June 29, 2011

Small Town Summer


This is the view from the balcony of our apartment that I captures yesterday. First, it was raining. Ten minutes later, the scenery magically transformed into this:


Last weekend, we decided to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake. It's a small town next to the Niagara Falls, which is called "one of the prettiest towns in Ontario". On the way there, you can stop and purchase fresh local fruits and berries. Which is exactly what we did. Having put a box of these into our car, we were submerged in the aroma of strawberries.


What tourist town can be without a horse-drawn carriage, and a friendly guide who tells exciting stories about the town?


It's not without a reason that they all this town pretty. It's a delight to walk around these streets and enjoy the original architecture and landscape design.


It's great to go out to the park, where you can enjoy the views of Lake Ontario. Together with us, a group of Canadian bikers came out to this hill, and said "Huh - it's supposed to be Yankees over there."


You can spend many hours in this town just enjoying the idyllic views.


On the central street, we happened upon a parade of Volkswagens of all the different models, types, and colours. Naturally, what I'm posting here is not the whole spectrum of what we saw.


This car and this girl are my favourite. It seems that she really developed her own and the car's image.


After these long walks in the fresh air, one tends to get a bit hungry. The best choice for me is seafood. Here, my husband douses the pasta in Parmesan. It was a mistake. The Parmesan needs to be authentic.


This is the restaurant in which we ate. When we exited, we were surprised to find this long line. I recommend it to anyone who might visit Niagara-on-the-Lake.


A little more walking around, and desserts.



 The weather was threatening to turn against us all day - the sky was full of ominous clouds. This is another place we haven't risked visiting in this town. Maybe it was for the best?


57 comments:

  1. OMG those food pix made me so hungry! I might have an early lunch today. The town looks charming.

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  2. Please send some of your rain this way!! Those photos are amazing, I would love to know what that little orange VW is I have never seen one like that before.
    Mmmmmm that food looks good and as for the deserts.... Diane

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  3. Hello Olga:
    What a very enjoyable time you seem to have had in this extremely photogenic town. It all looks so beautifully clean and well cared for and the Volkswagen rally was an extra treat. And, if your lunch was anything to go by, we are not surprised that there was a queue right outside the door and halfway down the street!

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  4. В этом городке я была! И повозки видела, и купила там на развале вырезанного из камня моржа, аутентичного.
    Фото прекрасные - сочные и ароматные.
    ПысЫ. Видела толстого рыжего наглого... я фшоке. Невероятный смысл в глазах, завидую такого иметь!

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  5. Myriad of beautiful photos from your area. Nicely documents the life of you in the summer time. I'd love to blog this window I look across the ocean to Canada. warm greetings! Peter.

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  6. What amazing photos! I love the one of the girl in funky car and the food photos look good enough to feature in a food magazine!

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  7. Beautiful post, Olga. You are a great photographer! This made me feel like going to that little Ontario town. As the former owner of a VW Beetle and current owner of a VW Tiguan (which I adore), I particularly enjoyed seeing the vehicles in the VW parade! Veronique aka French Girl in Seattle

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  8. These pics are beautiful and I SO want to live in that house!! :-)

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  9. Wonderful and fun series.
    Thanks so much for taking us along!

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  10. Very nice...
    Greetings from France,

    Pierre

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  11. Wow what a beautiful little town! It seems like the most ideal destination for a romantic mini-vacation! I would love to visit there one day...especially since it is near Niagra Falls, which I adore. :)

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  12. Thank you very much for the tour. I love all the color and details :^)

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  13. I have always wondered a thought of photographing in the rain but just never did find a way !!!

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  14. Wow Olga, there are some really wonderful photographs here, what a charming place ... I especially loved the pink roses growing near the fence, the petunias in the hanging basket and the sweet kitty picture in the window of the house.
    Pleased you had a lovely weekend!

    xoxoxo ♡

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  15. Beautiful
    I have been to Niagara Falls on the U.S. side. The views were breathtaking but not as colorful as your pictures show. I can smell the strawberries!

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  16. Olga, these photos a wonderful. I love the berry and cherries shot most. Now I am craving cherries.

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  17. Dear Olga
    Thank you very much for your nice pictures! Mmmhhh... strawberries!
    Greetings from Switzerland.
    Hugs Yvonne

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  18. Another interesting post. The first image is superb. The DOF in the penultimate one is perfect.

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  19. What a lovely little trip. What a great selection of VWs. I rather fancy the mauve beach buggy.

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  20. I agree with these comments...Beautiful post!

