Re: GG: Canadian weekends and vacations

[Craig Romanec u <roma1960@mach1.wlu.ca>]

	Junichi,

	This seems (for the province of Ontario), to be a ritual 
practiced mainly by those in southern Ontario.  North-bound highways 
from Toronto are packed Friday afternoons heading to "cottage country", 
which Orillia and Lake Simcoe are a part of.  In central Ontario (cottage 
country) fewer residents make a pilgrimage to other parts to unwind.  And 
in northern Ontario, there are fewer still.  This at least has been my 
observation, living in all three main parts of Ontario.

	This mass exodus from the crowded southern region is mainly 
isolated to the summer time.  Most cottagers do not flock north from 
about September to April/May, roughly.  From May to September though, 
traffic's a nightmare.  Most drive from about 100 kilometres to 300-400  
kilometres to get to their cottages.  Orillia's around 120 kilometres 
north of Toronto. (I'm not sure if I spelled kilometres correctly.  I 
can't seem to straighten out the french and english spellings.  Sorry.)

	Ontario, however, is only one of the ten provinces and two (soon 
to be three) territories.  I'd like to know if this is consistent with 
other parts of Canada.  Do Canadians share some common pioneer need to 
(re)associate themselves with nature?  If this is the case, then did 
this mean that GG's retreats played some part in producing his 
strongly (IMO) Canadian being and views.

	Comments?  Could other regionally placed Canadians please support or 
dissuade a national 'cottage custom'.

Thank you.

Craig Romanec
roma1960@mach1.wlu.ca


On Mon, 27 Jan 1997, Junichi Miyazawa wrote:

> Dear friends,
> 
> Yesterday, on TV, I saw a news on Lake Simcoe that the ice 
> surface was split and people were left on the isolated parts.
> I hope all the people will be rescued safely.
> 
> Now, I would like to know something about Canadian way of life.
> I hear many Canadian people who enjoy urban life go out of the 
> town every weekend to their cottages in the country side.
> Is that true?  I know the young GG used to spend his weekends 
> and holidays at his cottage on the Lake Simcoe.  Was it a very 
> usual way?  Is there any difference of weekends 
> between in his days and these days?
> 
> Could anyone describe the Canadian (or possibly, Torontonian) 
> way of spending their weekends and vacations? 
> 
> Also, give me the definition of "weekend."
> What is the "weekend" like in Canada?  
> Any difference from in any other Western countries?
> 
> As I once visited Canada only for a week or so, and 
> have never lived there, nor in other countries,  
> I cannot imagine such usual aspects of your daily life.
> 
> Regards, 
> 
> Junichi, Tokyo / junichi@poetic.com
>