Nova Scotia

Hi everyone

Our stay on "the rock" came to an end after 3 more nights near Port-aux-Basques. We had to wait for our ride on the ferry and enjoyed the hospitality of Newfoundland at a beautiful campground about 40 minutes from the ferry terminal. Some sight seeing brought us to a fishing harbour where we, once again, got ourselves fresh cod. Then it was time to say goodbye to this wonderful province and set sail for Nova Scotia. The trip took only 5 hours since we had calm seas. It started kind of early though. We had a reservation for the 11:30 a.m. departure but received an e-mail telling us that we had been moved up to an earlier crossing which left Port-aux-Basques at 6:45 a.m. Since we had to be at the ship 2 hours prior to departure, that meant getting up at 3 a.m.

Once in Nova Scotia we drove up to Cheticamp where we visited friends and spent two nights. Originally we had planed a 3-night stay but the campground was booked up for the weekend. So we made the best of the time we had. Besides seeing our friends a day-trip along parts of the world famous Cabot Trail and tasting the Arcadian food were the other two highlights of our short stay. We then continued to Louisbourg

where we visited the fortress and lighthouse as well as the Miners Museum and Marconi in Glace Bay. All these visits once again offered us a tremendous amount of information on the history of this fabulous country. We were very impressed especially with the Fortress of Louisbourg and the Miners Museum with a underground tour guided by Sheldon who has himself been a coal miner for 32 years. Like so many times before we learned things we had had no idea about and which are so much part of Canada and Canadians.

After our return to the fifth wheel after seeing the Miners Museum and the Marconi we both came to admit that we have reached the point of information / history overload. We decided to change our travel plans a bit to "take a break" from seeing more historic sites and let sink in what we've seen and learned so far. It would be a shame to just rush through the exhibits which have been built with so much care and thought. Instead of just going "trough the motions" and not absorbing all the information, we will travel down to the US for some time before heading back to North Bay in October. We have friends in Merimac, Massachusetts whom we haven't seen in years and we are looking forward to spending a few days with them. We will take our time driving there and after a rainy day on the road, our first stop along the way is near Truro, Nova Scotia. Here we will stay for 3 nights and do some (last) sightseeing for the time being. This will include a trip to Halifax. After that we will add Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to our Bucket List.

André and Sue

Somewhere on the road in Canada

PS: Don't forget to read our other blogs (listed on the side) and to follow us on facebook and our Google Map. You can also check our web site for new pictures.

Corner Brooks

Hi everyone

After leaving beautiful St. John's we drove to Botwood where we found the nicest campground so far. Nice, big sites with trees offering shade and privacy from the sites left and right. A creek is running the property and we were told that, when the water level is right, one can find and catch salmon right there. The owners are very nice and they told us that they bought the place 5 years ago when it was somewhat run down and have been working on upgrading it every summer since. And they do a great job. We can only recommend Shanawdithit Campground and RV Park.
Anyways, the campground wasn't the reason for our stop in Botwood. We came here to see if our friends were back from P.E.I. On the way to St. John's we had called them because we wanted to go say hi to them. They have moved to Newfoundland after they retired and bought a nice house 44 km north of Botwood. But they were just leaving for a vacation themselves and so we hoped to catch them on the way back towards Port-aux-Basques. So we called them an got the answering machine. André left a message mentioning that we were in Botwood and wouldn't you know it, the next morning the owner of the campground came by our fifth wheel with a message from them. They had figured out what campground we must be at and called there. So we actually got a chance to go see them and spend the afternoon at their place. We had only planned to go for a short visit but ended up being invited for BBQ in the evening. We had a really nice time with them and the next morning they came by our fifth wheel on the way to do their shopping in Gander. Thanks so much, guys, it was great seeing you!
We then drove on to Corner Brook. Our plan was, to make reservations for the ferry to Nova Scotia probably for Monday or Tuesday but we found out that the ferry is not running for a few days due to technical problems. So we have to wait for a ride until next Thursday. This really is no problem. We don't have a schedule and will enjoy our stay here: 3 nights in Corner Brook then 3 more close to Port-aux-Basques. Meantime we have a chance to do some housekeeping (laundry, cleaning, writing blogs etc.) and just relax.
When we arrived in Corner Brook it was pouring and by the time we had set up we were both drenched and wet to the bone. So the laundry and some shopping actually got done the same day. There was no sense in keeping our wet clothes around and one thing got crossed off the list right away. There simply are no bad days. If one looks for the positive in any situation, one will find it!

