At night, there is no question who’s the star of the show. Like a vampy dame at a party dressed in red, she follows you as you walk along the brightly lit streets. I first see her reflection on a high-rise, hold my breath, and stop for a moment to appreciate her form.
For 32 years, the Canadian National (CN) Tower stood as the tallest structure in the world and was even designated as one of the modern seven wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers (Wikipedia, 2023).
My visit was brief, so I merely fluttered about it. It has a revolving restaurant, observation deck, and entertainment complex. It also has a long colorful history that includes falling icicles and stunt jumps.
Right beside it is the glowing figure of Rogers Centre, where sports and entertainment events are held throughout the year.
It is comforting to have a massive landmark erected over the city. Some cynical soul might cheekily point out the phallic character of the tower and the dome immediately beside it. The feeling of comfort one feels, he (or she) might egg us on, is caused by a Freudian activation of the phallic stage of development. But as Freud himself might’ve said, sometimes a tower is just a tower. And what a tower it is! Virile in its structure. Concrete hard in its bearing. Hot red with dewy bright splashes of purple (nicely accentuated by the blue dome of Rogers Centre). Appropriate for a city entering its adolescent years as a metropolis.
(I originally posted this image here)
I’m left wanting more of this tower. I want to explore its mysteries deeper. I stand there on the corner looking at it as if I'm looking at the vampy dame who holds my interest. I’ve been following her as I meandered the city aimlessly. Then I have to move on, so I take one last look and one last shot.
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