Arnprior, ON

This nondescript town in the midpoint between Ottawa and Pembroke marks the point where the Trans-Canada Highway goes from a divided urban motorway to a two-lane rural road. It is just outside the edge of the expansive Ottawa suburbs even though it is considered a part of the commuting circle Read more

German Immigration Office

The German immigration process is a well-structured waltz in a strict triple metre with the immigration office. Neither of you will be stepping on any toes as long as you both dance exactly to the tune of the federal government. The three-metre waltz has three parts to it: visa application, Read more

Haliburton, ON

In the middle of Ontario’s cottage country, Haliburton is where the well-off come to rest and play. The Haliburton Highlands Museum showcases some 20,000 artifacts of life in the area in the late 19th century. Among its most impressive exhibits are the Reid House built in 1882 and the 1870s Read more

Rheinfall

The Rheinfall is Europe’s most powerful waterfall. It sits in the middle of the River Rhine between the Swiss cantons of Zürich and Schaffhausen. The town of Neuhausen is split by the Rhine and there are three railway stations bearing the name of the town. It’ll be a bit of Read more

Flying during COVID-19

The Canadian government, along with many other countries around the world, have enacted international travel restrictions on inbound passengers and recommended its citizens to only travel when necessary. Despite these recommendations and restrictions, I found myself flying over 23,000km on four aircraft across three continents this summer. Was I exempt? Read more

Perth, ON

Perth was named after the Scottish city of the same name. There’s also a more well-known Perth in Australia, but that too was named after the same Scottish city. The last fatal duel in all of Canada happened in Perth in 1933 on the bank of the river. Robert Lyon Read more

Smith’s Falls, ON

Smith’s Falls name is not deceptive, although it is misleading. The town of fewer than 9,000 people was named after the grade difference in the Rideau River that water flows over. It’s not quite a waterfall but it is high enough to make a bit of a splash. Three sets Read more

London, ON

Named after the capital of the United Kingdom, London in Ontario even lies on the River Thames but never became the capital of Canada. That honour went to York, Kingston, Montreal, then Ottawa. The village was founded in 1826 and the Middlesex Court House was build shortly after in 1830, Read more

Guelph, ON

Located between Toronto and the Kitchener–Waterloo twin cities, Guelph is known for its handsome limestone architecture that neatly lines the downtown blocks leading up to the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate. The basilica was built in 1883 and is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival in Ontario with Read more