2010 Cross-Canada Roadtrip
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July 9.
We flew out of Calgary at 1 a.m., bound for Halifax and the East Coast summer. I popped a Gravol, eager to sleep the entire red-eye flight. Arriving in Halifax, we all were a little groggy, not sure whether the boys slept at all. But arrive we did, and lovely Nova Scotia weather was waiting for us.
It was humid there, more humid than I remember it to be. But, as Mum and Dad told us, they'd been going through an unseasonable heat wave. We drove directly to Halifax's historic downtown, where the fams and the boys had local seafood (battered, deep fried or steamed).
For me, a little something different.
I have never liked seafood. Something about it all makes me feel relatively nauseous.
But, I enjoyed watching the boys dig into the locally-sourced mussels, the clams for Bern and the battered and deep-fried fish and chips for Don. I've heard the quality of the seafood available on the Prairies is nothing compared to the stuff out East. It had been a while since they'd had anything so fresh, I bet.
After lunch, we stretched our legs, wandering the downtown boardwalk a little. Passing by the ferry terminal, artists and vendors, and out on the docks to see who was in the Narrows. A special hello from Alberta to the Harbour Hopper guests and crew. We saw the Halifax class vessels at the Navy dockyards and Theodore Tugboat.
Then, up to the Halifax Citadel for some Men in Kilts! And some British history for the boys who liked the view and the guns. Note, I learned this when I was much, much younger - "Canon is the French word. They're GUNS to the British."
We watched the changing of the guard, which happens every day during the summer months at the Halifax Citadel.
The first Halifax Citadel was built in 1749 by British troops stationed in Halifax. The present Citadel was completed in 1856, the fourth fort to occupy the site on the hill. The fort was occupied by British troops until 1906. The "troops" stationed there over the summer are University students, part of a non-profit organization called the Halifax Citadel Regimental Association, who help deliver the historical interpretive program and associated activities at the Citadel.
Read: they're the ones in kilts standing guard, giving demonstrations and guided tours of the site. Summer positions include becoming a member of the 78th Highlanders and 3rd Brigade Royal Artillery.
Did I mention that the most memorable and interesting fact I like to tell people about the Citadel is that they fire off the "Noon Gun" every day at 12:00 p.m.? Thus the fact that they hire artillery members - to load the guns and fire them!
We were toured around the officers barracks, the dry moat and wall, up top the wall where you can see all of Halifax harbour, George's Island, McNabs Island, Woodside in Dartmouth and much of the Halifax downtown and Narrows. We saw the schoolroom where soldier’s children would learn their ABCs and their 123s, as well as the dungeon. And last but not least, the gift shop and cafe, where we loaded up on chocolate ice cream, popsicles and ice cream sandwiches to beat the heat.
I talked to one of the pipers, who incidentally, was playing a bunch of Highland songs ("Ooh! I know this one! It's the Barracks!... Ooh! Now, he's playing the Laddie!") during our visit. On his break in the guardhouse up top the walls, the University student was removing the stitching on a white flag to put in some new rope alongside. Tedious, yes, he said. But it has to get done.
I wonder if that wasn't the best summer job ever. If you played the pipes as a hobby, to play them all day in costume and get paid for it? Sounds pretty good.
After the Citadel, we walked in Point Pleasant Park for a little while. For the boys, it was a chance to see more of the area and the ruined fortifications and the Martello Tower. For me, it had been at least three years since I stepped foot in that park.
I was always a bit of a precocious kid. I read Shakespeare at 13. Favorite was and still is Much Ado About Nothing. During the summers, I took acting camps with Shakespeare by the Sea. I loved playing Ophelia and Rosalind under the great canopies of green. We were by the water, so there was always a breeze rustling through the leaves and the sounds of the waves on the rocks. It was a gorgeous, temperate and fun-filled place to run around in; to play mischievous Puck or Titania on a tree stump throne.
