A piano in the park and a cha-cha-cha with the chickadees and chipmunks in Gananoque

No road trip is complete without inadvertently stumbling across the odd and the unusual or even the downright strange.  After all, one is almost guaranteed to come across – but, only if you keep your eyes wide open! – something that is so outrageous and out of place, you will end up doing a double-take, as well as give your head a disbelieving shake.

Quirky, quacky and downright wacky was the theme of the day as we trundled along in our spiffy new jalopy along routes unknown toward paths yet undiscovered.  On the road to somewhere but not really anywhere and who actually knows to exactly where, on a Pink Sneaker quest to track down the Runaways, who had buggered off to parts unknown on an impromptu adventure all of their own.

First stop was Gananoque (population 5,194, to be exact) where pianos in the park were apparently the norm.  Say what?  Or, was that, hear what?  A symphony, of course.  Classical melodies permeated the air, Chopin and Mozart were alive and well and my pink sneaker clad feet found themselves itching to waltz the afternoon away, not at a fancy Viennese ball, but right here and now, outdoors, in the park.  Even autumn was eager to put on a show and shake, rattle and roll, merlot hued leaves twirling and swirling in a frenzied dance to whistling October winds.












After all, what else is a cuckoo ol’ Auntie to do if she happens to inadvertently stumble across a piano in the park?  Wait for an invitation to the ball?  Might as well lace up her beat up old sneakers and Cha-Cha-Cha the night away with the chipmunks, chickadees and squirrels.

Gananoque is an aboriginal name and translates to “the town on two rivers”.  The Gateway to the 1,000 Islands and the St. Lawrence River, this charming eastern Ontario hamlet offers old-fashioned elegance and more than enough activities to check off your bucket list.  Whether building sandcastles on the beach or hiking and cycling along picturesque trails, the options are endless and the memories beyond priceless.  Whatever your interest, Gananoque has something for both the old and young at heart. 





Love the outdoors?  Sailing, kayaking and helicoptering adventures await. 

Love culture, art and the finer things in life?  Antiques, teashops, book nooks and galleries beckon.  No further need to elaborate!

Love classical music?  Just hang out in the park and listen to the piano man play.

Just another day in the life of enchanting Gananoque…

Come play in the park and boogie with the best of them, where a piano is the star attraction, beckoning visitors from far and wide to chill and listen to the sound of music.  Had Sidekick Oz and I not been on a mission to track down the Runaways, we never would have ventured far from home and found ourselves in the quaintest of towns by the St. Lawrence River – out on a lark to hunt down the wayward trio, our sojourn en route to Quebec City instead led us to a piano in the park.

Next blog – In 4 weeks!  Wednesday, May 10th!!

Stay tuned for the continuation of the adventures of cuckoo ol’ Auntie Nora and Travel Bud Oz.  So, do we ever catch up with Inspiration, Creativity and Imagination?  Only one way to find out – Catch up in four weeks!

Addendum:  Yikes!!  Has it been almost four months since I've published a post?  My apologies, dear readers, for not having scribbled or posted anything since April.  The excuses, there are many, and some have been due to circumstances beyond my control, but life and work obligations kept me off the writing track.  I'm back now and will publish the next post within the next couple of days (sometime within the week of September 24th).