Pub - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Here we have the Black Bull, a British-style pub. Makes you feel like you're in the UK doesn't it? Except for the minivans and SUVs parked out front. Anyway, I'm not much of a drinker but I like to go to this bar (um I mean pub) when they have Karaoke night on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I haven't been in a while (kids and all), but next time you come to Canada, I will definitely take you. We will sing our hearts out! You're it Carol!

Milk - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Delicious 1% milk. My family goes through 4 liters of the stuff about every two or three days. (Lots of cereal) Below we have the bag of milk, which comes with three bags of milk inside (for a total of 4 liters). Above we have our milk container, where you keep the open bag of milk. Just snip the corner off the bag and voila! We even have a special milk-cutting device (a fridge magnet with a blade on it) so we don't have to find the scissors every time we want to open a new bag. This is normal for us, but come to think of it, it is an odd way to purchase a beverage. You don't see these containers for juice, pop, water, wine, or beer.

Outlet - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Here's one we haven't done. This outlet is located above my kitchen counter, out of reach of my toddler. Most of the other outlets are within his reach, and have recently been equiped with outlet covers because of this incident. Anyway, I assume the three-prong (or two-prong) plug in a rectangular outlet is the most efficient way of doing things. You can plug in two appliances, or use a power cord and plug in an unlimited amount of home entertainment dodads until the area behind your television set becomes a jungle of wires. You're it Carol!

Kraft Dinner - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I didn't see any big displays this time, but I'd say that no other country in the world has embraced Kraft Dinner (or KD, as it is commonly called) the way we Canucks have. In the first photo we have some of the different varieties available: Three Cheeses, Spirales, Whole Wheat (that one tastes like cardboard). I've also seen a pasta salad version, a white cheddar version, and a tomato version (so there's no need to add ketchup). Of course in the bottom photo we have the original KD (50 cents cheaper than the special varieties), a no-name version (tastes terrible but is half the price), and Easy Mac. That's right, if you don't have the cullinary expertise to boil a pot of water, you can now make Kraft Dinner in the microwave!

Garbage - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I've decided to take pictures of more stuff around the house. Not only is it more convenient for me, but I think it's these sort of quirky things that are really different, and won't be found in any guidebook.

Anyway. The green bin on the left is appropriately called the "green bin". This is where you put most of what I would consider gross garbage: chicken bones, eggshells, used kleenexes, rotting fruit, something you found in your fridge that is no longer identifiable due to large amounts of mold. Every week it gets taken away and turned into compost (supposedly).

The blue box in the middle is, you guessed it, the "blue box" or "recycling bin". Here's where you put all your newspapers, cardboard, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, etc. It also gets taken away weekly to be turned into, well, newspapers, cardboard, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, etc.

The garbage can on the right is for everything else. I know, you're thinking, what else is there? Plenty, let me tell you. Especially if have two kids in diapers and you live in a municipality that doesn't allow diapers in the green bin even though the enormous megacity just 50 km away (Toronto) does allow diapers in the green bin (which baffles me). This would be fine except that, unlike the green and blue bins, the regular garbage gets picked up every two weeks (part of the local government's plan to get people all gung-ho about recycling). Two weeks is way too long to have festering toddler poop sitting around, imo. I mean I'm all for helping the environment, but seriously.

You're it, Carol!

City Guide Books - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

These aren't guide books in the strictest sense, as they won't guide you to do anything. The first picture was taken at the local big box chain bookstore, Chapters. There I was only able to find one book (the dark green one) that was even about this area and it was about all of Halton (a region which includes Burlington, Oakville, and Milton).

The lower picture was taken at the tourism office, where they sell several different Burlington books, along with golf balls, t-shirts, maple syrup, and inukshuk necklaces. Everything is kept in a locked glass cabinet, which is odd, and makes for a lousy picture. I suppose I could've asked someone to unlock it, but I felt awkward even taking photos. Plus this way you get a glimpse of that gorgeous photographer in the reflection.

BTW: I realize in looking at these books that I know next to nothing about my city and its history. It almost makes me want to get one of these books so I can learn "The Story of Burlington". Almost.

E-Postcard, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Okay, so I didn't take this one. I was looking online for something else, and found that you can now send e-postcards from the Burlington tourism site. As you know, Burlington is quite a happening tourist attraction. There's enough stuff around here to amuse a visitor for at least an hour! (as long as the weather's nice). You're it Carol.

Billboards - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Ah, yet another eye sore that I didn't notice until you pointed it (or rather them) out to me. Here we have advertisements from Hakim Optical and McDonald's, plus a mystery ad that is facing sideways so that people coming from the other direction can see. And, as an extra bonus for all our faithful blog viewers: hydro towers and telephone poles in the background.

