29 ReviewsTastes of Thailand offered a wealth of activities that surely made a mark to event goers who like cultural dance and music.
I have enjoyed the parade of native Thai costumes. It was colourful. You...
6 ReviewsIt happens for three days, once a year. The Ottawa Wine and Food Show is an excellent place to try different wines, food and other spirits prepared and presented by local businesses among others....
11 ReviewsThink. Don't listen to ignorant people about tipping. 10% is an insult at a sit down restaurant. Remember, 15% is an average standard tip all over the world, and included in EVERY bill in most...
7 ReviewsCanada is English speaking, apart from Quebec which has remained French speaking, with people of French origin. Ottawa and Gatineau are divided by Ottawa river, Ottawa being in Ontario on the English...
10 ReviewsThe laws concerning alcohol consumption in Toronto follow mostly Ontario laws. The government regulates all sales of beer, wine and liquor, so you can expect prices to be expensive here.
Even local...
6 ReviewsOn my walks in Ottawa I came across so many churches, they were almost on every corner. It came as a pleasent surprise seeing how strong the Christian church is in Canada, seeing that Canada is a...
9 ReviewsIt is amazing how helpful the Canadian people are. If you need help locating where you are or where you want to go just flip out a map of the city. The residence of Canada will approach you to offer...
7 ReviewsThe Canadian political system consists of the House of Commons (where the politicians sit) and the House of Senate (where the Bills are passed into law). To have a full understanding of this, you...
7 ReviewsFrom outside the country, people are advised that Canada is a bilingual French-English society. Well,not exactly...
In Toronto, Canada's largest metropolitan area of over 5 million people, French...
5 ReviewsPOLiiITiCS : Yes PArty Politics means Cabinet Ministers come and go, we in the Nations Capital see and hear more about politicians and their
'shanannigans', and also how one person suddenly becomes...
15 ReviewsIf you travel to Toronto and you want to have a taste of Filipino or Philippine dishes, come to Casa Manila.
Some of the dishes we ordered are clockwise: Ginataang Langka, Apritada, Lechon, Bopis,...
2 ReviewsThe City of Ottawa Bylaw forbids smoking inside any building. There are some buildings that have limits as to where you can smoke outside as well.
No bars, restaurants, nightclubs etc. allow smoking...
27 ReviewsHalloween is just as popular in Canada as it is in its American counterpart. Adults and children love to celebrate. People decorate their houses, some going more 'all out' than others and get very...
3 ReviewsEverywhere you go in down town Toronto you will run into statues of "dressed up" Moose. They come in all different types of garb. The "Mounty Moose" in the picture is just outside the entrance to the...
5 ReviewsIn downtown Toronto, you're guaranteed to encounter a few homeless people, especially close to street corners and traffic lights. You don't have to give them money if you don't want to, the ones I saw...
2 ReviewsThe prices indicated in stores and restaurants rarely include taxes. The taxes are added on the price when paying. In Ontario there are the federal Goods and Service Tax (GST) and the Provincial Sales...
6 ReviewsA true Torontonian knows some things about pedestrians and vehicular traffic on the Toronto streets:
1. At intersections the Pedestrian DOES have the right of way. Which means - sit there patiently...
5 ReviewsGo to any local bar and see a hockey game! Toronto is crazy about their hometown team, and hockey in general.
The NHL season begins in October and ends in June. During the play-offs (usually...
Many families traditionally have a pig roast at fall for the sake of special family affairs, business openings etc. It is usually an outdoor event, and a staple meal on many show events.For a big party (50 people and more) cooking a whole pig becomes an amazing fall celebration event which you will remember for years.The glazed, golden skin is beautiful and delicious and a feast for all your senses. The meat is then either chopped or pulled or is picked off the roasted pig by the guests.The cooking process is communal and usually done by men. The pig at the picture was cooking 18 hours.You can try it:Farmers Market - Niagara on the Lake - most Saturdays throughout the summer;September 16th-18th and 23rd-25th (2011) Niagara Wine Festival;December 31st - Niagara Ice Ball to Celebrate New Years Eve - Niagara on the Lake.
3 more images
Vistor Rebate Program
by sunnywong
All visitors may claim a refund of the goods and services tax (GST) and/or, the harmonized sales tax (HST) which they paid on eligible goods, must provide proof that they exported their goods from Canada. This is referred to as Proof of Export.Proof of Export began at Canada's nine major international airports. Non-resident visitors departing from one of these airports, must have their goods available for inspection and their original receipts validated by a Canada Customs official as they leave Canada.
