Kingston was chosen as the first capital of the united Canada and served in that role from 1841 to 1844. However, the city was considered too small and lacking in amenities. Its location also made it vulnerable to American attack. Consequently, the capital was moved to alternating locations in Montreal and Toronto and then later to Ottawa in 1857.
The city of Kingston, Ontario is just as I expected it to be…like everywhere in Canada that I have visited, it is tidy, charming and full of history. While Canada was settled at approximately the same time as the United States, the country seems to be “older and more historic” than the US. Maybe that is because we in the US are all too eager to tear down the old and fill the spot with something new and modern but not necessarily more attractive.
As we left Confederation Basin (our marina location in Kingston) we were right in the heart of historic Kingston. The waterfront of current day Kingston was once the bustling railroad and ship building capital of Canada. Even today remnants of that era are evident by the Prince George Hotel and of the farmers market that has an old and long standing tradition of being located in the same dedicated spot for over 150 years.
Imagine my surprise as I lifted the shades of the Lolligag to see "what" was docked next to us! And I did not even hear it land...
One of the things we love to do when we visit cities is to take a trolley and so that is the first thing we did. Lasting well over an hour, we had an informative tour given by a former city official who was quite knowledge and most entertaining. We especially enjoyed visiting the Queens College campus. The city is filled with charming inns and B&Bs and this would be wonderful destination for a romantic or fun filled long weekend.
We spent three delightful days in Kingston and it was not nearly enough time. I would love to return to explore the countryside and vineyards of the area. The more I see of Canada, the more I fall in love with this country.
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