Trains - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

The two trains on the left are freight trains from the Canadian National Railway (CN). The train on the far right is a passenger train, otherwise known as a GO Train. Lots of commuters take Go trains in to Toronto every morning. Sometimes, Scottish people who are staying in Toronto take the GO Train to Burlington to visit their friends. You're it Carol!

Hydro Tower - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

We don't have electricity pylons, but these hydro towers perform the exact same function. Until you posted that pic, and I started looking for them, I didn't even notice them. Now I realise they are everywhere. Really, we have like whole forests of these things. I can't believe my brain filtered out something so gigantic.

Playground - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

As you see, winter has arrived. The abominal snow-toddler in the photos belongs to me. He had some trouble climbing the on the equipment wearing his boots, so we spent most of the time on the swings. You're it Carol!

Metro - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Actually this is is a Toronto paper, but this pic was taken at the Burlington GO Train station, where many a commuter begins their journey into the big city. Being a stay-at-home Mommy, I had to make a special trip to the train station to snap this photo. Imagine how strange I looked! Some pregnant lady comes into the station, with a camera, takes a photo of the newsstand, and leaves without even buying a ticket. I did get a copy of the paper though, so I can do the crossword.

Autumn Leaves -Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Back in the day, there'd be a frost and afterwards all the leaves would change colour at the same time. Now every tree seems to be moving at its own pace. Some are already naked and ready for winter, others are still green. One of those quirks of climate change I guess. How's fall going in Scotland? You're it Carol!

Signs and Signals - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Ah the time-honoured technique of taking photographs from a moving vehicle. Always so sharply focused and well-composed. There's lots of signs to read here. Hot soup and sandwich for $7.99, Townhomes for starting at 200. We're also having a federal election right now so people have put some signs up. The blue ones are advertising the conservative MP and the red one is for Liberal. I haven't notices as many election signs this time around, perhaps because this is our third election in five years and people are getting bored of them.

Souvenirs - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I was browsing through the dollar store when I came across this little bit of Canadiana. For those tourists who want to take home a token to toss in their junk drawer, here's quite a collection: socks, hacky sacks, key chains, pens, flags. My personal favourite is that tamborine-like thing with the feathers and the picture of a first-nations man (I think that's the politically correct term, though this thing is hardly PC anyway). If there's something that does a worse job of representing the culture I grew up in, I challenge anyone to find it. You're it, Carol!

Statue- Burlington, Ontario, Canada

This sailor is close to the waterfront, and is part of a World War II Navy Memorial. It has flags and wreaths and a list of names on it and everything. Elsewhere, we have another statue of a soldier which also has a list of names (but I don't have a pic of that one). The names are all of dead people, which is kind of sad, but at least this guy has a nice view.

Construction - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

There's an old Canadian saying: "We don't have four seasons, we have two: winter and construction." So now that the snow's been all melted for a while, it's time for workers to start digging holes in the middle of the road for no apparent reason (I'm sure they have a reason, it just isn't apparent). Anyway, orange is our colour of choice for construction signs. It prevents people from crashing into roadworkers, and lets everybody know that, yes, you will be caught in traffic today. You're it, Carol!

Traditional Drink - Ontario, Canada

Beer is the best I could come up with. I hate beer, personally, so rather than buying some I just snuck up to the bar while we were at a family gathering and snapped a picture, all covert and spy-like. As you can see, the beer on the left is even called Canadian, Molson Canadian to be exact. For a while they had this highly patriotic ad campaign which consisted of an average-looking Canadian guy going up on stage in a movie theatre and reciting the following:

Hey, I'm not a lumberjack, or a fur trader....I don't live in an igloo or eat blubber, or own a dogsled....and I don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really really nice. I have a Prime Minister, not a president. I speak English and French, not American. And I pronounce it 'about', not 'a boot'. I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack. I believe in peace keeping, not policing, diversity, not assimilation, and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal. A toque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch, and it is pronounced 'zed' not 'zee', 'zed'!!!! Canada is the second largest landmass! The first nation of hockey! and the best part of North America. My name is Joe!! And I am Canadian!!!

There were all kinds of parodies of this. (It's funnier if you're Canadian). In case you're wondering, Molson (makers of Canadian and Molson Ex on the right) is brewed in Montreal, Quebec and Labatt Blue is brewed in London, Ontario. Coors is American, so just pretend it's not there.

Police Car - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

I took this picture ages ago, when a whole squadron of police cars randomly parked outside and officers stormed my building, guns blazing, looking for evil doers. At least that's how I'm going to remember it. The details are a bit fuzzy since it was so long ago. Anyway, if you see one of these cruisers by the side of the road, flash your headlights to warn people in the on-coming lanes to slow down and avoid the speed trap. It's the Canadian thing to do. You're it Carol!

Cat - Burlington, Ontario, Canada

As you can see, the cats in Canada are much younger. This was taken at the petstore across the street from my condo. So cute. I'd take him home, but I'm allergic. Plus I've got all the baby and furry I can handle with my son and my guinea pig.