Missed Mother’s Day? You’re not alone - and we turned that into something special.

On May 18, 2025, our group from Toronto went on a meaningful day trip to Martyr’s Shrine and Blue Mountain. Organized by Anette Soriano’s Reliable Travel and Tours, this belated celebration became a joyful mix of prayer, food, laughter, and a whole lot of Filipino love.

Even though Mother's Day was on May 11 this year, many of our regular clients said they preferred to spend that Sunday at home with loved ones. So, we moved the celebration to the following weekend - Sunday before the Victoria Day holiday.

And it turned out to be a beautiful day to remember.

Early Morning Pickup Around Toronto

We started the day early. By 6:00 AM, our bus was already picking up joiners from four locations in the Greater Toronto Area:

→ Pape & Cosburn

→ Wilson & Bathurst

→ Square One, Mississauga

→ King & Jameson (we added this due to high demand)

The roads leading to the shrine were a bit foggy and chilly that morning. But our driver stayed safe, and by about 9:45 AM, we reached our first destination at Tay, Ontario - the Martyr's Shrine.

Spiritual Stop at Martyr’s Shrine

When we arrived at the shrine, we paid for our group and let everyone explore the grounds.

The 10:30 AM mass was a special part of this Catholic pilgrimage in Ontario. While the joiners attended the service, we prepared the food and picnic setup.

We brought Filipino dishes like:

→ Dinuguan

→ Kutsinta

→ Pancit

→ Rice meals

→ Plus bottled water and a big Mother’s Day cake!

Some joiners went back to the bus because it was still cold outside. But many stayed and enjoyed the food - especially the dinuguan and kutsinta, which were crowd favorites!

Afternoon Side Trip to Blue Mountain

After lunch, we got ready for our next stop: Blue Mountain in Collingwood.

There were worries about the weather, but by noon the skies cleared up. It was still a bit cold by the lake and mountain area, but walkable and nice.

Since we didn’t get to eat the cake earlier, we brought it out again at Blue Mountain - and this time, everyone had a slice! That cake didn’t last long!

People walked around, enjoyed the view, and took pictures. It was a relaxing and joyful time.

Home by Sunset

By 4:00 PM, it was time to head back to Toronto. We dropped off our guests at their pick-up points and ended the day with tired feet but happy hearts.

This bus tour was more than a trip - it was a bonding moment with our travel community. As a Filipino travel agency in Toronto, we are proud to create meaningful family day trips like this.

Want to Join Our Next Bus Tour?

Whether you’re looking for a Catholic pilgrimage in Ontario or a fun Blue Mountain bus tour, we’ve got more coming soon.

→ Day trips
→ Overnight tours
→ Spiritual journeys
→ Filipino-style picnics

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