This week’s blog came a little late, as we were very busy with our projects. As usual, it is not very happening on weekdays. On one of the nights I made my own hamburger using the minced beef that we bought from Costco.
One night, our host Aunty Carrie brought back 2 trays of lobster. We decided to bring it to the office to share it with our teachers. Not to mention there was a promotion (Purchase 7 meals, get 1 free) going on at the IBM Canteen and we got free fish & chips as well. The lobster was quite fresh and was cooked with fried garlic so it tasted very good.
From Saturday to Monday, we went on a 3-day tour with Safeway Tours to admire the autumn leaves.
On Day 1, we had to reach First Markham Place at about 6.30am. We then headed up north to Parry Sound (Sound means Bay, not music sound) and took a river cruise to admire the Thirty Thousand Islands. There are 3 decks on the cruise, the top deck offers you the best view although it is a lot colder as it is unsheltered.
After the 1 hour cruise, we then headed to Science North in Sudbury. Science North is a science center located in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. We started off with watching a 3D short film named “Wildfires! A Firefighting Adventure in 3D”. It is a very interesting film as it showcases the wildfires that has happened in Canada and how they combat it. Thereafter we proceeded to explore the science center which showcased things from space to human anatomy to animals native to Canada.
Below we see a whale skeleton, a beaver and giant snails.
After a short visit to the science center, we then continued with our journey to Sault Ste Marie city (Canadian Side - there is a US side as well). We had Thai Food for dinner at a small restaurant which was near our hotel. After dinner we went to admire the beautiful night view. In one of the pictures below, you see a bridge which is lit up in the colours of the USA and Canada flags.
On the 2nd day, we went for an 8 hours Agawa Canyon train ride (2 way). Just to share a tip, every train ticket entitles you to a $10 voucher, so you could get your meal on board the train. However they sell mostly sandwich and some snacks. We got a bento set from the tour guide which costs about $15 CAD.
We watched the view changed slowly from the Algoma steel industrial area to the autumn leaves. One of the best views is at the Montreal Falls, nearing the end when you are reaching so be sure to get ready your cameras.
After a 4 hour train ride, we reached the Agawa Canyon. A reminder - you must reach the train before it departs!!! If not, you will have to spend the night there, as there is only 1 train travelling a day. We spent 1.5 hours at the Canyon. There are a few trails and 4 waterfalls.
We aimed for the trail up the hill first as the guide mentioned it would be more challenging and time consuming. Although there are only about 300 steps, it was quite steep so it took some effort to go up to the hilltop. We thought we may only have time to go up the hill but surprisingly we manage to finish visiting the whole area.
Thereafter it was another 4 hours ride back before we headed for dinner. Our dinner was arranged by the tour company and it was Japanese food. By the time we reached the hotel that night, it was about 11 pm already.
On the 3rd day of the tour we headed back to Markham. We stopped at a few more attractions along the way. One of it was the Algonquin Provincial Park. We did 2 stops here, 1 at the visitor center, and the other at Canoe Lake.
Here is the view from the Visitor Center.
Next we went to the Canoe Lake. This is the place where an influential artist, Tom Thomson (part of the Group of Seven) drowned during a canoeing trip. He spent a lot of his time in Algonquin Park, some of his drawings are displayed at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Mr Chua and I also went to walk a trail although we didn't manage to complete it. This trail is particularly challenging as it slopes up and down, and it is very steep!
Some facts about the Park. Algonquin Provincial Park is also the oldest provincial park in Canada, established in 1893. Located in Central Ontario between the Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River, the park spans 1,891,208 acres. Algonquin is particularly popular due to its proximity to large urban centers, such as Toronto and Ottawa. The essence of Algonquin is in its vast interior of maple hills, rocky ridges, and thousands of lakes.
Our guide also shared something unique about Canada's fall colours, which is you will never get 1 patch of evenly coloured red leaves, unless it is planted. For a natural forest, you will see a mix of red, yellow, orange and green(from pine trees).
Our final stop for the trip is at Norman Bethune house. Dr. Norman Bethune was an international icon and medical pioneer. His birthplace is nestled in the town of Gravenhurst, 90 minutes from Toronto. Born to unassuming circumstances in 1890, Bethune would go on to develop vital medical procedures—including the first-ever battle-front blood transfusion—as well as strengthen the bond between Canada and China, foster Canada’s reputation as a nation with social conscience and advocate for Canada’s universal health care system. He spent the last 2 years in China and performed emergency battlefield surgical operations on war casualties and established training for doctors, nurses, and orderlies. Unfortunately, he cut his finger while operating on a soldier and contracted blood poisoning and died thereafter. He was a communist and after his death, Mao Zedong published his essay entitled In Memory of Norman Bethune.
The visit to Norman Bethune's house marked the last stop for this trip. Stay tuned for Week 6 blog post!