Every once in a while, I am reminded that “it’s the journey, not the destination.” Today’s brief post is about how that can apply to even routine travel.
The Grafton Village Inn, in Grafton, Ontario.
I play a lot of tournaments in Cobourg, Ontario. It’s less than 90 minutes away by the 401 “autobahn”, and exactly 2 hours away by the slower and more interesting Highway 2. But even when I take Highway 2, I tend to “press on” when I get close to Cobourg. Similarly, when I return from Cobourg, I want to get some distance out of town before stopping.
The Alnwick-Haldimand Municipal Building in Grafton, Ontario.
On a recent long trip home from a tournament in Woodstock, the timing was right for a stretch in Grafton. Grafton is only 12 km from Cobourg. As Cobourg is such a nice place to visit, we tend to overlook the much smaller community of Grafton. Over many years of travel on this route, I don’t think we’ve ever stopped the car there.
The Lass & Ladle Bakery in Grafton, Ontario.
And yet, all four pictures in today’s post were taken within one minute at one intersection in Grafton. The antique store (see photo at the very top of this post) used to be a barbershop, where the same barber carried on business for more than 50 years! I have also learned that Grafton was where Bob Homme (“The Friendly Giant”) retired. He is buried in the Fairview Cemetery there.
When you’re on the road, don’t forget to stop and look around!
(Pickering, Dresden, Campbellford, and other places in Ontario, Canada)
While my last post focused on Cambridge, Ontario, this one covers a whole bunch of non-traditional Ontario destinations. Once again, the unifying theme is “places I went for lawn bowling competitions”! And, of course, food plays a role.
Pollo con mole, at Cielito Lindo (Pickering, Ontario)
In late June, I had a qualifying tournament in Pickering, Ontario. We had a strong first day of competition, so our team decided to celebrate at dinner that evening. We settled on Cielito Lindo, which looked like a family-run Mexican restaurant. And it was! I went for the pollo con mole (pictured above), and the sauce was excellent. Just the right amount of chocolate and heat.
Yeck’s Smokehouse Grill, in Ridgetown, Ontario
Suburban communities like Pickering are sometimes overrun by chain restaurants, serving a very corporate kind of “McFood”. While there are exceptions (The Owl of Minerva – a Korean restaurant – being one of those exceptions), I really try to seek out independent alternatives whenever possible. Often, restaurants are the only truly “local” experience we have when I play in particularly intense tournaments. Such was the case in Pickering – there was no time to explore hidden nooks and crannies during that visit.
Solid diner food at Yeck’s in Ridgetown, Ontario
As the qualifying event in Pickering went well, two weeks later we headed much farther west for the Provincial event in…Dresden, Ontario. Dresden is a very small community (less than 3000 people), but it happens to have a good bowling facility. Before my first practice session, we stopped in the nearby town of Ridgetown for lunch. Ridgetown is only slightly larger than Dresden, and is clearly an important agricultural centre.
My grilled Reuben sandwich, and sides, at Yeck’s Smokehouse Grill in Ridgetown
I figured that Yeck’s Smokehouse Grill would be a solid choice. We did indeed enjoy our “homestyle” lunches – my grilled Reuben sandwich was particularly well done and the fries met our exacting standards. The restaurant was very popular with Ridgetown residents…we had to wait a little while for a table.
Cashew chicken, at the Thai Kitchen & Bar in Chatham, Ontario
After the competition in Dresden was over, I had an intense craving for Thai food. Alas, Dresden had little to offer in that regard. We returned instead to the nearby city of Chatham and the sensibly named “Thai Kitchen & Bar”. The menu was extensive, with a lot of unfamiliar options, so it was very difficult to decide on what to have. I settled on the not-at-all-unknown cashew chicken, but would have loved to try some other dishes too.
Exterior of the Thai Kitchen & Bar in Chatham, Ontario
I have the feeling that the Thai Kitchen & Bar’s facility used to be a very different type of restaurant…probably something Mediterranean. No matter – we were happy with the food and will undoubtedly return there someday. Chatham is a very long way from home, but we have been on the road again several times since. There was another trip to Pickering, and of course the “Preston” trip from my previous blog entry.
