Originally a trading and lumbering community, Ottawa was named the capital of the Province of Canada in late 1857. The location of the capital city changed six times in the first 26 years of Canada’s history, but Queen Victoria chose Ottawa, as political rivalries quarreled between the various cities.
February is the month when winter festivals and various events take place across Canada, as the skies are mostly sunny and all outdoor activities are in full swing. February is the middle of the winter, the time when family and friends gather together to rediscover the joys of winter activities. And so, Winterlude was created in 1979, to celebrate Canada’s unique northern culture and climate, right in the country’s capital, Ottawa.
Winter is here again, and the only way to enjoy it is to embrace it! What a better way than exploring the surrounding countryside, where every unexpected corner can offer many surprises; this time the rare and stunning frost flowers.
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” – L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
February is the month when Canadians have most of their winter fun, as lots of events and festivals take place across the country. Indoor, and especially outdoor activities highlight Canada’s cultural, artistic, and culinary diversity, and most of them are free and take place everywhere.
Before the ice age month will come to an end, we decided to go for a drive in the country side, enjoying another sunny and beautiful day.
Located on the shores of St. Lawrence River, 11 km from Rimouski, Pointe-au-Père Lighthouse was designated a National Historic Site in 1974. The treacherous shore enveloped in a dense mist was a sufficient proof for us that the lighthouses were much-needed at the mouth of the river, and along Route 132 of Gaspé Peninsula.
Our drive around Beautiful Gaspesié did not include originally this visit, but the grey and rainy morning we woke up with in Rimouski made us change our plans quickly, and here we are, learning about local history, and the dangers of the waterway.
While our friends from Southern Hemisphere enjoy their hot or humid summer, the Northern Hemisphere is entertained by the beauty of the winter.
As always, in Canada, winter comes as an all-inclusive package: with squalls, and snow, with frigid temperatures, and sun; all winter activities are in full swing by now, you name them!
The morning when the whole coastline was shrouded in its misty glory is finally upon us. A shimmery haze is slowly replacing the low layer of the clouds, leaving us in a speechless awe.
Out of the hundreds of hiking possibilities in Northern Ontario, the trail going to the White River suspension bridge is the one you won’t want to miss. If you like hiking, you love nature, and suspension bridges, then this is the trail you must have on your list.
Being on the road already for few days, on our West to Northwest Road Trip, we planned carefully a full day on this rather difficult trail.
1000 Places and Memories 