The SCOTS are Coming!
Next Wednesday, our family is playing host to four boy scouts from Scotland. We host them until Saturday morning, then they go to Haliburton with the local troops for a week, before staying with us again until their return flight.
I've booked off Wednesday afternoon, Thursday, and Friday, as we are expected to show them around abit and get them 'climatized'. After Haliburton, they will be spending time at Niagara Falls, Bingeman's Park, and maybe taking in a Jay's game, so those tourists traps are already covered, but we're struggling a bit to come up with activities and/or events to take them to while they stay with us.
We thought about Wonderland of course, but at $55 a head, that would get abit pricey...still its an option.
We would like to come up with something genuinely Canadian for them to experience, but can't really find anything during their stay. So I'm asking members for ideas.
Right now we need to come up with day trips/events for Thursday July 7 and Friday July 8. Not exactly sure what days we have with them after their Haliburton trip, but if you have a thought or two, would appreciate some feedback.
Thanks
I've booked off Wednesday afternoon, Thursday, and Friday, as we are expected to show them around abit and get them 'climatized'. After Haliburton, they will be spending time at Niagara Falls, Bingeman's Park, and maybe taking in a Jay's game, so those tourists traps are already covered, but we're struggling a bit to come up with activities and/or events to take them to while they stay with us.
We thought about Wonderland of course, but at $55 a head, that would get abit pricey...still its an option.
We would like to come up with something genuinely Canadian for them to experience, but can't really find anything during their stay. So I'm asking members for ideas.
Right now we need to come up with day trips/events for Thursday July 7 and Friday July 8. Not exactly sure what days we have with them after their Haliburton trip, but if you have a thought or two, would appreciate some feedback.
Thanks
Comments
And no, I'm not getting one in Fergus!
As for the flag, try a local soccer store. I know there used to be a flag store on Bovaird, just west of Hurontario on the north side of Bovaird. If you hit the Rice Business centre, you've gone too far.
Damn...timing is abit off, but thanks WB!
If it's Scottish stuff you want, this town's so bloody Scottish it's not funny. Pipe band(s) go down the main drag every Saturday night at 8pm, entire town follows in behind them in a parade type fashion. Bagpiper plays from the top of the Lighthouse every night at Sundown. Very beautiful. Downtown there's a Scottish Shop where you can buy everything Scottish including kilts (they're more expensive than I ever imagined!), etc. etc. etc.
YouTube - Kincardine Scottish Pipeband Parade Saturday, August 22, 2009
Kind of drives me a little crazy sometimes.
~~ Island Queen Cruise ~~
Ontario Science Centre
ROM
Zoo (but they have those everywhere)
I mean, c'mon, it's the internet. There's disgruntled people all over the place!
MMmmmmmmmmm. There is some top notch cuisine there.
That's a quote from Kill the Irishman.
Picked up four boys yesterday around 2:30pm. Altogether, about 40 young boys and a few leaders had arrived, all looking beat from their flight. Apparently, their flight left at 1am Scottish time. Now if they were to be at the airport 2hrs ahead, and some live a couple of hours from the airport, that means these kids had been on road or in the air, without any sleep, for about 20hrs already. Yea, they were tired, but they were also excited to be here.
I finally found a St Andrew's Cross flag to hang in place of my beloved Bruins flag outside my house to make the boys feel welcome. They rather enjoyed that I think. After getting settled in, we went around the neighbourhood a bit and I treated them all to a real Canadian delicacy that can't be found anywhere else...COFFEE CRISP! They are now finding a way to stow a few to take back home.
After a dinner of lasagna and garlic bread, we plugged in IronMan but only watched maybe a half hour before I noticed they were drifting off to sleep, so we got them all to get ready for bed (this is like 7pm!!) and left them to get some rest. Wife, daughter, and myself entertained ourselves outside or on the computer, and even RJ behaved herself, for the most part.
