| Two days ago I took our European visitors on | | | | rather unusual combination offering delights |
| a little driving tour of the Niagara | | | | for golfing and wine enthusiasts. We had a |
| Peninsula, specifically to explore some of | | | | reasonably priced lunch of gourmet sandwiches |
| the 50 something wineries. My brother is a | | | | on the patio, and appropriately strenghtened |
| chef and very interested in exploring the | | | | continued on our way along the wine route |
| authentic tastes and flavours of Canada. So | | | | towards our next destination: Niagara |
| far my visitors have been very impressed with | | | | Falls.After arriving in one of the most |
| the quality of the Canadian vegetables, | | | | popular destinations in Ontario, not to be |
| meats, spices, and even the various types of | | | | missed for any traveller to Toronto, we |
| beers that they have tried from different | | | | parked our car on the main parking lot, at |
| microbreweries.We got going around 9:30 am to | | | | $18.00 a little overpriced, although it |
| avoid the brunt of rush hour traffic and made | | | | offered unlimited parking until midnight. As |
| our way west on the QEW highway on another | | | | we approached the falls from the south, my |
| day of perfect weather. We drove through the | | | | guests were astounded at the width of the |
| industrial outskirts of Mississauga, | | | | river and the quantities of water that were |
| Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton, where they | | | | about to drop down the steep precipice. We |
| were particularly fascinated by the huge | | | | stopped for a while at a spot right where the |
| industrial complexes of Ontario's steel | | | | water starts to hurl down the rocks. The |
| industry. Just about 20 minutes south of | | | | amount and force of the water is |
| Hamilton we turned off the highway onto local | | | | awe-inspiring, and the thundering sound of |
| Highway Number 8, Ontario's wine route, which | | | | the falling water provides an appropriate |
| follows the outline of the NIagara | | | | backdrop to this natural wonder.The waterfall |
| Escarpment.Our first stop on our wine tour | | | | produced the most amazing complete rainbow |
| was Peninsula Ridge Estates, a very | | | | inside the gorge that I have ever seen, |
| impressive winery built around a Victorian | | | | offering many scenic vistas of the Niagara |
| farmhouse with several modern buildings that | | | | River set against the appropriately named |
| have been added to faciliate a wine tasting | | | | Rainbow Bridge which connects Ontario with |
| facility and gift shop. The wine testing area | | | | New York State.Several Maid of the Mist |
| is housed in a beautiful barn-like structure | | | | sightseeing boats holding curious visitors |
| with lots of wood and high ceilings, and all | | | | dressed in blue plastic capes were floating |
| the wines and gifts are presented in a very | | | | dangerously close to the bottom of the |
| attractive way. My European wine conoisseurs | | | | waterfall, providing a great photo |
| tasted 4 varieties of white wine and admitted | | | | opportunity.Naturally, after taking in all |
| that they were duly impressed. They commented | | | | these sights we had to take in a refreshment |
| that some of the wines had a more distinct | | | | and we rested a bit on a restaurant patio |
| flavour than what they are used to back home | | | | overlooking the falls. After our brief |
| and indicated their surprise at the quality | | | | respite we drove along the scenic Niagara |
| of wines from Ontario. Of course my brother | | | | Parkway towards Niagara-on-the-Lake, stopping |
| also examined the menu of the dining room and | | | | several times at various lookout points, such |
| confirmed that the establishment was indeed | | | | as the Aero Car tram crossing the gorge, and |
| an upscale gourmet restaurant, featuring | | | | the immense power plants located on both |
| finely crafted cuisine.We had a beautiful day | | | | sides of the river, generating clean |
| with absolutely no humidity, so we had a | | | | hydro-electric energy.The bucolic countryside |
| clear view of downtown Toronto's skyscrapers | | | | along the Niagara River features a large |
| from the Peninsula Estates winery. After a | | | | number of wineries and orchards and the road |
| little photo tour of the premises we made our | | | | is lined with fruit stands, featuring fresh |
| way to the next stop: Eastdell Estates, | | | | Ontario produce. Finally, we parked our car |
| winery located high on top of the escarpment | | | | next to a beautiful park, right where the |
| with a perfect lookout point. The restaurant, | | | | Niagara River flows into Lake Ontario. By |
| called the "Bench Bistro" offers simple, yet | | | | this time, the Niagara River has turned from |
| innovative dishes that pay homage to the | | | | an angry and wild river with churning waters |
| area's bountiful harvests and local | | | | and rapids into a mild-mannered waterway, |
| producers. Reasonably priced, two can dine, | | | | ready to merge with on the Great Lakes.We had |
| with a bottle of wine, for about $80 | | | | a little stroll around this charming |
| (CDN).Our next stop was a relatively new | | | | Victorian village, admiring the beautifully |
| winery called Angel's Gate Estates, with a | | | | kept houses and gardens, and since it was |
| beautiful main building that included a wine | | | | getting late we headed back into the car to |
| boutique as well as an indoor and outdoor | | | | continue our drive back to Toronto. The last |
| dining area overlooking Lake Ontario. We did | | | | leg of our trip was a drive through St. |
| not taste any wines here, but definitely | | | | Catharines' beautiful little lakeside |
| enjoyed the view. Again, the facilities and | | | | village, Port Dalhousie, which on this day |
| surroundings hosting the wine tasting were | | | | featured a younger crowd than |
| impressive.Then we headed further south to | | | | Niagara-on-the-Lake.Filled with a multitude |
| Vineland Estates Winery situated on the | | | | of impressions of this gorgeous day, we |
| slopes of the Niagara Escarpment with Lake | | | | arrived back in Toronto, sharing our various |
| Ontario in the distance. This winery has | | | | impressions. My European visitors, who had |
| sometimes been referred to as "Ontario's Most | | | | never been to North America, were truly |
| Picturesque Winery" and we certainly enjoyed | | | | impressed with the Niagara Region and I was |
| the location. It is another winery that | | | | glad I was able to give them a little taste |
| features a restaurant as well as a wine | | | | of Ontario's wine country.Susanne Pacher is |
| boutique, located in an 1877 historic barn. | | | | the publisher of a website called Travel and |
| The boutique features wines, fine glassware | | | | Transitions( Travel and Transitions deals |
| and local preserves, and my European | | | | with unconventional travel and is chock full |
| travellers embarked on their second tasting | | | | of advice, tips, real life travel |
| of the day, this time enjoying both red and | | | | experiences, interviews with travellers and |
| white varieties. The winery offered various | | | | travel experts, insights and reflections, |
| types of crackers and cheese, combined with | | | | cross-cultural issues, contests and many |
| grape jellies, providing a little snack to a | | | | other features. You will also find stories |
| group of hungry pilgrims on Ontario's wine | | | | about life and the transitions that we face |
| trail. We also noted that the staff in the | | | | as we go through our own personal life-long |
| various wineries was extremely welcoming and | | | | journeys.Submit your own travel stories in |
| friendly, an impression that got reinforced | | | | our first travel story contest( and have a |
| throughout the day.Our lunch stop was at | | | | chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on |
| Rockway Glen Golf Course and Estate Winery, a | | | | the Amazon River. |