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Canada East Coast Trip 2022Canada East Coast Trip 2022
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Canada East Coast Trip 2022

August - September 2022
This is my six week trip to the east coast of Canada. Read more
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  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 48

    Another Successful Trip

    September 24, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Almost home people. I’m staying in Brockville overnight to break up the drive home from Montreal.

    I also want to visit with a couple of people while I’m here. The first is my ‘cousins’ Dan & Carol McLeod. I haven’t seen them since my dad’s funeral in 2012. We used to visit with them when we came down this way when the kids were younger. It is nice to catch up on what is happening. I showed them my Greece vacation book and they loved this idea.

    The next visit was with an old work colleague Rob Kitchen and his partner Kim. Rob and I worked together at Dofasco for 30 years. I haven’t seen him in ages either. Once again, we catch up of life since we last saw each other. Times have changed, partners have changed, and our interests have changed. We still have that connection though and it is nice to feel.

    With promises to get back together again, I head off home to sleep in my own bed. At least until the next trip!

    This trip has been busy for me, and I think the next driving trip I’ll plan some extra ‘down’ days to relax between places.

    The tally on this trip is as follows:

    Days: 48
    Kilometers: 8574
    Provinces: 5
    Oil Changes: 2
    Windshields: 1
    Back Wiper Assembly: 1
    Rear Blinker Bulb: 1
    Smiles: Unlimited    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 46

    Beavers, Otters, Penguins and More!

    September 22, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today we are heading off to the Biodome. This is part of the old Montreal Olympic Site. To get there we need to take the Metro (subway). This is another first for me! My trusty little guide (aka Kitten) helps to get me the tickets needed and figures out which one to take and what stops to get off at. Once there we make our way past the construction and into the dome. This place is actually 5 different biospheres. Each one replicates the environment that each species is used to. They do this through planting vegetation that is native to the place where they live. They also have built in running streams and pools that are temperature controlled to make the animals feel at home. Each one is different based on the species in that area.

    First up are the otters. They are so cute playing in the water with a large water jug. They are very sleek and even pose nicely for the camera.
    Next, we see the wood ducks and beavers. They have a den camera so you can see the beavers when they are sleeping. They also have an area where you can view them underwater for a different experience. The beavers don’t pose as well as the otters, but I did my best.
    The next area belongs to the lynx. This is part of the Laurentian Maple Forest exhibit. I have never seen one of these up close before. He/she is quite agitated when we are there. It keeps pacing in front of the screened area. Maybe it can sense or smell something coming. I’m thinking it may be dinner time.

    Then we move onto the aquarium where there are different kinds of fish. There is also a shallow are where you can see different species of starfish and anemones. There are also some lobsters and crabs. Dinner anyone? This area represents the Animals of the Gulf of the St. Lawrence in Eastern Canada. Hey! That’s where I just came from!
    After this we move onto the puffin and waterfowl area of the Labrador Coast. These little guys are flapping their wings and swimming around in their large area. They like their rocky cliffs with the sparse vegetation.
    Of course, we have saved the best for last. Let’s get a lot more southern with the Antarctic region. Yes! We have happy feet penguins here. They have all dressed formally today with little tuxedos for everyone. Some seem to have issues with their hair sticking out everywhere, but most seem to have their plumage under control. It is fun just to watch them waddle around and squawk at each other. Some go for a swim, and it seems like there is a meeting of some sort going on in the corner.

    After we finish here, we hope back on the Metro and head to St. Denis Street for some dinner. Laura’s friend Kate joins us at a taco place. Kate leaves on her trip next month. We have a pleasant time catching up and having dinner.

    Tomorrow, I leave for home. I have one night in Brockville and then I get to sleep in my own bed.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    1
    Day 44

    We Do Oriental in Montreal

    September 20, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    I head out from Quebec City in the morning heading towards Montreal. I stop at a nice place for some breakfast (croissant with ham, tomato, lettuce and cheese) and then I’m off. The day is a misty rain and I’m am very thankful that Gary fixed my back wiper! It is not very far from Quebec City to Montreal, about 3 hours. I get there in 4 (thank you road construction). I find my place for the next 3 days and Laura brings me over the parking passes for my car. Parking in Montreal is a nightmare. You can park on the street if you have the parking passes but check the signs (all in French) because they do street cleaning every week and, in the winter, you have snow removal. Your car will be ticketed or towed (or both) if you are in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

    After we unload, we head down to the Botanical Gardens. This place is massive and really deserves a full day, not the couple of hours that we had. They have a beautiful Oriental Garden there with waterfalls, ponds, bonsai trees and so much more. Laura and I had a nice walk until it started spitting on us.

