My favourite spot
What is your favourite “spot” in Canada and why? This is the question we asked a selection of people who all work in ELT in Canada.
One
of the unique things about Vancouver is all of its hidden and secret places
to go and watch the most beautiful sunsets you could imagine. I am lucky
enough to have stumbled across a little park tucked away from all the
hustle and bustle of a large city. You follow this steep path down through
some of the tallest trees imaginable, next to steep cliffs, and you end
up on a gorgeous bluff overlooking ocean and city views. I often come
here for picnics on summer evenings. It is so relaxing after a long day
at work. I can come to this place and forget all my day's worries and
stresses. It is hard to imagine this beautiful place is 15 minutes away
from a big metropolitan city like Vancouver and very few people know of
its existence. This secret bluff is also a great place to come and watch
wildlife. Eagles can be seen flying majestically above, seals sunning
themselves on the small rock islands below, and on one rare occasion I
saw a whole pod of 16 killer whales swim past. Vancouver as a city has
a lot to offer, but my secret place is so special it has to remain just
that - a secret. Tanja Imhoff
Canada Language Centre (Hawthorn-Vancouver)
Well, my favourite place in Canada is the Stawamus Chief, which is
a mountain just outside Vancouver, on the way to Whistler. I'm actually
getting married on top of the Chief in a few weeks so all my guests
have to hike up. The Stawamus Chief is the second largest granite monolith
in the world, and the indigenous Squamish National people consider it
to be a place of spiritual significance. Here's a link for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stawamus_Chief.
Katie Idle
PLI - Pacific Language Institute
A
visit to Canada's Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on the west coast
of Vancouver Island should be on the top of everyone's list of places
to visit. It is full of natural wonders and cultural treasures, and
you will find a rich history of Canada's First Nations and European
explorers and settlers, stunning landscape and sealife, and a humbling
yet liberating feeling that can only come from being amidst the power
of nature. Spend the morning surfing and collecting shells at Wickaninnish
Bay or Long Beach, and then treat yourself to a floatplane tour over
the rainforest and coastline or a whale-watching and eagle-spotting
trip on a Zodiac. Top up your day with a soak in the hot tub at a quaint
pension, watching the sunset. Outside of the north end of the park is
Tofino, a serene and eclectic town nestled in Clayoquot Sound with all
the amenities, but without the hassle. I love it there.
Anita Kuehnel
formerly of Pacific Language Institute
Surprise, surprise! Ottawa is my favourite spot (and I am from Toronto)!
Ottawa, is Canada's capital, and it has beautiful green spaces - three
rivers plus the Rideau Canal - stunning architecture, history, lots
of entertainment, festivals, culture, a highly educated population,
and it's close to Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City. The cost of living
is lower in Ottawa than other destinations. For those who love to ski
and snowboard, resorts are only 30 minutes away. People are friendly
and welcoming. As it is a smaller city (fewer than 1 million inhabitants),
it is easy to get around. Ottawa is a gem waiting to be discovered!
Sharen Craig
NSL - National School of Languages
As
far as my favourite spot in Canada, I have several: The first that comes
to mind is the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec
City. It is the centre of Old Quebec City which is a UN World Heritage
Site and is as close to Europe as you can get in Canada! Another favourite
spot is the view from Vancouver Harbour on a clear winter's day; to
the north the snow covered Coastal Mountain range, to the south Canada
Place and the beautiful skyline of Vancouver, and to the west, Stanley
Park, the Lion's Gate Bridge and the waters of the Strait of Georgia....truly
breathtaking!
Linda Auzins
Canadian Association of Private Language Schools
My favourite place in Canada is Tobermory, a small city situated at
the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula. The town is known as the freshwater
scuba diving capital of the world. Close by is the Bruce Peninsula National
Park, the massive rugged cliffs of which are inhabited by thousand-year-old
cedar trees that overhang the crystal-clear waters of Georgian Bay.
The park is comprised of an incredible array of habitats from rare alvars
to dense forests and clean lakes. Together these form a greater ecosystem
-the largest remaining chunk of natural habitat in southern Ontario.
Houman Nikmanesh
International House Toronto
My
favourite spot is on the boulders beside the rushing rapids of the mighty
Niagara River. To get to this spot you must drive past Niagara Falls
and along the scenic parkway to the Niagara Glen. From there it is a
20-minute hike downhill along trails through a lush, quiet forest. When
you reach the bottom of the hill, the sound of the mighty Niagara is
all around. Climbing out onto the boulders with the rapids swirling
around, and the cliff wall on one side of the river and the forest on
the other puts life into perspective. I can spend hours just sitting
on the boulder with nothing but the sounds of powerful water rushing
past me.
Jackie Angi-Dobos
ESL Services, Brock University
My favourite spot is the top deck of one of the little blue and white
ferries that criss-cross the harbour between Halifax and its sister
city of Dartmouth. The views are spectacular! Although the shorelines
feature contemporary highrises and skyscrapers, history is everywhere,
from the fortress on George's Island with its red and white lighthouse
standing guard in the harbour to the Halifax Citadel, a magnificent
star-shaped fort that overlooks the city. Although today's ferries are
fast and modern, the ferry service itself dates back to 1752. In fact,
among many other firsts that Halifax boasts is the oldest saltwater
ferry system in North America.
Maureen Sargent
Saint Mary's University
Canada
is a geographically diverse and breathtakingly beautiful country, but
for me there is one place that is more special than all the rest: Waterton
Lakes National Park. Waterton is a secret jewel nestled in the Rocky
Mountains of southwestern Alberta and only an hour's drive from my home
in Lethbridge. Waterton boasts rugged mountain peaks, a crystal-clear
lake 10 kilometres long that crosses the Canada-United States border,
an abundance of wildlife, magnificent hiking trails and a charming village
that has been limited in growth by the Canadian government. I have chosen
this place above all others because it offers me an opportunity for
solace and regeneration.
Judy Hasinoff
English Language Centre, Lethbridge Community College
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What's
your favourite spot?
Imagine you have been asked to answer the same question about your country. What would you say? What is your favourite place? Write your answer below, explaining what makes your spot so special.