Peterborough, ON

The first thing you have to see in Peterborough is its massive lift lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway. It was the world’s highest lift locks at 20 meters when it was built in 1904. Back then, most lift locks only had a height of about 2 meters on average. It Read more…

Phnom Penh

While the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire was near Siem Reap, Phnom Penh has been the capital of the country since its days as French Indochina. The city has strong French architectural influences and a fusion of South Asian and French styles can be seen on the streets of Read more…

Siem Reap

Bustling with lively activity on the streets and in colourful markets, Siem Reap is exactly the stereotypical cultural experience a caucasian traveler would look for if they were only looking for Instagram shots to show off their travel life. Believe me, I’ve seen too many of those kinds of travellers Read more…

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…

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…

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…

Potsdam, Germany

About 40 kilometers southwest of Berlin, it is a tourist hot spot with its one dozen or so classical palaces turned into museums and galleries and its small town charm. Accessible by S-Bahn or Regio trains it’s only a short 30 minute ride away by transit. My tip? Bring a Read more…