Hail Brave Hearts
Survive we must! In this blistering heat of summer with the quiet lakes to ourselves. The calm, the serene, the peace, the solitude. An unusual turn of the times. In this fine scenario of beach, less is more. Fewer beach goers to take over the sand, fewer families to splash and play in the water, fewer pets to avoid. Instead, it’s all for us. The Canadian holiday tourist is the new normal.
During a season which is constantly full of international guests filling every room for rent in the community, the chance for a Canadian summer holiday has been hard to come by for some. Last minute cancellations are rare.
The highways are quiet, we own the road. Drive to those scenic locations, there’s no one in sight. Easily find a table at the restaurant, there’s room for us. It has it’s beauty. We have our own special places to explore, unhindered. It has it’s beast. Finance. It has another beast. The bustling, busy beach scene is anything but quiet. Our thoughts that this is for us is true, but so many of us!
The quiet, the solitude, the peaceful Canadian get away, so special, so serene, so back to nature, so much to ourselves. The jam packed tourist industry is all us. All us! The rush to save our relaxing and serene holidaying selves drives us to vacation madness on Canadian beaches. Every inch is claimed. Save us almighty dollar. Spend your money at home this year. The economic crisis of a pandemic virus has curtailed all of our luxurious international travel. The resort haven of an idylic tropical getaway, forsaken for the vast remoteness of our own Canadian dreamland.
https://www.parklandcounty.com/en/index.aspx
The food is divine. Culinary delights abound. There are endless opportunities for the sports enthusiast. We meet and exceed international standards in so many ways. Run the trails, climb those mountains, paddle the lakes. This year has been a pasttime of recreation and leisure, for those who were able to go out. The great Canadian get away has been a pleasure, right outside your own back door.
A drive along a remote country road to a surprising little shop in nowhere. A clean, immaculate hamlet way off the beaten path with surprising prosperity. The endless recreation of lakes, parks and adventure. The thrill of discovery of the history of this land, of who we are, who settled this place, who comes here. The discovery of diversity, a mixture of agriculture beside industry, of recreation beside a bustling city, of unique culture and diverse peoples all occupying the same land. The mixture of wilderness and sport, of wildlands and human populations. This is us. We planned it this way. We planned this fun and enjoyment, we planned for the relaxation, we planned this unusual adventure. A drive along a dusty gravel road to a restaurant in an unheard of village. The pleasure of the local cuisine and the local people. There are so many places to go, so many roads to travel, rails to ride, people to visit. To spend our hard earned dollars in this magnificent country that has so many delightful treats for us to find.
The pandemic has given many of us time. Time to explore. Discover it for yourselves.
Written by Dr. Louise Hayes
September 26, 2020