I had seen it after Hurricane Juan, where 75 per cent of the trees had been ripped from the earth; the park was nothing but debris and rock, bare and raw.
This time though - it looked as if it were healing. The stand of hardy beech with their ruby leaves were still there - they had survived the hurricane and the years after as well. On either sides of the gravel path (populated with more dogs and runners but fewer squirrels than I remember) was green. Wild rose bushes, Queen Anne's Lace, little maples and oak saplings, great wide bushes of something I couldn't identify. The brutal scars from the hurricane were healing.
Tonight, the boys had lobster for supper, which they picked out of a tank themselves. It was a novel experience for them, I think.
Adventure awaits, tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day we set off on our epic cross-Canada journey.
Click on the images below to see them.
July 10.
Arrived in Riviere-du-Loup at 9:00 p.m. after a long drive. It was a curious day, filled with lots of driving, but just as many stops. Most of New Brunswick was lovely, but really rainy.
We set out around 8:30 a.m. after loading up the car and saying goodbye to my parents. I drove this leg, because I knew my way around. It would also give Don and Bern a chance to take pictures and see what they could. I drove from the Valley, to Bedford, up the 102 to Truro, got photos at the border, through Moncton.
We stopped at the Magnetic Hill. Bern videotaped. I think Don got a kick out of driving to the "bottom" of the hill, putting the car in neutral and having it "drift" back up the hill. It's an optical illusion. It's really a hill, but from the other end!
"Farmers living to the north west of Moncton had known for decades that the strange little road on the foothills of Lutes Mountain played tricks on the unwary," says the official brochure. These days, it's a huge tourist attraction, with the street now enclosed in a maze of one-way streets leading unwary tourists past shopping, ice cream and Beavertails, a zoo, a water park and other amusements.
We got turned around once in Fredericton, trying to get on that one-way street in front of the Legislature Building in the pouring rain. We must have been in the middle of a thunderstorm because the rain was coming down, hard, at that point. There were large amounts of water on the roadways and other vehicles were splashing rooster tails up in front of us.
But, once out of Fredericton, we aimed for Hartland and the World's Longest Covered Bridge, another silly tourist attraction. I guess I didn't realise how interesting it would look from the inside, or that it was one-laned. Nice stop to stretch the legs.
After that, we drove on to King's Landing Historic Site, where the parks people have set up an entire historical village. At King's Landing, all of the buildings are authentic and date back at least 100 years. The attraction was created when the Mactaquac dam was constructed in the 1960s, and many historic homes were threatened by the rising water levels. They were appropriated and resettled here. Good thing, because there is some real history here. We enjoyed learning about the former inhabitants of the area, the home owners and their occupations.
After that, further up the highway to Grand Falls, which is a little francophone town with one major attraction - their root beer coloured falls. Approximately nine tenths the volume of Niagara Falls comes splashing over this one, especially in the spring, when the volume increases.
The falls are also home to a hydro electric generating station, which started operation in 1928. They'll open two chutes or all four in the spring when runoff is highest. The view is impressive from the bridge, or even more so from the deck on the tourist information centre, though you will get wet.
Learned from the friendly, bilingual visitor information staff that 85 per cent of the population in and around Grand Falls is francophone, but they don't hold it against you if you speak English. In fact, the school kids learn English in Grade 3 or 4, like we Anglophones learn French. And, it's not hard to be immersed in both official languages in New Brunswick. It seemed as if we were at a disadvantage, only speaking one, when we could have jested in both! I understood most all of the francais spoken around me, the street signs, though didn't really act as interpreter for the boys. Most of the people we ran into were really friendly and spoke English to us if we asked.
Before leaving New Brunswick, we stopped in Edmundston, where at the McD's, Don and Bern found "McHomards," (also known in English as McLobsters). They were made of real lobster and not mystery meat. So, for a second night in a row, lobster for the boys!