Inukshuks
by DueSer
An Inukshuk is a traditional Native Canadian symbol used throughout Northern Canada, mostly in the arctic regions. It is so important a symbol that when Nunavut was formed, and they created a flag for the new province, they put an inukshuk on it.Basically, what it is is a sign for others to denote a safe route or good spot for fishing, or anything where you need to have a landmark to find the place. Parts of Canada, especially in the arctic, are rather devoid of natural landmarks so the Native Canadians build these little statues out of rock to make a landmark wherever they need one.As I traveled on Hwy 17 across the province of Ontario, I was surprised and delighted to see quite a few small ones. Each one is different and it is wonderful to see an old tradition still carried out today.If you see one do NOT disturb it. These are sacred to the First Nation people.
Official Flower of Ontario - The Trillium
by CdnJane
You'll see it on the emblems in advertising, the shape of the Order of Ontario (on my main page for Ontario), and tourist pins... the trillium.The actual plant loves the shade of the woods so you don't see it very often in any but the most established parklands of Urban Ontario. Mostly found in white, there are purple versions of it too. It is a protected plant, I believe, and the story goes that it takes 7 years before the plant can reflower if it is dug up. Whether or not that is true, if you find some trilliums, please leave them for others to enjoy.
Smores!!
by windsorgirl
Camping and Campfires go hand in hand. A favourite campfire activity is roasting marshmallows over the burning embers. If you take that warm toasted marshmallow and sandwich it between 2 graham crackers and a piece of chocolate, then you have a Smore! The marshmallow will melt the chocolate and you will have a choclatey gooey crunchy snack. Using graham crackers is the traditional way to make Smores, but a new option is to use digestive cookies that are chocolate coated on one side. This way is a little neater and much easier.And BTW if you wonder why they are called Smores, it's because once you have one, you will definitely want S'more.
Snow Shovelling
by windsorgirl
Many of my overseas visitors come from countries where a large snowfall is quite unusual, some have never even seen snow. To us Ontarians, it is a part of life in the wintertime and some of us, actually enjoy shovelling snow. I love how quiet it becomes after a fresh snowfall. The snow acts as insulation and deadens the normal city sounds....that is, until my neighbour revs up his snow blower!
Camping
by windsorgirl
Many Ontarians enjoy a yearly camping expedition. It is a very economical way to travel, especially with a family. I enjoy the relaxed atomosphere of camping and the close interaction with nature.When camping, noone worries about how they look, kids are allowed to get dirty, telephones and tvs are taboo. The evening's entertainment involves watching the sun set, and sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows and hot dogs.We are lucky in Ontario to have many provincial and national parks with excellent secluded campsites.
Long lonely roads
by sim1
Long lonely roads....... what a difference to the traffic jams I had every morning when I went to work in The Netherlands. I love these roads : I put the car on cruise control, the stereo on loud and follow the endless road that seem to go nowhere....... This photo was taken on my first trip to Canada and it is the photo that describes the feeling of this country so well. So much space, freedom and nature. The photo is made in 1997 somewhere in the area of Sault Ste.Marie.Of course not all roads in Ontario are like this. When you get to the big cities you'll see a totally different world with highways and lots of traffic. Hahaha, even in this little village where I live it can get very busy in the summer season with people on their way to the beach. But in general traffic is a lot less than in The Netherlands and by far, less hectic. I just love these roads :-)
Graduation
by sim1
Graduation is something totally different here in Canada than in The Netherlands. When you graduate in the Netherlands it is no big deal. Only when you get your college diploma, you give it a bit more attention. But the ceremony as they have it here in Canada are non-existant. Young girls are dressed up like young woman to go to their graduation : high heels, long dresses and of course the hair done at the hairdressers and a touch of make-up to finish the look. They look 10 years older than they actually are on this day. I was so amazed to see this! But it was fun to witness this way of graduation for once.
The liquor store
by sim1
The LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) is the only place where you can buy liquor and wines in Ontario. The only exceptions are beer which you can buy at the 'Beer store', and sometimes wine at little winestores at supermarkets. There are about 600 LCBO retail shops in Ontario but they are sometimes hard to find. This is especially when you get out into the more remote areas. So if you are planning a visit to a provincial park, make sure that you have your liquor with you and don't need to buy any extras. You might up ending driving a very long distance before you can buy that delicious bottle of wine :-)I find liquor in Canada very expensive, arghhh, I have a feeling it is almost double from prices in The Netherlands. So don't count on buying some cheap liquor here and taking it home with you. You probably much better of to take some with you on your trip to Canada than the other...
Sign in with Facebook
Comments