Aug 1

Written by: chris
8/1/2011 

Kingston – The Limestone City

What a weekend in the Limestone City! On the hottest Ontario weekend of the year, the sun is lighting up the white limestone of the many historic downtown buildings, the restaurant patios are ablaze with flowers and full of visitors, and the annual Buskers Rendezvous is in full swing. This is a city truly connected to the water. It sits astride the eastern end of Lake Ontario, where the St Lawrence begins its journey through the Thousand Islands and where the UNESCO World Heritage Rideau Canal starts its northwards course towards Ottawa. And as part of that unique UNESCO site, Fort Henry hugs the contours of the hill across the bay.

www.visitkingston.ca

Buskers Rendezvous

Music and entertainment are everywhere during this four day festival. We are enjoying everything from comedy to music to acrobats and jugglers. I love the micro Musical Ride Mounties and the drummer using only buckets (and the occasional head of an audience member!) was spectacularly entertaining. There are no admission fees – just reward each act as you wish and move on to the next surprising act.

www.kingstonbuskers.com

Culinary Kingston

There’s cuisine from around the world here in Kingston. In the summer, the patios are everywhere and dining becomes a European style experience. On our short visit here, I have enjoyed the delights of Le Chien Noir (exquisite rear patio), Olivea Restaurant (patio overlooking the Market Square), Tango (great local beer), and Chez Piggy (another lovely patio shaded by vines).

Show and Tell

We broadcast the Travel Shows this morning from a spectacular location at the Radisson Hotel which sits astride the harbor overlooking Town Hall, Confederation Park, Lake Ontario and Fort Henry.

My grateful thanks to Murray Matheson, Executive Director of Kingston Accommodation Partners, for facilitating our trip and for being such a convivial city guide; to Bryan Mercer of Fort Henry and St Lawrence Parks Commission, who guested on the shows and is now Travel Show Family; and to Kaitlin Byrick of Kingston BIA who was a first time guest on the show and is a mover and shaker in the festival and cuisine scene in Kingston.

Thanks, too, to the team at Four Points by Sheraton for hosting my stay; this hotel is perhaps the only one in the world where guests can see three Martello Towers from their room.