Canada? Oh! Canada.

I’m not sure I can honestly say that I’ve never met a Canadian whom I didn’t like but more often than not when I encounter an especially northern North American, I’m left with the impression that Canada might just be the friendliest country in the world. From good friends and drinking buddies to colleagues, partners in crime and even an ex-girlfriend or two, a list of people I’m particularly fond of would be pretty Canada-centric.

And if you watched that epic 2010 Gold Medal Canada-US Olympic hockey game, then you know Canucks are keen sports fans too … and if you caught but a glimpse of the rest of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, then you must be at least slightly aware that much of Canada is fantastically gorgeous (and that Whistler is a winter sports wonderland).

I’ve visited Canada a bunch of times. I love Vancouver and Whistler; think Toronto’s as cosmo and enticing as any big city (but at a much more manageable size); and reckon that a late 90s road trip from New York to Montreal and Quebec has much to do with how and why I now consider myself a foodie (my dinner at Initiale in Quebec City still ranks as one of the finest dining experiences I’ve had to date).

So when a gig was presented to write about why folks should visit Canada for their next holiday, I thought what an easy thing for me to recommend! Nice people, fresh air, all sorts of outdoors-y stuff to do, world class cities, good food – it’s an excellent destination … and with plenty of cheap flights to Toronto and throughout Canada, I’m now hankering to make it back there for a bit of  fun myself!