Windsor Canada
by Gary Mills - June 2003

Tired of the heat ?? Tired of the traffic ??? Glad all the graduation, end of school fuss is over?? Need an easy weekend away ??

It was at just a time like this when my wife and I discovered Windsor, Canada.

You can hop a short 2 hour flight to Detroit, grab a rental car and drive a quick 20 minute freeway trip, then over the high suspension Ambassador Bridge to one of Canada’s best kept secrets….Windsor. Nestled between Lake St. Claire on one side, Lake Erie on the other and the Detroit River in front, cool weather is guaranteed.

Settle into a Hilton Hotel room with the panoramic view windows overlooking the Detroit River, the beautiful River Front Park and downtown Detroit across the wide expanse of water. You won’t be able to wait to get downstairs and cross the street into the park…..so full of beautiful summer flowers. Take a leisurely stroll on the grass and paths enjoying the coolness, the blossom scented air, the many interesting art sculptures and, of course, people watching.

Right at the river’s edge railing are the Saturday fishermen reeling in their catches and on the grass are the college students sunbathing or studying, and lo and behold, a group practicing their Tai Chi moves. One thing that will strike you is how clean and blue the river is… not brown and dirty as you might think. Up and down the river the daily sightseeing boats chug away, taking their full loads of tourists and residents alike, out on Lake St. Claire. In the sky above, look for the gaily colored parachutes of the gutsy parasailing customers, as the speedboats below pull them along, and amazingly, no-one runs into each other, in the air or on the ground.

Then, walk a little further like we did, you may come upon absolutely magnificent yachts moored at a dock at a break in the railing. It’s name is the Le Levant. Being the travel agent that I am, I walked up to the white suited crew member at the gangplank and asked if I could go on board and look around. However he had a hard time understanding what I wanted, as his English was about as good as my French !!! Anyway we managed to converse but I was not allowed on board…..maybe you will be more successful!!

By this time lunch will be calling, so take a walk up into the town and cruise the outdoor restaurants with their bright umbrella tables until you spot a likely one. Sit outside and enjoy such delicacies as Fish and Chips and Canadian beer. Prices are great in Canada with an exchange rate of 1.5 Canadian dollar for every US dollar, After lunch you can continue walking around in downtown, exploring the many shops with their bargains. Windsor also has it’s own Galleria shopping mall, which you can savor another time.

Now it’s time to spend some money and ‘help the economy’ so head down the street to the Casino Windsor. This is a beautiful casino, just as fancy and impressive as Las Vegas casinos, with a fountain at the entrance, a high rise hotel with lots of free parking…although you can just walk. A shuttle bus is available which goes around and picks up at the nearby hotels, so there is no need to drive or walk if you don’t feel like it. Inside are many gaming tables and all the latest slot machines. One of the best things about Canadian Casinos is that taxes are not paid on winnings….if you win big, you are paid in cash with no deductions. Like us, you may see one lucky fellow receiving his $10,000.…..or it might happen to you too!!! We did do nicely on the slot machines and won enough for a good dinner that night.

After the Casino, head back to your room, change and hit the hot tub in the pool area, which looks out over the park and river. One of my wife’s favorite games is watching the elevated trains on Detroit’s waterfront guess what color the next train will be. Later, when fully relaxed, you can head two streets over, to a restaurant that has become one of our favorites…Ye Olde Steakhouse. They serve the best beef you have ever eaten……Canadian home-grown Alberta beef…( makes my mouth water just talking about it now). Have a leisurely dinner, with excellent food served by a friendly staff. A good time will be had by all. That night you will sleep like a baby… totally relaxed and contented.

Windsor it will become one of your favorite vacation destinations.

    Trips can be arranged by West University Travel, 3622 University Blvd, Houston, TX 77005. 713-665-4767. Ask for Gary Mills.