A Day in Canada - September 9, 2026

I always find it pleasant to pay a visit to Canada. Even if it is a brief visit.

And so, my brother and I visited Canada on Wednesday. It is about a two-hour drive, give or take, from my mom's place, which I have been staying at during my current vacation. We got there around lunchtime, and stayed until almost dark.

This was my first visit to Canada in over three years. The last time had been with my son while on vacation in the Midwest and the beginnings of the West. While I had been meaning to go - I always assume that I will make it to Canada at least once a year - it rarely seems to pan out in recent years. While I used to go several times each year, it seems to have gotten a bit more difficult to make these kinds of trips.

However, given all that is happening between the two countries currently, I was determined to go this time around. Canadians should know that not everybody in the United States is on board with King Con Don and his Mindless MAGA Moron Cult. 

Let's face it: it's always nice to visit a country where Trump is not the leader or not even seen in a remotely positive light. Right now, it feels like common sense prevails far more in Canada than in the United States. That was refreshing. 

Of course, I go and visit Canada for other reasons. This was English Canada, so we did not get to enjoy French all that much. There was one French-language Canadian station, but it was uninteresting talk for most of it, so we turned it off. 

However, we stopped at A&W, a restaurant change that brings us back to our childhood, but which seems to have largely disappeared in the States. At least our part of the country, anyway. And I had a couple of orders of poutine, because I love poutine and take advantage when I can on these visits to Canada. 

Of course, we did not just go there for poutine. We stopped relatively briefly at Niagara Falls. Wanted to stop for maybe half an hour or so, just to take in the Falls, as well as to exchange currency. But the parking was $40 flat rate, and that seemed excessive. So since he had gone longer without seeing them, I stopped and waited in the car off to the side while he went and took some pictures. All of the pictures of Niagara Falls (save for one of the gardens) were taken by him.

Later, we visited Hamilton, driving alongside Lake Ontario, which is now apparently officially known as "Lake America" south of the border. 

Ridiculous.

Anyway, we visited the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. That will be covered in a future blog entry, likely to be published tomorrow. 

After that, we visited the centreville of Hamilton. However, it was later than we wanted it to be and everything seemed closed. 

By that point, anyway, we were both tired and so headed back to my mom's place. 

Again, it was not a long visit. Yet, it sure was nice to be back in Canada, if only for eight or so hours.

Below are the pictures from the trip. Again, most of them were taken by my brother (albeit using my phone). The only one from Niagara Falls which I took on this trip were of the yellow flowers with the water fountain sprouting up above them. However, all of the pictures not of Niagara Falls, specifically, were taken by me.

Enjoy.