A small piece of regular Gouda (top), and a small piece of lavender Gouda (bottom)
On the way back from Preston, we took a break in Whitby to stock up on Dutch delicacies at the Village Bakeshop. Regular blog readers know that I am a big fan of Gouda cheese. So I decided to buy a couple of less common varieties. First up was goat milk Gouda – almost pure white in colour. And I also picked up a piece of lavender Gouda! Yes, it is very purple (see picture). To complement the lavender, the cheese also contains rosemary and thyme.
Municipal office for the Township of Stone Mills – Centreville, Ontario
Lastly, we went to Campbellford for another provincial qualifier. On the way back home, we stopped in Stirling for ice cream at a candy store and a brief walk along the main street (see photo at the top of this post). We returned to Kingston along a lot of back roads, passing through many small villages such as Moira, Roslin, Croydon, Centreville (pictured) and Camden East. It was a nice way to unwind after a day of competition.
Stay tuned for more non-traditional Ontario destinations…and an intriguing international tournament!
I’ve been spending some time in Southwestern Ontario lately for a series of lawn bowling competitions. Today’s post is about the “hidden” Ontario town of Preston.
The Black Badger Pub in Galt (Cambridge), Ontario
Our home base for 4 nights was the Conestoga College residence in Kitchener. More and more, we are using college residences as an alternative to the high cost of hotels during the summer months. If you can get a promo code, the cost is even less. And the rooms are even bigger! It’s not luxurious, but I don’t need luxury when I’m spending most of the day in competition.
Downtown Galt (Cambridge), Ontario
My first day of competition was at the Preston Lawn Bowling Club. Officially, it is located in the city of Cambridge. But the city of Cambridge is a relatively recent creation, as it consists of the former village of Hespeler, the former city of Galt, and the former town of Preston. Each community still has a distinct and recognizable downtown area, even though the former gaps between them have become urbanized.
Wesley United Church, in the downtown core of Galt (Cambridge), Ontario
The club is a throwback to a simpler age, and very much resembles other century-old clubs throughout Ontario. After a hot day on the green, I was ready for (1) rehydration, and (2) some adventurous food. Fortunately, I had done my research in advance, and found a promising Nepalese restaurant within walking distance of the club.
MoMo House Restaurant in Preston (Cambridge), Ontario – it’s very orange!
MoMo House has perhaps the most extensive menu I’ve ever seen at a restaurant. Not only did it offer a full range of momos (Nepalese dumplings) and other Nepalese specialties, it also had many Indian dishes and a lot of Hakka (“Indo-Chinese”) specialties. It took me about 15 minutes to review the menu and decide on what I was going to have. (Sadly, they didn’t have salted yak butter tea, which I’ve enjoyed at some Tibetan restaurants over the years.)
Interior of the MoMo House restaurant in Preston (Cambridge), Ontario
I settled on the Chilli Chicken Momos, which were impressively spicy and very, very colourful. Given the hot weather, it went very well with a salty Yogurt Lassi drink. And if a restaurant is called the MoMo House, you need to go with their namesake dish.
Chilli Chicken Momos!
Nonetheless, I couldn’t help wondering about the many other interesting dishes I saw on the menu. So, when my 3-day tournament in Kitchener ended, we decided to return to the MoMo House and try some different dishes! I went for a Hakka dish: “Schezwan Chicken Gravy” (more like a curry than a gravy), with some Lachhi Paratha bread and more Yogurt Lassi (the sweet version this time).
Left to right: Lachhi Paratha bread, Strawberry Lemonade, Vegetarian Tandoori Reshmi Momos, Schezwan Chicken Gravy, and Yogurt Lassi
I referred some of my fellow competitors (and friends) to this restaurant, and they enjoyed it as well. I think we’ve got a go-to place for our next visit to the Kitchener region!
