Tag Archives: Canada

Posts from the road

Global cuisine in Ottawa

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(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

Yes, I’ve done a few posts featuring food in Ottawa. But I often find myself there, and the food offerings are just about as diverse as you would expect in the nation’s capital.

My dinner at The Greek Souvlaki Shack

Sometimes it’s best to take recommendations from others. I don’t often choose Greek food, partly due to my aversion to heavy doses of garlic. But one of my work colleagues suggested trying The Greek Souvlaki Shack on Bank Street, and I was happy with my large salad-laden plate. And a ton of cheese don’t hurt!

East Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

So…about that garlic aversion. I really don’t enjoy how garlic overwhelms other flavours. I can’t avoid it completely, but I try to keep it to a minimum. I would much rather be immersed in incendiary peppers, because at least the burn disappears before long. Garlic just…hangs around. Sometimes for days. I don’t want to taste the same meal over and over again once I’ve finished it!

Centre Block (Peace Tower), Parliament Hill, Ottawa (under renovation)

But I do make some exceptions to my anti-garlic doctrine. And one of them is for Ethiopian food. I just have so much fun with the flavours, diversity, colours, and rituals of Ethiopian food that I can overlook the often garlic-heavy dishes.

The Hareg Cafe, on Bank Street in Ottawa

In Ottawa, I’ve enjoyed my meals at the Hareg Cafe, at the northern edge of the trendy Glebe neighbourhood. On this occasion, I went for the vegetarian platter. And I enjoyed the flavours, diversity, colours, and rituals just as much as ever.

Vegetarian Platter, at Hareg Cafe in Ottawa

I never make or buy injera “bread” at home, and Kingston has no Ethiopian restaurants, but that makes injera even more special every time I have it. The sourdough flavour is one of my favourites, and of course I still love eating with my hands. I’m not so good with chopsticks, so it is nice to have some skill in scooping food with injera!

The Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa

Speaking of chopsticks, I had to use them at the Maht Korean restaurant on Kent Street. I’ve eaten there before, but this time I decided to try something new…Korean Fried Chicken!

Spicy Boneless Korean Fried Chicken at Maht in Ottawa

As you can see from the photo above, this is not a light meal. And this is the boneless version, so it’s even heavier that it first appears. The coating is not too different from Kentucky Fried Chicken (although I haven’t had it in ages). But the sauce is entirely different. I opted for the spicy version…and I got what I asked for. You can see the rich, deep red sauce on the far right.

West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Like most authentic Korean restaurants, complimentary kimchi and pickles are provided too. With kimchi delivering the usual spicy umami taste experience, my tastebuds had a full-on assault. But be careful – if the chicken comes right from the fryer, it can burn your mouth if you’re not careful!

Coming up: more Canadian content…including a trip out west!

Posts from the road

From Smiths Falls to Flesherton

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(Ontario, Canada)

For the last two-and-a-half months, I have been criss-crossing Ontario…mostly to play in tournaments. As a result, I haven’t had as much pure “travel” time. Special experiences, sites, and food have been squeezed in when and where possible. Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been up to.

My dinner at “My Place”, in Smiths Falls, Ontario

I like to play early season tournaments on the artificial grass surface in Nepean (Ottawa). At that time of year, most other Ontario clubs (which have natural grass) suffer from damp and very slow greens. As it is a two-hour drive, we often stop in Smiths Falls for dinner on the way home. And our favourite restaurant there is called “My Place.”

Canada geese, also known as cobra chickens, are much less threatening when they are young.

Despite the fairly anonymous name, “My Place” is clearly rooted in the cuisine of Czechia (Czech Republic) and nearby countries. Schnitzel and goulash are very well represented. I’ve never been disappointed with their food. And while dessert would have been too much, their desserts looked home-made and delicious.