    Next up is dinner. We head to a favourite place called Le Mekong. They have a nice (but spicy) white fish soup. I also had the beef with broccoli dish. There was so much that I have leftovers for tomorrow. After dinner I head back to get some laundry done and crash for the night. Tomorrow is another day!    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 43

    Lower Old Town

    September 19, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Before I head to the lower town, I have breakfast at a little café and head over to The Notre Dame Cathedral. I can’t get a picture outside for you since there is some massive construction going on in front of the church. I do head inside though to get some pictures. It was built in 1674. I take a few minutes to sit in prayer and light a couple of candles for my loved ones all ready gone from us.

    As I have mentioned before Quebec’s Old Town has two levels. The upper level that was reserved for the rich with it’s wide boardwalk and many parks and the lower level where the trade and commerce from the river took place. The streets are narrower and there is not much green space. The buildings down here reflect that as well. They have warehouses on the ground level and residence on the upper levels. This has now changed to restaurants and shops on the ground level and residence on the top floors. This is mostly the way it works. There are some streets where it is all residential though.

    There are two ways to get down to the lower city; a funicular is available near The Chateau Frontenac and a set of stairs over by where I’m staying. I actually took the stairs (to work off breakfast at the bistro). When you decend the stairs you come across a little square where there is a wall that has been painted with all that Quebec holds near and dear to their hearts. Take a moment to check it out! They hold little mini concerts here on some of the days and the sound drifts to the upper city. Cool! The lower section has a little square called Place Royal where there is an old church. This is where Samuel de Champlain first founded Quebec City in 1609. There sits the oldest stone church in North America called: Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. It is a non descript church (unlike the Notre Dame Cathedral in the upper town) that was built in 1688 but had extensive damage during the war with the British and had to be rebuilt in 1763 to it’s original specifications. The church still holds service every Sunday and is open from May to November for tourists to visit. The rest of the square, which used to be a market place, has a nice café and tables where you can sit and enjoy a rest. There is a naval museum down here and a small theatre as well. There are many shops and restaurants all over the place where you can meander around the cobblestone streets and take in the views of the river. There are little alley-ways that lead to inner courtyards that you can check out as well, just mind your head if you are tall! This is also where the cruise ships come in as well.

    It is a good work out for the legs and butt because everything is uphill or downhill! After walking around for a couple of hours and picking up a bucket of popcorn for the drive tomorrow, I head back up the stairs (glutton for punishment!) to head back to my place for a rest. I head out later for some dinner at the same terrace place from the first night. Their yellow pea soup is marvelous but their meat pie is a little too salty for my tastes.

    Tomorrow, I pack up and head to Montreal. Laura lives their so I get to visit.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 42

    Monuments and Food

    September 18, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    It is raining when I get up today, just a light rain but still icky. I head to a pastry shop for breakfast. I’m back in croissant territory! One almond croissant with a cappuccino and away I go. Today I set off to check out the upper portion of Old Quebec town. The old town is a Unesco site and is the only place in North America that has it’s original stone wall protecting the old town. There are many things to see here from the armories to the many old buildings and parks that dot the town. There are of course many statues to the founders of this city such as Samuel Champlain and Francois de Laval.

    I check out some of the shops. Normally I’m not a shopper but it is never to early for Christmas shopping, right? I wander the streets and come across the Chapel of Marie De L’Incarnation. It is a monastery of the nuns of Ursulines order. They came over here in the 1700’s to administer to the people of Quebec. The chapel is beautiful and peaceful. All of the gold leaf was done by the Sisters themselves.