City Hall in Galt (Cambridge), Ontario
After the meal, we made the very short drive to the downtown core of Galt. While I preferred the aesthetics and vibe of downtown Galt to downtown Preston, that has to be weighed against the food offerings. Other options in Preston included a Caribbean restaurant and an about-to-open Nigerian restaurant!
Remnants of an old mill on the Grand River in Galt (Cambridge), Ontario.
I don’t think I’ve seen all that these under-the-radar destinations have to offer. I look forward to spending some more time in Galt and Preston in the future.
A very old advertisement on the side of a building in downtown Galt (Cambridge), Ontario
Stay tuned for more on non-traditional Ontario destinations!
In response to popular demand (and Keith), I’m finally including some pictures from my historic hometown of Kingston. This post focuses on some of my “haunts” in the downtown core.
Amadeus Cafe Restaurant in Kingston, Ontario
Amadeus Cafe has been serving Austrian and German food on Princess Street for at least 30 years now. Whenever I need a fix of schnitzel or smoked farmer sausage, this is a no-brainer. Even the side dishes are excellent, and they have a great selection of beverages on tap. I recommend it without hesitation. But ensure you make a reservation: it can get busy!
Mango Restaurant in Kingston, Ontario
The official name is “Mango Thai & Pan-Asian Cuisine.” I’m usually skeptical of places that “specialize” in more than one type of cuisine, but Mango is actually a good choice for diners who don’t all share the same tastes. It’s conveniently located right across the street from Amadeus, if one of them is fully booked.
Something Else Records (left) in Kingston, Ontario
The team at Something Else Records knows me by name, so I guess I’m at this Wellington Street store quite a bit. It’s more comfortable than your typical record shop, and they’ve made a lot of special orders for me over the years. And there’s a pub, a Caribbean roti place, and a tea room on the same side of the street!
Pan Chancho Bakery in Kingston, Ontario
Pan Chancho Bakery is a Kingston institution. It grew out of the even older Chez Piggy restaurant, about a block away on Princess Street, and even serves food of its own now, too. My favourite treat here is a batch of balsamic mushrooms from the deli counter.
Mio Gelato (centre) and Woodenhead’s Pizza (right) in Kingston, Ontario
After a good meal, or even before, there’s nothing wrong with having some gelato. It’s the right thing to do. And while it’s located on touristy Ontario Street, Mio Gelato has been serving up high quality gelato for a long time now. I’m partial to the intense fruit gelatos, but dark chocolate gelato is really good too (dark chocolate and raspberry is my favourite combination).
The Prince George Hotel, City Hall, and (at back) the old Firehall on Ontario Street in Kingston, Ontario. And the black car clearly just ran a red light.
While I haven’t been there much lately, I also used to really enjoy the oven-fired pizza at Woodenhead’s. Arbre Amore was my favourite kind. Woodenhead’s is right beside Mio Gelato and just a block from City Hall (see above photo, as well as the photo at the very top of this post). This place can be noisy, so be prepared!
While Kingston has a beautiful downtown, I have lots of favourite places outside the downtown core too. I’ll cover some of those in an upcoming post!
I recently had to spend a couple of days in Ottawa for work. Once the work day was over, I went looking for an interesting dining option in the Byward Market area.
Khao Thai Restaurant on Murray Street, Ottawa
I had a craving for Thai food, so I set out for Khao Thai…a nice place on Murray Street that I have visited in the past. Alas, when I arrived, a crowd of people was outside the front door. They were waiting for tables to open up. Clearly, I would have a long wait before having a chance to eat.
Kochin Kitchen in Ottawa
I then recalled a humble-looking restaurant on the corner of Murray and Dalhousie. It was called Kochin Kitchen, and it specialized in food from the southern Indian state of Kerala. I’ve had Kerala cuisine before, and it had been spicy even by the standards of the subcontinent. I decided I was up for the challenge. And I had the nagging feeling that I had tried to eat at this restaurant before…but had to make a last-minute change.
Kodanadu Chicken, on top of a parotta
I took a quick look at the menu before going in, and was pleased to see very little overlap with typical Indian restaurant menus in Canada. And then I saw a dish featuring “roasted coconut paste”. That did it – I now had to give Kochin Kitchen a try.