André and Sue

Somewhere on the road in Canada

PS: Don't forget to read our other blogs (listed on the side) and to follow us on facebook and our Google Map. You can also check our web site for new pictures.

St. John's and area

Hi everyone

We've arrived in Holyrood just outside of St. John's almost a week ago and have explored it and the surrounding areas since then. First of all, should you ever be in or near St. John's you just have to see it! This is a must. On the day of our arrival we drove to the visitor centre which is conveniently located in the harbour area in downtown St. John's. Great, this is the part of the city we wanted to see anyways and while looking for a place to park, we got a little tour by car. We decided to come back in another day to explore it some more. Until then we went for a drive along the coast with all its little fishing villages and visited several historical sites. It would make for a very long blog if I was to write about everything we have seen and learned so let me simply give you the basics and the links to check them out:

Hawthorne Cottage is the house in which explorer Captain Robert Bartlett was born. He was one of the figures in Arctic exploration and the skipper who prepared the way for Commander Peary on his trip to the North Pole in 1909. Bartlett spent many summers in the Arctic and once became a hero when getting help for the crew of his ship which had become ice-locked and subsequently was crushed by the ice and sank. He and some of his men walked for weeks to get help while the rest of the crew were left behind in a camp. Some of them tragically had died by the time the rescue operation arrived.

Castle Hill National Historic Site. In order to protect their interests in fishing the French founded a colony in what today is Placentia in 1662. In times of war they used the fort as a base to attack English settlement. The most famous battle was a bloody invasion of the English shore in 1696. While the French launched a number of attacks over the next 70 years, the English were able to blockade the colony and in 1713 gain control of it.

Cape Spear is the easterly most point in Canada. Its lighthouse has guided the way for mariners entering St. John's harbour and played an important role in protecting the entrance to the harbour during times of war throughout its existence. Signal Hill has been used for signalling since 1704. These two sites communicated with one another at times of peace and war first by flag or canon blast and later on by other technologies as they became available to human kind. Signal Hill, which is located on the other side of the entrance to the harbour of St. John's, was the other fortified lookout for St. Johns' protection. The picture shows André at Cape Spear.

Needless to say that we, once again, learned a lot not only with regards to Canadian history and geography but also about the way people lived in the early days.

I mentioned at the beginning, that we went to the visitor centre upon arrival in St. John's. This has a reason: we find that going to the tourist information / visitor centre is the best way to get lots of information and literature for a specific area. The staff generally is very knowledgeable and helpful and will direct you to places of interest. If you have specific interest they will know of the places that will correspond with them and give you information and answer questions you might have. The same goes for the staff at the sites we have been visiting. They will usually give you an introduction and quiet often Parks Canada sites will also have short movies (6 to 20 minutes) about the site. In our experience it is well worth listening to the introductions and watching those movies. They will give you an overview of the respective place and help you to better understand its history and significance as well as what you're about to see. We found that we would have missed out on a lot of details and how things and events are connected had we not gotten those introductions. So if you are traveling or plan to do so our advice is to take advantage of the knowledge of staff, don't hesitate to ask questions and take the few minutes for the introductions. It will make your experience tremendously better.

Tomorrow we will hit the road again and start our way towards Port-aux-Basques from where we will catch the ferry to Nova Scotia.

André and Sue

Somewhere on the road in Canada

PS: Don't forget to read our other blogs (listed on the side) and to follow us on facebook and our Google Map. You can also check our web site for new pictures.

