CANADA
Population: 35.2 million
Word for Cat: Cat, chat (French)
Capital: Ottawa
Currency: $1 Australian Dollar = $1 Canadian Dollar
Religions: Christian (67%), Irreligious (24%), Muslim (3%), Hindu, Sikh, and Others (6%)
Human Development Index: 10th (very high)
Total Gross Domestic Product: US$ 1.84 billion
Form of Government: Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Somewhere in Midtown Manhattan, I zigzag my way through thick pedestrian traffic, clutching my Philippine passport and newly minted Canadian visa. The consulate released my travel documents just hours before Julia and I are supposed to take the Greyhound Bus from New York City to Toronto. Stepping off the bus half-awake at 3 am, we shuffle into the Buffalo Canadian border crossing like zombies.
When we finally reach Toronto, the sun is yet to rise. There’s so much snow and slush on the dark streets, we walk slowly against the bone-chilling breeze to avoid falling over on our bulging packs. Shivering in our ill-equipped footwear, we’re determined to survive a proper Canadian winter and earn our bragging rights. Thank goodness the buses and metro are efficient and easy to navigate.
Day 220-229: Toronto and Niagara Falls
Our friend Philip welcomes us to his beautiful home and very soon shows us how nice Canadians really are. He and his mother Fran are incredible; they spoil us rotten from the get-go.
I suppose that’s the only way to survive in this part of the world, where the climate can be harsh and unforgiving at times, yet stunningly beautiful all year long. From the comfort of our cozy apartment, we look out towards the downtown Toronto skyline, snow steadily falling all around us.
I wonder what the First Canadians thought about this deep freeze thousands of years ago, how they made sense of it. In my mind, I imagine the English and French settlers from the 16th century grappling with the problem of keeping their colonies alive. Over 150 years, generations of native-born citizens and immigrants from everywhere have built Canada from a smattering of trading posts into the world’s 10th largest economy. Today, it’s also a world-class model for public health and a bastion of multiculturalism – the emergency hotline can handle more than 150 languages. And through all that history, so much snow.
Melissa, one of Julia’s childhood Albury friends (whom she also shares a birthday with!), happens to live in Toronto, and we have a great time catching up with her and her boyfriend, Jermaine.
Mel kindly offers to drive us to Niagara Falls, and on the way shares what Julia was really like growing up! We giggle throughout most of the journey.
The Falls are well and truly iced over, but crunching through the snow we are met with one of the most majestic sites we’ve ever seen. “Niagara Falls” is the catch-all name for three smaller falls connected together and wedged in the Canadian-American border: Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls.
Tracing its origins to the last glacial period that ended 11,700 years ago, Niagara Falls is quite unique because 99% of the water flowing through it is meltwater. On average, roughly 1,400 to 2,800 tonnes of water per second flow from the falls. Virtually every single drop is water melting from ancient ice sheets and glaciers!
Everywhere we go there is a carpet of fluffy, white snow. The weather in Toronto is colder than either of us have ever felt, but there’s something so special and beautiful about a Canadian winter. It’s magical.
Going to the supermarket becomes an adventure in survival.
For Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and our 3rd wedding anniversary, Julia and I stay mostly indoors and keep warm. We spend time in insightfully deep conversation with our newly adopted meditation brother and mindfulness guru, Philip. His two gorgeous kittens, Karuna and Dharma charming us with their purring and cuteness. Julia quickly falls in love with the kitties and wants to put them in her backpack.
One blistering morning, Philip takes us for a beautiful hike in the Canadian forest. Through thick snow, beside frozen lakes, and across tree-fallen paths, we certainly earn our Canadian Winter Wilderness Survival badges!
We get the white Christmas we have been hoping for, and it is magnificent. Venturing out Julia does her much anticipated snow angel!
On New Year’s Eve we enjoy a bottle of delicious ice wine and dessert together. We reflect on how far we’ve come this year, the many cherished moments, the many challenges, and the countless amazing humans (and cats!) who’ve entered our lives. Life isn’t all roses and long-term travel (229 days and counting) isn’t a never-ending holiday (it’s hard work!), but we certainly do have a LOT to be grateful for.
