The Limestone City and The 1000 Islands - Kingston X Gananoque

MBG 2022 Places Ontario Series - Kingston (Aug 10-11) and Gananoque (Aug 15-16).

The vast Canadian landscape - of towering snow-capped mountains to grassy plains and prairies. From the rough terrain of the badlands and the Rockies to life in the wilderness and the people in civilization. Culture and history, nature, artifacts, architecture, food, and many stories to tell. Our place now we call home is a land of many wonders. We hope to see all, in the land of extremes, the confluence of all mentioned above, little by little, maybe one summer or winter or any season at a time. 

Too many places, too little time, and we knew that Summer 2022 was meant for the road. We decided on a trip that connect one amazing place to another. MBG geared up with Mazy the car to a trio of places of beauty and history. We decided on a well-traveled route of Kingston-Montreal and added Gananoque as the last stop before heading back home. We crowned Montreal as the ultimate destination but were in for a surprise. Kingston and Gananoque are a jewel of a place. Equally stunning, rich in history, and unforgettable. The crown was not lost to Montreal, but at the conclusion of the trip, the crown was awarded to all three destinations.

Kingston 0.5 part 1.

Kingston is a breath of fresh air, reminiscent of the simpler times gone by. Unassuming little place that boasts 19th-century limestone architecture, colorful rows of fruits and vegetables on busy markets, dotted with historical wonders at every turn, and delectable dishes served with smiles.

Kingston warrants more than an overnight stay, too few places were visited, we haven't explored the place on foot and we missed out on a lot of historical learnings. In an effort to max up our short time in the city we decided to hop on a red trolley that would take us around places of the past. We arrived in Kingston from Toronto a little before sunset, head out to Diane's for a sumptuous dinner, and hopped on the tour bus stationed at Confederation Park.

The first part of the tour was mainly learning the story of every point and architecture of history, important people, and significant events - with a flavor of a nightmare of course! As the night grew deeper, the trolley took us to the real deal of the tour -  ghost hunting! We slept anxiously for poltergeists roaming our hotel lol, Four Points by Sheraton luckily doesn't house one!

Kingston 0.5 part 2.

The other 0.50 day in Kingston was spent again on a red trolley. This time around, no more stories of nightmares but of history, the events of centuries gone by, whose brows the sweat run through, whose back the weight felt the heaviest, and whose hands Kingston was shaped into the beautiful city it is today.

Kingston deserves another visit, the next time will be all the hours on our clock. 

Gananoque 0.5 part 1.

Coming back from rivaling magnificence of Montreal and the unexpected Quebec City tour, the trip to Gananoque does not feel exciting. What I thought of Gananoque was a little coastal town, mundane and uninteresting, save for the cruise to the thousand islands. Our bed and breakfast does not seem to compare to the elegant and expensive Embassy Suites we had in Montreal, which adds up to a less enthusiastic trip. Were my thoughts given justice? Not at all, shame on me, Gananoque is more than the cruise to the thousand islands and the Boldt Castle. Gananoque is so much more plus we get to try the most delicious Tom Yum there is!

Before all the revelry, we had a lunch stop over in Ottawa, trying our hands on King Edy's platter. They served the best fried chicken and waffles! We had a little walk around the city too, because why not, Ottawa captivates no matter how many times you've walked the streets.

On the road to Gananoque were Bon Jovi and Nickelback on the stereo, we arrived past lunchtime and headed straight to our hotel. Ramada by Wyndham is a provincial inn that I judged harshly prior, but on arrival, we were greeted by rows of tiny cabins. Those tiny cabins were actually hotel rooms! What made it even more special, is that we can park right in front of our tiny cabin, and we can even have a bbq outside. Kids can even play around the property without having to worry about being too noisy. The interior of the studio-sized cabin is cozy, with wood laminate from the floor to the ceiling, imitating a camping hut. 2 queen-sized beds, an amply spaced bathroom, and an excellent wifi connection.

We spent our half a day walking the silent yet artistic streets of Gananoque, their mini confederation park is not as big and crowded as Kingston but equally stunning. We've seen old churches, dainty patios in unusual locations, street art on sidewalks, and happy faces.

Gabby took a dip at our hotel's swimming pool and we head for dinner and tried the best Tom Yum halfway across where the dish birthed from!  At night, kids played outside our hotel, adults chilled on Muskoka chairs, some had bbq others had some beer.

Gananoque 0.5 part 2.

The following day in Gananoque was what I am excited about! It will be the last excursion we had on our 6-day trip! The 1000-island cruise sounds like an adventure of a lifetime and it will be perfect to cap off the excursions we've had. However, the experience did not even hold a candle to my sky-high expectation. The ship was big enough with a decent wifi connection, comfy chairs, clean washrooms, and a cafeteria that offers a limited and expensive choice of food and beverage. The cruise was boring just sailing across the vast lake without even getting close to the islands scattered about. There was a prerecorded information narrative on screen but with little kids running about, I forgot that the TV even exist. 

The cruise for sure, won't leave an everlasting impression, but the grand architectural genius of GOD surely will. I did not enjoy the cruise as much as I thought I will, but I appreciated life, even more, to be able to see and admire the creations the Lord has created for us. We live in the best world with the best God in it.

The culmination of our Kingston-Montreal-Gananoque trip was an activity we did not enjoy as much, but an activity that taught me a lot. The world at large is truly magnificent. Too little time, too many places but we are grateful and happy for the Lord has given us the chance to fly the sky, sail the ocean, and run the land to see the wonders HE graciously scattered around, the genius he provided to those creative brains long before us and most especially to the big hearts of those who preserved history so that it could traverse across time for present generations to see. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity. We are thankful - MBG.

*MBGXKingston/Gananoque.*    *TheMarcosesXOntario*     *2&1/2GypsiesXCanada*