Murray Street, Ottawa
I knew the karma here was good, because I heard somebody call my name shortly after I ordered. One of my work friends, from the neighbouring Quebec city of Gatineau, was in the very same Ottawa restaurant! He confirmed that I had made a wise choice: he and his friends came here almost weekly.
Nameplate on the (now) Alexandra Bridge between Ottawa, Ontario, and Gatineau, Quebec
I went with my gut – the Kodanadu Chicken, with the advertised roasted coconut paste. It was really flavourful: even though it wasn’t described as spicy, it still had quite a Kerala kick on top of the sweet coconut. And I opted for parotta instead of rice: this turned out to be an inspired choice. Described as a layered flatbread, parotta is kind of like a buttery cross between a crepe and flaky pastry. I’ve never had it before, but I thought it worked very well with the spicy coconut paste.
Ottawa’s Chateau Laurier Hotel, as seen from Gatineau, Quebec
This was a rather rich meal, so I decided to take a long walk afterward. I headed down Murray Street, and just kept going…to Quebec! As it turns out, Murray Street is the extension of the Alexandra Bridge, which connects Ottawa to Gatineau. So I visited the grounds of the Canadian Museum of History (formerly Canadian Museum of Civilization) in Gatineau, took a few photos, and eventually found my way back to my hotel as the sun set over Ottawa.
Canadian Museum of History, in Gatineau, Quebec
Once again – going with the flow yielded some nice surprises. I didn’t have any Thai food that evening, but I’m sure I will have some again soon.
The first time I have eaten at a place called “La Cucaracha” (13th Avenue, Cathedral Village, Regina, Saskatchewan)
Looking back, it is even more interesting to see where I thought about going (to the point of checking airfares and flight schedules)…but ultimately didn’t visit then. Those countries were: Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Fiji, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Namibia, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Kosovo, Serbia, (North) Macedonia, Russia, Ukraine, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Bermuda, Bhutan, the United Arab Emirates and Greenland. Oh yes, I also wanted to visit Saskatchewan!
A Christmas market in downtown Copenhagen, Denmark, with Christiansborg in the background
Even in 2014, real-life events took some of these countries off the list. And obviously a lot has happened since then. But have I made it to any of those places in the intervening 10 years?
Absolutely stunning view just below Sunset Point (Bryce Canyon, Utah)
The answer is…yes! Most notable was a couple of weeks in South America, where I managed to visit both Chile and Argentina. I also finally made it to Saskatchewan! That was important to me because it was the only Canadian province or territory that I had never visited. Alas, I haven’t yet made it to any of those other countries…before or after 2014. In a way, I suppose that I have been to Slovenia, although it was still part of Yugoslavia at the time.
At the top of Horseshoe Bend (near Page, Arizona)
A lot of my travel since 2014 has been to previously visited countries, provinces, and states. However, I have visited a couple of completely new entities since then: Denmark and St. Pierre & Miquelon, which is a “self-governing territorial overseas collectivity” of France. I certainly hadn’t foreseen those destinations in 2014. And while there aren’t any remaining Canadian provinces or territories to see for the first time, I have since made it to several “new” American states: Nevada, Utah (see photo at the very top of this post), Arizona, and Pennsylvania.
Bastille Day – St. Pierre & Miquelon
Looking ahead, I know I’ll be taking at least two international trips in the next 12 months. Stay tuned to find out if those trips include any of the “2014 wish list” destinations!
We decided to take a road trip to the Gatineau region of Québec last weekend. There were multiple reasons, with more reasons appearing as the trip progressed!
The Nepean Lawn Bowls clubhouse on Woodroffe Avenue in Ottawa, Ontario.
Our first stop was the Nepean Lawn Bowls Club in suburban Ottawa, where I could do some early-season practicing on their artificial surface. And I could also finally try out my new bowls for the first time, as they had been patiently waiting since arriving from Australia three months ago. (I borrowed some bowls when I played in Switzerland in February). My club in Kingston has a natural grass surface and it won’t be available for at least another week.
