Songs We Enjoyed!

The Following videos and songs were some that we listened to as we drove over 4000km! I highly recommend Michael Mitchell's Canada is...Volumes 1 and 2.

Here's the Irish Rover's singing Farewell to Nova Scotia!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3MAaQLSSI

DuBois, Pennsylvania

For the past week we have stayed in Dubois in North Central PA. It's been a very relaxing week of hanging out at the beach, swimming, building sandcastles, fishing, shopping at Grove City for back to school fashions, visiting the county fair, and counting deer, (126). It's been a fabulous time to catch our breath and enjoy the nice weather. We're on our way home now....it won't be long .....

Digby Ferry, July 31, 2009

This morning we woke early for a 7:30 ferry ride from Digby, Nova Scotia to Saint John, New Brunswick on the Princess Acadia, which took 3 hours.
It was a great ride with an excellent interpretive guide who told us of the history of Fundy Bay, taught us all about whales and the Fundy tides. It was both interesting and fun! We all enjoyed the presentations. It was very foggy and cool, but we stayed on deck and looked closely for whale sightings, but alas, the fog was too thick and we did not see any of the beautiful creatures. But the kids were not too disappointed, as there was a children’s area where the kids did all kinds of crafts and activities. Mary had fun playing some slot machines and was happy to win some more shopping $$!!

Oliver was even able to take his business calls….the cell reception was better on the boat than on the mainland.

We have now completed our Canadian adventure and are now presently driving towards DuBois, Pennsylvania for a week of rest and relaxation.

South Shore, Thursday, July 30, 2009

Thursday, July 30, 2009
Today we are exploring the Southern Coast of the province. Our first stop was Peggy’s Cove. We all enjoyed the local story of how it got its name…supposedly a girl named Margaret was on a ship headed to see her fiancé when the ship crashed into the rocks. She was rescued and fell in love with one of her rescuers and never left the cove again.
The girls loved the great views of the ocean as they climbed the rocks and pretended to be mountain goats.We all had goose bumps as we approached the lighthouse…there was a bagpiper playing Amazing Grace and Farewell to Nova Scotia. It was just one of those magical moments that one just experiences.
We also met some local fishermen who were out repairing their nets. We briefly chatted and learned they were going out to fish for mackerel.

Our next stop was Mahone Bay which was a picturesque town with colourful pastel homes. One of their local trades is making pewter, (Amos Pewter). It was neat to see them make pewter in this small house that is sold throughout the province. We also visited a cute little bakery to

experience a local treat of oatcakes. Every time we opened the door, a bag of carrots would go up and when closed, the bag would drop down. You can imagine how many times the door was opened and closed while we were there!

Lunenberg was our final stop along the South shore, we started our visit at the Fisheries Museum. We had a guided tour that taught us about the different methods of fishing for cod, lobsters, halibut, and many others.

One of the highlights of course was seeing the tribute to the Bluenose which was docked in the harbour.
Our guide told us of the stories as to why it was called the Bluenose by the Americans…. we’re not sure which is the right one….
1) The Maritimes is so cold that we all have Blue Noses;2) The local Fishermen would wear blue mitts and with the wet and cold, when they wiped their noses, the blue would come off and they would have blue noses;
3) The local area grew blue hued potatoes in the shape of noses which were sent to the States.

The locals think #3 is the most acceptable story

There was another huge interactive tank where we all investigated starfish, hermit crabs, scallops etc…

We then drove straight across the province to Digby – so we could catch the early morning ferry to New Brunswick.

Some thoughts from the group:

Oliver – My favourite was the Maritime Museum – I really liked the Halifax explosion exhibit – as it was all new info for me. The Hippo tour was fun too– it was a “scratch and sniff” tour of the city.

Mary – My favourite part of Nova Scotia was the big rocks of Peggy’s Cove – It was amazing to see the size of them! I also liked the tall ships and all of the history. The whole Pier was very pretty. The Hippo tour was really neat, I’ve never done that before!

