fascinating tour, Gerald gave me a brief sammary of each of the Carillons in the pictures.
Gerald showed me the pictures on the wall of the Carillons throughout Canada.

He then played it for me to hear. It was a wonderful experience. It intrigued me how he used both his hands and legs in abundance. I also realized the exertion required. All four limbs were extremely active pushing hard. I was told that the legs push the bars for the lower notes.

There are two distinct differences between a Carillon and regular Church Bells.

1)Whereas regular Church Bells ring tones, a Carillon actually plays musical tunes from sheet music.
2)Whereas regular Church Bells oscillate when rung, the Carillon bells are stationary. The sound is generated from being struck.