Canadians love a parade, especially one where the protocol is to go out afterward and drink tons of beer.
Larger cities, such as
Toronto,
Montreal,
Vancouver, and Calgary, to name just a few, will stage St. Patrick's Day Parades, and Irish Pubs across the country will be packed with revellers tipping back a pint of green brew.
Photo courtesy Toronto St. Patrick's Day Parade
Toronto has an array of architecture that ranges from charming and historic to modern and fantastic.
In the last decade several modern buildings have been famously unveiled in the city, adding further texture and interest to the Toronto architectural scene.
Here are
10 Toronto architectural highlights all in the downtown and easily reached by public transport.
I had heard that a visit to a sugar shack in Quebec was a gorge-fest, so upon receiving an invitation to visit one of Quebec's most famous maple syrup production facilities, or sugar shacks, I packed my fat pants and headed east to the province that produces most of the world's supply of the sticky, sweet condiment.
Sucrerie de la Montagne, located roughly half way between Ottawa and
Montreal, is a sugar shack in the most traditional sense. Here, in a log cabin, maple sap that has been collected in buckets is boiled down to a thick brown syrup and served up with abandon at the accompanying feast.
In a typical weekend from February to April, about 1,500 people will dine at
Sucrerie de la Montagne. The 2010 Easter weekend will see more than 4000 people eat literally tons of sausage, meatball stew, pancakes and sugar pie.
Sucrerie de la Montagne's old-fashioned methods are in no way gimmicky. Instead, the strict adherence to this artisanal maple syrup production is true to the owner's philosophy and way of life that respects and upholds Quebecois tradition.
Don't miss this authentic Quebec experience, and don't forget to pack your best elastic-waist pants.
The day after the Olympics closing ceremonies, March 1, 2010, is expected to be the busiest day in the Vancouver Airport's history. If your travel dates are at all flexible, you may choose to avoid being one of the herd flooding the airport on this day.
Airport officials are advising passengers who do travel March 1 to check in online five hours before their flight and arrive at the airport four hours before departure.
If you're arriving in or departing from Vancouver Airport on or before March 1, 2010, keep these three things in mind:
- Give Yourself Extra Time: More people parking, more people checking in and more people going through customs mean you need more time. Ask your airline what time it suggests you arrive at the airport. You may also want to consider getting a NEXUS Card that will let you cruise right by all the people in customs to your own dedicated - and usually empty - NEXUS line.
- Have a Transportation Plan: Although public transportation will be beefed up during the Olympics, numerous restrictions and road closures will make driving a challenge. Know how you're getting to and from the Vancouver airport.
- Avoid Travel on March 1 if Possible.