Oh, RJ...if any of you have met my dog, she can be very playful. One lad was offered her favourite toy, which he said he didn't want (dog slobber issue), and promptly tossed it away. Well, RJ thought that was great, went to fetch it, and brought it back to him. Fetch is her favourite game, but the young lad didn't know that. So instead, he simply tried to pull it away from her to hide it, but RJ was now thinking...COOL...my second favourite game...Tug of War! Anyway, this poor kid didn't know what to do...if he threw it, she would bring it back, and if he pulled it, she would pull it too. RJ was having a great time, but this poor Scottish lad was flustered to no end. He was too tired to play, but in my dogs eyes, he did everything RJ liked to do.
Today is a trip to Campbell Lake to visit the longhouse and see the sites, do some swimming and maybe paddle a canoe. Won't be a busy day, but should be fun. Tomorrow I believe is Wonderland, and then Saturday morning they are all on a bus to go to Haliburton for a week long camp.
Just returned from Crawford Lake. No swimming though as the lake is considered a preservation site and not to be disturbed in any way. But these boys didn't let that stop them. They found a tennis ball somewhere and a dead maple branch, and after a quick light lunch, they started a game of Rounders in the field. Wasn't long before all the leaders got involved and everyone had a good time.
For those not familiar with the rules of rounders, its similar to baseball, but no foul lines, and the batter can hit the ball anywhere, even behind him if he so chooses. Interesting game, but different enough from our baseball to make you kind of go "HUH??"
One of our house guests is celebrating his 14th birthday today, so we picked up a huge cake and will have it with some icecream tonight while we watch the rest of IronMan. Everyone is still not really hunger after the 'light' lunch we had, so the burgers I had planned are moved to tomorrow night now.
Tomorrow the entire group is to meet at 9am for a bus ride to Wonderland. Haven't decided if I'm joining them yet or not, but if I do, I'm sure to have a good time watching them have a great time!!!
The boys have been great and really enjoying their trip so far. We haven't even lost one yet, which is pretty amazing actually, but its still early in the adventure.
Feel free to post, by all means, and I'll download some pics soon to share.
What type of padlock did you install on your daughter bedroom door?
You haven't heard about Scottish boys?? They're actually perfect little gentlemen.
Besides. My daughter can handle almost anything. She is quite... intimidating.
Yes, that was back when our two continents were still joined, though ^-^
Next time I see you I'll join your two ears!;)
Now you tell us.
Parents, that haggis remark was a joke. I'm sure it is very tasty.
Carry on.
Our guests woke up this morning giggling like little school girls, but when I went downstairs to get them moving, they were pretending to still be sleeping. YEA RIGHT!! They soon were enjoying a good Canadian breakfast of waffles with PURE maple syrup, muffins, hash browns, and bacon, with fresh apples and bananas if they wished. After breakfast we headed to the pick up location for the bus ride to Wonderland.
The entire Scottish contingent went to Canada's Wonderland today, and we just got back. Needless to say, everyone had an awesome day, perfect weather, and not a soul was disappointed. It was a great day!
For our Scottish parents, you can check out Canada's Wonderland and what it offered you child today, as I don't think I can download pics until at least Saturday morning, sorry.
Canada's Wonderland | Canada's Premier Themed Amusement Park (Toronto)
Its getting abit late right now, and the boys need to ensure their packs are ready for tomorrow mornings' trip to Haliburton Scout Reserve. Their bus leaves at 6am and its a long trip (about 3.5hrs or so) north of our Brampton home, so they need to ensure everything is ready for the trip tonight. I KNOW they're going to love Haliburton, once they get used to the no cell phone service, no electricity to recharge their Ipods, and no flushing toilets. They're not immediately impressed, but I know by Monday, they won't be missing those things at all.
I'm uploading pics later tonight and sorting them for posting tomorrow sometime. I doubt I will hear much from the boys once they leave for camp, but if I do, I'll be sure to post about it here for the parents.