King’s Day Celebrations outside the Dutch Groceries store on Clyde Avenue in Ottawa, Ontario.
I was excited to play outdoors again, so I stayed for a long time and worked up quite an appetite. Accordingly, our next stop was the nearby Dutch Groceries deli/shop. And what a coincidence: it was King’s Day (Koningsdag) in the Netherlands, so the shop was selling fresh treats such as bitterballen and poffertjes on the sidewalk outside the shop! Of course, we had to have some. With lots of Dutch-Canadians wearing orange, and some special promotions inside the shop, it was a very festive occasion. Among other things, I picked up some Cantenaar and Parrano cheeses, two specialized kinds of sambal (sambal manis and surinaamse sambal), and a whole lot of dropjes.
The Meule & Caquelon restaurant on Boul. Gréber in Gatineau, Québec,
By dinnertime, we had crossed the Ottawa River into Québec and decided to try something that you can’t find in Kingston: a Swiss restaurant (although we have Amadeus, which is an excellent Austrian/Bavarian restaurant). Meule & Caquelon has an unassuming location in a Gatineau strip mall but it is a cozy place specializing in fondue andraclette. We had a modified raclette; we grilled our own food and then melted raclette cheese over it.
The Auberge de Mon Petit Chum B&B in Wakefield, Québec. We stayed here for a night.
That night, we stayed in the rustic Québec village of Wakefield (see the covered bridge at the very top of this post). Wakefield is in the Gatineau River valley about 35 km north of Ottawa and, unlike other places near the nation’s capital, it has seen relatively little development. With almost no lighting on the side streets, it almost seemed like the village was in a previous century. While we chose this village because it was fairly close to Ottawa, Wakefield has some other special significance for me.
View of the lower part of the very first ski lift I ever took: the beginner area at Vorlage (Wakefield, Québec), with the base lodge on the right
The Vorlage ski area was just a block away from our B&B. While Vorlage is quite small, with a vertical drop of just 140 metres (about 460 feet), it will always hold a special place in my heart. It was here, in early 1983, that I went downhill skiing for the very first time. My Grade 10 friends convinced me to go on a school-organized ski trip. They also convinced me to just follow them rather than take lessons. While it wasn’t elegant (I was skiing like a hockey player), the trial by fire gave me the skiing bug. Regular readers of this blog know how much skiing has meant to me and my travel plans ever since.
View of the Gatineau River, taken from the middle of Wakefield’s covered bridge.
Anyway, Wakefield seems to be very quiet in the spring. This is probably because its outdoor activities attract more visitors in the summer and winter months. (In addition to Vorlage, the slightly larger Edelweiss ski area is also in Wakefield.) There was absolutely nobody else on the village’s picturesque covered bridge when I used it to cross the Gatineau River. On the way back, a couple of local children rode their bikes across but otherwise…silence.
The Northfolk Cafe in Perth, Ontario. The gelato was very good.
I spent a few more hours practicing bowls in Nepean the next day, and then continued home to Kingston via the “scenic route”. To break up the drive a bit, we stopped in the historic town of Perth for a beverage and some gelato. The skies were very gray by this point, with some intermittent rain, so the gray stone buildings in the downtown area made everything feel very gray indeed. But a tart lemon gelato can help overcome that.
A very gray day in Perth, Ontario.
This was the first, but certainly not the last, road trip of 2024. Watch this space for all the details!
North shore of Schiermonnikoog (Friesland, the Netherlands)
Weather has played a role in many of my missed opportunities. In August 2014, I had arranged to go on an extended wadlopen (a hike across the muddy sea floor during low tide) from the Dutch mainland to one of the Frisian islands. This day-long activity requires a guide…and also decent weather. Learning of the expected high winds and thunderstorms, the guide decided to pull the plug. While it was disappointing, I still managed to make it out the Frisian island of Schiermonnikoog by boat. And I went for a nice walk around the dunes.