The Cobourg Lawn Bowling Club has a beautiful location near Lake Ontario

In June, I went to a provincial championship tournament in Hanover, Ontario. It’s nowhere near Smiths Falls. But we had stopped in Hanover 10 years ago, on our way home from Goderich, so we looked forward to seeing what changes the intervening decade had brought. Sadly, the Dutch store on the main street was no longer there. But the Schultz Home Bakery *was* still there, and I managed to get a photograph this time!

Schultz Home Bakery, in Hanover, Ontario

But we didn’t stay in Hanover. Instead, we went to the nearby town of Flesherton. We found a freshly renovated hotel (Leela’s Villa Inn) offering large rooms and an included breakfast at the adjoining restaurant. The price was right and it was nice to stay in a quiet, small town that we had only passed through before. And apparently Flesherton is the home of former NHL player Chris Neil (for proof – see the photo at the very top of this post!).

The main intersection in downtown Flesherton, Ontario

Once again, the randomness of it all was very appealing. Stay tuned for more Ontario adventures, including a culinary tour of the nation’s capital!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Flashback: Harrington Harbour, Quebec (1999)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In the 1990s, Aeroplan (Air Canada’s loyalty program) had some great deals. The cheapest reward level would let you fly from anywhere in Ontario to anywhere in Quebec. Well, I found a nifty itinerary: a five-flight (!) odyssey from Kingston, Ontario, to Harrington Harbour, Quebec.

The airport in Sept–ĂŽles, Quebec

As one of my long-time friends had recently moved to Harrington Harbour, I took the opportunity to visit on the May 23 (Victoria Day) weekend. I flew from (1) Kingston to Toronto, (2) Toronto to Montreal, (3) Montreal to Sept-Iles, (4) Sept-Iles to Chevery (an 11-seat plane with a stop in Natashquan), and (5) Chevery to Harrington Harbour (by helicopter). Whew! I certainly maximized my frequent flyer reward on this trip.

This is how I arrived in Harrington Harbour! This helicopter travels to and from the mainland village of Chevery, Quebec

Harrington Harbour is a small fishing village (current population 205) on the remote North Shore of the St. Lawrence River. While it lies in Quebec, it is very close to the Labrador border…and it really felt like a Newfoundland outport. English is the spoken language, and the accent is similar to what you hear in rural Newfoundland.

View from the eastern edge of Harrington Harbour

While my itinerary was challenging, I did not have too much choice. Harrington Harbour is on an island near the mainland village of Chevery. But, even today, neither one is reachable by road. The only real choices are travelling by air or, between April and January, by boat. As you can see from the photos, there was still some snow on the ground even though summer was less than a month away.

The aptly-named Windbreaker Bridge in downtown Harrington Harbour. Notice the horizontal drawstrings.

As there are no roads to Harrington Harbour, there really isn’t a need for big cars and trucks. And there really aren’t streets either. Instead, there is a network of boardwalks upon which smaller vehicles (like ATVs) can navigate the rocky terrain. When the ships can’t access the town in the winter, neighbouring communities are accessible by snowmobile.

Looking east from Harrington Harbour

By 1999, I still hadn’t visited any of Canada’s northern territories. But when I look at the Harrington Harbour pictures now, I see a little bit of Nunavut in the rocky, treeless landscape. When you look at a map, this begins to make sense. Harrington Harbour is almost as far north as James Bay.

The wharf and fish plant in downtown Harrington Harbour

As a rare visitor from Ontario, I was welcomed into the community for a couple of special events. The first was a volleyball game. As with my high school exchange to Hinton, Alberta, this was a sport that everybody in Canada seemed to play.

The wind has calmed down a bit!

I also took part in the Victoria Day festivities. As you can see, a serious bonfire was built and it burned for quite a long time.

United Church in Harrington Harbour, Quebec.

While those activities were boisterous, it wasn’t hard to escape into complete silence. There aren’t any other communities on the island, so you can walk in pretty much any direction and be completely alone in the very northern landscape.