Mikhaila

In Halifax, I really liked the park on the pier…it had a huge boat with tunnels underneath. In Lunenberg, the Fisheries Museum was cool! There were huge fish tanks – and I really liked the Atlantic Wolfish. At the touch tank I held the hermit crab that was like a spider.
At Peggy’s Cove, I liked climbing the rocks and the view of the lighthouse. It was very beautiful and I could pretend to be a mountain goat!

Zoe

My favourite part of Halifax was swimming at night. I also really liked both museums – it was my first time listening to information with headphones and the telephone. I also liked Pier 21 when we went on the train and pretended to travel to new cities across Canada.

Halifax, Wednesday, July 29, 2009

It was so hot today in Halifax! It was over 30 degrees down by the water. We decided as a family that we wanted to see the city, but also do things that were cooler, so we started the day with a Hopper Harbour tour which was an amphibious vehicle. We first toured the downtown and then drove into the water to explore the famous Halifax harbour.
We heard a lot of neat stories about the Halifax explosion….especially the local tales about what lead up to the disaster. After the tour we spent most of the afternoon in the Atlantic Maritime Museum which highlighted information on the Titanic, and other shipwrecks throughout Nova Scotia.



One of the most interesting sights we saw was watching glass blowing that was blown into beautiful crystal. There are no Canadians who are able to do this specialized trade, so the artisans are all from Ireland.

Of course the Citadel was awesome– it’s the highest point in the city and you’re able to see everything – except if it’s foggy!

In the late afternoon, we went to visit Pier 21. The museum was beautiful display of the immigrant experience – very moving…we could have spent all day there. We even had a chance to meet with some researchers who helped to track our families’ voyages to Canada.


Halifax was a beautiful city and we know a second trip is in order to spend more time exploring the local haunts and meeting the people.

Random Thoughts on PEI

A musician taught us a song about Lester the lobster from PEI, but he doesn’t want everyone coming to PEI to find Lester and cook him up. So he taught us some code words that we are to use instead. When the teacher asks the girls where they went this summer, they are to say, Pizza, Eggs, Iguana so people won’t know where to find Lester the Lobster!
Also one of the bandmates also brought some fresh oysters from a local beach that we slurped! Yum!

Just a note for those who may travel to PEI – always offer your CAA card wherever you go to get discounts

Some thoughts to bring back to TO - Kitchen parties are huge here and the party doesn’t start until the fiddler arrives. Sometime the fiddler finds a better party, so instead of feeling sad, the crowd taps their own toes and everyone makes the music!

Pizza, Eggplant, Iguana

In the morning, we were totally on PEI time…I went for a run as Zoe was waking up…she wrapped her arms around my neck and whimpered, “I don’t want to leave here – Please can we stay!” We all felt the same way…but it was time to move on! We packed up for a last swim and left Kindred Spirits…

Off to Charlottetown where we went to Cows Creamery for a factory tour, and wore neat little Cow hats. It was all very top secret so they wouldn’t let us take photos as we might give away their success! We watched how they made their t-shirts, cheese, and of course, the ice cream. It’s all hand mixed with the freshest fruits and yummiest chocolate and caramel one can find! At the end we had yummy samples!

Afterwards, we went to Charlottetown and explored the interactive museum in Founders Hall. It was a great way to learn about Confederation and how Canada’s story has come together.

Then we went on a gentle horse and trolley tour ride and learned a lot about the local history of the city. The homes are very beautiful and the prices are much more reasonable than in Toronto! We had no idea prohibition lasted in PEI until 1945! They only started using plastic bottles in 2008, before that it was all glass!

At the wharf the kids had a chance to put their hands on starfish and Mik was brave enough to pick up a crab!

We then drove onto the ferry boat that took us to Nova Scotia. We waved goodbye to the red sand beaches and lighthouses and we moved onto our fourth Canadian province! We are currently on our way to our hotel in Halifax. We really enjoyed PEI and know we will return another time…..

Avonlea

Happy 8th birthday Mikhaila!

