North And Windy

    Snow covered beach is a treat to eyes.     Note: Niagara-on-the-Lake is known for its wineries. But on this visit, wineries were not on my list. There are two reasons for it. The first one is that I do not drink as alcohol and my taste buds never agreed with each other. And, second, this was a get-to-know-the-town kind of a trip. Once you leave the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), drive towards Niagara-on-the-Lake is picturesque. My friends had recommended many things/activities for the place but this being my first trip to the pretty town, I am sure many good things were missed. I will come back to enjoy it more. Pitstop: I stopped at A&W. My five year old is BFF with french fries so when I spotted A&W, I knew it was time for a break. Drive: Like I said, as soon as you exit the QEW, the drive is scenic and breathtaking. Miles long rolling fields laden with grape vines as far as eyes could see,...

        Everyone talks about weather — It seems everyone’s way to start a small talk is weather talk. It is also considered to be the safest topic as it’s not personal or awkward and everyone has a take on it. And weather can be challenging for someone new in this country. I have seen four different weather patterns — sunny, rain, freezing rain and snow in a single day. When I left home, sun was shining while temperature was near freezing. As the day went on, sun hid behind black clouds and it started raining. Soon, rain turned into freezing rain followed by few centimetres of snow. I made my way to home in the bus buzzing with passengers sharing their take on the crazy weather pattern.  Sports. Everywhere. — I knew India is crazy about cricket. I know US is crazy about basketball, football and baseball. Before landing here, I had no inkling that Canadians are also crazy about sports. There’s a thing called Winter Olympics...

Saturday morning and two kids - my son and my nephew who are of the similar age - demanded some outing. With their nose running like a Humber river,  the option of doing something in outdoors was out of the question. So, I did what anyone with a sane mind would do. I googled some of the indoor attractions that can be enjoyed with kids. And Google, as usual, threw a plethora of options in front of me. But one thing held my gaze and that was Warplane Museum in Hamilton. It had word 'planes' which sounded fun to kids. And they had a history which I can enjoy. Falling flurries made the road slick so we nudged our Toyota ahead carefully and slowly towards our destination. It was a drive of 40-odd minutes. As we entered the museum, it instantly captivated us. The friendly people check us in and we did not have a dull moment for next 2 hours. At $15 per adult, it’s not something that can be considered pocket-friendly but kids under five are free. When inside, you start your muse...

A peek into Canada Warplane Heritage museum. Children and adults stand there in awe as everyone marvels at the evolution of war planes. Detailed blog post coming on Friday.