We ended up in Riviere-du-Loup 13 hours after we set out. Very long first day. We were tired, but elated that we'd seen everything we set out to. La dame à l'auberge était très gentille, elle nous a traités comme si nous étions de la famille. The hostel was great for the few hours we spent there. Breakfast was somewhere around 7 a.m. the next day, toast and jam, coffee and juice and cereal before we set out.
One last picture at the hostel before we went.
July 11.
Lovely day. Perfect day. Minus the hair-raising near-accident or two in Montreal.
We left Riviere-du-loup early, to get to Levis for the 9:30ish sailing. We were to take a small car ferry across to Old Quebec. Driving down to the ferry, I was in the driver's seat, taking it very cautiously down the tight unknown streets. Levis was cute, with a je ne sais quois character, elegantly decaying into the 21st century. Reminded me a little of Nova Scotia's South Shore, old buildings with colourful trimmings and gingerbread.
Not soon after, we were on the ferry, smoothly sailing across the St. Lawrence to Old Quebec. And again, it was a novel experience. We hadn't planned on it, but the experience was neat. And for 12 dollars? A steal!
And not ten minutes later, we were disembarking into the narrow streets of Old Quebec. We parked down by the water, near the cruise ship, and wandered in the 33 degree heat. Missed the Funiculaire, instead walked uphill and up several flights of stairs (omg. hot. tired. going to drop like a withered fly.) to the top of the hill near the fort and the Chateau Frontenac. I dived for the first air-conditioned place I saw - the visitor's info centre - where we got maps of the old city. First stop with the map was Simon's, a fashionable women's store that came highly recommended by my sister. It was air conditioned. Yay.
After that, we searched for lunch and ended up at a cafe with a great daily lunch special - rosemary ham and cheese on a half focaccia baguette, salad, a small serving of chocolate mousse for dessert and a drink for less then 10 dollars. We all got it and enjoyed the atmosphere, listening to French all around us.
It's amazing what you will remember after years of French class. And it's interesting to eavesdrop on conversations just to see what you understand.
After that, more wandering, this time, into shops! Window shopping! One of my favourite pastimes! Woo! I bought a lovely blue sweater with a Celtic knot design down the centre of it at a Quebec chain called San Francisco. It was a great deal - all of their winter and fall stuff was on sale for up to 80 per cent off. Hurrah for great deals. Even if it was a sweater, with the temperature 33ish degrees out.
After that, stops for postcards, ice cream, key lime soda and other trinkets.
And again, we couldn't stay for long. We had to be in Ottawa by nightfall to register at our hostel and we needed to make a stop in Montreal in between.
Note: If you can avoid driving in Montreal, do so. It's terrifying. Drivers seem to think their cars are bumper cars and smashing into yours would make them laugh in delight. They drive with an arrogance and entitlement to the road that makes Albertan drivers seem tame. Bloody ulcer, anyone?
The drive to Ottawa became a funny, embarrassing drive.
Around Drummondville, we couldn't hear our music. The noise from the car had gotten so loud; we had to raise our voices to talk. It sounded like one of those macked up teenage pieces of junk on two wheels. It was the muffler. And there was a clanging sound whenever we went over a bump that didn't sound like anything in the trunk. Our trunk was packed tight with two 60 gallon backpacks, one suitcase and a bunch of other stuff. It wasn't going to make ANY sound.
I began to get a little nervous, anxious, paranoid, as I usually do when the car I'm driving begins to make noise. And I've had tons of experience.
We found out when we got to our hotel that it was the muffler. The pipe connecting to the muffler had come loose and was hanging loose, less than a foot from the ground. OMG. OMG. Panic-mode. We had to get into a muffler place quick and get it fixed, or we'd be stranded in Ottawa and probably not make it back to Calgary on time.
July 12.
This morning, we found a Mister Muffler on the other side of Vanier (yes, I know, you Ottawa-residents are saying, "Eww! Vanier!"). The guy at the desk, Ron, the technician, had the car up on a lift in less than five minutes to assess the damage after we told him what we were doing and where we were going.
