Kelowna: Canada’s Paradise

On the west coast of Canada exists one of the most beautiful and mysterious cities—Kelowna. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also one of the warmest places in its country. If you are looking for a beautiful destination surrounded by nature, Kelowna would be a good place to visit. Furthermore, you might even see Ogopogo, the wild beast living in Okanagan lake. It is merely a legend nowadays, but a lot of citizens through history have testified to have seen the monster. I have not encountered that beast while in Kelowna, but I sure had a lot of adventures.

Arriving in Kelowna

The first thing I noticed as I arrived in Kelowna was the difference in temperature between the east and west coast of Canada. When I left Quebec in March 2017, there was a huge snowstorm causing trouble for the planes, but in Kelowna, it was fresh and warm. What a relief it was to not see any snow. In addition, my best friend was at the airport to come and pick me up. On our way to my friend’s place of residence, we went over a bridge that went over Lake Okanagan. From there, we could see a multitude of lights coming from the houses on the mountains.

Hiking in Kelowna

The day after, we went hiking in Knox Mountain Park. Even though it was a short hike, the view we had was spectacular. This is one of the many parks you can find in Kelowna. On our way to find other places to hike, we stopped several times on the side of the road to sit and look upon Okanagan Lake. At every place that we stopped, the view was incredible and we were not even on an official hiking site yet. I have not done all the hikes available in Kelowna, but from what I have seen, it is totally worth it to go back and hike some more.

Ogopogo, the Lake Monster in Kelowna

You probably heard of the loch ness monster—a dinosaur-like creature of the sea spotted in Scotland. In Kelowna, there is a similar monster named Ogopogo. The descriptions of Ogopogo differ from the Loch Ness monster. It would seem that Kelowna’s lake monster is rather long, with dark green scales like an extremely large sea serpent. The story of Ogopogo goes way back to the 19th century when the First Nations people inhabited this land. Since then, many people over the recent years have claimed to have seen this lake monster. Whether or not these people are lying, this will remain a mystery until proof surfaces to the public.

While I was in Kelowna, I stumbled upon a statue of Ogopogo. As a huge fan of the creature, I definitely took a picture with it. Of course, the statue is designed for amusement only, built with exaggerated characteristics. It definitely adds some life to the place.

Entertainment in Kelowna

Last but not least, I have noticed how the people in Kelowna are relaxed. Compared to where I come from, people stop their car to let you pass and greet you in their restaurants with great, sincere smiles. I loved every place I went out to eat to so far. You can eat different foods from different cultures, or go for a fast food if you’re on the go as well. My favorite places to eat at were the Japanese restaurants. One of those I visited had very comfortable seats and gave off a calm mood just as if we were in Japan. As for downtown Kelowna, it is also a place to visit either during the day or night. I was surprised to see so many bars and clubs since their downtown is, on average, quite small.

As for me, I would definitely want to visit again and even maybe live there one day. From the people to the scenery and lifestyle, Kelowna makes it one of Canada’s best places to visit.