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  21. What a wonderful landscape and a beautiful place to publicize it because we who are far

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  22. What a lovely tour! In spite of all the beautiful sights you saw, I think my favorite photo is that first one, with the raindrops glistening on the pine needles. I love the way you've captured the light.

    P.S. When my husband and I were dating (many moons ago) I drove a robin's egg blue VW bug, and my husband had a bright orange VW van!

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  23. such a pretty town. thank you for taking us there! i do love your photographs, your eye.

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  24. Hi Olga,

    What a divine post! I was transported to another place, a most beautiful place by your photos, the gardens, the roses, the houses, the food, the car parade, everything looks so neat and tidy and colorful and just gorgeous. I can't believe those corks, only on Sunday my daughter and I were looking for some to make a cork board but alas none. It looks as if you had such a good day, thank you for taking us along!
    have a lovely week,
    Vickixx

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  25. Hello Olga,
    Very nice pictures!! Nice to see driving all the different old cars. The shots with the strawberries are wonderful with great colors. You've got good eat on the menu, I like mussels very much. You make me hungry...!!

    Greetings, Marco

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  26. Thank you for the vacation via blog! Delightful!

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  27. Hi Sandy,
    I'm the same way - whenever I see a good photo of food, my thoughts begin to revolve around eating :)

    Hi Diane,
    I'll send you some rain, especially this weekend - we really need good weather, because we'd like to go swimming.

    Hi Jane and Lance Hattatt,
    This town changes right before you eyes - for the better. If it weren't so far from Toronto, I would have liked to live there.

    Hi Ирен,
    Как интересно, что вы были в этом городе. Он сильно изменился за последний год, и в лучшую сторону. Мы возили год назад друзей из Москвы и теперь это совсем другой вид.
    Кот наш был кем-то брошен. он был злой и несчастный. А теперь он как раз тако, как ты его увидела:)

    Hi Peter,
    These kinds of places in Canada are the most pleasant to visit in the summer. Each one is unique. Thank you for your compliments.

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  28. Hi Spangle,
    It seems like that girl has attitude and her own special philosophy :)

    Hi French Girl in Seattle,
    It appears that the people who have or had a VW speak of their cars in such warm, affectionate terms that you start feeling that there's something really special about this car.

    Hi tinajo,
    This town has changed so much (for the better) in the last few years that I would have liked to live there if it weren't so far from Toronto.

    Hi Laura,
    Thank you. I like to show Canadaian towns in the summer :)

    Hi Pierre,
    I'm glad you enjoyed it. Have a great weekend!

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  29. Чудесная получилась экскурсия!
    А в паранормальный музей заходили?

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  30. Hi Jennifer Fabulous,
    You're absolutely right. It's the best place for a mini-vacation. I only fear that I wouldn't want to go home.

    Hi Doug,
    Finally, there is so much colour all around us :)

    Hi Wong,
    I myself wouldn't have thought about this trick, to photograph rain from the balcony. It came about spontaneously.

    Hi Dianne,
    This town is full of funny and cute things, which are just begging to be photographed.

    Hi R. Jacob,
    This time, we didn't reach the Niagara Falls. On its own, the Falls demands a whole afternoon.

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  31. Hi Randy,
    Strawberries and cherries are the products that grow around Niagara. I always await this season to eat them :)

    Hi Yvonne,
    I anticipate the strawberry season, because they are real, and smell delicious.

    Hi Adrian,
    Thank you very much. There are lots of attractions in that area this season.

    Hi Sarah,
    The beach buggy means several things - vacation, minibreak, long weekend :)

    Hi Amin,
    Thank you very much. I appreciate your compliment.

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  32. Hi BERMAXO,
    I also love to travel virtually. I'm glad you enjoyed partaking in my little journey :)

    Hi Leslie,
    As I've already mentioned in previous comments, the people who have ever owned a VW remind me of members of a special club :)

    Hi Angella,
    Thank you, my friend. I'm glad you enjoyed Niagara-on-the-Lake.

    Hi Vicki,
    I think it's a good design for a wine shop - simple and effective! I really love corks. They're very pleasant to the touch, and very natural.

    Hi Marco,
    I'm glad you enjoyed my trip. Oh, those mussels! Such delicate texture and subtle flavour :)

    Hi 1-2Punch,
    You're welcome. I've tried several recipes from your blog already. They're wonderful.