Victoria Day bonfire in Harrington Harbour

It is not easy for remote communities like Harrington Harbour to retain population. Having road access would likely create more opportunities and make it easier to keep people around. But, for now, there is still a 375 km gap east of Kegaska that is not accessible by road. I am not aware of a completion date for the extension of Route 138.

Stay tuned for more Canadian flashbacks…and, before too long, my spring trip to France!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Flashback: Road Trip to Timmins (2000)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

For today’s post, I’ve decided to go way back…25 years, to be precise. I was just starting my 2nd work career, and funds were relatively scarce for summer vacation purposes. We accepted an invitation to visit one of my law school friends in Timmins, Ontario, and hit the road in my (then) trusty Dodge Neon.

The non-existent community of Khartum, Ontario

Wikipedia describes the Timmins economy as “based on natural resource extraction.” In other words – lumber and mining play a huge role. More than 40,000 people live there, and it is the largest city in northeastern Ontario. As it is about a nine-hour drive due north from Kingston, we stopped overnight in North Bay before making the final push.

Eganville , Ontario – where french fries matter!

On the way, we stopped in small Ontario places like Khartum (which consists of a sign but no actual community), Eganville (home of legendary french fries), and Matheson (an important highway junction). And we also visited Rapides-des-Joachims, a tiny Quebec hamlet on an island accessible only from Ontario.

This local dog accompanied us throughout our visit to Rapides-des-Joachims, Quebec

While my friend’s house was in the city of Timmins, we didn’t spend too much time there. He also had a cottage just outside the city, and that turned out to be the base for most of our visit. Staying on a remote lake is a good way to experience this part of Ontario. Our only real “sightseeing” stop in Timmins itself was at the Hollinger Mine, where we went on an underground tour. The photo at the very top of this post is a restored typical miner’s house (a “Hollinger House”) from the glory days of mining in Timmins.

Ding Ho Restaurant in Matheson, Ontario. It’s still there, and still highly rated!

As a child, I had usually spent a week or so each summer at a friend’s cottage on Eagle Lake. It was about 45 minutes north of Kingston, close to the village of Sharbot Lake, Ontario. It was a special place, with neighbouring cottagers from all over Ontario and the northern U.S. I guess I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with cottage life, but whatever cottaging skills I had were already quite rusty by 2000. By now, they are probably non-existent! But I could still handle a canoe when we visited Norway in 2010.

About to enter the Hoillinger Mine in Timmins

Staying at the cottage was a great way to “get away from it all.” But all good things must end. Our circuitous route home took us through Ville-Marie (northwestern Quebec) and then through and around Ontario’s Algonquin Park. The pictures from that journey seem to be from a completely different era. And I suppose they are.

Near Kenogami Lake, Ontario

I’m particularly struck by a picture of a disused church (formerly known as St. Leonard’s Anglican Church) in the ghost town of Rockingham, Ontario. It had been abandoned since 1941, but the local community restored it in 1999-2000. The setting, at the edge of a thick forest, is very evocative. It’s well worth a visit if you find yourself in the area.

The former St. Leonard’s Church in Rockingham, Ontario

Coming soon: my 2025 travel destinations revealed!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Endpoints!

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

You either like travel planning, or you don’t. Very few people are neutral about this. Fortunately, I really enjoy structuring a trip. It may sound strange, but one of the best parts for me is figuring out my “endpoints”. For an overseas trip, this means the airports for my arrival and eventual departure.

I’m about to start that process now. I have an overseas trip planned for a couple of weeks in the spring, and I already know how I will be spending most of my time. But there is still some unaccounted time at the beginning and end of the trip. This makes the endpoints really important.

When I was in Europe earlier this year, my endpoints were Lyon (new to me) and Zürich  (not at all new to me). I was happy to explore Lyon, and I decided to end my trip in Winterthur (very close to the Zürich airport) as an alternative to Zürich.

Selecting those key endpoints for my spring trip is a complex challenge. As always, I am striving to keep my travel costs at a minimum. But it is a mistake to focus only on airfares. Taking direct flights, rather than dodgy itineraries with multiple connections, reduces the risk of lost luggage and/or missed flights. Ground transportation can also be very expensive, depending on the country.

