The Canadian Rocky Mountains

That's right kids, the Rocky Mountains are known for more than just that place you can buy chocolates at the mall!

Last summer I had to good fortune to hike into an Alberta Provincial Park and spend a night surrounded by the Rockies. There's simply nothing else like it. You will start with a view of them from hours away and might be inclined to reference Dumb & Dumber ("That John Denver is full of shit man"). As you weave your way through the mountain roads every corner leaves you in aw, staring up the rock faces of your surroundings, while cautiously looking for big horn sheep that may have decided to pull a Gandalf and insist that "You shall not pass!" There's just something about surrounding yourself with giant mountains that makes your day-to-day problems seem, well, small. Plus the mountains provide a great buffer from our hipster cousins in British Columbia. That's no slight to the province. I mean literally Chris and I have cousins there that are total hipsters.

What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here

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Joe Carter's World Series Winning Home Run

Many days have passed since October 23rd, 1993, when Joe Carter captivated our entire nation as he stepped up to bat against Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth inning, game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Rickey Henderson was the tying run on second and Paul Molitor represented the winning run on first.  The count was 2-2,  Williams through a fastball down and in, Carter kept his head down and hit a rocket over the left field fence! Pushing the Toronto Blue Jays past the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 to end the series.

Joe Carter, Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee since 2003, was only one of two people to ever end a World Series with a home run. Bill Mazeroski ended the 1960 World Series when Pittsburgh defeated New York in-game 7.

As an 11-year-old boy who loved baseball and the Blue Jays, hearing Tom Cheek say "Touch 'em all Joe, you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life"  remains the best sports moments of my childhood. As an adult I can appreciate how rare those moments actually are. Being a professional sports fan is full of disappointment and pain. Unless of course, you are a New England Patriots Fan

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Moose in the City

Moose in the City was a Millennium project by the City of Toronto in which 326 life-sized moose sculptures were placed throughout the city and decorated by local artists. The idea of placing the moose around the city came from McDonald's Canada founder George Cohon, he had the idea after seeing a similar project with Chicago's "Cows on Parade".

After numerous bouts of vandalism and stolen antlers, a local anti-vandalism moose team was formed, almost a Crime Stoppers for moose vandalism. Eventually corporations started selling their moose to the highest bidder or they moved the moose away from the city to avoid the vandalism and only a small amount of moose still remain in the city and you never know where you might spot one on your travels.

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Beer League Hockey

Everyone knows Canadians rule hockey, but some argue the NHL isn’t where hockey’s soul resides. Instead, it lives at the local community centre at 11 a.m. on a Saturday morning when the beer-league warriors shake off their hangovers and hit the ice to show off their sub-par skills. While their best days may be behind them, the warriors show up every week, without fail, to stretch out their stiff backs and groins and create stories that will be echoed at the bar for years to come.

Beer league hockey is yet another excuse for Canadians to get together. It’s all about the jokes, trash talk and a beer or three with buddies.   

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Canadian Content Regulations

Bouncing around the radio dial here in the great white north will mirror the hit lists of North America. However if you listen long enough you might start to notice some names you haven't heard over anywhere else. That's because of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission regulations that require 25% of radio content be homegrown. This is sort of nurturing air wave environment that has given birth some big time Canadian bands that we couldn't be prouder of....but also Nickelback, so I guess nothing's perfect.


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The Tragically Hip

The Tragically Hip (informally known as The Hip) are a rock band hailing from Kingston Ontario. The band is comprised of Gord Downie on vocals and guitar, Paul Langlois on guitar and backing vocals, Rob Baker on guitar, Gord Sinclair on bass and backing vocals and Johnny Fay on percussion.

By Scott Alexander (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The band has released 14 studio albums from 1987 throughout 2016 and has had great success in Canada, but were not able to capitalize in the United States. That’s ok though, the band is notorious for singing about Canadian things. For example “50 Mission Cap” was written as a tribute to Toronto Maple Leafs defense man Bill Barilko who mysteriously disappeared on a fishing trip 4 months after scoring a Stanley cup winning goal. Other notables are “Bobcaygeon” a small town in the Kawartha’s in Ontario, “Fireworks” mentions 70’s Canadiana such as the national fitness program and the summit series. “At The Hundredth Meridian” is the line of longitude that separates Western Canada from Central and Atlantic Canada. “Wheat Kings” references the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) and the wrongfully convicted David Milgaard case of the late 60’s.

