Too Square to be Hip
A narcissist's guide to travel and culture
This small Quebec town located part way between the cities of Ottawa and Montreal is not a place I had ever thought of stopping off at during my many road trips trips along the 417 highway. Riguaud, at one point, was primarily known for its small ski hill and producing many strippers for Quebec’s clubs. …
On the shimmering shores of Lake Simcoe, part way between the cities of Barrie and Orillia, you will find a shall hamlet called Shanty Bay. Although little in stature, the town holds one of Canada’s lesser known attractions, the church of Saint Thomas. This religious structure in very important to Canada’s black community, you see …
Arriving at Big Chute and the Six Mile Channel Taking Highway 400 north towards Sudbury, you will want to exit at Roadway 34 (Whyte’s Falls Road), where the windy sideroad will take you through the beautiful rock filled northern landscape towards your destination. On your way you will drive across the Six Mile Channel, a …
Arrival on Site Exiting the 400, onto Georgian Bay road you will find a short dirt road leading to a parking lot for the conservation area. There are two paths heading from here, the first path north you will want to avoid unless you want to head out to the boat launch area. This boat …
Exploring Fort Willow What you see today is a recreation of the historic wooden enclave that has stood here since time immemorial, although it looked somewhat different during the centuries of use by the indigenous First Nations and even during the French Fur Trade Area. The surrounding area is deep woods and brush that can …
Located deep in the heart of the Blue Mountains, you will find a ruined stone cottage once belonging to a Canadian Crown Counselor from Toronto. His name was Britton Bath Osler. A man of wealth and taste, a summer cottage for him famously consisted of a 15 room castle! Although but a shadow of its …
Hillary House & Koffler Museum of Medicine (Aurora) The first place we visit in this post is the tiny, yet wealthy, town of Aurora. In fact it has been ranked in the top 10 wealthiest towns in Canada, although most of the city is of no particular interest to me, being a mish mash of …
Who is Thomas Foster? Thomas Foster was an eccentric and very successful man. A businessman, he worked his way up the ladder from a simple butchers boy, to a member of Canadian Parliament, city councillor and a one time mayor of Toronto, yes one could say that Mr. Foster led an interesting life. He spent …
Collingwood The principle settlement in this part of Ontario, Collingwood is a popular waterfront destination for the Toronto crowd, something that has caused somewhat of a development boom along the old city port. This frontier of civilization has much to offer to its visitors. Once home to the Iroquois, it was settled in the 1840’s …
This trio of port cities at the tip of a large paw shaped peninsula jutting out into the Georgian Bay are filled with history. From the Huron occupation to its settler past, this region is rich in both history and natural beauty. Port McNicoll Although there is little left of this once great shipping port, …
