"Mississauga & Peel Region off the beaten... " a Mississauga Travel Page by Faiza-Ifrah

Peel region, population 1.1 million, comprises municipalities of Mississauga (pop. 640,000), Brampton (pop. 400,000) and Caledon hills. The major attractions of this region are shopping centers, ethnic restaurants, sports bars and pubs of Mississauga and Brampton, antique shopping of Caledon hills, golf courses, and many small provincial and conservation parks offering such activities as boating, cycling, hiking, fishing, wildlife observation, skiing, cross-country skiing, etc.

Northern region of Peel, with its twisting and turning scenic roads, is a haven for motorcyclists, cyclists and hikers. The cities of Mississauga and Brampton themselves have trails for cyclists and hikers. One of the best trails that we have explored goes all along the Credit River, except for couple of kilometers that are soon to be developed.

May and June are the best months to visit Peel region. Mississauga celebrates Carassauga, its Festival of Cultures on in late May. This is followed by Carabram, the Festival of Cultures of Brampton in the 1st week of June. In Carassauga, many countries establish their pavilions showcasing cultural music and dances, putting artifacts for sale, and offering ethnic cuisines.

Visitors to Peel region can enjoy the two above-mentioned cultural festivals and spring blooms, especially in Brampton, popularly known as the City of Flowers, and in the Hamlet of Belfountain in the Caledon Hills. I have not seen a city decorating itself with flowers more than Brampton. Besides, over 20 gardens in Mississauga bloom with flowers.

It is also the time when Credit River is wildest due melting snows.

Needless to mention, we will take you off the beaten path with us during our outings in and around Mississauga.

Mississauga is named after Mississauga Indians, who used to do fishing on the Credit River upto the mouth on Lake Ontario.

in 1796 Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe force landed at the mouth of the Credit River after he was ordered to come ashore when a storm blew up in the lake Ontario threatening him and his crew. He ordered an Inn to be built at the location he landed, which was completed in 1798.

The Credit Council Ring was held in 1805 between 5 Crown representatives and 8 Mississauga chiefs. A total of 3,238 hectares were forfeited by the native Indians in exchange of goods an credit worth 1,000 pound sterlings.

The years after were trying for both natives and settlers as the war began between the US and the British. Although initially it was the US troops who gained an upper hand, penetrating deep into what is now Canada and setting fire to York (now Toronto), it was the British who won eventually with the help of guerrilla tactics employed by the natives. The native and British coalition was able to push US troops towards south.

After the war, land grants were given to the soldiers and there came another big need for grabbing land from the natives. The Mississaugas, along with other Indian nations of Chippewa and Iroquois, were parcelled away into into reservations, asked to farm their lands and then generally ignored.

Their numbers critically reduced due to the diseases brought to them by the settlers, Mississaugas were relocated to Grand River Indian Reserve in 1840, therefater becoming another nation lost to Canada.

Due to its ethnic diversity, Mississauga restaurants offer many ethnic cuisine. These restaurants also have the interior decor resembling the roots. Here is a decorated shelf in Haveli, a restaurant offering Pakistani, Indian and Afghan delights. The restaurant has an interior decor reflecting pastoral touch of south Asia.