Our quick trip to Timmins, Ontario

[mich64]

Recently we were invited to a 25th wedding anniversary party for a family member in Timmins. We had to be home the next night for a 50th birthday party, so we had only about 24 hours to get there, party, sleep a night and return home.

The drive there has to be one of the most boring drives we take. Approximately 4 hours of not much to look at besides fir trees and lakes, nice, but boring. But when we arrive it is all worth it. Here are a few pictures of our quick trip.

We usually stop for lunch, we have been stopping at this restaurant for over 25 years.


I had a Poutine and a Pogo, more for all of you than myself.


The first stop that you make when you arrive to town is:


Timmins is a Gold mining town, so I thought I would show and old mine shaft that is in town.


And some of their ore carts on display.


When leaving, I tried to get a photo of the sign directing visitors to the Shania Twain Center. But I could not get close enough as it was across the highway when we stopped for gas before departing.

Hope you enjoyed our little trip.

Cheers,
Mich

[lola]

Fun, Mich.

I wonder why that mine building is so tall. Pulley for the ore carts?

Thanks for having the poutine, pogo, and pepsi. No pie or pudding?

(next stop, looking up which was the pogo, but guess it's what we'd call a corn dog.)

[mich64]

Thanks Lola, not an impressive report, just sharing a quick experience.

Yes, a pogo is a corn dog. This one was not as tasty because I seen it come from the freezer. The best ones are when you find a chip stand that makes them fresh, in other words, you see them dip them in the batter and when cooked they come out so fluffy!

This restaurant offers wonderful home made pies, however, since lunch already was high in calories and fat, I chose not to have a piece.

I do not know much about mining so I cannot explain why the shaft is built this way, but there are many there. An interesting point is part of the city starting experiencing large sink holes from parts being built on old mining sites.

Cheers,
Mich

[Deleted]

I absolutely love those photos, Mich! The restaurant, the food, the beer store - they look so much like real life, or as the Thais would say "same same, but different".

Sink holes and collapsed buildings are always present in mining towns. Those are not as fun.

[mich64]

Thank you Kerouac, I appreciate your kind words. My husband laughed at me many times as I was taking these pictures knowing that I meant to post a little report on the day, he knows how I enjoy the people on the Port. Our life here is simple with wonderful moments with family and friends, that is what I wanted to share with you all.

Cheers!
Mich

[onlymark]

Mich, in the cafe, why HO HO HO?

Ahem, regarding the mine shaft - what you can see is actually the building housing the headstocks. In other words, it is a large tall frame with a couple of wheels on the top that the cable goes over and down the shaft to raise and drop the cage(s) on the end of the cable.
See Day 228 - a naked version -
www.keblawben.com/wordpress/?tag=derelict
Actually an old mine (pit) not far from my home town.

The lift, or cage, could be a double decker affair necessitating a tall headstock to give enough height for the cage to get above ground level and clear the shaft.

[mich64]

Hi Mark! I was wondering about the Ho Ho Ho sign as well, and as I looked around the restaurant there were many crafted items for all seasons. I then remembered years ago they used to have a gift shop where the lady at the cash is so maybe they just decided to decorate with some of those items? Then there is also the guess that they just do not take all their Christmas decoration down... that is a common thing, like leaving Christmas lights up all year round but only turning them on in December.

Interesting information about the mine shafts. Timmins has tunnel mining as well as open pit mining. The open pits seem to be more common now. They have moved the highway at least 3 times in the past 10 years to accomodate the pits.

Cheers,
Mich

[Deleted]

I refrained from asking about Ho Ho Ho but it was tormenting me. Perhaps the cook is exceptionally jolly and his last name is Kringle?

[mich64]

No, the cook was a tall, very thin young lady, not sure about her last name though, could be...
Maybe it is because the farther north you go, the closer you are getting to the North Pole! ;D
Cheers,
Mich

[bixaorellana]

Oh, Mich ~~ this is so interesting and fun and I'm only now getting around to commenting on it.

Boy, that restaurant is a classic, with the milk dispenser and the friendly layout and all. I love the menu blackboards. However, someone should suggest that they reverse the big letters so that they read "OH OH OH". It would be subtle psychology suggesting just how good the food is. Thanks for ordering Canadian exotica on our behalf!

The Beer Store could give lessons to other stores in how to name a business.

Yow on the sinkage! Have any buildings been damaged? I recently visited a defunct gold mine. Since much of the outside was in ruins, it's really interesting seeing that headstock (thanks, Mark!) building.

[Deleted]

Oooh, Timmins! I had that in mind just the other day, I so wanted to see the museum dedicated to Shaina Twain. Maybe next time. Perhaps we can go together mich? I'll pick you up on the way? Enjoyed the photos

[hwinpp]

Got any inside pics of the beer store?

[mich64]

Hmmm... I wonder if they would let me?

I do not often venture in there, that chore seems to have been relegated to my husband through the years. Whereas the Liquor/Wine Store ( LCBO ) is a delightful experience. ;D

Cheers,
Mich

[LouisXIV]

The French fries and gravy, you use a lot of serviettes eating them. I always order that when in Canada. I was in Timmons back in the sixties and yes it is a long drive through some beautiful wilderness country I have spent most of my time in Canada, and that is a lot of time over the years, in the Algoma area north of Michigan and near Lake Superior. A beautiful part of the world.

Ah, yes, The Beer Store. Have been to may of then over the years. They are rather basic inside. Just stacks of beer in cases or you order what you want at a counter and out comes your order on a conveyor.

Thanks for sharing your pics.

[Deleted]

louis, the dish you refer to is called 'Poutine'. One of my favorites.

[darcy]

Interesting report, thanks! I was born in Ontario, lived there for 25 years, and have definitely enjoyed my share, perhaps more than my share, of chips and gravy (as far as I know it's never referred to as French fries and gravy ). I've never heard it called it poutine though. Is that a French Canadian term?

[mich64]

Hi Darcy, I do not know if it is a Northern Ontario way of saying your chips and gravy because I have never heard it being called anything else beside fries and gravy or french fries and gravy, interesting.

The reason this particular dish is called poutine (and yes it has french origins) is because on top of the gravy is mozzarella type cheese curds that melt and when you stick a fork in to pick up a portion, the cheese is stringy like when you pull a piece of pizza apart so you kind of wrap the fry around the cheese and gravy and my goodness the combination tastes so good!

Cheers,
Mich

[Deleted]

I don't know who invented poutine and/or chips & gravy but they are the best possible antidote to the bizarre modern (?) obsession for "crispy french fries" in which the crisp has assassinated any possibility of tasting the potato.