Friday, July 13, 2012

Ode to Prince Edward County

Have you ever been enamoured with something you knew almost nothing about? For years, I was taken with an area just a couple hours east of Toronto called Prince Edward County that I had never actually been to before. In those years I had traveled to countries east, south and west of my home, but for some reason I kept putting off my first visit to this place that was so much closer to where I lived. I would overhear people talking about how someone they knew was going there for a weekend and I'd chime in "Oh, Prince Edward County is great!", but when they'd ask me what was so great about it I'd have to confess that I hadn't been there, I just had this feeling. I even went so far as to recommend it to people who were visiting Canada from other places, which is a pretty bold move in hindsight. I mean, what could go wrong?

So, a couple summers ago I didn't take a big trip to somewhere far, far away, and instead I finally went to see what all the fuss (that I had created for myself) was about, and I fell in love. I think I had grown so fond of the idea of PEC that I was worried about being disappointed when I actually experienced it, which is a pretty ridiculous reason to not try something new. The country roads, beaches, vineyards, bakeries, lakes, small theatres, quiet mornings, local farms, sand dunes, and long sunsets are just a few things that keep me coming back whenever I can.

The photos below are a small taste of the area that I have grown to love so much. I often daydream about buying a little place there for weekend visits and to offer to my friends as a getaway when they need an escape from the city.