Simplicity
in Celebration
by
Mary M. Alward
When our
15th wedding anniversary rolled around, we were on a very tight
budget. However, we decided that we should celebrate this momentous
occasion if only in a small way. After all, fifteen years is a
milestone these days. So, after some thought, we decided to visit
the historical town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is just north
of Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Since we
live just west of Toronto, the drive to the Niagara area is only
about an hour and a half. We chose to take the scenic route along
Highway 20, instead of taking the super highway. We were in no
rush and the old route is so much nicer than the view from the
new highway. It was early morning and since we hadn’t been
to either Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake for a number of
years, we wanted to see how things had changed.
It seemed
like no time when we hit the city limits of Niagara Falls. We
made our way down Clifton Hill, which is a tourist trap strip
filled with museums, shops and other attractions. We had no desire
to stop there, so we continued to the foot of the Hill and turned
left toward the Niagara Parkway, which runs along the Niagara
Gorge and on to Niagara-on-the Lake.
We stopped
at Souvenir City, a mall type structure that houses a variety
of shops but has a completely open concept. There’s no need
to go out of one store to enter another. You just wander and browse
along the way. In one of the shops, we stopped to watch a Venetian
glassblower demonstrating his skills. His wares were exquisite
and we found the demonstration intriguing. Working with glass
at temperatures of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit is no easy feat.
Then, it
was back on the road. We stopped and took in the beautiful view
of the Whirlpool Rapids, enjoyed each other’s company and
the cool breeze that was blowing off the Niagara River, before
continuing on toward Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Surprisingly,
when we arrived we immediately found a parking spot in the shade
under a tree. We got out of the car and strolled hand-in-hand
down the street, gazing into the windows of quaint and unique
shops and boutiques. We bought a half a pound of homemade fudge
and continued down the street to see what other sights were new.
At a corner,
we saw a horse and carriage parked, waiting for passengers. My
husband knew I had always wanted to tour the town in this fashion
so he suggested that we hire the vehicle. What a wonderful time
we had, relaxing in the carriage and viewing the sights as the
horse’s shoes resounded off the pavement. It was a real
treat.
When we disembarked
from the carriage, we made our way up the other side of the street
and stopped into a Christmas shop that is open year ‘round.
We spent about an hour looking at all of the exceptional Christmas
décor. There were Santas, snowmen, children and scenic
landscapes, as well as village houses, shops, and country buildings.
One of my favorites was a Victorian scene of skaters. It was a
music box and, as the music played, the figurines moved around
the ice. It was magnificent, but out of our price range. Instead,
we decided on a clear glass ball with a Nativity scene inside.
Back outside
into the sun. While we were inside the shop, the temperature had
soared. We stepped into an old-time ice cream parlor and indulged
in a delicious cone. The ice cream was the best I’d tasted
since childhood when Grandma made ice cream in the old fashioned
crank ice cream maker using salt, ice, real cream and whatever
fruit happened to be in season at the time.
After the
ice cream treat, we decided it was time to head for home. What
a wonderful day we’d experienced. We’d held hands,
laughed, taken a romantic and scenic carriage ride, and bought
a small souvenir of our special day.
Each year
at Christmas when we carefully place our clear, glass Nativity
ball on the tree, we remember that simplistic but special day
that we spent together on our 15th wedding anniversary.
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