Day 2 of a Midweek Getaway
We spent several hours out and about on Thursday, April 18th.
Our day began with breakfast at Mel’s Diner in Kitchener (Ontario, Canada).
Mel’s Diner is a familiar breakfast place for Jim and Sandy. Sandy ordered her regular Banana Bread French Toast. She was somewhat disappointed with her choice, as the bananas had brown spots. I can’t recall what Jim and Bob ordered for breakfast. I ordered a Belgian Waffle with strawberry and whipped cream. My waffle was delicious. I was surprised, though, that a small container of syrup accompanied my meal. The menu stated that maple syrup cost an additional $2.50CAD, and I did not order syrup. I learned that REAL maple syrup cost $2.50CAD, but regular syrup (like Aunt Jemima) comes with the meal.
After breakfast we drove to the community of St Jacobs in the township of Woolwich, where we visited the St Jacobs Farmers’ Market.
The market is the largest year-round farmer’s market in Canada. The market is open on Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the year. It features indoor/outdoor food & craft vendors. The main building has two floors.
I took this picture from the second floor
of the main building.
We walked across an open area in which food and produce vendors set up outdoor shop from spring to autumn to another building, where there were additional food and craft vendors.
The mural caught my eye, as we walked to the other building.
Did we buy anything at the Farmers Market? Jim bought raisin butter tarts, and I bought a salamander yard ornament.
We also visited The Mennonite Story, located on the grounds of the Farmers’ Market.
We didn’t pay for a tour, but pictures on the wall gave some insight into the Mennonite Story. I found this attraction interesting, as my 6th great grandfather was Mennonite and emigrated to Pennsylvania from Palatinate.
From St Jacobs Farmers’ Market we drove to a quonset hut in the community of Maryhill in the township of Woolwich, where the Waterloo Region Model Railway Club (WRMRC) meets. Jim is a member of the club. He showed us the very elaborate train layout that models the Canadian Pacific Railway Sudbury Division, as it existed in the 1970s decade.
Jim, Sandy and Bob looking at train layout
From Maryhill we drove to the community of Galt in Cambridge, where portions of “The Handmaid’s Tale” was filmed. We walked across Main Street Bridge as far as the Central Presbyterian Church.
Jim pointed out The Wall, located along the Grand River, on the opposite side of the river from the church.
The Wall is infamous for being where the bodies of executed people were put on public display in “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Galt-Cambridge plays a huge role in “The Handmaid’s Tale” series, based on Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s award winning novel. Galt-Cambridge is one of the primary backdrops for the fictional Republic of Gilead.
As we walked back across the bridge, the glass front of the Old Post Office caught my eye.
overlooks the Grand River.
I also snapped a picture of the Old Post Office, facing away from the Grand River.
The mix of old and new architecture is something that we saw often, during our stay in the Waterloo Region.
Soon after crossing over Main Street Bridge, we turned left onto Ainslie Street. We walked past Galt City Hall.
Do you see that tree with pink blossoms in the foreground?
While on Ainslie Street, we stopped in Reids Candy & Nut Shop. Bob purchased a chocolate bar that we shared.
We turned left onto Thorne Street and then left onto Water Street. Two alleyways caught my eye on Water Street.
We returned to Jim and Sandy’s home around 4:30 pm.
We ate dinner in. Sandy and I had leftover lasagna from the previous night’s dinner. We split the lasagna into four portions and served it with tossed salad. For dessert we had raisin butter tarts. As we did the previous day we enjoyed a relaxing evening, conversing with each other and watching several TV shows.
The Beauty Around Us 