August 2 (day 63) – Toronto, ON

Now that we’ve spent more than a month in Ontario and Quebec, here are some observations on that part of the country:

• Ontario is much more picturesque than Jonty realized with lovely countryside and charming small towns in abundance – one could stop every ten minutes to take a photo.  
  
• There are more fine-sand beaches in Northern Ontario than you’d imagine.
  
• The signal lights don’t work on a lot of cars in Quebec.
  
• In greater Toronto, add a minimum of 20 kms/hr to the maximum speed limit signs.
  
• It’s possible to spend time in Quebec and not hear a Celine Dion song.
  
• Ontario’s slogan should be “Land of Lakes and Water Lillies” and not “Open for Business” (thank you Premier Doug Ford).  Monet’s famous collection of water lilies at Giverny pales in comparison to Ontario’s ponds and lakes.
  
• There’s good reason why the city of Quebec wins so many annual travel awards.
  
• There’s no doubt it’s nice to live by the ocean; however, you can’t live right on its shore like you can with lakefront property.
  
• It’s obvious when you start driving through the Canadian Shield.
  
• The small towns in Quebec along the St. Lawrence are right out of story books.
  
• It’s easy to be a pacifist until you travel through mosquito country.
  
• Watch your head around trailers with open windows (applies to all provinces).