Front man Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2016.That summer The Hip began their Man Machine Poem Tour and it was quickly labelled as the bands last concert tour by the media. The tour generated a ton of buzz in Canada and actually exposed glaring flaws with Ticketmaster's buying and selling processes and scalpers in Canada. The final show of the tour was held in their hometown of Kingston Ontario and it was broadcast and streamed online by the CBC. The concert was viewed nation wide by over 11.7 million people which is approximately 1/3rd of the population of Canada.

The night of the concert I moved a TV onto my patio and hooked up a 200 watt speaker and invited a handful of friends over to watch. The concert was approximately 3 hours long which consisted of 30 songs being played and 3 encore sets. (I built a Spotify playlist of the 30 songs in order of the concert that you can listen to.)


There's no doubt that they are Canada's band and The Tragically Hip will always have a special place in the hearts and ears of all Canadians.

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The Peace Tower

If you look way up, above the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, you will see one of the most recognizable symbols of Canada, the Peace Tower. The most widely known symbol of Canada is of course the Canadian flag. Speaking of flags, the flag on top of the tower is changed daily Monday to Friday, and you can put your name on a waiting list to have one that has flown above the Peace Tower. However, you will have to be patient, the wait is about 42 years.

You can take free guided tours of the Peace Tower and the surrounding Parliament Buildings, year round, and in the Summer months, you can have a seat on the front lawn, in the morning and watch the Changing of the Guard, and at night you can meet back at the same spot and watch a stunning sound and light show!


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Toronto Maple Leafs

Things have changed on the ice for the Toronto Maple Leafs since I was a kid. Back then it was Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark that would bring the crowd to its feet at Maple Leaf Gardens. Now we are in a new age at the Air Canada Centre where the crowd swoons over the young talent with the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander.  You can guarantee that this years playoff berth has fans excited for the future. Go Leafs Go!


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Maple Dipped Donuts

Post by Stephanie Fry

Mmm…maple…yum!!! Anything maple is definitely iconically Canadian thanks to our nation’s flag and our beautiful maple trees; the source of this sweet, sweet nectar. Though I’m pretty sure that donuts were not invented in Canada; thanks to Tim Horton's they sure do seem like a popularly known Canadian treat. Drizzle some of that sweet maple flavoured icing onto a soft, fluffy donut and muah! You have a delicious perfectly Canadian, portable dessert; the maple dipped donut which is one of my favourites. 

These two cuties (Russell, left and Wesley, right) sure do enjoy their maple dipped donuts from Zehrs Markets, Alliston. If you are wondering why the donut they are eating doesn’t look like a maple dipped donut, they chose the sprinkled version; now who doesn’t like sprinkles!


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Sno-pitch

Used under creative commons. Photo credit: Casey Lessard, Carnival-SnoPitch-3245

Canadians are a bunch of wonderful wackos – and nowhere is that made more evident than on a snow-covered baseball field in late January at a seasonal -20 degrees (in Celsius, the more human temperature scale).

Yes, Canadians play baseball in the winter, for some reason. My parents were avid sno-pitch players and I spent many a weekend morning shivering away on the bleachers watching them slip and slide all over the field chasing that big orange softball. Why is the ball orange you ask? So you can find it in the snowbanks that build up by the fences, of course.

In reality, sno-pitch is just another reason for Canadians to get together with friends for laughs. There is always a thermos nearby filled with half coffee half Kaluha that, along with the friendship, helps keep the players warm and the frostbite at bay.   


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Peggy's Cove

Few things stand more recognizable in Canadian imagery that the light house at Peggy's Cove. A small fishing village has transformed into gift shops and photo opportunities, yet managed to retain all of its charm. It might be one of the few photo opportunities in the world when where not only will someone be willing to take your picture for you, but dozens of people will be curious enough to actually move out of the background! Those maritime provinces, just so darn polite!

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Canadian Slang

Across this great nation there is a word or phrase you’ve never heard and wouldn’t understand for everyday things unless you were Canadian. Some of them are goofy sounding, but you know what, they are ours. Here are some fine examples of the greatness that is Canadian slang.

