I have a very unique history with my neighbors to the north. When I was younger, I got it in my head for some unknown reason, that Michiganders and Canadians didn’t get on and it was basically my birth right to hate them for it. I spent years trying to explain to people why I didn’t like Canada or Canadians - trying being the operative word.

When I returned home from university, I took a job working with a company that had a Canadian division and I was asked to be apart of that team. I reluctantly agreed. As time passed and I worked closely with my Canadian companions, I realized how incorrect my assumptions were and how wonderful and lovely the Canadian folks could be.

I got the chance to visit Toronto and experience Canada in all its glory for the first time since I was a child and I quickly learned that I loved so many things about it.

Fast forward to meeting Ethan - one of the first places we went together was to Niagara Falls, Ontario, to see the falls frozen over. What an incredible sight that was! If you haven’t made the trip up there to see it - at any time of year - I would highly recommend it, but especially when it resembles something out of The Chronicles Of Narnia. Trust me, it’s worth the chilly wind to the face to see.

Let me know in the comments if you’d like to see more pictures from either of these adventures up north. I’ve got many Canadian beauties to share. 🇨🇦

Day One: Wings And Shakes in Windsor

Fast forward again to this past weekend. Ethan and are the King and Queen of the spontaneous weekend adventure. This weekend brought us to Windsor, London, Western University, and Port Stanley, Ontario. Oh, Canada, have you ever been good to us, eh?

Stop one brought us to Windsor. Admittedly, Ethan and I find ourselves in Windsor a lot. We have a favorite restaurant downtown called The Loose Goose that serves some killer Shepard’s Pie and chicken wings. It might seem odd to you to go all the way across an international border for beer and wings, but it makes perfect sense to us. Find yourself in the Windsor area, give the joint a try, and I’d imagined you’d see why.

Our favorite after-dinner activity is heading over to Caesar’s Casino in Windsor for some light gambling and a shake at Johnny Rockets. These beauties might be terrible for our diets, but they do wonders for our souls.

Besides, the host at that particular Johnny Rockets location is probably the most adorably jovial person I’ve ever met. He brightens mine and Ethan’s day just to be greeted by him at the door - honestly, he keeps us coming back just as much as the peanut butter shakes do.

Once the food coma had started to set in, we headed home for the night to pack and rest up for our much longer Canadian journey Saturday morning.

Day Two: Canadian Nandos in Canadian London

Day two was a much longer drive - about 3.5 hours to London, Ontario. Normally, Ethan and I wouldn’t have ever ventured to London, if it weren’t for the fact that my absolute, all-time, without-question favorite restaurant was located there - Nandos. I’ve had the pleasure of sampling Nandos in five different countries now, after this weekend. I can’t get enough of their magical Peri Peri goodness (Google it).

Now, American, Irish, and British Nandos are all very similar to one another. Not many discernible differences can be spotted from menu to menu and recipe to recipe, in my opinion. But Canadian Nandos - at least basing it off this experience - is as different as British Taco Bell is from American Taco Bell, and trust me, that’s a big deal.

Unfortunately, even the sauce was formulated differently.

But even though it wasn’t exactly the delight to my taste buds that I was hoping it would be, I had a lovely time sharing my Canadian Nandos experience with my amazing Co-Pilot, and it’s pretty sweet to tick country number five off my Nandos bucket list.

After Nandos, we wandered the mall for a bit, popped by a local cafe called Symposium for coffee, and then headed back to our amazing hotel called the Ivey Spencer, located on the Western University campus. I just can’t stay away from university campuses.

Day three: Fancy Markets and fishing villages

After a lovely night’s rest, we headed back into downtown London in search of some coffee and brekkie. I have a thing for indoor markets and London just-so-happens to have a pretty cute one called Covent Market that’s open seven days a week.

How cute are these? These two nearly made their way onto my coffee table for the holidays.

Next time you’re in London, stop by and have yourself a treat or two. Even though they’re almost too pretty to eat…

We drove around London and found some lovely photo stops downtown and on the university campus. London may not be the most popular tourist location in Ontario, but it definitely has its charms.

On our way back across the border, Ethan decided we should take a detour to the coast to visit what’s billed as one of the best fishing towns to visit in Ontario - Port Stanley. I have to say - it doesn’t get much more Canadian than this.

I’ve always admired little fishing towns. To me, they have so much character. They really capture the spirit of the country they’re in, and Port Stanley was no different.

Cold as it was, Ethan hit the nail on the head by stopping by for a visit. It was the perfect way to round-out our weekend in the north.

The more time I spend in the land of our northern neighbors, the more I find myself saying, “oh Canada… I love you.”