Alas, all good things must come to an end. A day after welcoming 2018 with Philip, Fran and the two kitties, Julia and I take the early morning train to Montréal. Along the way, I try to recall as many French phrases as I can – might be useful for getting around. At the very least the locals will get a chuckle at my incompetence!
Day 230-236: Montréal
While there’s some truth to the “nice Canadian” stereotype, it’s also been said that Canadians can be competitive. I guess it shows in how intense ice hockey is! Few rivalries are as old and storied as that between English-speaking Toronto and French-speaking Montréal, and comparing the two is a local pastime.
One thing strikes me right away – Montréal is colder. Much colder. It’s so cold that the North Pole, the South Pole, and Mars – yes, that planet in outer space – are several degrees warmer. At -27C (-16F) we inevitably come down with the sniffles, so enjoy a few days in the warmth of our Airbnb. Our room is essentially a library with a bed and couch – it’s a book lover’s dream. They even have classic graphic novels in the mix. My inner nerd (innerd?) is rejoicing.
Quick bit of trivia – the Montréal Metro runs on rubber tires and is widely recognized as an underground art gallery. The trendy vibe and street art reminds me a lot of Melbourne, but I imagine the sophisticated Montrealers raising eyebrows at the comparison.
Our mission here is fairly straightforward: survive the coldest winter of our lives, see as much as we can, and work on our blog. We manage to do just that, thanks to layers of warm blankets, a good heater, and an overdose of pulpy, fresh orange juice. We join a tour of the Notre Dame Basilica in Old Montréal, pay a visit to the site of the 1967 World’s Fair, and take in panoramic views from Chalet du Mont-Royal. There isn’t a lot to do or see when it’s this cold, but the views were impressive.
Since we have not been able to locate any cats in the snow (duh, they’re all inside by the fire), we stop in at our local cat cafe, Café Chat L’Heureux.
Day 237-239: Ottawa
Based on our experiences in Toronto and Montréal, Julia and I are convinced that Canada is now one of our favorite countries. And just in case we needed more reasons to love the land of the maple leaf, we make our way to the frozen yet charming capital, Ottawa. Train journeys through the snow are so enjoyable and relaxing.
Did I already mention it’s cold? At -29C (-20F) – a new “survival personal best” for us – Ottawa is smashing temperature records, out-freezing Russia and Mongolia, and claiming the title of coldest capital city of 2017. Disembarking from our local bus, we sink into knee-deep, iridescent white snow.
We don’t have a lot of time for sightseeing, so we head straight for the commanding heights of Canadian politics: Parliament Hill. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau just might be there. Trudeau wants to continue selling Canadian weapons that “might be used against civilians” in Saudi Arabia, but it would’ve been interesting to see him in person. But not today, we’re told. Julia is slightly disappointed.
We view the parliamentary chambers, see the famous doors where all the press conferences happen, and climb to the top of the central tower for breathtaking, icy views.
Apart from the government complex, Ottawa has many other attractions, including its own Notre Dame Basilica.
We also explore – from the relative safety of the banks, thanks very much – the Rideau Canal Skateway. Accommodating more than 1 million skaters every year, stretching 7.8 km around the city, and equivalent to 90 Olympic-size rinks, Rideau Canal is the world’s largest naturally frozen ice rink. We are told that some locals leave their cars and skate to work during winter. We thought it was a joke, until we see people doing just that!
But the best part of Ottawa is making new friends – our Airbnb hosts are amazing. We spend hours chatting over dinner, sharing travel stories, and completely losing track of time by playing board games. I’d almost forgotten how much fun these things are. Julia and I promise to play more often when we return to Australia. If you’re ever in Ottawa, look up Said and Hanan on Airbnb!
For now, we’re headed back to the States, this time to see the West Coast. We give our hosts big hugs goodbye, then take a morning flight south. Julia and I are shivering in our boots, but our hearts are warm and glowing with gratitude to the Great White North. We have survived a Canadian winter.
Numb fingers and toes,
J & J
When Micro Meets Macro 
Love your travelogues- didn’t think it would be that cold? Cats are of course superb keep on keeping on 💜💜💜
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