I also have to consider the timing of my trip. For example, I love visiting Zweisimmen (Switzerland), but it is best in the summer or winter. At other times of the year, the weather can be dreary and many things are closed. So, I need to consider whether my proposed early- and late-trip locations are open or shut at that time of year.

But it is also possible for a location to be “too perfect” at a certain time of year. I need to check whether there is something special happening that could makes prices and crowds oppressive. I’m not planning on visiting the French Riviera in February, but it might not be a great idea in any event…that’s when the FĂŞte du Citron (Lemon Festival) is held in Menton.

Despite all these caveats, the flip side is this: whatever I decide, I should have the opportunity to experience something truly different. Hopefully, I will get to some places I’ve never been before. And it’s really fun to dig up special experiences, even if I’ve been to one of my endpoints before. I had been to Chicago in the summer of 2013, so initially I wasn’t thrilled to be marooned there in the winter of 2014. But I managed to have a great winter stay there, despite the frigid temperatures.

I expect that the endpoints of my upcoming trip will be finalized by the time of my next blog post. I’m really looking forward to the thrill of the chase, especially as my home town is damp, cold, and dark right now.

The pictures from today’s blog are all from a December 2 walk at Lemoine’s Point in Kingston. And, other than the cover photo at the very top, they are all in chronological order!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Flashback: Yukon and Alaska (2003)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In the summer of 2003, we visited a friend from Hinton, Alberta, who had recently moved to Whitehorse, Yukon. It was my first, and so far only, visit to this northern Canadian territory.

The Yukon River, near Whitehorse, Yukon. It’s big, of course.

The strongest impression I had from the Yukon was the space. It wasn’t completely isolated (the Alaska Highway passes through Whitehorse), but I never had the feeling of being crowded either. The streets were wide and everything just seemed…big. Despite not being on a sea, ocean, or even a lake, even the boats were big (see the SS Klondike photo at the top of this post).

Our train on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, on the way to Skagway, Alaska.

The most “touristy” part of our trip (and thus the most photographed) was our journey on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad to Skagway, Alaska. This railway originally ran from Whitehorse to Skagway, and it was the main route to the Yukon interior during the Klondike Gold Rush. The railway closed in 1982, but then reopened again in 1988 as a summer heritage railway.

Bleak terrain on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad,

During our visit, the first part of our trip was by bus: only the portion from Bennett (B.C.) to Skagway was operational. It now runs from Carcross (Yukon) to Skagway, and there are plans to have it once again run the entire length from Whitehorse to Skagway. There were some anxious moments en route…this is not easy terrain! But we made it to Skagway safe and sound. In fact, the line ends right on the docks where cruise ships stop in Skagway.

Hiking in the Dewey Lakes area, just above Skagway, Alaska.

Skagway is a small town, with only about 1,200 residents. You’re never far from nature, so it is easy to find appropriate hiking trails close to town. As we didn’t have a lot of specialized equipment, we limited ourselves to the Dewey Lakes area.

Hiking in the Dewey Lakes area, just above Skagway, Alaska.

Even though this was close to town, we really felt like we were “off the beaten track”. In some ways, the terrain (and tricky footing) was similar to our hiking adventure on Vancouver Island in 2023.

A saloon in downtown Skagway, Alaska.

Back in town, the local tourist industry really plays up the gold rush days. And with good reason: those were Skagway’s glory days, when the population was around 12,000! We found an old-fashioned saloon, and many other buildings that haven’t really changed in more than a century.

Jefferson Smith’s Parlor, in downtown Skagway, Alaska.

Given the small population, and the popularity of summer cruises along the Alaska coastline, Skagway is really transformed when a ship arrives. The inlet that ends at Skagway is quite narrow, but we still saw some fairly large ships sailing into port.

Between the docks and downtown Skagway, Alaska.

