In honor of Canada Day, I wanted to write a “top 5” for Canada. My visits in Canada have been limited to the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, but I have seen a variety of sights, many because of school trips, beginning in 1998 to Ottawa and Montreal, in 2001 to Toronto and Niagara Falls, and in 2006 to Stratford. I have since been back to Stratford and have visited Windsor a handful of times for curling and with my family.

5. Toronto’s CN Tower

I toured the tour when it was still the world’s tallest free standing tower, and I remember being quite impressed. I like views from towers and admiring their construction. I remember the CN Tower had a glass floor, and there’s a picture of me on the glass with views of Toronto below. I also remember the elevator operator pointing out the gap of free space between the elevator and the floor.

4. Niagara Falls

The roar of water is also something I am quite fond of. The falls were quite impressive, and to this day, I have not seen anyting near its equal. We went into the rock under the falls and were also able to look out at them from there. The only thing my experience at Niagara Falls is missing is a ride on the Maid of the Mist.

3. Curling in Windsor

The Canadians know how to make good ice, so curling in Windsor is always a pleasure, especially with six sheets at Roseland. On my first trip to Canada for curling, my team was short one person and the border agent searching our car was questioning us about curling with only three people. And then the American agents did not know anything about curling.

2. Stratford Shakespeare Festival

Last August I traveled to Stratford for its Shakespeare festival, which I had been to in college. I went this time because Christopher Plummer was playing Prospero in The Tempest. It was phenomenal and absolutely worth the 10 hours in the car over two days to see the show.

1. Montreal’s Biodome

When I think of my first trip to Canada, this picture is what comes to mind. This was part of a display at the Biodome, a science museum in Montreal. I do not remember anything about who these people are or anything else I saw at that museum, but I remember this. I am posing in the second head from the right.