• Hoser – A stupid person, also acceptable is hose-head. Side note, the word hose can also mean to swindle or be swindled. Eg, “I got hosed by the tax man on my last paycheque”.
• Mickey – 375mL of liquour (13oz for you Muricans).
• Keener – A brown noser, mostly related to school work.
• Klicks – referencing speed or distance in kilometres, eg “The nearest Tim Hortons is about 3 klicks that way.”
• Loonie & Twonie - $1 coin (has a loon on it) and $2 coin (rhymes with loonie, but is worth $2 so naturally twonie is it’s new name).
• Gitch – Underwear.
• Kitty-Corner – Something that is diagonally across from something else.
• Kerfuffle – a small commotion from a disagreement.
• Beauty – used to describe something/someone awesome eg. “Picked up a new toque, she’s a beauty”. Can also shorten it to "beaut"
• Jokes – used to describe a funny person or situation. “That guy at the bush party last night was telling some great stories, he’s jokes”.
• True – used to agree with someone. Real Man Travels has taken it one step further and uses “#truth” in our group chat to agree with something.

There are plenty more that are local to certain areas and others that you will see throughout the run of this 150 list!

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Terry Fox

Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox  July 28,1958 - June 28, 1981

“I want to set an example that will never be forgotten.” - Terry Fox 

Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In early 1980, he started the Marathon of Hope, which was a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research. His goal was to raise one dollar from each of Canada's 24 million people. He began the marathon with little support from St,John's, Newfoundland in April and ran the equivalent of a full marathon every day.

Fox had become national news by the time he reached Ontario; he made many public appearances with businessmen, athletes, and politicians in his efforts to raise as much money as he could. He was forced to end his Marathon of hope outside Thunder Bay when the cancer spread to his lungs. His hopes of completing his marathon and overcoming the disease ended when he died less than a year later. 

The Marathon of hope lasted 143 days and 5,373 kilometres or 3,339 miles, and his efforts resulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held 36 years ago, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over $650 million has been raised in his name.

photo from www.terryfox.org

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The Metric System

While the Metric System is not Canadian made, it is one of my favourite parts of Canada for the confusion it has often caused when conversing with our North American cousins to the south . Some visitors cross the border into Canada, see our speed limit signs and think the highways must be a public NASCAR track with both left and right turns!

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Devil's Punch Bowl

Thankfully when TLC told us to not chase waterfalls they meant it only as a metaphor. I bet that they would think that it's totally cool if you want to go check out some real waterfalls on your leisure time. Might I suggest venturing to the Stoney Creek-Hamilton region in Southern Ontario. There is a plethora of waterfalls in that area, you could easily make a day of chasing waterfalls.

My favourite waterfall in the area is the Devils Punch Bowl. Not only does it  have a cool rock and roll name and a very impressive view of the area, there is also a well stocked bakery one minute up the road.

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Bagged Milk

Milk bags are exactly what they sound like, milk in bags. They are plastic pouches of milk containing 1.3L each and are sold in packs of 3 (4L total). Bagged milk really seems to blow the minds of our neighbours to the south. “How does one pour milk from a bag!?”. It’s actually pretty simple, every household has a plastic pitcher which you insert the bag into and then you cut the corner off the bag with either scissors, a knife or a dedicated milk bag cutter (yup those exist). Then you pour the milk onto your favourite cereal, into your coffee or wherever else you desire milk to be.

The Glorious Bag of Milk

 The concept of the milk bag was introduced in 1967 by DuPont and was welcomed with open arms by the dairy industry in Canada as it was lighter and less likely to break in transit than the typical glass bottle at the time. However, consumers didn’t come around to the idea until the 70’s and even today a large portion of Canada’s west coast provinces don’t use them.

The milk bag in a milk jug ready to pour into stuff.

Bagged milk isn’t without its flaws though. Every milk bag drinking Canadian has experienced the dreaded floppy corner pour. It’s when the plastic corner you cut open droops over the pitcher and makes it so much hard to have a consistent pour. And don’t even get me started on people who cut giant holes that pour a litre at a time. As well there is the use of plastics which aren't exactly environmentally friendly. I'm sure down the road someone will reinvent the bag and we will be better off for it. But for now, cut a bag open and pour me a cold glass of milk!

