Remembering Norman Bethune, a Canadian Hero in China, at His Birthplace - Gravenhurst, Ontario

A list of good locations in Muskoka to see the autumn colors 

The autumn season is a beautiful time in Canada!

We have always wanted to take a tour during the month of September or October to enjoy the changing colour of the season.

This year we caught the tail end of the autumn season and went on a bus tour  with our friends.

We joint a bus tour to see the colours of the leaves

We left on Friday morning after we met up with W. and A., boarding the tour bus in Richmond Hill, a Toronto suburb.

Beautiful scenery on our way up the Ontario north region

Our destination was the famous Agawa Canyon in northern Ontario, about eight hours drive from Toronto. The drive up was beautiful as we saw the brilliant colors of the leaves.

Our first stop  - the Bethune Memorial House, Gravenhurst, Ontario

Our first stop was the Norman Bethune Museum in Gravenhurst, about two hours drive north of Toronto.

Statue of Dr. Norman Bethune helping the Chinese at the Bethune Museum

Dr. Norman Bethune was a Canadian doctor from a small town.

Gift Shop, Norman Bethune Museum, Gravenhurst, Ontario

He was more well known, respected and loved by the Chinese in Mainland China than in Canada, his native land.

He was born in 1890 in Gravenhurst, Ontario

After his service as a doctor during the Spanish War in 1937, he spent time in China working as a battlefield surgeon and a medical advisor with the forces of the People's Republic of China.

After his death at the war front in 1939, Dr. Norman Bethune became a national hero to the Chinese people.

Display of Dr. Bethune's contributions written in Chinese, Bethune Museum, Gravenhurst

He was and is still highly honoured and respected in China where he died while serving the people during the war.

Schools and hospitals in China have been named after Dr. Bethune in order to remember his service to the Chinese people.

The Bethune Memorial House - where Dr. Norman Bethune was born, Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

We visited the house where Dr. Norman Bethune was born.  Dr. Bethune's homestead has been declared as the National Historic Site by Parks Canada.

The front porch of the Bethune House all decked out for the fall season, Gravenhurst, Ontario

The Bethune Memorial House is a popular site where many visitors, especially Chinese tourists,  to Gravenhurst will stop for a visit and  learn more about this Canadian hero and his work in China.

We stopped at a souvenir shop enroute to Sault St. Marie, Ontario

After a stop at the Bethune Memorial House, our tour bus stopped at a local eating plaza right by a neat crafts store on its way.

Bird houses made of birch logs - how Canadian is that!

I loved local arts and crafts and enjoyed looking at all the beautiful work by local artists.

enroute to Sault Ste. Marie for the fall maple leaf tour

It was a fun and educational first day of our northern Ontario tour!


R.T.
Sault Ste. Marie
Northern Ontario
Canada
Oct. 2018

Chippewa Fall of Algoma District in Northern Ontario - An Awesome Inspiration for Canadian Artists' Work

It was a busy few weeks for us as we had a couple of out of town weddings, and then a trip up Ontario's northern region to enjoy the changing colour of the leaves during the fall season.


We joined a bus tour taking us from Toronto to Sault St. Marie with a couple of stops along the way.
Later, we checked into a pretty nice hotel, had a good night rest.

 After a buffet breakfast the next morning, we were eagerly looking forward to the highlight of our trip -  boarding one of North America's most popular train rides - the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, which would take us through the wilderness of Agawa Canyon.

Our tour bus took us to  the train station where a number of tour buses were already waiting.
The tour guide jumped off the bus trying to get the group train tickets for us while we were all excited waiting to board this highly popular train.

Ah, it was not to be. Due to heavy rain in the last couple of days, the tracks in the canyon area were flooded and became impassable.

Therefore, the train company decided to cancel the train tours and refund its passengers.

Though hugely disappointed, we understood the safety concerns and the necessity of cancelling the planned tour.by the train company.

Beautiful fall scenery at the Chippewas River, Algoma district, Ontario

Our quick witted tour guide and bus driver planned an impromptu alternate local tour for us.















 They took us to visit the Chippewa Falls at the Chippewa River in the Algoma area.

Chippewa Fall, Algoma Area, Ontario, Canada

The Chippewa River and Falls were no Agatha Canyon. Nonetheless, it was pretty good scenery where a few famous Canadian artists enchanted by its pristine beauty, painted right on this spot.