    I spend some time down by the Frontenac and walk the boardwalk. Before I know it, it’s time for an early dinner. I have booked a spot at the Frontenac’s Sam Restaurant. I’m glad I made a reservation since it seems that people are being turned away! This restaurant is a bistro that has a wonderful view of the river. Their main restaurant is much swankier and has no view. This one is expensive enough for me! I have never afforded myself the luxury of staying at the Frontenac, so this is my way to indulge in some history and enjoy the ambience of the hotel. I start with a vegetable soup and then move on to the main course of beef shanks slow cooked with potatoes and salad. Paired with a nice rose the meal is wonderful! Finished with a piece of chocolate cake and coffee and I’m ready for a nap. The views don’t disappoint as I’m having my meal, I can view the promenade and the river from where I sit. The service is professional without being stuffy. All in all a wonderful experience that I would suggest for everyone at least once.

    After dinner I head back to my hotel for the evening. Tomorrow I will explore the lower part of the Old Town.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 41

    Quebec, Old Town and History!

    September 17, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I’m off to see what just might be my favourite city in Canada. (Don’t tell Laura, Montreal is second best!) Quebec City is just one of those places that resonates with me. I stay in the old town because the feel and architecture are amazing. Yes, there is a lot of touristy stores but look beyond that to see the real Quebec City.

    As I leave Karen’s I weave my way up New Brunswick. Once again, the views don’t disappoint. The trees are starting to turn now and you can see some red and yellow mixed in with the green. My mind drifts to thoughts of how the seasons in Mother Nature seem to reflect the seasons of our lives. Being with Karen and reminiscing about “the old days” may also have contributed. As I’m driving, I start to think that I may now be in the autumn of my life. Slowly things are changing both physically and mentally for me as well. I don’t move as easily as I used to and I have more mature wants and needs. I don’t need the hustle and bustle of youth but a slower more relaxed ebb and flow of life. I don’t think this is a bad thing, just an evolution of time. Similar to the seasons that are changing before me. Oh, and I plan to have an ‘autumn’ of my life with all the colours blazing just like Mother Nature! Okay, enough of the sappy stuff.

    I stop for a night in a small place called: St. Louis du Ha! Ha!. Yes, that is the name, check the map. I’m off the next morning and get to Quebec around 2:00 PM. I am staying in a hotel that I got off of Booking.com. It is nothing special, just a room with a view of the river (St. Lawrence River, for those of you who don’t know where Quebec City is). It is in the old town and I can see the Chateau Frontenac from the street outside my hotel. I don’t have parking here and I have to schlep my luggage from the public parking to my hotel. (I’ll have to do better next time, and there will be a next time!) I get settled in and then head out for a walk. I love walking the old city. I stay on the upper section today. Tomorrow I may head down to the lower section. There is music coming from the lower city that lends to the atmosphere of the evening. I find a marvelous little restaurant with an open terrace that is heated! The place is called: Café Terrasse La Nouvell (https://m.facebook.com/cafelanouvellefrance). This place is marvelous. They offer a prix fixed meal with an appetizer, main and dessert. All for $31.00. Quebec is expensive but not as bad as some people think. I head back home for the night because there are more adventures to be had!    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 39

    What Really Matters In Life

    September 15, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    St. John was a fog and rain out but the place I stayed in was nice.

    My next place is a special one. I’m staying with my cousin Karen and her husband Gary for the night. I make it to their place in Whites Cove, New Brunswick. They have a wonderful place with tons of land by the water. I am warmly welcomed by both of them and we quickly catch up on family stuff. We talk about my trip and what I have seen and where I’ve been. I show them the book from my Greece blog and they love the idea of turning these blogs into books. The memories last forever and are easily read and re-read. Gary BBQ’s up some steaks and we sit down for a great dinner.

    After dinner Karen asks if I want to go to the club. Club? Out here in the middle of nowhere? Sure! We hop in her car and off we go. It seems that Gary has a MC club that he belongs to and they have a club house nearby. I am graciously welcomed by Tony (the barkeep for the night) when I walk in. I’m introduced around and we settle in for a night of socializing. Karen’s daughter Tara joins us, along with Gary and a few others. (Names escape me as I write this.) We enjoy a few drinks, chit chat and great company.

    There is a warm feeling that envelops you (no, not from the whiskey!) when you are made to feel like you belong in the group, even though you just arrived. That is the power of family. You don’t have to see them everyday but when you do time just evaporates and your one unit again. We head back to the house and finish the evening with some pie and wine. I head up to bed and sleep like a baby.

