Canada Episode 2

In the second installment of my adventure across Canada it all starts at Niagara Falls, before I head off to discover more of the French half of the country. I’m going to check out Toronto and then head north to the gorgeous Lakes area. Then it’s off to Ottawa and finally I finish my trip in the magnificent Montreal.

The spectacle of Niagara Falls is something that has to be seen to be truly appreciated. The raw power and natural beauty of this iconic landmark has made it one of the most well known natural wonders on the planet. Around 6 million cubic feet of water cascades over the 50m falls every minute. The rumble it creates can be heard for miles and a thick mist fills the surrounding air. It’s no wonder why millions of tourists come here every year.

From the busy streets of Niagara, to the even busier sidewalks of Toronto. I made my way around the massive Lake Ontario to Canada’s largest city.

Toronto is the economic capital of the country and home to close to six million people. It’s regarded as the most ethnically diverse city in the world, with almost half the residents being born outside of Canada. This makes it a truly international and cosmopolitan place, and a city where anyone will feel welcome.

Here I visited Toronto’s most prominent landmark, the CN Tower. It once stood as the tallest free-standing land structure in the world, at 553 metres. It’s a great place to come and find you bearings and see the sprawling city from a bird’s eye view.

From the heights of CN Tower I headed back to street level, in the downtown neighbourhood of Kensington Market. This place epitomizes the multicultural and eclectic nature of Toronto. It’s a centre for counterculture, fashion, ethnic food, art, music and all things creative.

The streets can be a bit of a maze, so I met with local chef Chavez, to show me around the area. We couldn’t walk 10 metres without someone coming out of their store to say hello and try to drag us in to eat their food. The people here are so friendly. Kensington Markets is a microcosm of the perfect community, where everyone coexists in peace, regardless of their cultural, social or economic differences. It’s also a food lovers dream!

Leaving the city lights in my dust, I hit the road northward into lake country, heading towards the town of Huntsville. The following morning I was up at daybreak, rising early to make the most of my time at Algonquin Park for a paddle on the pristine waters of Lake Opeongo. It’s popular with day-trippers, but I was keen on a true wilderness experience. And a night in a tent, under the stars is the best way to do it.

Guiding on the waters was Matt from Algonquin Outfitters. He’s an outdoorsmen who knows this place like the back of his hand. He also knows what to do to keep safe, because there are bears in them there hills.

You can paddle for days out here, exploring the many bays and inlets, pitching your tent of an afternoon and sitting by the campfire. It’s also a great place to see Canadian wildlife, including countless bird species, wolves and moose. Oh yeah, and for the fishermen out there, they say there’s plenty of trout and small mouth bass lurking in these waters.

The next day I headed back to Toronto, to hop on a flight to the Canadian capital of Ottawa. While it might only be a short trip, about an hour, it takes you to a completely different world.

The contrast between the cities in western Canada and even Toronto, to this place, is huge. From the moment you drive into Ottawa you can see the influence the French have had here. The architecture is reminiscent of a European city and the atmosphere has an air of sophistication about it.

First stop was the 10am changing of the guard ceremony on Parliament Hill. It brings stirring military drill and music to the city and takes you back to a time when pomp and ceremony were big parts of military life. It’s quite spectacular and definitely worth checking out.

A short walk from Parliament Hill is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Flanked by guards in formal dress, it’s a somber reminder of the sacrifice made by others to protect our freedom. Inspired by this striking monument, I made my way across town to the Canadian War Museum to find out more about Canada’s war history.

The museum has one of the world’s best collections of military vehicles and artillery, as well as various other important artifacts. But one of the most unique items here is a parade car, used by none other than Adolf Hitler. It’s kind of eerie looking at a vehicle that carried one of the most notorious men in history.

Next on the agenda was The Canadian Museum of Civilization. It’s the countries most popular cultural attraction. It covers a massive 25,000 square meters of display space, so it was a good thing I had Julie-Anne to show me around. This place is where you come to learn about how Canada was settled and discover a little more about the first nations people that inhabited the area prior to European arrival. It also houses the world’s largest collection of totem poles.

For lunch in Ottawa, or more specifically Gatineau, you can’t look past Les Brasseurs du Temps. To be honest, it wasn’t the food that brought me here, the reason for my visit was to try the beer that this restaurant come brewery is famous for. This particular establishment is known for a tasting plate called ‘The Clock’ which contains 12 ‘tasting-sized’ glasses of the in-house made beers – It’s one for those that like fine ales, and aren’t driving home.

Leaving Ottawa it was a scenic two hour train trip through gorgeous farmland, into the state of Quebec and Montreal city. The city of Montreal is a genuine mix of European charm and North American energy. It has the style, architecture and sophistication of a French city, fused with the edgy confidence, vigour and friendliness of the Canadian people. It’s such a diverse city that anyone can find their place here.

After looking around the city for a while, I headed to Montreal’s most popular lunch haunt – Schwartz’s.

This world famous eatery is a Montreal institution. It was established in 1928 by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania. It’s now a landmark and no matter what time of day you come here there’s pretty much always a line extending right outside the door. The Kosher-style smoked meat is so popular that they even sell it via mail order!

To walk off a few calories I went to the historic area of Old Montreal, it’s where the European influence in the cityscape is most apparent. The architecture here is a fusion of the contemporary, and that typical of the late 1800’s and mid 1900’s, with cobblestone streets and grand old buildings that look like something out of France. This old part of the city is a major tourist draw card. Apart from the relaxed atmosphere, restaurants, art galleries and cafes, there are street performers, horse-drawn carts and plenty of places to sit back and do a little people watching.

To finish my Canadian journey I went to the St Lawrence River on the outskirts of the city. Here I tried my hand at something pretty unique -river surfing! The powerful river creates a wave-like rapid that the locals surf on, and thanks to the very patient Darren from Imagine Surfboards, I managed to catch a wave, albeit for about two seconds!