Wow - what a day we had! It was a full day at Avonlea…our cottage is located almost right next door so we were able to get an early start and be there for the 10:00 opening. The day is structured with vignettes from the play throughout the day and then the actors stay in character as they wander through the village. It was by far one of the best experiences we’ve had! We visited the school with Miss Stacey, played playground and picnic games, danced and sang to Maritime music, had a lovely picnic in the park, drank raspberry cordial, wandered through the barns with animals, watched pig races, and ate yummy ice cream!We had such a great time with the different characters from the story….it was hard to leave; even a thunderstorm couldn’t make us go!

Some thoughts from the group:Mary – My favourite part was the Music – it was fantastic because it made you feel happy! I loved the village life and what it represented – old fashioned styles with the ladies dressed up – it’s not something you see everyday. I really loved the happy endings to the stories – Anne and Gilbert, and Josie and Charlie …I always like a happy ending

Zoe – My favourite part was holding Diana’s hand. I liked her because she’s pretty and kind. When Diana and Josie did the tap dance and fiddle stomping – it was really amazing!I also

liked the pig race – Wilbur won for the 14th time!

Mik – I loved going to Ann’s village –everything was amazing! In school I learned

the song “God Saved the King”. I also really liked the Pig Race - it was cool to see pigs run the track. It was also very special to see Anne’s wedding to Gilbert because she looked beautiful!

Oliver – I really enjoyed the PEI thunderstorm…I’ve never seen anything like it! It was fun to interact with the storybook characters, especially Charlie, who chased me because I had a full cooler and he was hungry! I also really liked the gardens…they were so colourful and lush.

Afterwards, to celebrate Mik’s birthday we went to North Rustico to Deroines Fresh Fish Market and bought some live lobster! We had it cooked and returned to our cottage to enjoy a great lobster dinner. We purchased a chocolate cake from a local bakery and it was just delicious! Mik said it was the most perfect birthday of her life!

I’m not sure if we could ever have a better day….but we will sure try! We honestly love it here. We tried to book our cottage another night, but there’s no vacancy. We are leaving in the morning and will make our way to Charlottetown to take in a bit of political culture. We are then hoping to get to a beach to build sandcastles in the red sand.

Till next time…..

Prince Edward Island

Sunday, July 26, 2009

This morning we crossed the Confederation Bridge into Prince Edward Island…what a bridge! It’s amazing to see how the provinces are now linked. We met someone who helped to build the bridge, but the funny part is, he refuses to cross it…not very comforting!

We started our touring in Summerside and quickly got used to the laid back tempo of the island. Everyone wants to chat and there’s no such thing as rushing here! We walked through Spinnaker’s Landing and enjoyed how the stores are all painted different pastel colours! We also had a chance to climb the lighthouse and have a great view of the Saint Lawrence.

After a couple of hours in Summerside, we made our way to Cavendish, or Anne country…we were able to get a great cottage at Kindred Spirits, right beside the Village of Avonlea. All of the cottages are named after the characters in the book and we are currently staying at Josie Pye’s place. The girls were a bit disappointed, but quickly agreed that Josie had some good qualities about her!

Of course the salt water pool is a huge hit, and we didn’t waste anytime jumping in to cool off. There’s also a great playground and giant chess set right in our front yard! We’ve really loved staying here and would definitely come here again!
In the late afternoon we went to the PEI National Park and visited Green Gables. The gardens are absolutely beautiful and we were just entranced by all the beautiful flowers! We were able to watch a play of Lucy Maude Montgomery as she gave us a narrated tour of Green Gables and what inspired her to write. It was an amazing way to experience the house and the story. Afterwards, we walked through Lover’s Lane and Haunted Woods, (which wasn’t so haunted according to our disappointed girls). We then explored through LMM’s original homestead and her final resting place. It was a great introduction to the area, but the girls felt they had walked 500 miles, so we called it a night.

Tomorrow we’re off to Avonlea!

Fundy Coastline

Saturday, July 25, 2009

We made it to our hotel last night, although the fog was so thick we could barely see in front of us. Our cabin is really clean, and very cute. The girls are in heaven because there are bunkbeds so they were asking to go to bed early just so they could sleep in their bunks!