After a couple of nights in Skagway, we returned to Whitehorse. However, our “return” tickets on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad were actually for a bus on the return leg of our journey. I presume that this is to maximize the benefits from the short summer tourist season.

Exploring the coastline on the Taiya Inlet at Skagway, Alaska.

I think our two nights in Skagway were just right for us at the time. One full day of hiking and exploring the town felt appropriate. Since few of the cruise passengers actually stay overnight here, the evenings were very quite and peaceful.

I went through a phase where I would dramatically scale steep rocks.

Coming up – another international adventure!

Posts from the road

Highway 31 (and Murray Street) Revisited

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(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

When I travel, I crave new adventures. However, sometimes it is fun to revisit previous experiences and even tie them together. That’s exactly what I did when I recently drove the length of Highway 31 from Morrisburg to Ottawa.

The St. Lawrence River shoreline in Morrisburg, Ontario

Morrisburg is a small Ontario town that remains very special to me. In December 2009, I was a torchbearer for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Torch Relay…and my assigned segment was in Morrisburg. It was such a unique and vivid experience: I’ll never forget the feeling of floating with the flame. You can read all about it by clicking here. However, when I retraced the route I ran on Ottawa Street 15 years ago, that supercharged feeling was gone. No snow, no festivities, no anticipation…and no cheering crowd! It is amazing how context can transform the routine into something truly extraordinary. I even had to go back to my old blog post about it and confirm that I was looking at the right street. But sure enough…it was indeed Ottawa Street where I did most of my Olympic run.

The main intersection in downtown Winchester, Ontario.

Heading north, I stopped in the similarly-sized town of Winchester. Although it is not that far from Kingston, I somehow had never made it to Winchester before. It has a strong agricultural history, and all the utility posts have a “cow” pattern on the bottom. I took a couple of pictures before returning to Highway 31. Before long, all the signs were referring to Bank Street, a major Ottawa thoroughfare, instead of Highway 31.

The Town Hall in Winchester, Ontario.

Bank Street was a mixed bag. The neighbourhood known as “The Glebe” was doing well…perhaps a little too well, as the new development at the south end seemed a little out of scale. But much sadder was the decay on Bank Street near Parliament Hill. So many vacant storefronts, and real human suffering. It was nothing like the vibrant street I remembered from 30-40 years ago.

Kerala (Red) Rice and Kodanadu Chicken at Kochin Kitchen (Ottawa, Ontario)

But on the plus side, I also had a chance to revisit Murray Street…which I visited just 3 months ago. In fact, I ate out twice on Murray Street: once at each of the restaurants that I wrote about this spring. The first evening, I went back to Kochin Kitchen for some Keralan food. I had the Kodanadu Chicken again, but this time I paired it with Kerala rice…which has a red tinge!

Dimly lit but brilliantly flavoured Gaeng Panang Curry at Khao Thai (Ottawa, Ontario)

The second night, I went to Khao Thai…which was full when I tried to go there in June. It was still fairly busy, but I was able to get a table. I had a spicy Gaeng Panang curry with some jasmine rice. It was excellent. It was a perfect blend of (most of) my favourite Thai elements: red curry, peanuts, coconut milk, and green and red peppers. And some peas! Yes, it was a little more expensive than the Thai restaurants in Kingston, but I’d have to say it was worth it.

Entering Gatineau, Quebec, after crossing the bridge from Ottawa

And finally, as has become my Ottawa tradition, I included a “walk through Quebec”. Using two of the bridges that connect Ottawa and Gatineau, I saw many of downtown Ottawa’s highlights (including the Chateau Laurier – see photo at the very top of this post) in a whirlwind tour. Even though I have advised against ultra-brief visits to places just to say I’ve been there, I must admit that I still do like the idea of crossing borders. That’s good: in about a month, I’ll be visiting another country. More details to come!