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The Pinery

While massive sand dunes and beautiful beaches may not seem iconically Canadian, the Pinery Provincial Park in Grand Bend, Ontario has been a vacation destination for many Canucks for years.

The ecosystem is completely unique with sprawling pine forests and rare oak savanna running along the warm, wavy waters of Lake Huron.

The Dunes campground is most highly recommended with sites located right up against the dunes, meaning you are just a climb or stumble your way to the beach. The park also has a great river for canoeing and a top notch store and visitors centre.

Read about my experiences at this amazing park.

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James Naismith - Inventor of Basketball

This one may be more of a technicality than anything, but Basketball was invented by James Naismith, a Canadian while working in the United States.

By D. Gordon E. Robertson (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

While teaching at Springfield College (known as International YMCA Training School then) in 1891, Naismith was tasked to create a safe indoor game for the rowdy students during the harsh winters in New England. He took the softest ball at the time, a soccer ball, eliminated contact by not allowing players to run with the ball and hung peach baskets up on each end of the gymnasium. This was the rough introduction to basketball. In his own account Naismith described the first game as “a free-for-all in the middle of the gym floor”, so he drafted up the original 13 rules, posted them on a bulletin board and later played a more regulated game. Eventually holes were cut into the baskets to allow the ball to fall out rather than climb up to retrieve it each time.

 In 1905 basketball was formally recognized as a permanent winter sport in high schools and colleges. Over the years there have been many tweaks to the game but it has not strayed too drastically from the original 13 rules. Naismith now has the honour of having the Basketball Hall of Fame named after him and many trophies for different leagues recognizing player’s accomplishments. Basketball as we all know is a huge success today and is played by more than 300 million people worldwide. You can thank the Canadian guy from a little town called Almonte, Ontario for inventing it.

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Maple Syrup

Guest Article by Helen. 

I love this great big country I call home! You might know it as Canada! *cue the national anthem* 

I'm going to share with you today, the inside scoop, on one of our country's most coveted natural resources; MAPLE SYRUP!

OK maybe not everything, but I know a bit! Plus, I got the inside scoop from some friends of mine, William and Brittney, who have their own "Micro Maple Syrup" operation. (It's like a micro brewery but for Maple syrup)

The young couple, out of Barrie, Ontario, begin prepping for Maple Syrup season as soon as the first thaw hits. It's all hands on deck to get this operation going before the sap starts flowing. The first step is to run the hoses, and get the wood chopped to help fuel the boiling process.

William uses hosing rather than taps and buckets for efficiency. The hosing all runs down to barrels for collecting and then a larger hose runs from the barrels to the cooker. The cooker is where the first stage of the magic happens.

After the cooking stage the sap is put through a 2nd boiling, where it must reach a boiling point of 107 degrees Celsius (or as close to it) This is what really makes the sap, into syrup! After this stage it is ready to bottle!

Not all Maple syrup is created equal though. Maple syrup can vary in colour, and flavour depending on what stage in the season it is created. The lighter the syrup, the earlier in the season it was made, and the less flavour it can have. The darker the syrup, the later in the season it was made, but it also tends to have a stronger maple flavour. 

Isn't it incredible that something so flavourful and deliciously sweet, can come out of a tree in your backyard?

Oh Canada! Oh Maple Syrup! Cheers!

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The McKenzie Brothers

Promotional still from "Strange Brew" with Bob (left) and Doug McKenzie (right).

Good day and welcome to the great white north.

Bob and Doug McKenzie are fictional Canadian brothers who hosted the "Great White North" skit on SCTV.  Known for wearing winter clothing all year round and drinking large amounts of beer.

The brothers offered up good humour and impressive Canadian linguistics. So impressive that Canadians had no idea themselves that they used words such as "Eh", "Hoser", or my favourite "Take off". The brothers became very popular in the US and Canada producing many records and movies.

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Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal

Montreal in the winter, sounds snowy and cold. That maybe correct in weather terms but in romance terms, Montreal is white-hot . My first visit to Montreal and the basilica was in the winter and it was a great trip, I fell in love with Terrina just outside of the church when the sun was shining just right on her smiling face with the church bells ringing throughout the square and the song "Can't fight this feeling anymore" by  REO Speedwagon playing in my head.  

