Toronto Area, Canada
- Betty Brindle
- May 31, 2016
- 2 min read
In late May, 2016, I joined 14 members of the Utah FF club and another couple from Ohio for a visit to the Greater Burlington/Hamilton FF Club in Canada, about an hour north of Toronto. Every day of that week was filled with fun and friendship. The Royal Botanical Gardens were a treat with the lilacs at their peak. Their fragrance and colorful blooms were admired by everyone. I especially miss the lilacs forecasting that Spring has finally arrived in the north.
One day we rode the train to Toronto and visited the CN Tower and art museum. Then we headed to Chinatown for a delicious lunch. Another trip was to Niagara Falls where we got soaked riding the Hornblower cruise ship. Afterward we had a lovely picnic in the park and drove home along the parkway with beautiful scenery. We spent time in their woodlands, green with new growth and hiked beside bubbling streams. The area was experiencing a heat wave and it was difficult for the Canadians and folks from Utah to adjust to temps in the mid 80s.
We visited Crawford Lake in the rain and enjoyed the museum and a sack lunch at the Visitor's Center. Then we headed to a recreated Indian village showing how each clan lived together in one longhouse. Each family had sleeping space and a fire pit. Some longhouses had 7 firepits and another only 4.
We also visited a Raptor Centre that presented a program and introduced us to their rescued birds. While visiting an historic Scottish castle, we were treated to a show by three baby raccoons in a hollow tree in the garden. They were quite curious about us. The baby in the back seemed to always be pushing the front baby, or two, out of the hollow. The displaced baby always seemed to hang onto the tree bark and climb back into the tree hollow.
On our free day some of us toured Six Nations and saw a museum showing Indian culture. We stopped at Her Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawks, the oldest building in Ontario. It was built in 1785 by the British Crown after losing the Thirteen Colonies. It was to reward the Mohawks for their loyalty during the American Revolution . A small group dinner and the Farewell Dinner were evenings filled with warmth and friendship.
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