Canadian Summer

Friday, 29 July 2011 06:11

Written by Prospero E. De Vera III

I’m on my annual trek in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada to visit family and friends and take a well deserved break from the noise and pollution of Metro Manila, the never-ending analysis of PNoy’s State of the Nation Address (and Kontra SONA), plus of course I get to escape from the wrath of typhoon Juaning.

Most people associate Canada with its long cold winter season and the minus 25 degree cold freeze from December to March. American actor Morgan Freeman succinctly remembers the harsh Canadian winter when he said “and some places you been before are so great that you don't ever mind going back. Some places you been before you don't ever want to go back, you know, like Montreal in the winter”.

Unknown to many, spending summer in Canada is one of the most pleasant experiences one can ever enjoy. I arrived in Toronto on a warm 32 degree morning and attended the famous Rotary Ribfest at Mississauga’s Celebration Square on a sweltering 38 degree afternoon. I also did my regular 5-8km run at eight o’clock in the evening, thanks to the long Canadian summer where the sun sets close to 9PM.

Last weekend, my family decided to drive more than 200 kilometers from Mississauga to Bayfield in Huron County in Ontario’s west coast to relax in the sun and shores of beautiful Lake Huron.

The term “Huron” was given by the French to the “Ouendat” First Nations people (First Nations is used to refer to the original settlers in Canada before the Europeans arrived in the continent) in the upper end of Lake Huron and Georgia Bay. Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America which is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States.

Huron County is a true visitor’s haven where people revel in its long and sparkling beaches, rummage through its many antique shops, enjoy fine dining, ride a bike, walk and run along many nature trails, or simply commune with nature.

We stayed at the quaint Bayfield Inn and spent the weekend lying on the beach, catching up with my readings (a real luxury done only during vacations), sampling the local food, and walking through the many tourist and antique shops on Main Street.

There were two local attractions that caught my interest because these were touted as “must see” places in the area. The first was the Menesetung Bridge which was originally built in 1907 as the longest railway bridge in Ontario, abandoned and set to be demolished in the late 1980’s, and saved by local residents who converted it into a pedestrian walking path in the 1990’s. The other was the Balls Bridge which was built in 1885 by a smitten engineer who, according to local historians, fell in love with one of the daughters of the Ball family and made the bridge so that “she would no longer get her feet wet when crossing the Maitland River near her home”.

What struck me when we were on these two bridges was not the brilliance or the engineering marvel used in designing these centuries-old attractions. Unlike many historic spots in the Philippines, these bridges actually pale in comparison in terms of their age, design, and even grandeur. Rather, I was amazed at the local communities’ deep sense of history. Each tourist attraction had historical markers, trail guides, and easy to read brochures that bring to life the story of the people and communities.

Their local arts and heritage network, tourism association and historical societies are active and work hard in documenting local events, producing tourism brochures, and protecting heritage sites. Because of these efforts, their history isn’t hidden away in dusty old books but is experienced by anyone who visits their community.

Maybe the National Historical Commission, the Department of Tourism, and local historical societies can take a cue from these places and do the same in the Philippines.

And then there was the breath taking drive back home through the long and endless agricultural plains planted with wheat and corn. . Huron’s 84,000 acres is Ontario’s bread basket. Passing through the many quaint towns and villages along the beautiful country roads, one can savor the clean air, glorious sunshine, and serene ambiance with the occasional sound of crows and hawks circling overhead. This is the picturesque Canadian countryside that tourists who only pass through famous cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal never get to see. For me this was definitely one of the most relaxing and rejuvenating vacation I’ve had in years, and I only wish that I could stay longer.