Isle of Wight Friendship Force members recently enjoyed warm Canadian hospitality, staying for a week each in beautiful rural Haliburton with English-speaking hosts, and then experiencing the charms of city life in Montreal, with French-speaking hosts.
A great pleasure was to get to know about the lives of our new friends and about Canadian history and culture. We shopped in the market for maple syrup – a must for Canadians- and wine from the Niagara area.
We tensely watched ice hockey matches between Edmonton and the Florida Panthers. We learnt about French Canadian history and first hand of the huge distances within and between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
Highlights of the trip
Highlights in Haliburton included dragon boat racing; the natural beauty of the lakes and wildlife, such as bears and wolves; a guided tour of a fantastic sculpture park.
In Montreal, we loved the superb biodome with its five eco-systems, including an ice tunnel in the arctic one; the beautiful botanic gardens; the fascinating First Nation House.
Hopes for reciprocal visit
It’s hoped both Canadian clubs will come to stay with us in the future.
In September we have a week’s programme of activities for our Brazilian visitors. In 2025, we travel to Japan, for a two week stay with local clubs. Social events occur throughout the year.
Find out more
If you’d like to find out about our Isle of Wight Friendship Force club, please email [email protected] for further information.
News shared by Pauline on behalf of Isle of Wight Friendship Force club. Ed