Inside the “Los 36 Billares” billiards cafe (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Poor weather also prevented me from setting foot in Uruguay. During our stay in Buenos Aires, we had hoped to take a boat across the Rio de la Plata to the historic city of Colonia del Sacramento. But nasty weather forced us to back down from that plan and spend another day in Buenos Aires instead. Among other things, we ended up having enjoyable refreshments in a billiards cafe!
Specialty shop in Westport, Ireland. I went in for the vinyl but came out with a book!
Dismal weather also torpedoed my planned ascent of Croagh Patrick, a (relatively) large mountain just outside the quaint western Ireland town of Westport. Rain, wind, and clouds conspired to make that extended trek unpleasant and possibly dangerous. Instead, I explored some local Westport institutions, such as a quaint bookstore and the local “chippy”. It wasn’t the plan, but I still have the book I bought!
The Grand Canyon, on the “Day After”
Another more dramatic weather incident happened in 2019, when I was supposed to descend the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. Not only did we not go on that much-anticipated hike, we couldn’t even leave our hotel. And the hotel was without power for 24 hours as the state was battered by a fierce blizzard. Unlike the other “missed opportunities”, there was nothing to take the place of the canyon descent. We were cold, unable to travel, and could do little more than ensure we had enough to eat. While we managed a brief visit to the Grand Canyon the next morning, there wasn’t enough time to try even a short descent.
Overlooking the Tara River Canyon – northern Montenegro
While weather jettisoned all of the above plans, nature wasn’t always to blame. During my May 2014 stay in Kotor, Montenegro, I signed up for a guided tour to Albania. I thought it would an interesting trip, as Albania had been so isolated before the fall of the Iron Curtain. Alas, I was the only person who was interested and the excursion was cancelled. A small group was interested in heading up to Durmitor National Park in northern Montenegro, and it seemed to be a reasonable alternative, so I decided to take that trip instead. While the tour guide’s driving was terrifying, I did end up seeing some little-known but spectacular scenery.
Looking straight down at the Tara River (northern Montenegro)
Even if things don’t work out as planned, they (usually) still work out in a different way…the great Grand Canyon Blizzard of 2019 being a notable exception! Sometimes the unplanned alternative even surpasses the original intention. But no matter the outcome, these missed opportunities give me a great reason to go back to some of my favourite destinations.
After any significant sports competition, I prepare a “debrief” that captures my impressions and learnings from that event. I decided to do the same for this trip…my first significant international trip in four years.
Photo time on the Maulerhubel (above Winteregg, Switzerland)
Firstly – and I don’t think I can overstate this – I am so lucky to have a connection to Switzerland. And it doesn’t get old. I know I’ve taken hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures in Wengen, Grindelwald, and Mürren over the years, but I never tire of taking even more photos in this truly beautiful setting.
More photos…this time at the top of the Gimmeln lift (above Gimmelwald, Switzerland)
And while the slopes in the Zweisimmen area may lack the sheer size that you see at Wengen, it is still special to be there too. Knowing that my ancestors lived on (and worked) these mountains creates a special bond that I don’t feel anywhere else. It is only enhanced by knowing that I am related, however distantly, to many of the area residents!
The fearsome Birg lift station (top left), high above Mürren, Switzerland
But the mountains are only part of it. Beyond the natural beauty is something that doesn’t depend on where you are. Ironically, because holidays tend to be rushed, that something is…time.
View from our lunch spot at the Schilthornhütte, high above Mürren, Switzerland
In the inevitable extended periods of travel, whether by plane or by train, there is time to just…think. I used to think that “dead” time like that was just a necessary evil. But now I think it’s a blessing in disguise because, in our (hectic) daily lives, how often do we get a chance to just think deeply? This trip was great for that.
The ski posse having lunch at the Schilthornhütte…I took the previous picture from where my orange jacket is visible
The “deep thinking” isn’t just about the spectacular Swiss setting. It can be about almost anything. Part of the “deep think” is appreciating all of the great things about home.