Apparently, the pipe connecting to the muffler had been soldered on before, and it had broken. Right off. There was a half-foot gap between the pipe and the muffler itself.
The whole thing needed to be replaced. And we got the best customer service ever. Within about ten minutes, Ron was personally cutting off the old pipe and ordering in a new muffler. When he didn't think it was being couriered over fast enough, he called to see where it was and when it would get there. Within the hour, he'd installed the new one.
And we were on our way, with best wishes from Ron and the crew, with a car that sounded brand new - it was so quiet. Elated, we drove back to the hostel to park, and headed into downtown Ottawa for a day of sightseeing. :)
We went to the Byward Market and loved it there. Got delicious pastries for breakfast.
We went to Parliament and took in the tours, saw the lovely views from the hill, said hi to the cats at the Cat Sanctuary and the mounted RCMP officers who were part of the Musical Ride. It was a good day, a day so hot that I wilted and demanded air conditioning wherever we stopped for lunch. After a cool, refreshing stroll in the mall (where we window shopped but didn't buy anything because the stores were the same in Calgary, and out West, we have less tax), Don and I headed to the Royal Canadian Mint.
And unfortunately, no photos allowed.
Our day in Ottawa ended with a cooling walk in the rain to Parliament Hill, where a sound and light show called Mosaika is shown nightly, with the main Parliament building as a backdrop.
It was interesting to see an interpretation of the Canadian experience in lights! It was fascinating to see what images and sound clips were used to tell a story about Canadian history, through to what Canada and to be a Canadian is, now.
The rain eventually cleared up and we walked home, soggy, but enlightened.
And glad for our time in the capital.
After two nights of no sleep - did I mention that the apartment next to our hostel window was filled with University students, who apparently had nothing better to do on a Sunday and Monday summer night than party until 3 or 4 a.m. and then have loud drunken conversations until 5 a.m.? At which point, the city begins to wake up and you've gotten no sleep whatsoever.
Last night, we called Ottawa bylaw enforcement, to complain. Those lovely officers shut the students down. Quickly. And yay, three hours of sleep!
Our lovely hostel proprietor and hostess, Sabina, gave those lousy students an earful this morning. She was such a mother lion, it make me feel warm and fuzzy. We loved our hostel, the Barefoot Hostel; it was exactly what we needed.
The location is perfect, 10 minutes from the Parliament buildings and five to the Byward market. Which, by the way, is our favourite place in Ottawa.
The Byward market was established in 1826 by Lt. Col. John By in Ottawa's Lowertown. It is one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. Vendors have fresh fruit and veg, cheese and fish, flowers and arts and crafts. There are cafes and delis. The Byward has a funky urban vibe. We enjoyed it.
It didn't take long this morning to stock up on supplies and head out. Our next stop was somewhere near Huntsville. Camping!
July 13.
Today, lots of driving. Huntsville to a campground just beyond Sault St. Marie, in a little place called Batchawana Bay. Scenery changes from country to slightly rocky and treed.
We stopped for lunch in Renfrew, at a cafe/deli/small cafeteria called Deli(cious), which lived totally up to its name. We'd never been to a place like this before - it was set up with restaurant seating, but other than that, it was entirely different. The establishment has a small buffet, two very large refrigerated display cases, a bunch of hot plates and crock pots, tea and coffee and a refrigerator of cold drinks. The menu today included lasagne and salad, perogies and sausage from local suppliers, chili, a steak sandwich and a variety of other entrees. Everything was homemade and locally supplied. Thing is, once you chose what it was that you wanted (me, I got the award-winning lasagne), you chose a salad or side out of about ten choices from beet and arugula to Italian pea slaw, found a drink, whether it be hot or cold, and, much like a cafeteria, you got it yourself. When we asked to pay before we ate, the lovely ladies said, "but wait, you might want dessert after."