Posts from Base Camp

Travel Flashback: My most northern destinations

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

The summer is a great time to head north. With the long hours of daylight, there is so much more to see! On that note, here are some of my most northern destinations…

Overlooking Iqaluit’s harbour

In Canada, the farthest north I’ve been is to Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut (Canada’s largest territory). After getting over the sticker shock, I developed a much deeper appreciation for the differences between the various parts of Canada. As I wrote in this post about my 2013 trip to Iqaluit, you should take advantage of any opportunity you might have to visit Nunavut. You will never forget it!

“Welcome to Iqaluit”, in the 4 languages of Nunavut

2013 was a great year to go north. Later that summer, I found myself in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. Yellowknife is still connected by road (albeit a very long road) to the rest of Canada, which meant that it had some superficial similarities to other Canadian cities. But, as with Nunavut, I felt that a true Northern experience would require a trip to one of the smaller outlying communities. That remains a travel goal of mine.

Floating houses in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

And yes, I’ve been to the Yukon Territory (and Alaska) too! However, so far, I haven’t converted that experience to a post on this blog. It’s a rainy day project of mine to track down some pictures and make it happen. The same goes for my 1999 trip to Harrington Harbour, Quebec, a remote village on the north shore of St. Lawrence River (near Labrador).

Downtown GrĂ­msey, right beside the Arctic Circle

Despite living in Canada, the farthest north I’ve ever been was in…Iceland! In 2008, we spent a remarkable two weeks there. We even made it to Grimsey, an island north of the Arctic Circle. Sure, the journey by boat made us sick, but once again it was an experience that we’ll never forget.

The boat we took back to Balestrand, Norway

On mainland Europe, I’ve been to each of the Scandinavian countries. But within those countries, my most northerly destination was Fjærland, Norway (see photo at the very top of this post). You can find the details in this post about our 2010 adventure in the Norwegian fjords. Interestingly, I wasn’t particularly struck by the “northernness” of this area. It was beautiful, to be sure, but in an Alpine way! Sometimes, it felt like we were in Switzerland rather than Scandinavia.

Broch of Gurness, Orkney

Another northern destination that left an impact on me was Orkney, a cluster of islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Like many other northern destinations, there weren’t a whole lot of trees in Orkney. But, as you can see from these two posts (one about ancient Orkney, the other about “relatively more recent” aspects of Orkney), you don’t need a lot of trees to be a captivating place. We haven’t returned yet, but one day we will.

Kirkwall Bowling Green, Orkney – I hope to play here for real someday!

As I reviewed my blog posts about these northern destinations, two common themes emerged: (1) the north is unforgettable, and (2) we’ll return someday and dig even deeper!

Posts from the road

Don’t forget to stop and look around!

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(Grafton, Ontario, Canada)

Every once in a while, I am reminded that “it’s the journey, not the destination.” Today’s brief post is about how that can apply to even routine travel.

The Grafton Village Inn, in Grafton, Ontario.

I play a lot of tournaments in Cobourg, Ontario. It’s less than 90 minutes away by the 401 “autobahn”, and exactly 2 hours away by the slower and more interesting Highway 2. But even when I take Highway 2, I tend to “press on” when I get close to Cobourg. Similarly, when I return from Cobourg, I want to get some distance out of town before stopping.

The Alnwick-Haldimand Municipal Building in Grafton, Ontario.

On a recent long trip home from a tournament in Woodstock, the timing was right for a stretch in Grafton. Grafton is only 12 km from Cobourg. As Cobourg is such a nice place to visit, we tend to overlook the much smaller community of Grafton. Over many years of travel on this route, I don’t think we’ve ever stopped the car there.

The Lass & Ladle Bakery in Grafton, Ontario.

And yet, all four pictures in today’s post were taken within one minute at one intersection in Grafton. The antique store (see photo at the very top of this post) used to be a barbershop, where the same barber carried on business for more than 50 years! I have also learned that Grafton was where Bob Homme (“The Friendly Giant”) retired. He is buried in the Fairview Cemetery there.

