Canada is an amazing country!

Many many moons ago, as a child, I traveled this great country of Canada from sea to shining sea. Literally. Many of the wonders were lost on one so young, but I have since developed an appreciation for the many faucets of Canada.

Canada boasts vastly diverse cultures, wildlife, agriculture, landscapes and seascapes.  All of which make for some colourful and unique communities.

I was reminded of some of these on my last mini vacation and would like to share some of them with you because I would like to bring some recognition to the province of Ontario, Canada.

Let me educate you on some of the beauty to be found here in our smaller communities.

We recently took a couple of days of vacation to explore one of Ontario’s regions. At first we contemplated some of the larger tourist attractions (some of which are listed below), but decided to try and find something smaller a few hours from home where we would experience some of the local colors. Our research led us to Gravenhurst

We learned they housed a landmark 100 year old Opera House, still sail their antique steamships and original wooden hand made motor boats, offer local history, an artistic and musical community and antique shops for those who love to bargain and browse. We made a brief virtual visit and decided to sojourn in person.

The best part of this trip was boarding and sailing the RMS Segwun, one of their fully functional antique steam ships. What an amazing experience.

We set sail at 6:00 PM on their sunset dinner cruise for a three hour tour.  But unlike Giligan and the Skipper and their crew, we were not stranded on a deserted island after a freak storm. 

We enjoyed some spectacular scenery and local color.

We arrived back safely after dinner, good wine, great company and a spectacular sunset with the cool evening wind in our face. I stood at the bow (I think that pointy part at the front of the ship is called the bow right?) and fought the temptation to climb up and spread my arms and fly like Kate Winslett in Titanic.

We found our tour by surfing the internet. Ontario Cruise Lake Muskoka

300 feet deep connecting with Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph, Lake Muskoka shoreline boasts some lavish homes for some of the rich and famous, drawn here for the beauty.

Some of the homes appear to be built right on the water itself, while others are perched on top of a sheer drop of a cliff with no visible way to get to the water.

We talked about the possibility that maybe they had a water slide to get to their equally impressive boat houses. But unless they built an elevator inside the cliff, we could see no way for them to return to the houses at the top. While the site was impressive it certainly seemed impractical.

But then if I was rich and famous, I think I would defy the laws of gravity for some privacy too.

One of the many islands on Lake Muskoka is Christmas Island. Being one of the larger Islands, it is peppered with trails from which you can see some of the 22,000 flowers which the owner (of the entire Island) plants every year.

This particular piece of real estate we were told would sell today for 7.5 million dollars. Not much I understand for a small home in some parts of the world, but a major fortune here. I’m still hoping to win that dang lottery!

Only 0.6 hectares in size, this is a famous bird sanctuary first established to support the Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorants, Herring Gulls and other migratory birds. We did not see any Great Blue Heron’s while on our Tour, but did manage to see one up close on the board walk back to our hotel.

I asked my husband how the birds knew it was a sanctuary for them. Straight faced, he responded “They have signs posted of course” . I still haven’t figured out how the birds know, but as you can see by the picture, the island is covered in birds.

Sunset Dinner Cruise on the RMS Segwun proved to be a feast for the eyes. The crew were knowledgeable in local history and folk lore. Some local residents on the cruise also provided rich conversation and entertaining facts.

The weather entertained us before we had to leave the hotel to traverse the board walk to the RMS Segwun. We were treated to an awe inspiring light and sound show that threatened to keep us in doors. But the sun fought through the clouds just long enough to let us enjoy this scenic tour.

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Check out these wine regions of Ontario and learn about their wines

• Prince Edward County
• Niagara Escarpment
• Niagara-on-the-Lake
• Toronto and York Region
• Lake Erie North Shore

We boast some great provincial parks, with Algonquin being the most widely known, offering something for everyone:

• Boating
• Fishing
• Swimming
• Hiking
• Wildlife
• Biking
• Backcountry camping

View some breathtaking photos 

There are some very well known cities in Ontario

Ottawa

• Parliament buildings
• Art programs
• Theatre and museums

Toronto is one of the biggest metropolises in the country - teaming with cultural diversity

• Ontario Place
• The Science Centre
• The Royal Ontario Museum
• A great Zoo
• the liberal arts and “life” it all it’s varied and colored faucets

Niagara Falls

• For the beauty of the falls
• The Maid of the Mist
• Marine Land
• Casino
• And all the chintzy, glittery tourist attractions

I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit as you experienced "My Ontario".

Until the next time