And boy, oh boy, did we inhale that delicious food. The boys said their perogies and sausage was some of the best they'd tasted. This, coming from males well-versed in Ukrainian comfort food. I decided I wanted a little dessert.
Just a little, to satisfy my genetic sweet tooth. I settled on a chocolate marshmallow confection. The boys followed. A strawberry cheesecake mousse-y slice and a blueberry lemon meringue followed.
Heck, we were on vacation. Our diet-conscious sensibilities didn't stop us from indulging in pastries for breakfast at the Byward Market the previous days. Or a chocolate bar before supper in New Brunswick. It would turn out to be a sweet-laden trip.
We passed through Algonquin Park this afternoon. Saw a mama moose and her calf. Stopped at Ragged Falls and Don did some scrambling along the side of the river. Got some great pictures.
July 14.
Muskoka. Not sure what time it is. We arrived in Muskoka yesterday afternoon. It's a pretty part of the country. Last night was our first night camping and we were awoken several times by the horses in the field next to our site. One of them obviously didn't like the other and screamed at him to get away... frequently.
Why would they put them in the same field if such a result would occur? Sorry, but I don't like being woken up at 3 a.m. in the morning by a banshee.
Our campground, Algonquin Trails, is really nice. It has lots of space, activities and services. We did laundry here, but some of is still wet because they closed the laundry room at 8 p.m. The lady proprietor who greeted us was a lovely former Albertan. She and her husband moved from there to live a little quieter, on the shores of the Muskoka lakes. She makes beautiful quilts in her down time, which were all on display at the gift shop.
Dinner last night was dehydrated camp food. Yummy, after a long day on the road.
Our mattress surprised us last night. There were at least three holes in it, two we managed to duct tape, but to no avail. It deflated on us and Don and I were left trying to sleep on the hard ground.
Not a pretty morning. The air mattress will be thrown out and another one purchased for tonight. That’s three nights in a row where I didn't get any sleep. I am going to survive on energy drinks.
Last night, while doing laundry, met a lovely lady whose name I didn't catch. She and her hubby had a monster of an RV in the campground. They were vacationing with their grandkids, though they only lived an hour away. The hubby told me that the place route to take west from here was along Lake Huron. To stop at a place called Serendipity Gardens Cafe in Rossport for lunch or dinner tomorrow. That it was fantastic with really interesting food on the menu. To see the waterfront in Sault St. Marie.
We've been getting tips from all sorts of interesting people along the way. From Marie Claire and Dave from Toronto at the Riviere-du-Loup hostel, to Sabina in Ottawa and now these lovely people. Everyone seems interested in our trip, where we're going and what we plan to see.
Time to get on the road. Need to hit Sault St. Marie by nightfall.
July 15.
Batchawana Bay campground last night.
Met a scruffy stoner by the name of "Shaggy" last night. Don was looking at the
map, spread out over the Nissan's hood, mapping where we would go in the a.m. "Shaggy" came over and asked where we were
going, and told us what we should hit up for the best grass etc., who we should hit up (including giving us details to his
place, to ask his roommate in Yorkton to throw us a "party"). With a giggle stifled, we told him we appreciated his advice.
Thanks, but no thanks buddy. When he saw that we had a small garden gnome figurine, he freaked out over that and insisted
we take a photo of him and the gnome. Thus, the photo of him and the little gnome. What a character he was! Don relished
telling the Shaggy story, afterwards.
We set out at 7 a.m. to make Thunder Bay by nightfall. We were hoping to get another campground around there, somewhere a
little west, perhaps.
We stopped in at Rossport's Serendipity for blackened chicken sandwiches for lunch.... mmmm. Checked out majestic Ouimet
Canyon. Made Thunder Bay around 5 p.m. It took forever. The scenery was gorgeous. We stopped in at one of the most majestic
waterfalls I've ever seen. Kakabeka Falls. I would highly recommend it! Also stopped for photos at the Terry Fox memorial
and took a few minutes each to reflect on the amazing journey this young man took two and a half decades ago. We were following his journey in some ways.