When you’re on the road, don’t forget to stop and look around!

Posts from the road

More non-traditional Ontario destinations

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(Pickering, Dresden, Campbellford, and other places in Ontario, Canada)

While my last post focused on Cambridge, Ontario, this one covers a whole bunch of non-traditional Ontario destinations. Once again, the unifying theme is “places I went for lawn bowling competitions”! And, of course, food plays a role.

Pollo con mole, at Cielito Lindo (Pickering, Ontario)

In late June, I had a qualifying tournament in Pickering, Ontario. We had a strong first day of competition, so our team decided to celebrate at dinner that evening. We settled on Cielito Lindo, which looked like a family-run Mexican restaurant. And it was! I went for the pollo con mole (pictured above), and the sauce was excellent. Just the right amount of chocolate and heat.

Yeck’s Smokehouse Grill, in Ridgetown, Ontario

Suburban communities like Pickering are sometimes overrun by chain restaurants, serving a very corporate kind of “McFood”. While there are exceptions (The Owl of Minerva – a Korean restaurant – being one of those exceptions), I really try to seek out independent alternatives whenever possible. Often, restaurants are the only truly “local” experience we have when I play in particularly intense tournaments. Such was the case in Pickering – there was no time to explore hidden nooks and crannies during that visit.

Solid diner food at Yeck’s in Ridgetown, Ontario

As the qualifying event in Pickering went well, two weeks later we headed much farther west for the Provincial event in…Dresden, Ontario. Dresden is a very small community (less than 3000 people), but it happens to have a good bowling facility. Before my first practice session, we stopped in the nearby town of Ridgetown for lunch. Ridgetown is only slightly larger than Dresden, and is clearly an important agricultural centre.

My grilled Reuben sandwich, and sides, at Yeck’s Smokehouse Grill in Ridgetown

I figured that Yeck’s Smokehouse Grill would be a solid choice. We did indeed enjoy our “homestyle” lunches – my grilled Reuben sandwich was particularly well done and the fries met our exacting standards. The restaurant was very popular with Ridgetown residents…we had to wait a little while for a table.

Cashew chicken, at the Thai Kitchen & Bar in Chatham, Ontario

After the competition in Dresden was over, I had an intense craving for Thai food. Alas, Dresden had little to offer in that regard. We returned instead to the nearby city of Chatham and the sensibly named “Thai Kitchen & Bar”. The menu was extensive, with a lot of unfamiliar options, so it was very difficult to decide on what to have. I settled on the not-at-all-unknown cashew chicken, but would have loved to try some other dishes too.

Exterior of the Thai Kitchen & Bar in Chatham, Ontario

I have the feeling that the Thai Kitchen & Bar’s facility used to be a very different type of restaurant…probably something Mediterranean. No matter – we were happy with the food and will undoubtedly return there someday. Chatham is a very long way from home, but we have been on the road again several times since. There was another trip to Pickering, and of course the “Preston” trip from my previous blog entry.

A small piece of regular Gouda (top), and a small piece of lavender Gouda (bottom)

On the way back from Preston, we took a break in Whitby to stock up on Dutch delicacies at the Village Bakeshop. Regular blog readers know that I am a big fan of Gouda cheese. So I decided to buy a couple of less common varieties. First up was goat milk Gouda – almost pure white in colour. And I also picked up a piece of lavender Gouda! Yes, it is very purple (see picture). To complement the lavender, the cheese also contains rosemary and thyme.

Municipal office for the Township of Stone Mills – Centreville, Ontario

Lastly, we went to Campbellford for another provincial qualifier. On the way back home, we stopped in Stirling for ice cream at a candy store and a brief walk along the main street (see photo at the top of this post). We returned to Kingston along a lot of back roads, passing through many small villages such as Moira, Roslin, Croydon, Centreville (pictured) and Camden East. It was a nice way to unwind after a day of competition.

Stay tuned for more non-traditional Ontario destinations…and an intriguing international tournament!