Tag Archives: Canada

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Flashback: Yukon and Alaska (2003)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In the summer of 2003, we visited a friend from Hinton, Alberta, who had recently moved to Whitehorse, Yukon. It was my first, and so far only, visit to this northern Canadian territory.

The Yukon River, near Whitehorse, Yukon. It’s big, of course.

The strongest impression I had from the Yukon was the space. It wasn’t completely isolated (the Alaska Highway passes through Whitehorse), but I never had the feeling of being crowded either. The streets were wide and everything just seemed…big. Despite not being on a sea, ocean, or even a lake, even the boats were big (see the SS Klondike photo at the top of this post).

Our train on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, on the way to Skagway, Alaska.

The most “touristy” part of our trip (and thus the most photographed) was our journey on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad to Skagway, Alaska. This railway originally ran from Whitehorse to Skagway, and it was the main route to the Yukon interior during the Klondike Gold Rush. The railway closed in 1982, but then reopened again in 1988 as a summer heritage railway.

Bleak terrain on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad,

During our visit, the first part of our trip was by bus: only the portion from Bennett (B.C.) to Skagway was operational. It now runs from Carcross (Yukon) to Skagway, and there are plans to have it once again run the entire length from Whitehorse to Skagway. There were some anxious moments en route…this is not easy terrain! But we made it to Skagway safe and sound. In fact, the line ends right on the docks where cruise ships stop in Skagway.

Hiking in the Dewey Lakes area, just above Skagway, Alaska.

Skagway is a small town, with only about 1,200 residents. You’re never far from nature, so it is easy to find appropriate hiking trails close to town. As we didn’t have a lot of specialized equipment, we limited ourselves to the Dewey Lakes area.

Hiking in the Dewey Lakes area, just above Skagway, Alaska.

Even though this was close to town, we really felt like we were “off the beaten track”. In some ways, the terrain (and tricky footing) was similar to our hiking adventure on Vancouver Island in 2023.

A saloon in downtown Skagway, Alaska.

Back in town, the local tourist industry really plays up the gold rush days. And with good reason: those were Skagway’s glory days, when the population was around 12,000! We found an old-fashioned saloon, and many other buildings that haven’t really changed in more than a century.

Jefferson Smith’s Parlor, in downtown Skagway, Alaska.

Given the small population, and the popularity of summer cruises along the Alaska coastline, Skagway is really transformed when a ship arrives. The inlet that ends at Skagway is quite narrow, but we still saw some fairly large ships sailing into port.

Between the docks and downtown Skagway, Alaska.

After a couple of nights in Skagway, we returned to Whitehorse. However, our “return” tickets on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad were actually for a bus on the return leg of our journey. I presume that this is to maximize the benefits from the short summer tourist season.

Exploring the coastline on the Taiya Inlet at Skagway, Alaska.

I think our two nights in Skagway were just right for us at the time. One full day of hiking and exploring the town felt appropriate. Since few of the cruise passengers actually stay overnight here, the evenings were very quite and peaceful.

I went through a phase where I would dramatically scale steep rocks.

Coming up – another international adventure!

Posts from the road

Highway 31 (and Murray Street) Revisited

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(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

When I travel, I crave new adventures. However, sometimes it is fun to revisit previous experiences and even tie them together. That’s exactly what I did when I recently drove the length of Highway 31 from Morrisburg to Ottawa.

The St. Lawrence River shoreline in Morrisburg, Ontario

Morrisburg is a small Ontario town that remains very special to me. In December 2009, I was a torchbearer for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Torch Relay…and my assigned segment was in Morrisburg. It was such a unique and vivid experience: I’ll never forget the feeling of floating with the flame. You can read all about it by clicking here. However, when I retraced the route I ran on Ottawa Street 15 years ago, that supercharged feeling was gone. No snow, no festivities, no anticipation…and no cheering crowd! It is amazing how context can transform the routine into something truly extraordinary. I even had to go back to my old blog post about it and confirm that I was looking at the right street. But sure enough…it was indeed Ottawa Street where I did most of my Olympic run.

The main intersection in downtown Winchester, Ontario.

Heading north, I stopped in the similarly-sized town of Winchester. Although it is not that far from Kingston, I somehow had never made it to Winchester before. It has a strong agricultural history, and all the utility posts have a “cow” pattern on the bottom. I took a couple of pictures before returning to Highway 31. Before long, all the signs were referring to Bank Street, a major Ottawa thoroughfare, instead of Highway 31.

The Town Hall in Winchester, Ontario.

Bank Street was a mixed bag. The neighbourhood known as “The Glebe” was doing well…perhaps a little too well, as the new development at the south end seemed a little out of scale. But much sadder was the decay on Bank Street near Parliament Hill. So many vacant storefronts, and real human suffering. It was nothing like the vibrant street I remembered from 30-40 years ago.