Gander, Bonavista and St. John's

 Hi everyone

It seems I'm slacking quiet a bit. Since my last blog we have traveled and stopped three times. So let me catch you up on those parts of our trip:
Another 387 km of road brought us from the Gros Morne National Park to Gander. This very interesting city was built in the middle of nowhere when man started to fly. After the pioneers of that new way of moving got better and better at it and had crossed the Atlantic ocean in "flying boats" with stop-overs along the way, the race was on for the first non-stop transatlantic flight. Newfoundland happened to be the closest to Ireland e.g. Europe and after exploring the different possibilities a location was found to become the jump-off point. Nothing was there but fairly secure weather conditions, enough land to build a runway and a lake close-by where the flying boats could land and take off. Work crews moved in, first living in tents and then building barracks and houses and started to clear the bush and build the airport. Gander had been founded. Up to 9'000 workers lived and worked in the new town at the peak of construction and the airport was stamped out of the ground in record time.

When World War I started Gander once again became most important. Newly built aircraft had to be brought to Europe from the US and shipping them by sea and then assembling them over there was too expensive and slow. Though the season was all but ideal when the first group of 7 planes took off from Gander, they safely reached the old world and by the end of the war over 10'000 planes had come through the town on their way to the war zone.

Gander also played a huge role after the attack of September 11, 2001 when all incoming flights to North America (not just Canada but also the US) which could not turn back were banned from entering US airspace and forced to land at the first available airport on the continent. Within hours and with no forewarning at all, the residents of the city and surrounding areas (about 10`000) saw the arrival of close to 7`000 passengers and crews. The airport was packed with planes and all those people had to be fed and housed. The people of Newfoundland stepped up to the plate: hotels, motels, B & Bs and makeshift shelters were soon overflowing and people started to open their homes to total strangers, giving them a place to sleep, food and what else they needed. A big party was held for everyone who had a birthday during their stay at Gander and friendships were built that will last a lifetime. Gander had always had a special relationship with aviation but who would have thought that this still hold true today as much as it did when the city was built?

Check Gander, the North Atlantic Aviation Museum and Gander's role in 911 out on their web sites.

From Gander we continued to Bonavista. We had heard so many great things about the Bonavista peninsula that we just had to go check it out. What we found is a nice little town with yet again a rich history and many attractions. We spent quiet some time there but also in Sandy Cove where we had found a campground directly on the sea. Once again we were welcomed by everyone we talked to with a smile and great hospitality. The young woman in the Elliston visitor center not only answered our questions but gave us great ideas and advice. She was the one to point out to us a little spot where one can watch the Puffins and so we went there, too.

Puffins are little black and white birds with bright red feet. They fish in the ocean and live in caves they dig into the ground, usually on cliffs where they are not disturbed. The place from where we watched these funny flyers was separated from their "rock" only a few meters which gave us a great look at them and their activities. Check out these pictures.


Now we are just outside of St. John's. where we will stay for at least a week. The first day we made a rest day. Today we took a drive along the coast on Hwys 70 and 80. This is the road along the coast of the peninsula northwest of St. John's. I just can't resist those little seaside towns with their harbours, fishing boats and mostly colourful houses. Simply gorgeous!

We will keep you posted on what else we will see and do here in St. John's and area as we go.

Writing a blog in St. John's

André and Sue

Somewhere on the road in Canada

PS: Don't forget to read our other blogs (listed on the side) and to follow us on facebook and our Google Map. You can also check our web site for new pictures.

Fish and seafood anyone?

Hi everyone

Have you ever dreamed of eating as much fish and seafood as your heart desires? If you have, you have to come to Newfoundland. We have been indulging in fresh fare from the local fish markets every day and have to tell you: there is no such thing as too much fish and seafood when it comes basically off the boat. We intend to enjoy this as often as we possible can. Not only doesn't it get any fresher but the prices are unbelievable as well. Fresh, live lobster for $ 6.60 per pound or 5 pounds of shrimp for $ 25.00! And we learn new stuff, too. In one lobster tank we saw a big lobster with just one claw. After asking about this, we learned that a lobster can not only survive the loss of a claw but will eventually grow a new one! Did you know that?

