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.All Trips / Eastern Canada / Ontario
Rambling around Thunder Bay’s Waterfront
Situated on the northwestern shore of the world’s largest lake, Lake Superior, the small city of Thunder Bay is home to one of my favorite people (my baby brother). I enjoy visiting the city, especially during its summers which are warm and pleasant.
One of the nicest places to explore on foot is the waterfront along the northern section of town. Much of the southern shore of Thunder Bay is devoted to transporting the bounty of the prairies to foreign markets. There are many massive grain elevators alongside which ships pull up and fill their bins with wheat and other grains from the vast stores within the elevators.
The area around the Prince Arthur’s Landing has undergone a dramatic revitalization …
Tagged harbor, Thunder Bay, waterfront
“Pic of the Week”, December 29, 2017: Terry Fox Monument, Ontario
The Terry Fox monument is located on the outskirts of Thunder Bay, just off the TransCanada Highway. The monument honors a popular Canadian hero. Terry had a leg amputated as a young man because of bone cancer. Thinking he was cured, Terry began a “Marathon of Hope” raising cancer awareness and funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. Every day Terry ran, in his hobbling manner on (by today’s standards) a primitive prosthesis, the full distance of a marathon with his goal being to run the breadth of Canada. When he was nearly half finished, Terry became ill and had to abandon his quest. Thinking at first it might just be a cold, Fox and the nation were heartbroken to discover …
Dec 28, 2017
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.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Ontario
Ouimet Canyon, Ontario
Situated about an hour outside the city of Thunder Bay on the Lake Superior’s north shore is a natural wonder you’d never suspect was there if you didn’t know about it. This is where you’ll find Ouimet Canyon, one of Ontario’s many Provincial Park.
You’ll need to do a short 1 km hike to get to the canyon from the parking lot. The trail is partially smooth dirt, partially a boardwalk and overall is accessible to all. It’s important to stay on the trails because the canyon is hidden by dense forest and you wouldn’t want to accidently step into the gorge. The walk is easy and lovely and takes you to two viewing platforms from which you get panoramic …
Tagged canyon, hiking, Ouimet canyon, Thunder Bay
.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Ontario
A visit to the Library of Parliament, Ottawa
When you stand on the bank of the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Quebec, (especially by the Canadian Museum of History), and look across the river you see the Canadian Parliamentary buildings. This is the view captured in the above image. The rounded building with flying buttresses in this complex, which is the one in the foreground and closest to the river, is the Parliamentary Library. Before we step inside, let’s take a look at the history of the Library.
A Brief History of the Library of Parliament
Canada’s Library of Parliament began in the late 18th century with the legislative libraries of Upper and Lower Canada. These two libraries were amalgamated in 1841 when Upper and Lower Canada united. It was not …
Tagged capital, Library, Ottawa, Parliament, Parliamentary Library
“Pic of the Week”, August 11, 2017: Niagara Floral Clock
The Ontario Hydro/Niagara Parks Commission Floral Clock is situated on the Niagara River Parkway not far from Niagara Falls. It’s a popular and quick stop for people visiting the area.
The floral clock was inspired by the famous clock in Princess Street Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Niagara clock is the largest of its kind in the world and is three times larger than the Edinburgh clock. The planted face is maintained by Niagara Parks horticulture staff, while the mechanism is kept in working order by Ontario Hydro. Designs for the face of this clock are changed seasonally.
Here are some of …
Aug 10, 2017
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.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Nova Scotia
Burntcoat Head Park, Nova Scotia. World-Record Tide
The highest tides in the world occur in Canada’s Bay of Fundy, which separates New Brunswick from Nova Scotia. Twice each day the Bay of Fundy fills and empties about 160 billion tons of water. In 1975 The Guinness Book of World Records listed Burntcoat Head Park in Nova Scotia as the site of the greatest average tide of 47.5 feet. with an extreme range of 53.6 feet. That’s about as tall as a four story building!
When I visited Nova Scotia last fall, one of the top things on my “to do” list was to see the sight of this great tidal surge. Ideally you want to be there at both low and high tide to see …
Tagged Bay of Fundy, Burntcoat Head, Park, tide
Eastern Canada / North America / Ontario
“Pic of the Week”, April 7, 2017: Lake of the Woods Discovery Center, Kenora
Situated on the shore of beautiful Lake of the Woods is a fairly new “Discovery Center”, which my father and I stopped at during our road trip to Thunder Bay last summer. A tourist information stop, with a boat dock, picnic areas and places to walk your dogs and for kids to run and play, it also has some interesting exhibits. In the summer, the famous “Ye Olde Chip Truck” — a Kenora icon — is open for business in its parking lot
I found the display of vintage outdoor boat motors fascinating, the oldest dating back more than 100 years (1914 Evinrude). It was interesting to see how the design of outboard motors has changed over the decades. There is also a display of …
Tagged Kenora, Lake of the Woods, Outboard Motors
.All Trips / Eastern Canada / North America / Nova Scotia
Signs of Halifax, Nova Scotia
I’d never visited Halifax before this past summer and was not quite sure what I’d find when I visited. As it is a provincial capital, I expected a lot of government and corporate offices and was not to be disappointed in that regard. I didn’t expect the city’s natural harbor to be as lovely as it was, nor did I expect the downtown construction boom we encountered as the area is one of the poorest in Canada. It is also one of the dirtiest cities I’ve seen in a country known for its cleanliness, so this revitalization offers promises of a better tomorrow.
Halifax has a number of interesting attractions, none overwhelming, but with an engaging Maritime Museum and a unique …