Looking from the Schilthornhütte towards the Schilthorn summit (which we would soon visit)
Another part of the “deep think” is prioritizing the opportunities that lie ahead. Prioritizing is something that’s hard to do when you’re running from one thing to the next. But things can become much clearer when you have no cell phone, no internet connection, and no daily living concerns. This is when you discover your true passions and what is truly important to you.
Every direction you look, there’s a spectacular view (Mürren, Switzerland)
So, while I was naturally sad that my time in the mountains had come to an end, I felt energized by (and truly focused on) what was still to come. And isn’t that a perfect way to end a holiday?
Skiing down from the upper Mürren slopes to the lower Mürren slopes requires going through this narrow chasm. It is notorious for difficult conditions. But it is also a thrill to navigate!.
I’ve always found the last 24 hours of a vacation to be the most challenging. Especially after skiing in the spectacular Berner Oberland, it is very difficult for the last (urban) stop to compare favourably.
Hotel Wartmann in Winterthur, where I stayed on my last night in Switzerland
Ventilator Records in Winterthur, where I did some browsing before turning my mind to dinner
I settled on Winterthur, a city of about 110,000 people that is just about as close to Zürich’s airport as Zürich itself. I had never been to Winterthur before, and hoped that seeing something new might change the last day dynamic somewhat. I found a convenient hotel with good weekend rates…and a good breakfast!
The pedestrian-only Marktgasse in Winterthur, Switzerland
I really can’t complain about Winterthur. It seemed quietly prosperous, in an understated Swiss way, and at times resembled a scaled-down version of some of Zürich’s nicer parts. I felt completely safe walking around after dark and near the train station, which can’t be said for every city in the world.
The Stadtkirche in Winterthur, Switzerland
Exploring a new place did help a little bit. But, in the end, I just didn’t have enough time to get to know Winterthur and develop a rapport with it. Many of the shops had closed relatively early on Saturday and wouldn’t reopen until at least Monday. It seemed like the picturesque old town was relatively empty…and, to be fair, there was a (sold out) professional soccer match in Winterthur that afternoon.
Obere Kirchgasse in Winterthur, Switzerland
But, as you can see from the photos in this post, the overcast skies didn’t help. The light was flat, and reminded me of the not-so-scenic days of low visibility on the slopes. I imagined that the many cafés and restaurants would create a dynamic street scene in more favourable weather. While a few diehards were out on patios, it still seemed kind of forced.
Something a little different on Neustadtgasse in Winterthur, Switzerland
I still enjoyed the afternoon. I found an interesting record shop in an “up-and-coming” part of the city that probably used to be quite industrial. At a grocery store, I bought some Swiss items that I wouldn’t be able to find in Canada. I gathered some snacks for the upcoming long trip home. I scoped out some restaurants, with the intention of having one final truly Swiss meal that evening.
A couple of nice-looking restaurants in the “Graben” (Winterthur, Switzerland)
I found a restaurant (Restaurant zur Sonne) that seemed to be sufficiently Swiss. I even reprised a meal from earlier in this trip: Älplermagronen und Suure Moscht. This is essentially super-deluxe macaroni and cheese, served with a cold apple cider. It was solid and undoubtedly Swiss. But it couldn’t stop the inexorable progress of time. As I finished the last few bites, I knew that the trip was now over. It was now just about going home.
Everything seems “just so” in Winterthur!
Afterward, I took a photo of the restaurant from the street. However, it was already dark and the resulting picture will never make any Top Ten list. I’ve included it anyway, as it turned out to be the last photo of my trip.
Restaurant zur Sonne – I had my final Swiss dinner here, in the second floor restaurant (Winterthur, Switzerland)
I managed to get a good night’s sleep and a satisfying breakfast at the hotel. It’s funny how the trip home seems to take so long…and how much more noticeable the various delays seem to be. Even the usually efficient Zürich airport seemed to be struggling. But finally, after a long flight (no business class upgrade this time), and what seemed like an even longer wait for my luggage, I walked out the front door of Toronto’s Pearson Airport. I was now back home. My 2024 Swiss adventure was over.
But wait! There’s more! I’ve saved some Swiss mountain photos and some closing thoughts for another post…coming soon!