We stopped in at the locks on the Canadian side of the river. But we couldn't stay for long.
We'd heard from one of the campgrounds we wanted to stay at that the highway had been closed. That there'd been a fatal accident
on the highway to Kenora near Ignace (where we wanted to stay) and there was a wait time of four to five hours. Ack. What
were we going to do?
We took a detour around it. By the time we would have gotten to Ignace, the campground would have been closed for the night.
We would have had now where to stay.
So, west, along a secondary highway, also marked as the Trans-Canada. Horrible weather, threat of moose, three hours long,
but we made it.
We're staying at a Super 8 in Fort Frances tonight. Had a lovely dinner at the Boston Pizza next door. Boy, it feels good sleeping in an actual bed again.
July 16.
Ugh. Never sleep in a smoking room, even if they tell you it's clean. It reeked of old smoke last night. Disgusting. We were glad to be out of there.
But, on the upside, from here in Fort Frances it doesn't take too long to get out of Ontario. It's taken a day too long, an extra day we didn't budget for, already.
This morning, we're driving through Lake of the Woods territory, past beaver dams and lodges, past green spaces and forest. We've plans to stop in at a "trading post," or some other kitschy touristy shop before we leave this part of Canada.
3:00. Made Winnipeg.
It's sketchy in this area of town. I don't mean to stereotype, but there are a lot of people down here who are drunk, obnoxious and nothing but trouble. It's 3:00 in the afternoon. I'd hate to see what it looked like after 6 p.m. We've given up staying at campgrounds. We're staying at the Radisson, where it is clean and secure. Very secure. Our car is three flights up, accessible only through a key card. At least our belongings and car will be safe.
We are going to the Forks this afternoon. Bern is heading out for some salsa dancing. Don and I will be catching the Fringe festival in the Exchange (historical) district.
July 17.
Winnipeg is scary. Not as bad as uber-depressed Sudbury. Oh, did I not mention we drove through Sudbury? It was a fleeting experience, and I don't really want to repeat it. It wasn't pleasant. Everything looked depressed and ill-kept. I wonder if it was from the downturn in the economy after the recession, or if the decline in Sudbury's economy has been going on for a while?
Sudbury wasn't tourist friendly. We couldn't find the giant nickel.
But, back to Winnipeg.
Last night, we walked down to the Forks, which was a national historic site/market/park. There was a market there, which was a pale comparison of Ottawa's vibrant Byward. You could still find decent baklava there, though. At the market, there were a bunch of boutique shops to wander. And you could climb up the five or six staircases to the viewing point, to see where to Assiniboine and Red rivers collided. This is why they call the area the Forks; it's where the rivers meet. It's also been a meeting place for several thousand years.
We had a quick dinner on a waterside patio before heading out on a river boat tour, which was vastly entertaining.
After that, Don and I headed up to the Exchange, where there again, was a bit of a market, street performers and advertisements for hundreds of indie plays. The Exchange district was gorgeous, with more preserved turn-of-the century buildings and facades than we could take pictures of.
Though, you wanted to keep a close eye on your camera. You never knew who was going to snatch it. As a security precaution, I emptied my purse, shoved all of my essential personal belongings and cash into my front pockets and stuffed my purse with the hotel room's free coffee. That way, if it were to be stolen, all of my important things were either at the hotel, or on my person.
Today, we're bound for Regina.
July 18.
We nearly didn't find a room in Regina. We discovered it was the 100 year anniversary of the hometown heroes, the Roughriders. There was a huge game this afternoon, between the Saskatchewan team and the Edmonton Eskimos. Regina was more of a pit stop for us. We got there late after a long drive from the 'Peg.
