Canada Travel

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Spotlight Posts

Prisoner of War Museum Exhibit (Second World War)

What is Snow Like? An Example of Urban Snow from Ottawa, Canada

Tulips on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada

Some Canadians Swim on New Year's Day: The Polar Bear Swim

Niagara Falls and Canadian - American Rivalry

Muskrat - A Seldom-Seen Canadian Animal

Southern Ontario and the Family Farm

Grain Elevators of the Canadian Prairies

Anne of Green Gables Museum

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

Granville Island, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Banff National Park, Alberta

Niagara Falls - The Canadian Side

Banff, Alberta - Beautiful and Touristy Mountain Town

Countries That Share Borders With Canada

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Canada Travel

Prisoner of War Museum Exhibit (Second World War)

May 11th 2009 00:51

Opening in early June, 2009 at The Military Museums in Calgary, "For You, the War is Over". This exhibit compares the experiences of German prisoners of war held in Alberta, Canada during the Second World War, and prisoners from Alberta held in Germany at the same time.

kananaskis, alberta, mt. baldy, rockies, smith

Mt. Baldy, Kananaskis, Alberta, Near Former POW Camp

Photo of Mt. Baldy courtesy of Flickr.com user smith - many thanks for sharing.

Details of the exhibit should appear on The Military Museum's website soon.

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Posted By: Jill Browne - Category: No Category

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What is Snow Like? An Example of Urban Snow from Ottawa, Canada

March 1st 2009 00:54

In August I met a young lady recently arrived from India. She was curious and very eager to experience snow. I said to her, on that hot summer day, "Make sure you have boots to keep your feet warm."

Winter Daffodils

Well, I stand by that advice. This beautiful photo of a young lady walking in Canada's national capital, Ottawa, shows lots of snow on the ground. Look at how nice and warm her boots are!

Visiting Canada in winter almost always means walking in snow. You can hate it or embrace it. Warm, dry feet make all the difference. Winter boots that are meant for outdoor walking have a tread, not a smooth, slippery sole. We usually take our boots off just inside the door when visiting someone's home, because the snow catches between the treads and melts into a puddle indoors.

Walking on snow makes a distinctive sound, but this changes with the temperature and moisture of the snow. Listen for anything from slush, slush to a distinctive crinkling sound, sort of like someone crushing plastic food wrap, and all kinds of whispers and trudges in between. Snow can be poetry or music if you have an ear for it.

And don't bother trying to buy the right boots at home if you live in a hot country. We have all kinds for sale here.

Photo credit: "Winter daffodils" on Flickr.com by preciouskhyatt, with thanks.

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Posted By: Jill Browne - Category: No Category

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Tulips on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada

January 12th 2009 00:00

When I was a little kid my teachers used to like to talk about how Canada gave Princess (now Queen) Beatrix of the Netherlands a place to stay during the Second World War. Queen Juliana, her mother, and her young children stayed in Stornoway, now the official residence of the leader of the opposition.

In gratitude, since 1953, the Dutch have given Canada millions of tulip bulbs. The Canadian Tulip Festival is now the largest tulip festival in the world.

Tulips in July 2007, Ottawa, Canada by jpctalbot

The 2009 Tulip Festival will be from May 1 to 18.

Didn't jpctalbot take a great picture of the flowers here? Thanks to him for sharing it.

Photo License: CC Attribution 2.0 Generic

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Posted By: Jill Browne - Category: No Category

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Some Canadians Swim on New Year's Day: The Polar Bear Swim

January 11th 2009 00:34

"I am Canadian" is part beer marketing slogan, part national manifesto. The "I am Polar Bear" label on this man plays on that.

polar bear swim,new years 2009,vancouver,b.c.,british columbia,canada,cold,swim

Annual Vancouver, B.C. Polar Bear Swim - 2009, by ItzaFineDay on Flickr.com

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Posted By: Jill Browne - Category: No Category

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Niagara Falls and Canadian - American Rivalry

January 4th 2009 19:33

Thanks to Flickr.com user abmaac for sharing this photo of the American side of Niagara Falls in winter. Beautiful lights on the ice, abmaac.

Licensed under CC Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License

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Posted By: Jill Browne - Category: No Category

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Carved Hallowe'en Pumpkins are Jack o' Lanterns

October 31st 2008 02:34

Many people in Canada celebrate Hallowe'en, by dressing up their children in costumes, or going out partying, or staying home and giving candy to the kids who knock at the door. It's also traditional to carve a pumpkin, stick a candle in it, and set it in your window during candy-giving-out hours.

Jack o' Lanterns for Hallowe'en

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Muskrat - A Seldom-Seen Canadian Animal

October 21st 2008 03:44

The muskrat is a furry little water-loving animal, smaller than a beaver but also trapped for its pelt.

Muskrat

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Southern Ontario and the Family Farm

September 24th 2008 23:12

Seen from the air during the summer, southern Ontario is a green patchwork of fields and woodlots. Rapid urbanization is eating the family farms. Here we can see a golf course in the centre.

Land Use in Southern Ontario Reflects Cultural History

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Grain Elevators of the Canadian Prairies

September 23rd 2008 03:10

The three Canadian prairie provinces, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, grow a lot of grain. In the days of local train services, spur rail lines serviced even the small communities, and farmers could take their grain to the local elevator.