3 years later on our most recent visit, I talked her into taking a five-minute walk to the basilica. I ended up having to piggy back her up the cobblestone sidewalk to the steps of the basilica (She just had to wear her blue heels) I set her down gently grabbed her hand and I tried to calm my nerves as I kissed her on the forehead and got down on one knee and proposed to her and she said yes!

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Konzelmann Estate Winery

A post by Stephanie  Fry

Yes, as you can see in the picture below, we took our 8 month old on his first ever wine tasting to Konzelmann Estate Winery. And no, he did not have a drop of wine… all for MOMMY!!

My husband and I love, love, love taking a trip at least once a year to the picturesque countryside that is Canada’s wine country. It also hosts one of Ontario’s prettiest towns, Niagara-on-the-Lake. All and all, it is definitely worth a day trip or weekend getaway to this beautiful haven.

We have visited several of Niagara’s wineries over the years and one of my favourites is Konzelmann Estate Winery which is Niagara’s only lakefront winery. They have award winning ice wine, which I must say is delicious. It would be perfect over ice cream or just as a small after dinner sipper. They have lovely varieties of chardonnay. My favourite is their Chardonnay Reserve which is a very mellow and buttery.

But, what makes me stop by Konzelmann every time, is their delicious Peachwine which is made from their neighbour’s fresh, local Niagara-on-the-lake peaches. Real peaches; not artificial junk! Fun fact, before this property became a winery it was a lakefront peach orchard; now doesn’t that just sound wonderful! If you plan to take a trip out to Canada’s wine country, do stop at Konzelmann for a tour, a tasting or just to pick up some of their delicious wine.

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Beer

Canadians didn’t invent beer, but we do love it.

We may only drink half the beer per capita as the Czech Republic, (seriously, those people are savage), but I prefer to think we drink to enjoy, not to forget.

Beer fits the national identity of hard working people in search of fun, connection and togetherness. Canada popularized the term two-four and beer plays a big role in our sporting and party cultures. You need only look as far as Canadian cultural staples like Bob and Doug McKenzie, Trailer Park Boys and the Red Green Show to see beer front and centre.

Despite being a heavily regulated industry that stifles innovation and competition, Canada also has a burgeoning craft beer and beer festival scene. Real Man Travels has checked out a few festivals in our day and standouts like the Cask Days are true showcases of the up-and-coming scene. Check out a few of our favourite Canadian breweries including Double Trouble, Lake of the Woods, Hop City, Les Trois Mousquetaires, Sawdust City, Le Trou du Diable, Propeller, Dieu du Ciel!, Bellwoods, Four Wings and Oast House.

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Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC)

Whether you call it “Ehm-Ee-See”, “Mehk” or “Mountain Equipment Co-op” if you are an adventurer, hiker, biker, camper or outdoor enthusiast you have spent hours in one. MEC is more than just an outdoor retailer, it is a co-operative which means that they charge a one-time $5 co-op membership fee which is good for life. After paying the small fee you are then considered a part owner of the company and able to shop and become a part of the lifestyle that is MEC.

New MEC logo

 What do I mean by lifestyle? Well every time I go into MEC I have to dedicate at least an hour to browse and try the newest products out. The staff are more than just sales people, they are experts in their given departments and they won’t pressure you to get the more expensive version if it doesn’t make sense for your application. While items are typically more expensive than those found at other retailers, the quality cannot be beat. Should you ever run into a problem MEC’s ‘Rock Solid Guarantee’ will likely have you covered. They stand behind their products (minus neglect or misuse) and will gladly replace, repair or credit anything.

MEC stands firmly behind their mission and values by being environmentally friendly, curating adventure, high quality products, remaining a co-operative and building community. There are MEC stores in most major cities across Canada and if you find yourself here on an adventure make sure to pop in and see what they are all about.

Old MEC logo
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

 Side Story: MEC has their own branded gear and the logo has become an identifier to other travellers and adventures across the globe on who is Canadian. Pretty cool that MEC’s logo is just as powerful as a Canadian flag patch!

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Robertson Screw (Square Head)

When it comes to screwing, we Canadians can take pride with the Robertson screw aka the square one. The Robertson screw has a recessed square in the head which greatly reduces slipping and stripping when fastening stuff. The screw was designed and patented by Peter Lymburner Robertson in Milton, Ontario in 1909. It is far superior to that of that a flat or Philips, ask any Canadian contractor!

