Our Travels

The best things in life aren’t things. They’re the experiences and connections that shape us and travel has always had a place in my life from the time I was a boy until today.

In 1998, Yim joined me on the adventure and our big trips are still to come.

I enjoy writing about our travels and using my photography to illustrate them as a way of recording a life I am grateful for. I hope you find something you enjoy.

Tuscany

“Tuscany,” Goethe observed, “looks like Italy should.” When we began talking about traveling to Italy, Tuscany was the area I most wanted to visit. I wanted to rent a Tuscan Farmhouse where we would feel at home, a nice little car and spend a week enjoying the twisting roads of the countryside while visiting as…

Cinque Terres

Yim and I had been talking about hiking the Cinque Terres for years. This year, we finally made it. Tucked between Genoa and Pisa, along a mountainous six-mile stretch of the Italian Riviera, lie the Cinque Terre. The five towns that make up the Cinque Terre – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso – all…

Three Days in Venice

When planning our Italy trip, we each had different areas we wanted to see. Yim really wanted to see Venice so we decided three days might be fun – and it was. It’s a ridiculous city and I’m not saying that in a bad way, although I am certainly happy we don’t live there. Once…

Hoggs Falls, Ontario

Hogg’s Falls, located just outside of Flesherton, is one of the many waterfalls of Grey County, Ontario. Located on the Boyne River, Hogg’s Falls is about a 2 hour drive north of Toronto and 40 minutes from Collingwood. This is a small, secluded and mostly wild waterfall, located in forest preserve within The Beaver Valley.…

Acadia National Park

Established originally as Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916, Acadia National Park encompasses more than 48,000 acres on Mount Desert Island, the Schoodic Peninsula, Isle Au Haut, and many smaller coastal islands.  The major portion of the park (30,500 acres) is located on Mount Desert Island with 10,156 acres within Bar Harbour’s boundary lines.…

The Jesup Path, Acadia

Recently we visited Acadia National Park in Maine and the only hike that was mandatory for me was The Jesup Path. Why? Because of the birch trees.  Anyone who knows me knows that birch trees are my favourite tree so when I was researching our trip to Acadia National park, I was excited to find…

Watkins Glen State Park

This year we discovered Watkins Glen State Park. I had read about it on several occasions before but we have not really made much of an effort to visit the US in the past five years. So while we were on our way to visit friends in Maine and hike Acadia National Park, we decided…

Paris

This May, we visited Paris.  Apparently, the springtime is supposed to be the perfect time to visit and while we didn’t have the best weather, we did have a great visit. We had several very nice days, a couple of cool days and a few rainy days. Some days it rained much heavier than others…

Standing Rock Caves Trail

Standing Rock Caves Trail We have now hiked this trail in every season and this is still my favourite hike around Collingwood. This hike combines the blue-blazed Standing Rock and Singhampton Side Trails with the white-blazed main Bruce Trail. In this section, each blue-blazed side trail leads you back to the main Trail, and each…

Newfoundland

Quidi Vidi Village (above). After more than two years of waiting, we finally managed to get to Newfoundland this summer for two weeks with our friends Dorothy and Mark from Victoria. After settling in to our hotels and a night out at O’Reilly’s listening to some Newfoundland music, the first spot on our visit list…