Anyhow, I thought I make your mouths water a little with this story ;-) 

André and Sue

Somewhere on the road in Canada

PS: Don't forget to read our other blogs (listed on the side) and to follow us on facebook and our Google Map. You can also check our web site for new pictures.

Newfoundland - you got to love it!

Hi everyone 

It's about time I write another blog and tell you a little of what we've been up to the last week. I really have to do some catching up.

After leaving Red Bay we got on the ferry and crossed over to The Rock - Newfoundland - where we drove up to the Northeast tip of the northern peninsula. Just outside St. Anthony we found a great campground and we spent a whole week there. The drive along the coast was breathtaking and I just fell in love with this province. Love at first sight you might say since we only just had arrived here.

During our week in St. Anthony we explored more great sights and also experiences. We found out that the local Royal Canadian Legion is holding a "traditional Newfoundland food and music" event every Wednesday and since we had arrived on Tuesday, we just had to go there. What a great evening we had. The food was very good, prepared by people like you and me and we had live entertainment. On top of that they did a screeching in for everybody from outside the province who wanted to become a honorary newfie. Of course we signed up and are now in the possession of our certificates attesting to our being accepted into the "Royal Order of Newfies". The process is simple: you have to speak like a newfie, to eat like a newfie and to drink like a newfie. Then you get to kiss the cod. Once you have done all this, a dance is in order and you are made one of their own. It's great fun. Now you might wonder about those things we had to do. The speaking like a newfie is the hardest part. They really have a language of their own and I for one didn't understand a word. All I could do, is to imitate not the words but the sound. Lots of laughter from everybody but mostly the locals who really enjoy the screeching in. Eating like a newfie means you get to eat salted, dried capeling (smelt like fish in one piece, head and tail included), newfie steak (bologna) and bread with molasses. Finally you get to drink screech which is a really good newfie rum. All this one does while wearing typical yellow fishing gear including the Southwestern. I have to admit that when I met some people on the whale-watching boat who were going to be screeches in the next day and asked, I only told them the very basics including that screech "is not straight up sea water" as they might have heard.Let them wonder a little what's coming their way :-)

As I mentioned, I also went on a whale-watching tour but other than 2 fin whales and some dolphins, we were out of luck. The very next day while visiting the lighthouse we both got to see the whales right from the shore. There were two pods further out which, based on their blowing, contained 4 res. 5 whales. One of them would show his tail every time he came up. And then all of a sudden there was a killer whale swimming along the shore only a few meters from the rocks! What an impressing view!

Just as impressing is the Parks Canada site showing where the vikings had landed on Newfoundland 1000 years ago. We visited the site of the archeological diggings as well as a replica of the village where locals dressed like vikings show how they lived. The blacksmith with the help of a visiting boy made a nail from scratch. This became the boy's pay after the blacksmith had told him about trading labour for goods and how this would also apply at home where making his bed or cleaning his room could be considered as paying for shelter and food provided by his parents.Great experience, story and lesson for life.

The history here is so rich it is hard to comprehend. And I am sure we have only seen and heard a part of it all. It was good to travel to Gros Morne National Park and "take a break"  from all the impressions. Gros Morne in itself is yet another fascinating place with a very interesting history. This history is more about geology and how the island of Newfoundland came to be. And of course it is as a protected area rich in wildlife. So did we see a moose cow with her calf only a few meters from us when returning to the car. The picture has been taken by our little camera - no telephoto lens.

André and Sue

Somewhere on the road in Canada

PS: Don't forget to read our other blogs (listed on the side) and to follow us on facebook and our Google Map. You can also check our web site for new pictures.