Our Last Night in LOAF - The Sounds of Silence

After driving almost 700 km today (with at least half through violent gusty cross-winds and head winds) we decided to stop in a beautiful village (which will remain nameless) in Quebec. It had a campground, with a lovely sounding name, still open, so we pulled off the TransCanada Highway. Our concern was that it would be too close to the highway and the sounds of the many tractor trailers would keep us awake.

Nothing like a gurgling fountain to make you relax.

                    

Hiking The Bay of Fundy

The WORLD'S Highest Tides 
and 
A Meal At Nova Scotia's BEST Restaurant 2015

Home to the highest tides in the world, the Bay of Fundy is a 270 km (170 mile) long ocean bay that stretches between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast. Each day 160 billion tonnes of seawater flows in and out of the Bay of Fundy during one tide cycle ... MORE than the combined flow of all the world’s freshwater rivers! 

We hiked at several locations as we travelled around the Bay of Fundy; in the bay at low tide, above the bay along the coastal trails and in adjacent forest near the bay. We also had one of our best restaurant meals E V E R ... anywhere !

Lighthouse Route & The Evangeline Trail: Peggy's Cove to Grand Pre

The Lighthouse Route and Evangeline Trail 

In a loop, south west from Halifax to Yarmouth, Digby and on to Wolfville and ending at Halifax ... follows Nova Scotia’s South Shore, where the past is a part of everyday life. You’ll find it along quiet country roads, where ox teams still haul lumber, and in coastal villages where fishermen still row wooden dories out to sea.  Explore towns like Liverpool and Lunenburg while taking in majestic coastal scenery, featuring 20 lighthouses - from the dramatic beauty of the Peggy's Cove lighthouse to Yarmouth's towering Cape Forchu lighthouse to the harbour fishery in Digby and on to the vinyards of the Annapolis Valley.  

Traveling With Raisins - Part II

In November 2014 we did a wonderful (but frustrating) trip with 'The Raisins'. 

For those of you who missed our first post on the joys of traveling with Raisins, the term 'Raisins' is a term of endearment for people of a 'certain age'. In this case it refers to my wonderful father & his bride (a.k.a. my evil or wicked step-mother - whom, by the way I love dearly). Again, I must stress this is a term that they introduced me to. If you missed Part I, please feel free to read it here. (or for those that did - please feel free to refresh your memory and re-read it) - I think this is important to truly understand the real frustration of traveling with 'the Raisins'. 

The Raisins' View From Their Hotel Room

Bluenose II

 We were fortunate to be passing through Lunenburg, Nova Scotia at a time when the BLUENOSE II was accepting cruise passengers to sail Lunenburg Harbour. How lucky is that and how could we not go?

The original BLUENOSE was launched as a Grand Banks fishing and racing schooner on 26 March 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The Two Masted Schooner was designed by William Roué and built by the Smith and Rhuland Shipyard.

Hope For Wildlife

Many of us have watched the Canadian television show filmed in Nova Scotia, called 'Hope For Wildlife'. 

This short post is about a whole lot of good, that is being done there, for some of the other creatures that we share this planet with!

Today, we had an opportunity along our drive, to visit their facilities and do a short walking tour. Hope took in her first rehab animal, a robin that had been attacked by a cat, in 1995 while working as a Manager at the Dartmouth Veterinary Hospital. The veterinarians at the hospital did not know what to do with the injured bird, so Hope took it to her home in Eastern Passage and starting doing research on caring for injured wildlife. Skip ahead 15 years ... the Hope for Wildlife Society has grown to over 100 volunteers and now rehabilitates over 2500 animals per year from all over the province. Funding still comes primarily from donations, as well as corporate and government grants, community groups, and annual fundraisers.

For the complete story visit the official website: Hope For Wildlife

The Wildlife Centre

The Fortress of Louisbourg

  The Largest Historical Recreation In North America

The Fortress of Louisburg is a National Canadian Treasure. 

If you are interested in early Canadian history and want to learn something, then Read On.

The restoration carpenters, recreationist staff and Parks Canada should be commended for the job they have done at this site to preserve an important and pivotal part of our history ... kudos to all!

If You Are From Newfoundland and Labrador ... You Should Be Proud!

We'll soon be leaving Newfoundland & Labrador. 

But, before we do, here is some helpful travel information for anyone that might be planning a trip to this Province. Most of this is gathered from official Canadian government records, local myth & legend and tourist brochures. I haven't bothered to verify any of this, but I also haven't made anything up.

Isle aux Morts

A typical village scene in this beautiful province.

Along The Viking Trail: Part Two - Port au Choix south to Deer Lake

Moving southerly now ...

HAWKE'S BAY

Rainy weather dictated our activities somewhat on this first days drive along the southern half of the VIKING TRAIL. At this time of year, some seasonal business operations, small town museums and points of interest are shutting down. We missed out on a couple of places we would have stopped to investigate ... like the Nurse Bennett Heritage Home.

We were able to visit the Torrent River Salmon Interpretation Centre and Fishway. Years of logging and other resource developement in the area had an adverse effect on the Atlantic salmon and before 1965 only a small population survived. The Fishway is a  success story that combined the initial efforts of the local community and the eventual participation of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.