Today we journeyed along the Bay of Fundy Coast and Hopewell Rocks Park. The tides are incredible…we went in the morning and walked on the ocean floor and investigated the Flowerpot rocks with trees growing out the top. We explored the park, had some lunch and returned at high tide to see the water at the top of the rocks. It was a sight to see!

We did a lot of nature walks today and enjoyed the fresh ocean air and beautiful trees.

Mikhaila and Zoe both enjoyed just throwing rocks into the water and having the ocean tickle their toes.

On the way home we sang songs about Canada and marveled at the beauty of our country.

We stopped in a small town named Alma and did our daily ice cream break while walking the dock and seeing lobster traps all over the place.

In the evening we went to the Park centre and learned about Salmon and how they are on the endangered species list. We also had a great time learning about the night sky and the different constellations linked to the Bay area.

Some direct quotes from the group:

Zoe – My favourite part was petting Rusty the dog, (we met a lovely family from New Brunswick who were kind enough to let Mik pretend that their Golden retriever was hers, and Zoe bravely petted it).

Mikhaila - My favourite part was doing the ziplining at the Fundy park

Mary - I enjoyed the tides of Fundy Bay – it was a very interesting experience!

Oliver - I really liked the vistas as we drove along the coast…very beautiful.

Tomorrow we are off to PEI…New Brunswick has been lots of fun…we are off to Anne Country!

On the Road to New Brunswick!

Friday, July 24

Bonjour! It is our last day in Quebec City…Quel Domage – but we are off to other adventures!

The day started on a lovely note…Mary and I explored the Old Waterfront section the city renovated for the 400th anniversary celebration last year. Previously, this section was a seedier part of town, so it was quite a treat to see it transformed into beautiful boardwalks, boutiques, and outdoor cafes. It was worth climbing all of the stairs!
Meanwhile, the girls were excited to watch the Backyardigans in French and Oliver finally had a Starbuck’s coffee!
We packed our bags, went for one last swim, bid au revoir to the Chateau Frontenac, and we are now off to Fredericton! It’s a great day to travel as it’s a bit cloudy so we don’t feel we’re missing out on a fun and warm day!

Later on….
We made it to New Brunswick and made sure to get the Welcome photo-op as we entered the province.

We drove another few hours to get to Fredericton and have now been driving through a steady rain and fog, but our spirits are not dampened…in fact, sometimes it is how the best experiences come about!

We went downtown and through our guide book started our wet walking tour at City Hall. We were only able to do the Kontiki version of the city, so we asked the people at the info desk what we should see. Lucky for us, a tour guide Sean, took us to see how the city hall clock worked…it was all very interesting as it was tied to history, (one of the designers later designed Big Ben in London based upon the clock in Fredericton), and the mechanisms to make the clock work were absolutely fascinating!
Afterwards, Sean took us into the city council chambers and we were delighted to see beautiful hand crafted tapestries that told the history of Fredericton over the past two hundred years. He told us some great local stories about duels, fire fighters and rum bonuses, ice delivery trucks, and other neat facts. We would have never d

iscovered such rich information if we had just walked around on our own and we left feeling a great cultural appreciation and respect for the city.

We are now on our way to Moncton to see if Magnetic Hill will really pull our van.

Till later!

10:00pm…

Made it to Magnetic Hill in Moncton. It’s quite built up with a zoo, waterslide etc…, but everything was closed. We were still able to check out the magnetic pull of the hill and it did work for us twice. Interesting…we need to do some more research as to how it works.

We now have about an hour’s drive to Fundy National Park…it’s still raining, but no complaints as the people have been very friendly and the roads virtually empty.

A strange story at Tim Horton’s….I purchased a couple of timbits for the girls and the lady at the counter asked me if the timbits were for my pups. I said they were for my two daughters who were right in front of me. The lady said that if they were for my dogs I could have them for free…so, children pay but they’re free for dogs….strange isn’t it??

