Tag Archives: Kitchener

Posts from Base Camp

Around the world – an update!

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

I first announced my around-the-world trip in a November 2025 blog post. I had a flurry of activity after that, with this early January 2026 post explaining that I had decided to buy a round-the-world ticket. And then in a February 2026 post, I talked about some strategies for buying round-the-world tickets.

Northern Thai restaurant – Kitchener, Ontario

It seems that time has accelerated over the past few months, as that big trip is nearly here. Today’s post is about some more ways to prepare for such a long trip, once the flights, accommodation, and ground transportation have been sorted. These are enhancements or additions to some more general travel tips that you can find elsewhere on this blog.

Downtown Bolton, Ontario

Before doing anything else, research the typical weather at your destinations for the exact dates that you’ll be there. While freak weather can take anyone by surprise, it really pays to be prepared for what you are likely to encounter. Not only will you avoid having to buy new, weather-appropriate clothes at your destination, but you will also be able to travel more lightly. And there’s a related point that is just as important…

Newtonville, Ontario – it looks like a 1950s car dealer, but it’s actually an auction house!

There is no way you can travel with 6 weeks’ worth of clothes. You will need to do laundry more than once on your trip. So you will need to pack weather-appropriate clothes that can withstand repeated washing under unfamiliar conditions. And you will need to plan where and when you will be doing that laundry! Don’t assume that every community will have a laundromat. Most hotels will gladly do your laundry…but they may also charge $10 to wash a pair of socks. If there is no local laundry available when you need it, take a day off and visit a nearby town for that purpose. You’ll see a side of your destination that most outsiders never see.

Punkydoodles Corners, Ontario – yes, it’s a real place!

For a long trip, you will likely tire of seeing variations on the same theme over and over again. Make a point of mixing up what you’re seeing. Sure, see the Sistine Chapel when you’re in Rome. But take in a local sporting event or a concert too. On this trip, we were happy to discover that one of our favourite British bands is on a tour of Australia and New Zealand at the same time that we’re there! So we’ve got tickets to see them in an ornate old theatre. We never imagined that we’d see them live, let alone on the other side of the world. But there you go…serendipity is one of the best parts of travel.

My Golden Red Curry at Mango Thai and Pan-Asian Cuisine (Kingston, Ontario, Canada…on the shores of Lake Ontario!)

While you’re figuring out which concerts are on, expand your local research to find local culinary specialities. Nearly six weeks of eating out will wear thin much sooner than you think. But if you can find some special local cuisine, or an unexpected concentration of immigrants in a city, you can break up the monotony. You may not expect to find multiple options for Somalian cuisine in the Northwest Territories or Bosnian food in Arizona…but you will almost certainly be glad you did.

The green at Bobcaygeon Lawn Bowling Club (Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada)

Travelling for such a long time can be an insular experience. Give yourself a break and opt into some group activities rather than doing everything yourself. Most cities have reasonably-priced (or even pay-what-you-want) walking tours conducted by knowledgeable locals. Research that before you go. They’re a great tool for connecting with an unfamiliar place in a different way. And take the opportunity to get your guide’s insights on things like local restaurants, concerts…and even laundromats! They will almost certainly be happy to share their knowledge, especially if they are volunteers.

Mekong Noodles at Craft Food House (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada – also on the shores of Lake Ontario!)

Today’s photos are from various local adventures over the last two months. Stay tuned for the first destination on our world tour!

Posts from the road

More Ontario food adventures

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(Smiths Falls, Burlington, Kitchener, and Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

This isn’t the post I planned to write, but it does follow well from my previous one about Caribbean cuisine in Pickering!

Today’s pictures are from four Ontario communities which I’ve already visited this summer in connection with lawn bowling tournaments. Most recently, I was in Windsor again for another event. I wrote about the World Marathon Ethiopian restaurant in a 2023 post, but didn’t have any photographs from it.

Inside the World Marathon Restaurant in Windsor

Well, I had a chance to go back in 2026, and here (finally) are some pictures…including the photo at the top of this post. Windsor‘s downtown is showing some evidence of trouble, but we still enjoyed our visit to World Marathon. I tried a single dish this time (Doro Wat), and enjoyed the taste, but I think I will return to getting a “sampler” of different dishes the next time.

Doro Wat on injera bread

My wife opted for a vegetarian sampler, served on rice instead of on injera bread. This is eaten with a knife and fork, rather than scooping the food in the injera with one’s hands. I prefer the earthiness of not using utensils, but the main thing is enjoying some different flavours.

Vegetarian platter on rice at World Marathon in Windsor

Revisiting past haunts is the theme of today’s post. On the way to Windsor, we once again stayed in the Kitchener area for a night so that the drive from Kingston wouldn’t be quite so long. Right next door was an Indian grocery store, where I found this most unusual bag of Lay’s chips. Yes, Lay’s is a brand we have here…but this one was made in India and was called “Chile LimĂłn”. I haven’t seen this flavour before, and I quite enjoyed it.

