Cities
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 Read more…
Articles
150 years of B.C.’s confederation
How heavy debt led the colony into provincehood British Columbia’s union with Canada was not inevitable, some residents wanted to join the United States. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the union between British Columbia and Canada. The Pacific Read more…
Cities
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 Read more…
Cities
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 Read more…
Cities
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 Read more…
Cities
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 Read more…
Short Stories
Ikea
Every morning at 9 a.m., the bright yellow furniture store opens its doors to a line of customers waiting patiently outside. Staff dressed in yellow and blue polo shirts matching Ikea’s logo greet families as they shuffle through a revolving Read more…
US & Canada
Museum of Nature
Ottawa’s Museum of Nature is the national museum for natural history, geology, and the arctic. It is housed in the Victoria Memorial Museum building built in 1911 in Tudor Gothic style. It was originally founded by the Geological Survey of Read more…
Iconic Places
St. Joseph’s Oratory
Located on the southwestern slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, the St. Joseph’s Oratory is Canada’s largest church. It also has one of the largest church domes in the world with a 39 meter diameter. Completed in 1967, the basilica Read more…
Iconic Places
Le Nordet Circuit
The circuit around Mont Tremblant in the Laurentians is mostly known for cycling in summer. The entire circuit has over 1000 meters in elevation change and features twists with bad camber. However, it’s almost impossible to cycle safely in the Read more…