Vive le Quebec!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Bonjour! We had an outstanding time in Quebec City!

First thing in the morning, the girls went for a swim in the pool, Mary went shopping, and Oliver did a bit of work.
Once we gathered back together we headed off to check out the city with a caleche, (a horse and carriage). Our horse’s name was Kaley and our guide was Jocelyn. He took us on a ride and we saw many sights such as Rue de Tressor, City Hall, Parliament, the statues of the many historical figures, (some of our favourites were the log drivers, and the cannon ball wedged under the tree). We all loved the European feel to the city with the narrow streets, cobblestone roads, and flower boxes overflowing with all sorts of beautiful blossoms.

After the tour we went for a good walk to

the Citadel and re-enacted the Battle between the French and the British on the Plains of Abraham. Of course Mikhaila and Zoe wanted to be the British, so Oliver and I were the French. Mary decided to be neutral, so she was from Switzerland!After our battle, we decided to go for ice cream. We wanted the girls to practice their French so we said the only way they could have ice cream is if they ordered in French. It wasn’t long before “Puis-j’avoir la cream de glacee” was spoken fluently and everyone enjoyed vanilla ice cream with swirls of maple syrup.
We made our way back to the Old City by taking the stairs, (over 300 of them), which brought us back to the Chateau Frontenac boardwalk We were just in time to see a recreation of the French soldiers defending the city. It was quite a site to see the soldiers dressed in their period costumes marching and shooting their muskets out into the Flueve St. Laurent, (Saint Lawrence).

Throughout the day we were amazed at the street performers who provided us with all sorts of entertainment. We saw acrobats, fire jugglers, (Dustfingers for those who have read or watched Inkheart), magicians, and musicians who played instruments and sang.

In the evening, we went to Grand Alle, (pedestrians only area) where there are lots of great restaurants to enjoy. After dinner, we walked the streets and enjoyed a tropical street festival where we saw all sorts of South American dance presentations and BMX biking tricks.

What a time in the city! Here are some direct quotes from the group:


Mikhaila
Quebec City is really awesome because there’s always something to do! I liked window shopping, touring with the horse and carriage, staying at the Chateau Frontenac, reenacting the battle on the Plains of Abraham, and the BMX tricks.

Zoe
Quebec City is fantabulous! I loved going on the horse and carriage ride, it was my favourite. I also liked watching the soldiers, but I didn’t like the big boom when they shot their muskets. Oh yeah, and I liked swimming in the pool at the Chateau Frontenac.

Mary
Quebec City is the most beautiful city I have ever seen in her life….it has left a big impression on me and I want to come back and visit, (maybe at Christmas)…it has such a welcoming atmosphere
I really like the wide sidewalks, restaurants, shops; it was not at all over-crowded…just nice! Very pretty!

Oliver
I liked touring the Citadel and seeing all of the old walls and architecture. The city has a European feel….if the walls could talk and tell the stories…great sense of history!

On the Road to Adventure!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Well our journey to the East began today….it was a long drive – Ollie was a great! We listened to songs about Canada and stories on CD, such as the Secret Garden and Anne of Green Gables. We sang songs in French as we drove into the beautiful city of Quebec. We checked into Chateau Frontenac, (our castle), and loved the view of the Saint Lawrence River outside of our window.
In the late evening, we ventured out into the city and ate ice cream while we walked along the beautiful boardwalk. We then heard about a great light show so off we went and watched the history of Quebec projected into the sky.

Bon Nuit!

Our Trip to Eastern Canada

From July 22nd to August 7th, Oliver, Katina, Mikhaila, Zoe and Auntie Mary (from Australia) will be travelling on a two week vacation to Eastern Canada.

Here is our route:

Toronto to Quebec City - 2 nights

Quebec City to Hopewell Rocks, New Bruswick via Fredericton and Moncton - 2 nights

Hopewell to Summerside, PEI - 2 nights

PEI - Halifax, Nova Scotia - 2 nights

Halifax to St. Andrews, via Digby ferry - 1 night

St. Andrews to ?? TBD