Thanks for the posts from students!

Hello Friends,

It was great to receive some letters from some of my new friends.  I wanted to answer some of their questions.

Daniel wondered how I travel across Canada.  Well, as you know, Canada is a very large place!  I usually take a plane between major cities, and then sometimes rent a car while I’m there.  I like to explore each city and find out the things that make each place so special.

Sam , and Janice,   the CN Tower sounds amazing!  What kinds of things would I do and see if I went there?  Can you go all the way to the top?

Lots of you mentioned Niagara Falls.  It sounds like a place I would certainly need to visit.  What are some of the things that I can do there?  Is it just a huge waterfall?  I have heard that there is a huge water park there.  Has anyone ever been there?  Is it worth me visiting?  What is this I hear about a boat?  Does it actually go over the waterfalls?

Thomas, I really do enjoy snowboarding.  Where is the best place that you’ve ever gone snowboarding in Ontario. 

Anna, you mentioned cafes.  I love to eat!!  Is there a place that you would recommend?  What’s your favourite type of food?

Ethan, I love sports.  Soccer is my favourite!!!  Have you ever been to a professional soccer game in Toronto?  I’ve heard that you have team.  Do you know what their name is and where they play?  I’d love to catch a game when I’m there.

Baran and Jafaar, what is “Wonderland”?  I have heard about this place, but I’m not sure what kinds of things there are to do there?  Also, Melanie mentioned the “X” – I’ve heard about the Ex at the CNE, is this the same place?  What kinds of things can you see and do there?  Why do you like it?

Andrew, Ottawa sounds like a great place to see in Ontario.  As the capital city of Canada, I’m sure to make it a priority.  What is your favourite thing to do in this amazing city?

Jacob, the zoo sounds cool!  I really do like animals.  What is your favourite type of animal?  Ever since my visit to the Yukon, I love polar bears – although I didn’t see too many there.  Are there any polar bears in the Toronto zoo?  Have you ever seen a polar bear?

Your school sounds like an awesome place!  I would love to visit one day.  I’m not sure if I’d be able to stop by because I usually only have a few days in each place.  But, from your letters, I can tell that you are very proud of your school.

Lots of you were fascinated by the suspension bridge in Vancouver… Yes, it was amazing, – but a little frightening.

Thanks for your letters.  There should be a new post from me very soon!

Proud to be Canadian,

Travellin’ Dan

Greetings from Alberta!

Dear Friends,

    Alberta has got to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life!  As I travelled through the heart of the Rocky Mountains, I saw some of the most amazing sights.  From Lake Louise where the mountains rise on each side of a pristine lake, to Jasper national park where the long horned sheep graze along side the road, to Banff with the most spectacular mountains I have ever seen. 

Do you like to shop?  Well, Edmonton has the largest shopping mall in North America—it is the fifth largest in the world! It has an indoor water park, a skating rink, a mini-put and even it’s own roller coaster!

I went to this place called the ‘Badlands”.  I don’t know why they’re called “bad”… they were really quite good!  If you like dinosaurs like I do, this is the place for you!  They have the world’s biggest display of dinosaur skeletons.  There was even the fossil of a giant fish…with the fossil of another fish that it had just swallowed!

Calgary is the home to the Calgary Stampede.  Unfortunately, I missed the     Stampede this year because it’s usually held in the early summer.  There are real cowboys who ride horses and even bulls.  No kidding!

Alberta as an amazing province, and it has so many different things to see.  What would be the first thing you’d want to see if you visited Alberta?

Proud to be Canadian, 

 Travellin’ Dan

 

 

 

Hello from British Columbia!

Click here to download a PDF version of my postcard from Vancouver:  Vancouver Postcard

Dear Friends,

     Here I am on Canada’s West coast in the beautiful city of Vancouver.  Vancouver is the largest city in British Columbia, even though it is not the capital city (that is Victoria).  Vancouver is surrounded by water on three sides, and mountains on the other.  Vancouverites are so proud of their city because they were the hosts of the 2010 Winter Olympics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZX-CzXyXDo

     From Vancouver, I headed North into the mountains.  On one side, of the highway, the mountains are huge, and on the other side, the road seems to just drop away to the ocean below.  When I got to Whistler, I was amazed that I could stand on the top of the glacier on top of the mountain in my shorts and not feel cold at all!

     I went for a ‘sky-walk’ on one of the world longest suspended rope bridge Capilano Suspension Bridge.  It is 136 meters long (446 feet), and just seems to ‘dangle’ above a huge canyon!  Check out this YouTube Video I found:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWEfdcdSZV8

     In Stanley Park I rented a bike and rode around the SeaWall.  I got to see real totem poles and there is an amazing aquarium with whales and dolphins!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD7S0Vs3Q0I

     Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen!  I could swim in the ocean and ski on a mountain all in the same day! (Check out the video link from WhistlerBlackcomb Promotions). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvBn8Tx6spI&feature=related    Tell me a little more about your favourite city!!!  Perhaps I’ll go there next!

Proud to be Canadian,

Travellin’ Dan 

 

Greetings from the Yukon!!!

Click this link to download a PDV version of my postcard from The Yukon

Dear Friends,

There’s GOLD in t’em there hills!  Have you ever heard of the Klondike Gold Rush?  Well, I followed the path of bedraggled miners in hopes of striking it rich and finding gold in Dawson City.  I tried my hand at panning for gold—but alas, no luck!

I went white water rafting along a wild river, and saw amazing wildlife– like caribou,  sheep, wolves but fortunately I didn’t see a grizzly bear—although they certainly were around.  Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan (5,959 metres), towers in the middle of Kluane National Park and Reserve.  I’m definitely coming back here when there’s more snow to go dog sledding! 

At night, the sky is beautiful.  Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?  Well the lights just seem to dance across the sky in a mix of blues, greens and turquoise.  I could stay up all night just to watch them.

Whitehorse is the capital city of the Yukon.  It is known as the “winderness city”.  There are about 25,000 people who live and work here.

Although I didn’t strike it rich by finding gold, I think the Yukon is a pretty special place.

Proud to be Canadian, 

 Travellin’ Dan

“The Travellin’ Dan Project”

In one year, I will travel across this great country of ours.  I’ll share pictures, video links and other things that I discover.  In your classroom, you can track my travels too.  Why not use a map of Canada to mark the locations I have visited.  I’ll post a letter (at least once a month) and you can help me keep a virtual scrapbook.  You can expect my first post - sometime in September

Let me know if there are sights you think I should see on my trip around Canada.  I’d love to hear from you.

Proud to be Canadian,

Travellin’ Dan