Tell us about one of your defining Canadian travel moments? Canoe recalls swimming in the warm lakes of Algonquin Provincial Park with friends and family. The Ontario scenery was like a Group of Seven painting. And, at every turn, she imagined Pierre Trudeau paddling from around the corner in his trademark buckskin jacket. What memory stands out for you when you think of your Canadian adventures?
David Tetrault commented:
I remember staying at the Banff Springs Hotel in the middle of winter with my family. The kids were very young. The hotel was fairly empty. We were drinking hot chocolate in front of the huge stone fireplace, with a huge blazing fire, on the mezzanine level. The waiter brought us everything—sprinkles, marshmallows, cookies. They were not very busy that day and were having just as much fun as we were.
Julia Howell commented:
A family of seven we would camp most summers for economical and educational reasons. One summer to the west coast (from Ontario), the next to Atlantic Canada, all by Country Squire station wagon and, amazingly there was always room to squeeze in a hitchhiker. No doubt some of the characters that traveled with us ended up in our journals. I’ll never forget the picture of the moose I asked my dad to sketch for me (his contributions to our daily entries were in high demand). He captured that moment on Lake Superior perfectly, my first moose way off in the distance, its antlers jutting up through the mist on the water.
Leigh commented:
Just finished a week of sea kayaking the waters of Lake Superior and the trip has brought a flood of memories back even though I’d never been to Lake Superior before.
I feel most connected to Canada through the outdoors – when I see rocky shores, evergreen trees, sparkling blue lake water and hear the call of the loon – all of which happened on this trip – but the same has happened canoeing Bowron Lakes, kayaking the west coast of Vancouver Island and even biking the Cabot Trail.
I should mention bugs – as they are certainly part of the Canadian experience too.
linda commented:
In June 1983 five women and myself, ages ranging between the “late twenties to early fifties”, arrived in misty Port Renfrew to hike the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, Canada. Fortunately, one of us, Laura, an artist, had hiked the trail each spring for several years. She knew what we had to do to physically prepare for the hike, what to pack (and what not to – cosmetics!) and what food to bring, and once on the trail, where fresh drinking water was located, when to move inland to avoid incoming tides, how to climb the numerous ladders and cross logs situated high above ravines and ferry over rivers in cable cars. We hiked by the sea eating mussels (when safe to do so), purchased crab while crossing the Nitinat River, built fires and slept under tarps. Sometimes we hiked inland over wooden side walks built to preserve delicate flora. The smell and sounds of the sea lulled us to sleep. We even spent a night in a lighthouse. (But that’s another story.) Ten days later we arrived in Bamfield, our destination – refreshed, strong and rejuvenated from the beautiful nourishing wild – a journey which will be remembered always.
Linda, (and Jeannette, Laura, Jo, Toni and Ann )
P.S. Upon our return my daughter, Kim, was heard to say “If my Mom can do it, I can ….and she did….twice!