Too Square to be Hip
A narcissist's guide to travel and culture
On September 5th 1945, a young cypher clerk by the name of Igor Gouzenko walked out of the Soviet embassy in Ottawa with a series of top-secret documents. His actions that day would alter the course of history. The gripping revelation that the Soviets were stealing nuclear secrets from the west helped uncover a dazzling …
Yes, you read this title correctly! This is a big apple, a very big apple. It is an apple so big that if you are driving on Highway 401, it will be impossible to miss. After years of ignoring this apple I finally stopped in, and… well what can I else can I say about …
Along Ontario’s Highway 7 corridor you will find two stunning mills, now dedicated to preserving Canada’s industrial heritage. From wool, lumber and floor these buildings Hope Mill First built in 1835 by William Lang, this sawmill structure became one of the most important structures in the region after the mill in the village of Lang …
Located on the south side of Lake Scugog, the tiny town of Port Perry is easy to miss but hard to take your eyes of when you have finally arrived. Known for its traditional architecture and quaint atmosphere, it is a joy to visit. History Surveyed by 1809, and settled starting in the 1820’s, the …
This post contains two worthwhile, but small, attractions off Highway 7, a roadway that crosses through Central Ontario connecting Ottawa and Toronto. O’Hara Mill Homestead and Conservation Area My first stop along Highway 7, was the O’Hara Mill Homestead. My dog needed a short walk and this was the perfect place for it! From the …
If you find yourself along the Highway 7 corridor and are looking for a quick but worthwhile road trip stop-off, I strongly recommend Campbellford. The quaint town offers two worthwhile attractions, a beautiful view of the Ranney Gorge and a Giant Toonie! Geography Situated between the 401 and Highway 7, this mid-sized town sits on …
Eastern Ontario’s western extent is home to sleepy little towns forgotten by time. One of these, Packenham, is worth a visit. Named after a brother-in-law to the Duke of Wellington, Sir Edward Michael Pakenham, its claim to fame is a stunning stone bridge that spans five majestic arches, the only five arched stone bridge in …
Locked in a battle for recognition, the Villages of Tweed and Creemore both claimed to be the smallest jail in North America. The most interesting think that can be said about Tweed however is its ability to grab headlines with strange news stories that no city its size can usually pull off. Although isolated along …
From far in the distance, Mount Ham cuts an impressive figure. The strange hump among the flat rural Quebec landscape looks like a hunchback whale washed up on shore. This solitary rock makes for a great first glance at the Eastern Townships. Geography Part of the northern range of the Appalachian Mountain chain, a series …
Not far from both Mont Tremblant and the quaint village of St. Agate you will find the township of Saint‑Donat, where thick forests dot a lac covered landscape. It is a beautiful place, but one that is solemn. The hills, so beautiful from far, hide the resting place of twenty four members members of Canada’s …
