Old Québec

French fries is not exactly the kind of food I hanker for. Not unless I'm starving and desperate for anything to eat. When a friend suggested I try poutine, I wasn't overly enthusiastic. This Québécois specialty - french fries topped with cheese curds and thick brown gravy - looks like another way to choke my artery with fat. Or as others describe it, a heart attack on a bowl. But given this junk food's popularity among locals and visitors, I'm willing to give it a try.

The Citadel of Québec

iPhone shot of Old Québec & St. Lawrence River taken from the Citadel

There I was on the Citadel atop a rocky bluff overlooking Vieux-Québec, stunned by the view of Saint Lawrence River cutting a huge swath on the land. A little over 400 years ago, French navigator Samuel de Champlain sailed across the Atlantic ocean and into the same river, setting foot right somewhere below where I'm standing. On July 3, 1608, a French colony for New France arose on the riverbank to become the Old Québec we now see - a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Québec: Montmorency Falls

"Higher than Niagara Falls?!", my incredulous remark was louder than it should. Inside the Visitor's Center were informational displays and photos about the falls we were about to see up close. "Should be something worth checking huh", yapped this guy standing next to me, throwing a look like it's his first waterfall visit ever. It's a sunny Saturday and Montmorency Falls Park  (Parc de la Chute-Montmorency) is bracing for another summer crowd.

The Leaning Tower of Montréal

Every big city I know has some towering structure to show off. Sorta chest thumping in their own concrete jungle. Or displaying the ultimate urban phallic symbol for all to see. While Dubai has Burj Khalifa, Kuala Lumpur has Petronas Towers, Paris has the Eiffel, Montréal has its own rising above the city - the Montréal Tower.

Summiting The Easy Way

If I had my way, I would have preferred the hard way. But with parents in tow, there's no way I could push them to their limits. Walking up a mountain is certainly out of the question for them. So I'm ditching hiking boots for sneakers. We're taking a gondola ride instead.

Athabasca Glacier

Athabasca Glacier as seen from Icefield Parkway

Experiencing glaciers in other parts of the world changed the way I think about the world's climate woes. It hit me right in the face. There's beauty in glaciers for sure and there's a lesson to be learned from them at the same time. Seeing this rapid melting, this continuous retreat was an actual reminder of an increasingly warmer planet we live on.

It was about time my family see this live lesson as well.

Icefields Parkway

Anyone who enjoys road trips like I do will find Canada's Icefield Parkway (or Highway 93) as one of the most scenic anywhere in the world. Views are so stunning drivers are forced to stop their cars frequently, giving this route at the heart of the Rockies a nod to "it's the journey and not just the destination" aphorism.

Lake Louise

"Tito Dennis, can we please go on a canoe?"

So goes my 9-year old nephew Aaron after seeing other people paddling a canoe.  We were visiting Lake Louise, a strikingly beautiful glacial lake within Banff National Park. The emerald color of its water, the sheer heights of its surrounding mountains and the glacier which feeds this lake all make up for a truly magnificent view.

On Slow Mode in Banff

Alpenglow on Cascade Mountain

Just before summer in North America faded away, visiting one of the world's most scenic national parks back in early September got me giddy with excitement. To top it off, I was reuniting with family members: my parents who I haven't seen since March this year in the Philippines and my younger brother (and his family) who I haven't seen in two years since he immigrated to Edmonton, Canada. Gorgeous views with loved ones make a trip truly special.

Vancouver, Canada

If I were to move out of New York and live in another city, I'd definitely choose Vancouver. The gorgeous combination of the sea and the mountains make the city very picturesque and thus appealing to me. Where else could I find a major urban area blessed with such natural beauty? Besides, the weather is amiable: it is mild both in winter and summer. With a very good standard of living, I must say Vancouverites are a contented bunch.

Whistler, Canada

I won't be able to see the summer Olympics in Beijing but look where I am now, at the venue of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Whistler, Canada. The big event is still 2 years away in 2010 but I don't mind getting a sneak preview of what this premier mountain resort in North America can offer.

Hell's Gate, Canada

THE SALMON-RICH WATERS OF FRASIER RIVER

HELL'S GATE AIRTRAM. HELL'S GATE IS ACTUALLY A NARROWING AT THE FRASIER RIVER CANYON WHOSE TOWERING ROCK WALLS ON BOTH SIDES IS MERELY 35 METERS WIDE.

SOLITUDE

Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada

THE EMPRESS HOTEL IN VICTORIA, VANCOUVER ISLAND
VICTORIA IS THE CAPITAL CITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

VICTORIA'S INNER HARBOR WITH LEGISLATIVE BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND

THE SUNKEN GARDEN AT BUTCHART GARDENS

Toronto, Canada

It's just an hour away by plane from New York so I decided on a weekend jaunt to Toronto. I haven't been there and I've got friends to meet - Jerry and Benjie - whom I haven't seen since our Jeddah days in Saudi Arabia. At this time of the year, Toronto's weather is thankfully not frigid anymore. New Yorkers have always been aware of how bad it gets when a snowstorm hits Canada's largest city - we have a similar winter weather pattern, you see.

Plenty of Pinoys live in Toronto and the neighboring suburbs (collectively known as the Greater Toronto Area), making Filipinos the third largest minority group after those coming from India and China. Canada's liberal immigration laws have helped spur these arrivals from the Philippines, averaging 20,000 a year of mostly professionals enticed - as usual - by the lure of a greener pasture.

THE CN TOWER LORDS IT OVER DOWNTOWN TORONTO

TORONTO EATON CENTRE: TORONTO'S LARGEST MALL

TORONTO CITY HALL

CITY VIEW ATOP CN TOWER

SPRING IN TORONTO