Never Say Never in Ontario: Bieber, Waterfalls And Wine.

This is a guest post by Anna Ridley. Be sure to check out her bio at the end of the story.

Ontario: home to the magnificent Niagara Falls; Canada’s capital city, Ottawa; and none other than the teenage heartthrob himself, Justin Bieber.

I admit that this little piece of information might have spurred me to visit this Canadian province; after all, who doesn’t love a bit of Bieber with those puppy dog brown eyes and that cute signature hair flick?

Of course this wasn’t the sole reason for my trip (honestly), and once I touched down at Toronto Airport my Bieber obsession was put to one side as I entered this multi-cultural city and capital of Ontario, located on the shores of Lake Ontario.

As far as cities go, Toronto is surprisingly chilled and very clean. Unlike many cities where people feel pressured to keep up with the fast flow of human traffic (even if you’re not in a rush), Toronto has a calm relaxing atmosphere – perhaps it’s the rippling waters of the lake which mesmerise people into a soothing trance.

When standing in this lakeside city amid varied architecture, you can’t miss the CN Tower which soars just over 550 metres into the sky and holds the record for the world’s tallest free-standing tower (some might argue this title belongs to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai but that’s classed as a “building”).

Photo Courtesy of Anna Ridley.

Never one to miss out on a top tourist photo opportunity, I hopped into the tower’s glass-fronted and glass-floored elevator and held my breath as it shot upwards at what must have been 100 miles per hour (actually on 15 miles per hour)!

This was a trip worth making. The views of Toronto’s curved skyline are breathtaking as the city’s jagged horizon blends into the stratosphere. You can even check out the weather across the city from here as your head sits comfortably above the drifting fluffy clouds.

Leaving behind the funky bars, fantastic Ontario cuisine on Danforth Street, and lush green landscapes of Toronto Island, I headed off for the next leg of my Bieber-hunting journey – Niagara Falls (he could be shooting one of his music videos there!)

Nothing could have prepared me for the noise which would surround me as I stood on the observation deck in front of one the world’s most famous and spectacular natural attractions. I was informed by a fellow tourist that the two waterfalls which made up Niagara Falls (Horseshoe and American) were separated by Goat Island – those poor goats, they must be deaf!

Photo Courtesy of Billy Cheung.

No sign of Bieber however, unless he was onboard that rather small boat which was sailing along the Niagara River, just metres from the bottom of the voluminous cascading waterfalls. That was unlikely – just think what the water spray would do to his hair…..

Ontario is famous for its Ice wine, a type of dessert wine produced with grapes which are frozen whilst still attached to the vine. I was told that they even make a sparkling version of Ice wine. Now, I’m partial to a glass of the old Vin Fizz at the best of times, so I made a special trip to Magnotta Winery in Vaughan to sample the local delicacy. For a number of days following my trip to the vineyard, the tropical flavours of this refreshing wine teased my taste buds. Though, that could have been something to do with the case I’d purchased to keep me in supply for the final leg of my trip.

Photo courtesy of Anna Ridley.

Stratford, of course, was my final destination. I couldn’t come all the way to Canada without visiting the hometown of one of the world’s most successful YouTube musical discoveries.

Yes, Stratford was named after the Shakespeare’s hometown, the famous Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK. The city even hosts its very own Shakespearean Festival Theatre every year and is well-known for its theatrical, musical and literary talent.

This beautiful garden city oozes character and charm, from the preserved Victorian architecture which lines the streets, to the sparkling river waters where swans take a leisurely cruise downstream.

Just as I was about to give up hope of seeing the new cheeky pop king, I saw a flash of blonde mop hair darting into a car.

Now, I guess I’ll never know. Oh well, I preferred Michael Bublé anyway……

Author Bio: Anna Ridley is a freelance travel writer who enjoys spending time at the beach. Her passions include listening and dancing to funky jazz and Spanish music, reading and travelling.

*Please remember all photos on this website are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

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