Ontario

It wasn't until I had left the Quebec City KOA, was on the highway and wondering about the increase in traffic when the Looney dropped and I realized that it was Friday. And not just any Friday, it was the Friday before the Labour Day weekend. Aye yie yie!! There were lots of cars, trucks, trailers and me! Luckily both Sterling and Silver Lining rose to the challenge and we kept up with the big boys when needed. And then I started to recognize some place names and realized that despite my best efforts to avoid it, I was close, much closer than I wanted to be to Montreal. And then the traffic flow slowed and then it sped up and slowed and ... If you are Canadian you know the scenario. Construction in the summer to repair last winter's damage and prepare for next winter's. It is a natural part of the life cycle of roads that are north of the 49th parallel and between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. And judging from the number of times highway construction comes up in conversations we must all love it. Seriously now, have you ever known a Canadian summer without road  construction?

I was quite glad to reach the campground on the St Lawrence River near Johnstown. The park seemed very full and that shouldn't have been surprising since this was the last weekend before school started.

I was excited about going to Upper Canada Village which I saw 47 years ago when our family moved from Quebec to BC. This visit surpassed all expectations. The village is a real treasure and it is very easy to spend a full day there. The war of 1812 was fought in this area and the heritage display now includes information about the war. Winning this war secured the land for the British who later let the people form Canada. How's that for a simplified history lesson?

What makes this a remarkable place is the people that work there. (Excuse me while I herd the chickens out of the laundry room. I am not kidding. They are forming an attack line and resisting all scare tactics.) I have won temporarily.

Most of the people working at Upper Canada Village have been there for many years and are there because they are doing something they love. They may also be the only ones able to keep the equipment running. The saw mill, cotton mill and grist mill are all run by hydraulic power and are originals that worked before electricity and that are k pet functioning by these dedicated employees.

It is laid out  a village with industry near the river, and the shops and home businesses interspersed with houses on a network of roads surrounding the fairgrounds. Horse drawn carts, buggies and carriages carry passengers around the village and a horse drawn scow is able to transport many rope from one end to the other. There is a restaurant that serves home cooked meals and a more modern fast food type place tucked away in the back of the village. The special of the day at the restaurant was chicken pot pie and it was delicious.

The only disappointment was the gift shop. There was not a plate to b found and I had hoped to buy one to pair with the one that we bought 47 years ago. 

The pictures for this wonderful place may get posted eventually if I remember to transfer them from my camera to the iPad at a time when I have good wifi. The probability of all this things happening at the same time is unpredictable.