We were lucky. We applied for our passports just before the big rush on passports that had caused massive, months-long delays for so many Canadians. When the most extensive COVID restrictions were finally ended, Canadians became free to travel again and like us, and many desired to see the world and its beauty. Unfortunately, this created a massive backlog for Passport Services.
As I said, we were lucky and applied before the big backlog started, and when the border was open for free travel, we were among the first.
When you have a passport that allows you access to some 194 countries in the world and all of the destinations that can be explored, where do you go first?
I chose to take us to Our Lady of Fatima Shrine.
This would be her first ever stop outside Canada for my wife, Charlene. For me, it had been close to 30 years since I left the country. Our Lady of Fatima Shrine has an extensive collection of statues of the saints; about 150.
Charlene and I are not Catholic, but we appreciate the art and the dedication of these places of devotion. Of all the religious sites we have travelled to, no two are alike, and this is so true with Our Lady.
The grounds are quite large and welcoming. A considerable amount of time is spent outside the statues. It was a calm and peaceful place to visit. We would work our way to the roof of the shrine and see a heart-shaped pool. This confirmed we were in the right place.
Inside the basilica are the main shrine and several chapels with even more statues. We shared the space with a school group taking, and it was good to see so many young faces appreciating the majesty of this church.
The gift shop, which I always visit for some sort of souvenir, was the largest we had ever visited in any of all the thousands of places we have been—quality items at prices that we more than reasonable.
Upon leaving, we saw a list of their events, some of which may draw us back for a repeat visit.
Our Lady of Fatima is a short drive from Niagara Falls, New York. Open daily and free to visit. There are events almost every month, including a Christmas light display, which will likely get us for a second visit!
This location, and ever other that is discussed on this website, can be seen on the Google Map I call Featured. It is free to download and you will be able to see all the other places nearby.
