Culture! Culture!! Culture!!! Coast???

Plans of an impending bushwalk to Centennial Ridge in Algonquin Park for Julie were very much up in the air as we lept into the CuRVy and headed off in the wind and rain to the Gravenhurst Opera House. The first concert of the Muskoka Concert Association www.muskokaconcertassociation.com featured the guitar duo Strings Attached http://www.gravenhurstoperahouse.com/henderson-kolk-duo-no-strings-attached-friday-october-14th-8-pm%20to%201738 and while listening to classical guitar duos has never been high on my bucket list, going to every possible event in 2011 has.

I was surprised. They were great! Note to Four Winds Festival.... www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5HG2Qdmck


When we arrived home there was a message that the Saturday hike was cancelled due to the inclement weather so plan B went into action. Websites, books and magazines were perused and tickets and accommodation was booked. Nothing like intricate, detailed planning!!! 

Following a good nights sleep, a hearty breakfast and some schoolwork we punched Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario into Mrs Garmin and headed into the light rain on our way to the mystical Court of Camelot. Of course we fortified ourselves with the mythical McDonald's coffee and muffins meal which has been a favourite travelling companion throughout our Canadian Odysseys in both 2007 & 2011. Although it was overcast the driving was easy and the autumn scenery was nice.

Arriving a little early for the matinee performance of Camelot http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/OnStage/productions.aspx?id=11117&utm_source=Homepage&utm_medium=billboardlink&utm_campaign=hp-billboard&prodid=36298 gave us the opportunity of heading to an Iconic Canadian  Restaurant for a quick lunch.

Yes, it was to Tim Horton's, but this was a "Timmy's" with a difference. Hockey shirts, jeans and caps had been replaced by gentlemen in suits and well dressed ladies. Tim Horton's does cater to all Canadians after all! Just a pity the coffee isn't to my taste.

Early arrival at the theatre also allowed me to take a quick photo of the stage, although I did get castigated by the very pleasant usher. Never mind.




The production was excellent and we left with the tunes and images of Camelot replaying again and again in our minds. There could be worse things to happen in your mind.


Not being prepared to fork out the $200 being asked for a night in Stratford we had booked accommodation in nearby London and arrived at the Knight's Inn (ironic choice) at around 6pm. Offering all we needed (bed and breakfast) the Knight's Choice had one real bonus with a bar/restaurant right next door. 

"Players" http://www.playerslondon.ca/ offered good basic food. Julie chose an Angus Burger with fries, I chose Pulled Pork on a Kaiser with salad. Maybe not totally Jelinek friendly but tasted good and there was plenty to eat and with the 4 different Hockey games, the 2 football games (NFL & CFL), soccer and Ultimate Fighting Challenge there was no shortage of things to watch on the TV. And if we had a few days we may have been able to take in the total amount of the memorabillia on show including a whole wall of Wayne Gretzky. Amazing look at a totally different type of culture! I was right at home!!!

Great bed made for a good night's sleep and special mention should go to the Knight's Inn decore which included a colourful bathroom. The interesting choices continued when we went over to the breakfast room/ lobby/ office, no reason to waste a good space. The breakfast choices were sweet, sweeter or sweetest but they were plentiful and the coffee was never ending and hot.

Amazing just how good very sweet syrup and a healthy appetite can make waffles taste!!!

Our plan was to head to Lake Huron and we travelled there through constant drizzling rain with the wind blowing hard enough to shake the CuRVy. Maybe not a beach day but we were both Far South Coast Branch Surf Lifesavers so you never, never know.


Grand Bend was just like a beach town on the south coast of NSW except for no waves, no salt water and no people. BUT, it is heading towards winter and many south coast towns look just like this in May, June, July, August and September so maybe it wasn't too far from home after all!  And - of course there were surf shops !!!!


Another interesting thing was just how productive and prosperous the farmland looked in the area, even though the production season  was well and truly over.

And there was even a business opportunity.........

Next stop was Goderich which is known as Canada's Prettiest Town. http://www.goderich.ca/en/ Well that title may be in a bit of jeopardy due to the town being devastated by the tornado that hit the town on August 21st this year. The signs of the destructive winds were easy to see but so was the effort to clean up the mess, rebuild and get on with life.

Let's hope Goderich returns to the way it was on August 20. The town was so unlucky, if the tornado hit 5 km (3 miles) either side it would have only destroyed  corn. Fate is freaky...........

Heading further north to Owen Sound we decided to head back to 460 Sarah via Flesherton (interesting name) and the grey Highlands arriving home weary but satisfied after another interesting weekend.