Kerala (Red) Rice and Kodanadu Chicken at Kochin Kitchen (Ottawa, Ontario)

But on the plus side, I also had a chance to revisit Murray Street…which I visited just 3 months ago. In fact, I ate out twice on Murray Street: once at each of the restaurants that I wrote about this spring. The first evening, I went back to Kochin Kitchen for some Keralan food. I had the Kodanadu Chicken again, but this time I paired it with Kerala rice…which has a red tinge!

Dimly lit but brilliantly flavoured Gaeng Panang Curry at Khao Thai (Ottawa, Ontario)

The second night, I went to Khao Thai…which was full when I tried to go there in June. It was still fairly busy, but I was able to get a table. I had a spicy Gaeng Panang curry with some jasmine rice. It was excellent. It was a perfect blend of (most of) my favourite Thai elements: red curry, peanuts, coconut milk, and green and red peppers. And some peas! Yes, it was a little more expensive than the Thai restaurants in Kingston, but I’d have to say it was worth it.

Entering Gatineau, Quebec, after crossing the bridge from Ottawa

And finally, as has become my Ottawa tradition, I included a “walk through Quebec”. Using two of the bridges that connect Ottawa and Gatineau, I saw many of downtown Ottawa’s highlights (including the Chateau Laurier – see photo at the very top of this post) in a whirlwind tour. Even though I have advised against ultra-brief visits to places just to say I’ve been there, I must admit that I still do like the idea of crossing borders. That’s good: in about a month, I’ll be visiting another country. More details to come!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Flashback: My most northern destinations

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

The summer is a great time to head north. With the long hours of daylight, there is so much more to see! On that note, here are some of my most northern destinations…

Overlooking Iqaluit’s harbour

In Canada, the farthest north I’ve been is to Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut (Canada’s largest territory). After getting over the sticker shock, I developed a much deeper appreciation for the differences between the various parts of Canada. As I wrote in this post about my 2013 trip to Iqaluit, you should take advantage of any opportunity you might have to visit Nunavut. You will never forget it!

“Welcome to Iqaluit”, in the 4 languages of Nunavut

2013 was a great year to go north. Later that summer, I found myself in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. Yellowknife is still connected by road (albeit a very long road) to the rest of Canada, which meant that it had some superficial similarities to other Canadian cities. But, as with Nunavut, I felt that a true Northern experience would require a trip to one of the smaller outlying communities. That remains a travel goal of mine.

Floating houses in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

And yes, I’ve been to the Yukon Territory (and Alaska) too! However, so far, I haven’t converted that experience to a post on this blog. It’s a rainy day project of mine to track down some pictures and make it happen. The same goes for my 1999 trip to Harrington Harbour, Quebec, a remote village on the north shore of St. Lawrence River (near Labrador).

Downtown Grímsey, right beside the Arctic Circle

Despite living in Canada, the farthest north I’ve ever been was in…Iceland! In 2008, we spent a remarkable two weeks there. We even made it to Grimsey, an island north of the Arctic Circle. Sure, the journey by boat made us sick, but once again it was an experience that we’ll never forget.

The boat we took back to Balestrand, Norway

On mainland Europe, I’ve been to each of the Scandinavian countries. But within those countries, my most northerly destination was Fjærland, Norway (see photo at the very top of this post). You can find the details in this post about our 2010 adventure in the Norwegian fjords. Interestingly, I wasn’t particularly struck by the “northernness” of this area. It was beautiful, to be sure, but in an Alpine way! Sometimes, it felt like we were in Switzerland rather than Scandinavia.

Broch of Gurness, Orkney

Another northern destination that left an impact on me was Orkney, a cluster of islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Like many other northern destinations, there weren’t a whole lot of trees in Orkney. But, as you can see from these two posts (one about ancient Orkney, the other about “relatively more recent” aspects of Orkney), you don’t need a lot of trees to be a captivating place. We haven’t returned yet, but one day we will.

Kirkwall Bowling Green, Orkney – I hope to play here for real someday!

As I reviewed my blog posts about these northern destinations, two common themes emerged: (1) the north is unforgettable, and (2) we’ll return someday and dig even deeper!

Posts from the road

Don’t forget to stop and look around!

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(Grafton, Ontario, Canada)

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!

Posts from the road

More non-traditional Ontario destinations

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(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!

Posts from the road

A day in the hidden town of Preston

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(Preston, Ontario, Canada)

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!

Posts from Base Camp

My local haunts in downtown Kingston

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

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!

Posts from the road

Ottawa’s Murray Street

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(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

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.

Posts from Base Camp

10 years later – what has happened since?

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

During my 2014 travel year, I visited a lot of countries. You can look at the countries and statistics in this post: Travel by the Numbers | Pierre Vanderhout’s Travel Blog.

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!

Posts from the road

Gatineau Getaway

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(Wakefield, Quebec, Canada)

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 and raclette. 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!