It’s been more than two decades since my last trip to Canada because a number of factors have made it difficult for me to make the usual Toronto side trip from New York. Many years ago, I just had to go to the Canadian Embassy in Manhattan, apply for the tourist visa and be issued one in an hour or so.
Years later, they required applicants to do it in their country of origin. That was not really a problem because, at the Canadian Embassy here in Manila, I would apply for and be issued the visa in a matter of hours.
Recently, the application process became more stringent. Applicants had to set an appointment, then fill out a 17-page Form, and submit all kinds of supporting documents, etc. It became such a colossal undertaking that I decided against visiting Canada again.
However, my Canada-based eldest sister, who all of us siblings love and look up to, recently celebrated her 80th birthday. The entire clan decided that all of us attend her celebration, as a tribute to a sibling we all love so much, thus, my decision to go through the tedious application process.
My sister has taken up residence in Oshawa, which is on the shoreline of Lake Ontario, and 60 miles east of Toronto. Once known as the “Automotive Capital of Canada” because it is where you find the headquarters of General Motors Canada, Oshawa is not what you would call a bustling city because it’s not that big, neither is it busy. It’s also not as tiny nor as quiet as a “small town,” hence, its little appeal to tourists like me.
I asked my sister if there was another place I could visit that would be worth writing about. Without batting an eyelash, she brought me to Port Perry, a village in the town of Scugog, a 25-minute drive north of Oshawa.
Port Perry sits on the banks of Lake Scugog, a big man-made lake in Ontario, and is named after its first settler, Peter Perry, who sold lots along the lakeshore. The original Post Office built in the 1800s still stands and continues to function as one. The building, which used to be the Port Perry Granary, also still stands on the shores of Lake Scugog, proud of having Canada’s oldest grain elevator.
I like the village’s pretty Victorian-era “downtown area.” The main street is lined with clothing stores, restaurants, cafés, bookstores, galleries and antique shops, the architecture of which gave it such “historical” look.
It took my siblings and me approximately 20 minutes to walk leisurely the entire length of the street which is lined with colorful blooms. What made our walk interesting was the plaque on each building’s facade, detailing its history – who built it, what happened to it during the Civil War, ownership transfers, etc. What a nice way to make tourists get more of their visit.
We also spent time at Palmer Park, which is right on the lakeshore, enjoying the healthy, unpolluted air blowing every which way. Half of the park is a playground for children, the other half has benches for people who just want to sit and face the calming view of the beautiful Lake Scugog. This part also has a beautiful gazebo as its centerpiece.
On the baseball field right next to the children’s playground were hundreds of birds roosting, making the area even more attractive.
Being the administrative and commercial center of Scugog town, Port Perry is a progressive community as it is the hub of many other communities in the area. The Great Blue Heron Casino, managed by Native Americans, is its major employer.
And what would a visit be without trying out its offerings. We learned that the ice cream parlor along the village’s main street makes the best ice cream in that part of the country. Naturally, we didn’t want to leave the place without some scoops of our favorite flavor.
So, there we were, my siblings and I, queueing up for the cold treat that hot summer day. And you know how big their ice cream scoops are in the US! We looked like small children, seated on a bench outside the ice cream parlor, savoring every lick of that sweet, flavorful frozen treat!
It was a day well spent because Port Perry showed me something new in Ontario. Next time I visit this Canadian province, I will see to it that I spend more time in Port Perry, and get lost in its relaxing, soothing environment, the perfect antidote to stress which, whether we like it or not, comes with traveling across continents.
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YOUR FRIDAY CHUCKLE
Son: Dad, what’s the difference between CONFIDENT and CONFIDENTIAL?
Dad: Hmmmm…you are my son. Of that I am CONFIDENT. Your friend, Timmy, is also my son. That’s CONFIDENTIAL.