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  33. Hi tattina,
    Нет, не заходили. С одной стороны, шла большая туча, которая нас в конце концов обманула. С другой стороны, я не большой любитель соприкосновений с чем-либо паранормальным. С третьей,большие у меня сомнения, что они меня чем-либо интересным порадуют или удивят. Другое дело - замок Дракулы:)

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  34. Oh that Volkwagon rally; I would have loved to have been there. So stylish compared with the run of the mill ordinary 'junior executive' type cars everywhere. Your lovely photos do the occasion justice.

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  35. Wonderful and varied series, a great story with excellent frames, my favorite is the picture with the roses in the foreground, exquisite.

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  36. Hi mise,
    Oh, joy! You are my follower! I didn't find the button - follow - at your blog. So, I subscribed as a reader. I hope I did it right. Please, tell me if it's wrong.
    Thank you!

    Hi Leovi,
    I am so glad that you found your favorite among my photos. Thank you for commenting!

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  37. Как живописно! Ольга, спасибо за прогулку! Я совсем ничего не знаю о Канаде в визуальном плане.
    Забавно, у нас пармезан с мидиями считаются врагами :)

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  38. Hi patatinka,
    Я очень люблю Канаду за эту её живописность. Могу бесконечно наш Хай Парк описывать и показывать.
    У нас вся кухня здесь - мама, не горюй. Слушай, в стране национальное блюдо, под названием - путин, картошка с подливкой, - венец кулинарного искусства. Большая радость найти хороший ресторан.

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  39. wonderful post and pictures! that food is making me feel hungry :)

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  40. that ghost walk sounds awesome I think!!! that is probably one of the cutest towns for sure -it would feel kind of unreal to live there, haha :)

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  41. Amazing photographs and yummy food! I do love to become involved, in part, in what is happening around the world, so it is great that I can have a taste of Canada here, in my own home. Thank you for your dedication to your posts, which are always lively and interesting.

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  42. Love the photographs of strawberries (my favorite!) and the cat picture in the window--such a lovely surprise. Thank you!

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  43. Mussels are also a treat, I, need to get to eat every now and then.
    Attractive delicious cakes.

    Nice pictures.

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  44. What a lovely day. I love the old houses and your lunch looked delicious I wanted to sit down and join you. By the way thanks for the compliment-that was me in the pink sweater only 20 years ago!!

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  45. Oh, I LOVE Niagara on the Lake! You've captured it beautifully.

    Happy Canada Day!

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  46. It is good to be back at last catching up with your blogging activities. I especially enjoyed this great post of fabulous photos, as it is a part of the world I would really love to visit.

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  47. The girl with the pink hair is also my favorite =)

    Regards

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  48. "путин, картошка с подливкой" - какая прелесть! )))

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  49. Oh dear, you are alive!! I wish to live someday, and travel, and indulge in good food!


    LOVE!

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  50. Such beautiful photos
    All the views are spectacular
    It all looks and sounds like so much fun!

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  51. Hello Olga,
    this series of photos is a feast for the eyes!
    And particularly enjoyed all the roses.
    a hug

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  52. Hi M@risa,
    I'm sorry that this food has made your hungry. But I'm glad you liked the pictures :)

    Hi Krystal,
    When we walked around the town, I had some thoughts on the subject of moving there :)

    Hi aguja,
    Canada changes so quickly, if you can call ten years quickly. For me, it's an opportunity to show how it happens.

    Hi The French Blonde,
    Stawberries are everywhere right now. I like them with whipped cream :)

    Hi Liplatus,
    I'm the same way. Beautiful photos of food have a strong, immediate effect on me.

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  53. Hi lilylovekin,
    Frankly, I thought that the photo was of some actress. Since I didn't recognize her, I was ashamed to admit it. I wanted to add "sexy" to "beautiful", but I was too shy :)

    Hi Talli,
    Niagara-on-the-Lake is so beautiful, it's almost unbelievable :)

    Hi Lindy,
    If you decide to visit it, let me know :)

    Hi Sergio,
    I also consider her brilliant :)

    Hi patatinka,
    Ударение на втором слоге:)

    Hi tywo,
    I'm sure that, sooner or later, your studying will end, and there will be more opportunities to enjoy free time :)

    Hi Raji,
    The town is actually very peaceful. It's kind of like Pleasantville, but not creepy :)

    Hi Antonio,
    I agree, the roses are magnificent, and they grow everywhere.

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  54. Beautiful photographs I think I need some tips please. Hope you are having a fantastic weekend.

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  55. Hi Happy Frog and I,
    Anything specific you'd like to know? Feel free to send me an e-mail.

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  56. Hi H A R R Y G O A Z ,
    Thank you! And please, have a great week too:)

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