Vacation Canada

There is no greater joy and excitement and thrill of adventure than travelling with someone you love. Call it a great escapade, an astounding hide away, a romantic sojourn to places I knew only in books, movies and maps, but it was a vacation I will remember for a lifetime.

That is how it was in the Philippine summer of 2011, when John and I took the long trip from the Philippines to North America. The long and seemingly endless hours on the plane---with three connecting international flights was never a bother to us. We enjoyed every moment on the plane as well as the waiting time for each transfer, the shopping for little souvenirs inside the airports as well as the quick coffee or soda we had to grab in between. The excitement to go to a country that I had dreamed of all my life was too much too contain. I was counting miles rather than counting sheep to be able to grab some sleep.

Then, at last, on a snowy cold evening, the flag carrier, Air Canada, glided smoothly in Trudeau International Airport, Montreal, Canada. From there, it took us five hours drive, under heavy snowfall, with the highways hardly visible in the night, to reach the home where I would stay for the dream-vacation of my lifeThis long drive marked beginning of the tour to many scenic and awesome places in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Whether in the countryside or in long well-kept highways that stretch on hills and valleys or the winding roads on mountain trails, every trip and every view from the hilltop or from the fabulous cities and humble towns below, were just too amazing for words.

I have experienced the wonder of all four seasons from the time I set foot on Canadian soil in Spring when nature was bursting in a wild kaleidoscope of colors. In the scorching heat of the summer sun, I delighted in cruises in the great St. Lawrence River, went kayaking and fishing in the lakes. In the Gaspe Region, I stood in awe at the majestic rock formation of the Perce, that seemed to have risen mysteriously from the depths of the sea; feasted on succulent lobsters and had much fun whale-watching in the afternoons. Cool summer nights mean dinners at the Buffet les Continents or St. Hubert's. Weekends are for camping on various sites by the lake or any scenic spot. The experience of putting up our tent, cook-outs, and sleeping under the stars is simply unforgettable.

But it was the season of Autumn that really swept my heart away. The riotous colors of orange, red, yellow and pink ignited my passion for writing and photography. I would stand breathless and speechless. I mumbled to myself: This is the grandeur of God's Creation! We drove as far as the road can take us to the magnificent Niagara Falls and watched its fury roaring on both Canadian and American boundaries. We lodged in nice hotels for the night and went further to Vancouver and Calgary for the last breath of Autumn and the start of the winter holidays.

Winter was a freezing season but I had prepared for this with my thick winter coats for temperatures below zero and negative 30 degrees C. I had painstakingly carved my first Snowman and battled snow just to hang Christmas lights on my porch and on the little hedges by the front gate. I had joined a hunting party to hunt for moose but had to leave after the first shot that broke the cathedral-like silence of the woods. Seeing the poor moose fall was too heart breaking. I would have yelled to warn the moose to run for his life! But it was winter. It was time for hunting. But winter also means Christmas. And in that country, the season brought new meanings in my life. It is the warmth and love of home, of being cozy by the fireside, to watch the quiet glittering tiny lights of my six-foot Christmas tree while the strains of soft music lulled me to sleep---free from all worldly cares. Where the heart is, will always be a home. And I felt, I was home, at last.

I would say that I have crossed continents in pursuit of my passion for travel and the excitement that lies beyond the boundaries of my world. I have chased many sunsets, conquered the seasons and captured all these memories in my writing and in pictures. But no greater joy there is than discovering love that bridges two worlds that may seem to be separated by distance, but are not really very far apart.