    The next morning I get up and Gary makes me a coffee. He has to set out early to pick up some parts in another town. Gary owns an auto shop. Karen gets up and we just sit talking away while having our coffee and me doing my knitting. I head up to get dressed and I come down to find breakfast waiting for me. I could get used to being treated like royalty.

    We have a bite to eat and then head off to see Steven’s house. (I’m getting a whirl wind visit cause I only have one day). Steven moved down here a little while ago and has bought a house with his partner. They are in the middle of renovating it. It sits on about 20 acres of bush. Once again, beautiful. The work they are doing is marvelous. It is great to see young people putting their stamp on where they live. The care and hard work show in the finished results. The gardens and the front deck look very nice and Steven fills us in on what they plan to do next. After coffee we head down to The Boot in Gagetown for some lunch. Karen, Steven and I enjoy a nice lunch while catching up and just visiting in general.

    We get back to the house and Gary has a surprise for me. He fixed my back windshield wiper. The spring was lose and would not clean the whole window. So while he was in town getting the other parts he bought me a new assembly and installed it while I was out and about this morning. Isn’t he just the best???!!!

    I get packed up and am ready to head out. Karen has stocked me up with one box of wine and one box of wine coolers all made by herself! Well, don’t I just feel special. These two have a way of making you feel like you really are special. They are just hard working, real people who don’t put on airs and don’t care what you have or don’t have. They look at who you are and whether you have a good heart.

    Well, I’m going to miss all of them! I’ll have to come back next year for a week. Who knows, maybe I’ll move down here in the future.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 35

    Clark's Harbour,Last Town in Nova Scotia

    September 11, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I have had 3 nights here but only one entry for you. I have miscalculated the distance from here to Digby. It is roughly a 3 hour drive. Therefore, my plans to go whale watching again are for not. I’m not doing a 6 hour drive. I have to admit that driving that long has been a little taxing. When I head out west next year (keep you eyes peeled for another blog) I’ll have to build in more rest days and less hours of driving per day.

    That said this part of Nova Scotia is a UNESCO Biosphere Center. There are many sea birds that nest here and migrate here through out the year. They also have great beaches. I took myself for a walk to Hawk’s Beach. The beach was massive! The waves were crashing on shore and the beach was almost deserted. I love traveling when the kids are back in school! I didn’t see any birds (other than sea gulls and Canadian geese) so I came back to my place.

    I was chatting with one gentleman on the beach. He was from Peterbough and moved to Nova Scotia 5 years back when he retired. He told me what the difference was between the two. When you live in Peterbough and go home and turn the kitchen light on you see cockroaches running across the floor. When you live in Nova Scotia and go home and turn the kitchen light on you see lobsters crawling across the floor cause your neighbour went fishing and brought you back a couple. Nobody locks their door because nobody has to.

    I did have two very cute visitors this morning. One even had a set of small antlers! Tomorrow I’m going to leave out some apples and carrots to see if I can get better pictures. I haven’t seen any moose while down here so these will have to do.

    I left Tuesday morning to catch the ferry in Digby. The ferry doesn’t leave until 5:30 PM but I had to check out at 10:30 AM anyway. So off I go. The drive is beautiful as usual down here. You have to force yourself to stop taking pictures cause they are all so pretty but they are still filled with trees.

    I head into Digby and grab some lunch, scallops and fish, check below. The place I ate was right on the water. Actually, Digby is about the size of Winona so you can park on the main street and just head out for a walk. The town has a lighthouse (for show I imagine) and a nice promenade to walk with memorials to ships and veterans. There is a heavy fog in today and the harbour has a mystic feeling about it.

    Lunch is good and off I to catch the ferry. The ferry is a 3-hour ride from Digby to St John and this signifies me starting my way back home.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    1
    Day 34

    The Bluenose's Birthplace

    September 10, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today I leave my quiet, restful abode for the next destination. I am heading south west to Clark’s Harbour. This is the southern most point of Nova Scotia. I am in a mobile home for the next 3 nights. It is a 5 hour drive so I am breaking up the day to stop in Lunenburg.

