Rolling the Drums for the Summer Season - First Stop - Tally Ho Inn , Lake of Bays

2023 MBGCs Places Ontario Series - Lake of Bays, Muskoka (May 19-22, 2023)

The Victoria Day long weekend is said to be Canada's unofficial start of the summer season. Sorry, Spring, you are lovely but we can't wait to skedaddle with our shorts and shirts. MBG plus Mings and pretty much the same as many of the people in Canada have decided to ride on the bandwagon and pack some little camping stuff for the cottage country of Muskoka. We've been to Muskoka many times, so we made sure we will be at a different township for this trip. We had our calendars marked for Tally Ho Inn, a resort cottage in the Lake of Bays. 

Day 1

The long drive to the windswept trees road to Muskoka is never boring. The cats enjoyed the ride too. There was constant peeping through from their bags and lots of little wiggles begging to get out to have a good look outside by the windows. 

We arrived a little over 4 hours due to the congestion on the highway but it was a lovely trip nonetheless. The Mings were behaving, and Biw was just quiet which was a treat! She used to be this "Mama are we there yet" every minute kind of companion. She was patient I guess because Coco kept her entertained. 

Our cottage was rustic and rugged, clean and cozy inside. The resort was wide and neat, there were not a lot of people in the area which was nice, we will get to have the resort to ourselves. The cats examined the whole place without living any stones unturned, lol. They were under the bed, on top of the night lamps, and in whichever place they could fit their fluff. 

Day 2

The sunny day yesterday was just a little fancy treat. The next day was rainy and cold. The electric grill was placed outside on the balcony and we did not have a kitchen inside our unit. As if the clouds heard my hungry complaints, the rain ceased enough to let us cook our breakfast in peace. It was still cold and windy but who cares, we just got to have the breakfast done.

We had rice, beef tapa, and pork hamonada. Fried eggs too. I had my French press coffee and Biw and Marlon had some Kopiko. The Mings had their breakfast too. 

Since the weather is not too cooperative, we decided to let the rain out a little and head to the town center to explore the heritage village. 

Muskoka Heritage Village and Lunch on the Mill on Main

The Village opens at 10 am and regrettably, the rain did not stop until 2 in the afternoon. We did not have the chance to see the activities and events in the Heritage place but we were able to catch the last train ride.

Late lunch was enjoyed at The Mill on Main. A retro-inspired restaurant with awesome pizza and cocktails.

We walked the town center a bit after all the food we had. The town is picturesque, albeit small but big in beauty. Nothing beats a waterfront view I guess. 

Day 3

The third day was a promise of sunshine, thankfully it didn't disappoint. It was still cold but tolerable. We planned this day to fully enjoy and explore the resort. It is the last day of our trip after all. We started with some breakfast of pancit canton and pan de sal and some leftovers from the day prior. 

When the sun is at its peak, we laid out the table on the balcony and ready for some serious grilling. We had pork belly, chicken inasal, and marinated beef. Sausages, eggplant, and rice too. Beer, of course, was the King of the day.

The cookout was enjoyed splendidly, we are now ready for some activities on the water. We started with a short trail walk to the waterfront and enjoyed a canoe after.

We thought we'd maximize the 3 hours time limit but it turns out, we were too tired and lazy to even last an hour. It was a short paddle along the banks but we enjoyed it. We had frisbee thereafter and some grill and chill till sundown. When it started to get cold and dark, we hop onto the area where the campfires are. We gather around for some NBA watching over grilled goods, wine, and roasted marshies. We turned in for the night just after the game was over and got ready for a much-needed sleep and rest for the road the next day.

Our short and spontaneous trip to the Lake of Bays set the mood for our 2023 summer. We planned to go to as many places in Ontario as possible. If we can check off another province in my travel list, that would be perfect. But as they say, a little at a time, enjoy and take each day slowly and gracefully. Thank You Lord for the wonderful world we live in, we promise to see and know more about your creation, bless us, and lead us, always.

*MBGCXLakeofBays.*    *TheMarcosesXOntario*     *2&1/2GypsiesXCanada*