In this time of Covid-19 quarantine, cabin fever has affected many of us.
Happily, here in Ontario, Canada, we have progressed to stage 3, meaning many businesses, including hotels, are open again, albeit with safety measures in place. ⭐
Masks are mandatory indoors and social distancing continues, as before.
Travel is restricted to our own province, but at least we are able to go somewhere!
And, it’s good to stimulate the local economy, which has taken a huge it from the ongoing health crisis.
Hubby and I were both born in Europe and have always been drawn back there. Thanks to a random Facebook post, this alternative plan fell into place!
Thus, we embarked on a 5-day road trip, July 27 – 31, visiting local towns named after European cities. Come along for the ride! This is a 5-part series.
(⭐ The above was written in August 2020. Unfortunately, COVID is still with us as of Jan. 2022, with additional closures, off and on.)
Day 5
July 31, 2020
♦Third Stop♦
Paris, population 12,310
This popular road trip destination sits where the Nith River empties into the Grand River and was voted “the Prettiest Little Town in Canada” by Harrowsmith Magazine.
Hiram Capron, originally from Vermont, founded the town in May 1829, when he bought the land for $10,000 and divided it into lots. Paris was named for the nearby deposits of gypsum, used to make plaster of Paris.
[click images to enlarge]
And, this concludes the “European” Ontario tour. It’s back to our urban/suburban enclave with the inevitable heavy traffic. 
We will definitely revisit beautiful Lake Huron, as well as London, where the ghosts of my past beckon.
But wait, there’s more!
Determined to locate the elusive Lisbon, (see Part I) we tried again,
one week later, armed with a new GPS and a printed Google map.
Was Lisbon worth the drive?
You be the judge!
Yes, it took more than an hour to get there!
August 8, 2020
Lisbon, Ontario, population ??
(Probably less than 100. No data available)
[click on images to enlarge]
Long drive, unpaved entrance road, two streets in total. No wonder we couldn’t find it the first time!
Oh well, it was a pleasant summer outing, at least. Now we’re done!
Do you enjoy road trips?
Do you think travel will ever get back to normal?
Coming up on Monday, Feb. 1:
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
14 thoughts on “WHEN YOU CAN’T GO TO EUROPE | #RoadTrip Part V”
Hi Debbie – I’ve slightly gone off Paris … as it was named after Plaster of Paris – but it does look pretty – though I think I prefer Lisbon – beautiful – yet in winter, perhaps not the best place. It’s been fun following you along on these trips … getting to see a bit of Canada too … all the best – Hilary
Yes, the origin of Paris’ name was a bit disappointing. ? It is a lovely little town, though. Lisbon is a bit too sparse and isolated for my taste. Glad you enjoyed the tour, Hillary! Thanks for coming along. ?
I am so ready to travel, Debbie D! But, until we are able to get out around, I have your entertaining blog to enjoy while I sip my coffee.
Yes, I think most of us are ready for a change of scenery, Eugenia. ? Thanks for road tripping with me!
Debbie,
It’s been awhile since we’ve gotten out to explore. Stupid Covid! Anyway, your trip looks and sounds fun. To answer your question, yes I like day trips. Pre-covid we did quite a bit of it on the weekend’s DH had Friday off. I can’t wait for normal life to resume. Incidentally, I can’t recall if I told you but the link you sent me of the bizarre TN town names we have gone through two of them in recent years – Turtle town and Duck town. They were on our route to Helen, Georgia which you might recall my photo share of the alpine Bavarian style buildings – very cool place!
Hi Cathy, yes, you told me about visiting those towns in Tennessee. Road trips are such fun, aren’t they? ☺ Here’s hoping “normal” life will come back sometime this year!
Long, long ago, I spent a summer or two hunting down little disappeared towns in our county (Heck, I grew up in one, Besancon, IN). A lot of old post offices, a lot of “Crap, the railway isn’t coming this way after all”s. Fun names too. I grew up 3 miles from where my Dad’s family lived in Zulu- named when they had to give up the “Four Corners P.O. ” name b/c someone got there first, so (legend says) someone opened a geography book at random to a map of Africa and stuck a pin in- which landed next to the word Zulu.
Great story, Chris! ☺ It’s fun to explore places off the beaten track.
“Plaster of Paris” is interesting. Lisbon must have been worth the drive because if you hadn’t gone, you always would have wondered about it.
Love,
Janie
Good point, Janie. ☺ Thanks!
I don’t need to travel as I can come here and go here and there. Thank you for that.
Have a fabulous day and week, Debbie. ♥
Armchair travel is the only game in town these days! Thanks for road tripping with me, Sandee. ☺
Paris looks lovely. Not sure when I will travel again. In my far past, I used to visit Canada every year. Last time I was there was a few years ago for a funeral. And GPS kept telling me to turn right which would have deposited me in the Detroit River. Thank goodness we were able to connect to OnStar to get better directions.
We have been to Paris several times, a nice day trip in the summer. ☺ I guess the GPS is not infallible. Our old one couldn’t find Lisbon at all.