    Lunenburg is another historical little village that was built around fishing. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. They have a very quaint harbour front that they have preserved very well. The little streets are filled with shops and restaurants and all slope down to the harbour. They also have a Fisheries’ Museum. I love a good museum, don’t you? There are three floors to this one, so lets start. No parrots here I’m afraid but they do have aquariums with different kinds of fishies! I won’t bore you with the lobsters, salmon, crabs, and more, I’ll head up to the next level where they have dedicated the floor to the famous Bluenose! It was built right here in Lunenburg in 1921. It was 44 m long by 4.85 m (144’ by 16’)wide and had a crew of 20. It had Angus Walters as it’s captain fro, 1921 to 1938. Under Captain Walters the Bluenose was undefeated winner for 17 years in sailing races and won five international sailing races. The Bluenose also ran freight up and down the eastern seaboard and into the Caribbean. This was where she sank after hitting a reef in 1946. She was known as The Queen of the North Atlantic. The Bluenose II was built in 1963 and still sails out of Lunenburg to visit ports throughout North America.

    They also had many models of ships built and on display as well. Outside there was a huge whale painted on the ground for the kids. (I, of course, am in my second childhood travelling, so I have included it here.) There were several sailing vessels that you could board and check out as well. There was a lot going on in Lunenburg today.

    I met some people who were actually from Ontario and moved down there. They told me the best photos of the harbour could be taken from the golf course across the water. If you drive up to the club house they have parking just for us shutterbugs! Ain’t that the nicest thing? Thank you Bluenose Golf Club!

    Okay, I have to leave Lunenburg so I can make my place in Clark’s Harbour before nightfall.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 33

    Museums and Parrots

    September 9, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I am enjoying another day in Halifax today. It is a bit overcast but you don’t control the weather, do you? I am taking in the Maritime Museum down on the waterfront. When you walk in one of the first ‘exhibits' is Merlin. Merlin is a parrot. The sign went on to say that there was no mention of parrots being a captains mate anywhere in history. This myth was created by Robert Louis Stevenson in his book ‘Treasure Island’. Well, now I’m disillusioned! This Merlin however, has been negatively affected by COVID as well. Apparently the disruption to his routine during COVID caused him to stress and lose some of his feathers. His plumage is growing back and he is getting back to normal. I guess we weren’t the only beings to go into withdrawal due to isolation. This museum has some wicked models that show the different kinds of ships that have been built throughout the ages. There are two floors and tons to look at! The first one here is the Labrador, which was an ice breaker vessel that was the first to travel the Northwest Passage in 1954. She was 82 m long by 19 m wide (269’ by 63’) and had a crew of 224 people. She was in service from 1954 to 1987.

    They also have full size sloops in the museum as well. They explain the different kinds of sailing vessels and how they progressed in time. There was even a life boat from a ferry (Madeleine) that ran in Montreal. All the exhibits were very well explained.

    The second floor was dedicated to the Cunard Ship Lines. There have been many famous ships built and owned by the Cunard Shipping Company. These ships were steam powered instead of being powered by the wind. This brought in a new area of travel. These were originally built to bring mail and passengers across the sea. These ships were actually luxury liners (for their day) and the predecessor of the current cruise ships that we have. Some of the smaller ones ran the Eastern coast from Montreal to Boston, while the larger ones ran across the Atlantic to England and France. Some of the models here are The Mont Royal, The Duchess of York, The Nova Scotia and The Franconia. There are way too many facts and figures for even me to include, so you will have to visit this place yourself! One last note is that is was amazing to see how detailed these models were. Who ever built them were sure dedicated to their work!

    After the museum, I take a walk down to the waterfront and see what is down there. I find a few ships and a sail boat out on the water as well. I even find a water taxi that runs between Halifax and Dartmouth! I’m starting to get hungry and there must be food here somewhere! I walk along the boardwalk until I find a place called Salty’s. It has food and customers, I’m in! It is right on the water and you can eat inside or out. I choose inside but with a view of the water. I have the lobster roll and fries. They were okay (I have had better this trip) but the best part was their blueberry pound cake dessert. It came warmed up with whipped cream and ice cream. Yeah, me bad! (I walked it off afterwards, honest!)    Read more

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