A classic Canadian tradition is a trip to a summer lakeside cottage. Just as South Africans head to the beach over the summer and the Brits all fly to Spain, Canadians motor to lake country and spend some time at a cottage. Finding a lake in Ontario is not a difficult proposition, they are everywhere. Throw a stick far enough and you're bound to hit one. As tourists, finding a nice group of people to go with is trickier. Luckily, Ella and I were invited by the nicest bunch to their beautiful lakeside cottage in the Kawartha Lakes area, about…

Toronto is a big place in many ways - it's the commercial heart of Canada, a cultural hub, a place full of greenery, and a city of immigrants. I'd been keen to visit for as long as I can remember. And so, Ella and I set off to do just that. We dropped off our rental car at the airport (the city's road traffic is breaking records, the bad kind), and used public transport to make our way downtown. Our guide for our visit was none other than the magical Roopa, a great friend from many years ago. First we…