We stopped in at Grenfell, Saskatchewan, which is a little town along the Trans Canada highway, to see if we could do some quick genealogy.
We stopped at "Adare," a historical house and the town's museum.
"Adare" was built by Mr. and Mrs. Edward FitzGerald in 1904. It had a lovely, round turret in the front. FitsGerald came to town ahead of the railroad, the pamphlet says, in 1882. In 1894, he was the editor and publisher of the first newspaper there. The museum took over the place in 1972 to feature different aspects of small town life in early Saskatchewan's history. The house is set up as if Mr. and Mrs. FitzGerald still lived there, with an old cast iron range dominating the kitchen, a dining room table set with a turquoise set of something-that-looks-suspiciously-like-Blue-Willow, lots of antique furniture. Up the front stairway which curves, or the servants' stairs are a nursery room, a master bedroom with a brass bed and a guest bedroom with a homemade wooden bed frame with rope springs. Of course, photos of antique people as well, sitting solemn in their dresses and bonnets. Our first stop was the history room, where there are some genealogy materials, scrapbooks and history books. Our tour was guided by the museum volunteers, who were gracious and answered our many questions.
After moving out from Regina, we stopped in to Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills and had a ball. It was cloudy when we got
there, but the sky opened up when we got down to the site. The site is "nestled in the picturesque valley of Battle Creek
and the Cypress Hills," and was used in mid-century by the RCMP as a horse stud farm for their famous musical ride black
horses. There was interactive programming for all ages and it was three hours of history and fun before we were out of there.
Definitely a must-do again.
July 20.
I've had time to rest and think about this trip. This trip was less like any trip I've ever been on.
Yes, we went to some exotic locales, experienced local fare and enjoyed events, sights and sites.
But, again, it was unlike any other vacation I've ever taken. I didn't have time to think of story ideas,
talk to too many other people, but those I interacted with were friendly, warm and full of tips, ideas and places to visit.
There was this feeling of always having to be on the move, that we had a deadline and destination to make. We saw so much in such a short
period of time, were almost constantly driving, and had to do domestic things like laundry and cooking. That does not say "vacation" to me.
Our odometer reads somewhere over 5,600 kms. We saw two moose, 12 hawks, five deer, several chipmunks, numerous
songbirds, and at least a dozen Richardson's Ground Squirrels. We replaced a muffler halfway through, and learned
that it wasn't so bad without cruise control.
We saw historic sites and the Parliament Buildings. We behaved like tourists as often as we could, where it was safe.
It was all new to us.
You may be asking, "how did you survive 9 days in close quarters with two boys?" Well, gals, I'll tell you. Snores and bad jokes aside, Don and Bern were fabulous travelling companions. I'm pretty sure I did most of the complaining.
They did a little more of the driving than I did. Between the three of us, we kept each other in good humour.
I am so proud of them for putting up with me.
We ate, drank, slept, drove. And not necessarily in that order. For just about 10 days. We saw amazing sights,
visited cute and curious places. We enjoyed our trip, but agree we just had a taste of what Canada has to offer.
If we were to do it again, we agreed on taking at least three or four weeks to do it, allowing in time for rest
days and actual sightseeing.
My list of adventures to have on this trip included Shakespeare by the Sea and the Keiths Brewery in Halifax, Beaubassin
National Historic Site, seeing the Fundy tides at the Hopewell Rocks, La Pays de Sagouine in NB, the Biodome in Montreal,
and white water rafting on the La Chine Rapids, ballooning in Gatineau, and the Plains of Abraham. In Ontario, I wanted to ride
ziplines in northwestern Ontario, check out wineries and the amethyst mines near Thunder Bay. My list included Riel
House and the Outlaw trail, checking out the Gimli Icelandic Festival and the tunnels of Moose Jaw in Manitoba.
We didn't do everything on the list, it would have taken at least another week or two. And, not everything was scheduled at the time we were out and about.
But, what we did do and see was awesome.