Looking out the grand front windows from our home, I am reminded that I am seeing just a glimpse of the vastness and wonders that lay beyond. With so many incredible places in which to travel, it is not surprising that our readers’ stories are varied and illuminating. We will be posting more of these joyful memories and adventures that are being shared with us, mid-June. So, get comfortable and take a moment to read about these experiences and it just might give you inspiration for your next trip!
My very favourite place to go is Balsam Lake in the Kawarthas. We go every summer for a week with family and sometimes with friends. There’s just something about being near water that’s very peaceful for me. The sunsets are beautiful. Just having time to slow down and relax with my husband and my children is the best part of all. – Sara
Point Pelee National Park sits on a long spit sticking out into Lake Erie, and it’s the favourite stopping place for my feathered friends and me on our annual migration to the north. My travelling companions all have different tastes, and there’s something for each of us – sandy beaches, wide-open marshes, intriguing swamps, and quiet woods. Best of all, we get to participate in our beloved hobby – people watching! Each spring as we rest up before the next leg of our journey, we count the number of different species wandering through the park. The variety is amazing, from mature males carrying huge, camouflaged, telescopic cameras to the smaller, grey-haired females with binoculars hanging around their necks. We watch them, and they watch us! A great time for all. – Sharyn
When my husband and I went to Newfoundland whale-watching took my breath away, but it was the Puffins that stole my heart. There were so many of them. I became totally entranced and watched them for ages. In all that time I never saw one make a decent landing! Sometimes the approach looked graceful, but the landing was always bumpy. Now the expression “any landing is a good landing” has taken on new meaning for me. – Helen
Our most interesting trip was to Israel many years ago. We visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and the Wailing Wall along with the Dead Sea, the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee. We also stayed at a Kabutz which was mostly an agricultural settlement. We were not allowed to visit the Golan Heights, nor the West Bank. But we felt safe traveling the country, enjoying good food and the people were very pleasant. We saw a lot of desert, olive trees and took in the natural life and beauty of the surroundings. Israel had a good education and health system; and the job market was flourishing as well. A country like no other! – Kim
New York City. For me, there’s no place in the world that comes close to capturing such an intoxicating combination of excitement, romance and intrigue. One moment you’re in the heart of Times Square, amidst thousands of other people brushing past you, each one seemingly oblivious of your existence. The next moment you’re in a serene little pocket of Central Park, far removed from the hustle and the bustle and the multitudes. And yet these two diametrically opposed backdrops are but a twenty-minute stroll from each other. I’ve had the good fortune of visiting this ‘epicentre’ of the world a number of times, but my most recent visit elevated the City’s stature (in my mind, anyway), to stratospheric heights. For there could be no more idyllic stage in the world on which to exchange lifetime vows with the love of my life. – Michael
My favorite trip was to the south of France. My husband and I spent some time in London, England in June 1983. It was very cold, so we took a train to Paris and then a high-speed train (TGV) from London to Nice, France. We arrived 4 hours later to bask in the warmth and the beautiful sandy beaches of the French Riviera. We spent the mornings at amazing art museums looking at Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall exhibits. In the afternoon we swam in the ocean and later ate wonderful dinners near our hotel. – Jane
I have traveled quite a bit in my life and its difficult to choose one trip as my favourite. However, recently I went on a very memorable and exciting trip to Alicante, Spain. What made this trip so exciting was that I visited family members that I had not seen in over 10 years. I got to reconnect with my loved ones surrounded by the beauty of a coastal city! I am looking forward to visiting very soon and exploring more of Spain. – Jeimy