 We went back to the hotel and had a free afternoon. We stayed in the hotel restaurant trying to catch up with our computer work.

We walked to the shopping mall closest to the mall and did some shopping while Will and A. went back to the hotel.








We met up with them again in the early evening and enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner at a local restaurant.

It was not the exciting day we had anticipated neither was it a total loss  as we got to spend some time with our good friends!

R.T.
Saute St. Marie
Northern Ontario.

Attending A Long Awaited Wedding in East Caledon, Ontario

 Dr. Andrea Leung's Wedding

This year must be a special year for getting married.

Beautiful and well manicured ground at the wedding venue in Caledon, Ontario

We have not attended a wedding for a little while. But all of a sudden, we were invited to three weddings in the last few months.

A beautiful wedding venue  at the Lakeside Gazebo at the Royal Ambassador , East Caledon, Ontario

After attending a September wedding in Vancouver, we came back to attend another one in Caledon, a small town outside of Toronto.

We left the house shortly after noon and arrived at the Royal Ambassador where the wedding ceremony took place.













We have known Andrea and her parents for over thirty years.



It was a touching moment when we saw her walking out on her father's arm.














The wedding ceremony took place at the Lakeside Gazebo at the end of
September.

The bride shed a few tears of joy while saying her vows.











Both the bride and groom had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

The wedding reception was held at the Green House of the Royal Ambassador

It was evident that they put a lot of thought in their planning of the wedding.
















After sitting outside for about an hour, guests hurriedly inside the Green House where we enjoyed some cocktails and appetizers.

The new couple came around to thank each guest at their wedding reception

In  the middle of the wedding reception, the new couple went around to each table thanking the guests.

The wedding party added a bit of fun and entertainment at their wedding

Both the bride and groom shared some  entertaining moments with the guests after dinner.

An 8 member band performed live music for the guests to dance and enjoy.

A live band came on the stage and provided some great music for dancing.

All the best to you, Andrea and James, to your new life together!




R.T.
The Royal Ambassador
Caledon East, Ontario
Canada
Sept. 28, 2018

Sampling Delicious Spanish Food and Visiting Gastown, Vancouver at Night

 Sunday, Day 11




Gastown, a popular tourist spot, is a lively place in downtown Vancouver.

Gastown, Vancouver, at night

Bowing to the pressure from the local community's efforts trying to save the area, the provincial government designated Gastown as a historic area in 1971.

Therefore many of the old buildings were saved.
















We visited Gastown a couple of years ago when we were in Vancouver.

Interesting stores lined the streets in Gastown, Vancouver

But my sister had never been to  Gastown, so that was where we headed.

There is a mix of of trendy shops and stores in Gastown.

Our last visit to Gastown was during the day. This time it was in the late afternoon.
















With the lights coming on in the early evening, Gastown looked very pretty and had a felt of a British town.















We saw the main attraction in Gastown - the world's first steam powered clock.

The world's first steam powered clock, Gastown, Vancouver

This steam whistling clock standing at the intersection of Water Street and Cambie, attracts many visitors to the area to hear the tooting sound it makes every hour.

A relaxing stroll in Gastown, Vancouver

Walking along the main streets lined with a mix of interesting stores, galleries, souvenirs shops, lounges and restaurants lit by Victorian style street lamps, we discovered a diner called the Sardine Can.

We walked by many restaurants offering different kinds of foods and we wanted to try some of the best restaurants in the area.

Paella, my most favourite Spanish dish!

After googling the restaurant and learned about the excellent rating it was given, we went there for dinner.

Delicious Tapas at a Spanish restaurant, Gastown, B.C.

A small restaurant, the Sardine Can only had a few tables but it served pretty delicious food.













We tried some Spanish tapas, patatas, Sardine toasts, tomato toasts, queso fresco, some fresh fish and paella which were all plated beautifully and tasted delicious!

We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Sardine Can, Gastown

We ended our dinner with some chocolate terrine. It was fabulous!

We were glad that we discovered this Spanish eatery on our visit to Gastown.

.

An interesting sign at the Sardine Can

After our nice Spanish dinner and evening visit to Gastown, we checked into a hotel near the Vancouver airport, looking forward to a good night sleep and getting ready to board the morning flight home to Toronto!


R.T.
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada