Royal Kingston

Royal Kingston

Although it was tempting to linger in PEC (Prince Edward County) we finally turned back to the east and the jumping off point for the Rideau Canal, Kingston ON – Canada’s first Capital City. We arrived in Confederation Basin in the heart of the historic district to find three lively and skilled dock hands waiting to catch our ropes. We had heard there was much to see and do here so we did not waste any time and started with a trolley tour to get oriented. Covering a lot of territory we got a clear idea of why this city’s nickname includes LIMESTONE. Not just grand public buildings are constructed of the sturdy stone, but also many residences and commercial buildings. The hop on and off bus ticket was good for 24 hours, so we used it again in the morning to return for a tour of Fort Henry. Kingston as well as Prince Edward County welcomed subjects loyal to King George who fled the United States after the Revolutionary War. Much of the development dates from that period, but Kingston was also a major British stronghold during the War of 1812 due to its location on Lake Ontario at the start of the St Lawrence River. Fort Henry in Kingston was the part of the British answer to fortifications like the one we visited in Sackets Harbor on the US side of the lake. However, Fort Henry and the accompanying Martello towers were far more formidable defenses than any we saw on the American side.  On our trolley tour we learned that Kingston is also home to the Canadian version of West Point which sits in the shadow of Fort Henry’s ramparts. The fort swarmed with re-enactors who conducted our tour as well as drilled bayonet exercises and fired the noon canon. With a small squint it would not have been hard to believe in time travel. As impressive as the massive limestone walls and clever military  constructions, this fort never saw action since the threat from across the border did not materialize. Today the only American invaders are busloads of tourists who come firing dollars and Yankee accents. 

With great luck our visit here coincided with the annual art music festival. This provided entertainment and distraction in the shady setting of Kingston City Park – a short stroll up the lake shore from our mooring in the basin.  The walk also included a stop at the Pump House museum – one of the 30+ museums on offer in this town. Steve admired the steam driven pumps in operation for 100 years that used to provide water to Kingston residents while I ogled the steam powered launch that cruised the Rideau and Lake Ontario.

Our Canadian hosts in Kingston again welcomed us with hospitality and kindness that we only hope our fellow Americans reciprocate when the snowbirds visit our shores in Panama City. The group of actors preparing to conduct tours “In the steps of John A MacDonald” Canada’s first president and Kingston native son, kindly let us join their final dress rehearsal since we would not be in town when they offered the tours for real.  This tour was really street theatre with music and a walk around historical sites of Kingston in the time of John A.  We learned about his life from the stories told by costumed characters including his buddies, rivals, his first wife and John A himself. We saw no flaws in this dress rehearsal and totally enjoyed the energy, clever staging, and catchy songs. We have no idea how they are going to do this twice a daily – but then they are professionals and YOUNG!

Everything we read about Kingston said a week is not long enough – and again we only scratched the surface leaving many treats for our next visit. Oh yes, we also can’t wait to return to Pan Chanko Bakery & Deli and sample a few more of the local beers.