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unportedlicense.

While working for a Philadelphia based tool company, P.L. Robertson cut his hand during a sales presentation when his flat screwdriver slipped from the flat screw. It was at that moment that he decided to design a better screw, which led to the square head us Canadians know and love today.

The Robertson screw was used in early Ford Model T cars and saved approximately 2 hours of production time each car. Henry Ford had caught wind of this and wanted to have exclusive rights to manufacture the screw in the United States, however P.L. Robertson did not agree to the terms Ford wanted and left without signing a deal. Ford would later produce the screw that Henry F Phillips designed, the star.Despite leaving a huge opportunity to open up to the US market, Robertson returned and started to sell screws in industrial size packaging to manufacturers in Canada. To this day the screw is widely used here.   

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Arrowhead Skating Trail

Long, cold winters are a reality for Canadians; while we love to complain about the cold and snow, Canadians know there is plenty of fun to be had when the days get short and the flurries fall.

One truly Canadian winter experience is to check out the skating trail at Arrowhead Provincial Park near Huntsville, Ontario. Ontario Parks builds the trail every winter and it is 1.3 km of good fun. 

Bending through the pine forest you can’t help but feel Canadian as you carve through the woods. Taking on the trail at night is even cooler (literally, as in temperature, as well figurative, as in Fonz-defined coolness), as they light the trail with tiki torches for fire-lit skates.

I checked out the trail with my family on a trip to Huntsville and experienced some of the fun Ontario’s near-north has to offer. Read more about that.

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The Canadian Stand Off

Photo created by CUEK.co

We Canadians have always been stereotyped as a polite people. A visit to a typical Canadian office building will provide the opportunity for you to witness an authentic moment of Canadiana that occurs almost daily in the work places all across our great country. The Canadian Stand Off.

A gentleman walks down the hallway on his way to a meeting. On his way he approaches a door way just as another gentleman is approaching. They make eye contact and the game is on. The first to reach the door smiles and holds it open - first blood - "After you" he says to the friendly stranger. "You were here first. Please, go ahead" the stranger replies with smile ramping the tension higher. " No, please...I insist" and with that simple exchange we have a full blown Canadian stand off. It will go on for a few minutes more until both are now late for their respective meetings before someone finally walks through the door.

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Persians - Thunder Bay

 (Sameer Vasta/Creative Commons)

A hidden treasure of Thunder Bay, Persians are a must try if you ever visit Thunder Bay. A well made fresh Persian is the perfect treat to go with your second morning coffee and you can find them 6 days a week (that's right, you've gotta stock up for Sunday)

So what exactly is a Persian and what does it taste like? Well, thanks to Thunder Bay's Local Historian and Real Man Travels contributor Justin, we will have an idea. Justin describes it as "A cross between a cinnamon bun and a cake donut, topped with a light strawberry frosting." Thanks Justin, sounds magical.

If you are on the hunt for one in Thunder Bay, Justin recommends you buy the baked goods from the Persian Man.

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The Summit of Mont-Royal

When I think of romantic settings, there always seems to be french music playing in the background, I think that cartoons maybe to blame for that. Only a few spots in Montreal give you the romantic french music feels. One of those spots is the Mont-Royal lookout

My fondest of memories in Montreal, fall on a hot summer day. Having a picnic in the park,  with some fresh foods from a nearby marks and a bottle of white. Then leisurely making our way to the summit to absorb the incredible view of the city.

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The Log Drivers Waltz

Screen shot of CBC Vignette The Log Drivers Waltz. Property of CBC

Who remembers this little gem? I sure do! A good childhood memory of mine would be grabbing a juice box from the fridge as fast as you could after finishing up an awesome episode of Mr. Dressup you would hear the sound of the piano start-up and then the sound of moving water. If you recognized those 2 sounds you knew that the next three minutes were about to be awesome. 

And now that I am an adult, I believe it is the dance of witchcraft or a sorcery-of-sorts.  I see and hear the words "A log driver's waltz pleases girls completely" and I say to myself, what is this song really about? And how do I learn the Log Drivers Waltz? 

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