Spanish flavours from India in Kitchener, Ontario

About a month ago, I had a tournament in Burlington. It has a lot of good dining options, such as a Persian restaurant, so it sometimes can be hard to choose. This time, we went to another favourite: Thai Coconut. We have never been disappointed there: this time was no exception.

Savoury cuisine from Thai Coconut in Burlington, Ontario

Back in May, I had a tournament in Nepean. Yes, we have a favourite Thai restaurant there too! But this time, it was just a bit too early for dinner when the tournament ended. So, I drove partway home to Smiths Falls, and stopped in at yet another favourite: a restaurant called “My Place.”

The platter at My Place in Smiths Falls, Ontario

I normally shy away from meat-laden platters. But when one is in a Czech restaurant, it’s hard to avoid. And so I went for the platter (I won’t use the full name) featuring a schnitzel, smoked sausage, and chicken in a red pepper sauce. Plus enough whipped potatoes and sauerkraut to conclusively terminate any hunger. It took a while to finish, and I didn’t need breakfast the next day.

Partway through the platter at My Place

While the big around-the-world trip is getting closer and closer, I still have some more local content to share in the interim. Watch this space!

Posts from the road

A day in the hidden town of Preston

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(Preston, Ontario, Canada)

I’ve been spending some time in Southwestern Ontario lately for a series of lawn bowling competitions. Today’s post is about the “hidden” Ontario town of Preston.

The Black Badger Pub in Galt (Cambridge), Ontario

Our home base for 4 nights was the Conestoga College residence in Kitchener. More and more, we are using college residences as an alternative to the high cost of hotels during the summer months. If you can get a promo code, the cost is even less. And the rooms are even bigger! It’s not luxurious, but I don’t need luxury when I’m spending most of the day in competition.

Downtown Galt (Cambridge), Ontario

My first day of competition was at the Preston Lawn Bowling Club. Officially, it is located in the city of Cambridge. But the city of Cambridge is a relatively recent creation, as it consists of the former village of Hespeler, the former city of Galt, and the former town of Preston. Each community still has a distinct and recognizable downtown area, even though the former gaps between them have become urbanized.

Wesley United Church, in the downtown core of Galt (Cambridge), Ontario

The club is a throwback to a simpler age, and very much resembles other century-old clubs throughout Ontario. After a hot day on the green, I was ready for (1) rehydration, and (2) some adventurous food. Fortunately, I had done my research in advance, and found a promising Nepalese restaurant within walking distance of the club.

MoMo House Restaurant in Preston (Cambridge), Ontario – it’s very orange!

MoMo House has perhaps the most extensive menu I’ve ever seen at a restaurant. Not only did it offer a full range of momos (Nepalese dumplings) and other Nepalese specialties, it also had many Indian dishes and a lot of Hakka (“Indo-Chinese”) specialties. It took me about 15 minutes to review the menu and decide on what I was going to have. (Sadly, they didn’t have salted yak butter tea, which I’ve enjoyed at some Tibetan restaurants over the years.)

Interior of the MoMo House restaurant in Preston (Cambridge), Ontario

I settled on the Chilli Chicken Momos, which were impressively spicy and very, very colourful. Given the hot weather, it went very well with a salty Yogurt Lassi drink. And if a restaurant is called the MoMo House, you need to go with their namesake dish.

Chilli Chicken Momos!

Nonetheless, I couldn’t help wondering about the many other interesting dishes I saw on the menu. So, when my 3-day tournament in Kitchener ended, we decided to return to the MoMo House and try some different dishes! I went for a Hakka dish: “Schezwan Chicken Gravy” (more like a curry than a gravy), with some Lachhi Paratha bread and more Yogurt Lassi (the sweet version this time).

Left to right: Lachhi Paratha bread, Strawberry Lemonade, Vegetarian Tandoori Reshmi Momos, Schezwan Chicken Gravy, and Yogurt Lassi

I referred some of my fellow competitors (and friends) to this restaurant, and they enjoyed it as well. I think we’ve got a go-to place for our next visit to the Kitchener region!

City Hall in Galt (Cambridge), Ontario

After the meal, we made the very short drive to the downtown core of Galt. While I preferred the aesthetics and vibe of downtown Galt to downtown Preston, that has to be weighed against the food offerings. Other options in Preston included a Caribbean restaurant and an about-to-open Nigerian restaurant!

Remnants of an old mill on the Grand River in Galt (Cambridge), Ontario.

I don’t think I’ve seen all that these under-the-radar destinations have to offer. I look forward to spending some more time in Galt and Preston in the future.

A very old advertisement on the side of a building in downtown Galt (Cambridge), Ontario

Stay tuned for more on non-traditional Ontario destinations!