Home Stretch

Greetings from Newfoudland!

So we got off the ferry in Argentia and headed straight for Castle Hill national historic site. There, we walked around a fort that has changed hands between the French and English numerous times. Next, we went to Markland where we actually found a kosher winery. Although there no rabbis in Newfoundland, this winery and other local businesses fly them in to certify their products.

We spent the evening in St. John's, walking by the water and visiting the famous George Street, known for its many bars. We also visited the provincial war memorial, Government House (the legislature, of course), and Harbourside Park. This park is one of the oldest ports in North America and is very historically significant. 

Next, we headed to Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America! We took in the beautiful scenery and watched the crashing of the waves against the cliffside. We  settled for the night in Pouch Cove, a picturesque town just outside of St. John's.

The following day, we returned to St John’s, to do some shopping along Water Street. We also saw Signal Hill, where the first transatlantic wireless signal had been received. (We all had great cell phone reception.) From there, there were also stunning panoramic views of the city of St. John’s across the water.

Next, we headed to Dildo because, well, wouldn’t you? There we took photos with the town’s mascot, Captain Dildo! From there, we headed to Whiteway, to pay a visit to Shag Rock. We continued our drive through the uniquely named towns of Heart’s Desire, Heart’s Delight, and Heart’s Content. In the last one, we saw a cable museum at the site of the landing of the first successful transatlantic cable.

From there, it was on to Harbour Grace (oh me, oh my!), where we saw a statue of Amelia Earhart commemorating her frequenting the airport there. Then it was back to St. John’s for an evening on the town. Local beers were sampled, and local music was appreciated.

The next day, our first stop was Trinity, where we witnessed the art of barrel-making at a historical cooperage and enjoyed a short hike along the water. The next stop was Elliston where there were PUFFINS!!! We took the risk of getting blown out to sea by the gale-force winds in order to venture out onto a cliff to get an up-close and personal view of the puffins. They passed right alongside us as they took off and landed on the nearby rock which hundreds of them called home.

That night, we were in for a treat: Glamping! (well… kinda) in Eastport. (we set up tent in a cooking shelter for protection from the rain. It was a welcome treat.)

On August 12, we drove to Gander where we took a gander at their airplane museum. We also paid a visit to the Silent Witness Memorial, commemorating the 101^st airbourne troop that perished at that site in a plane crash, as they were on their way home from a peacekeeping mission in the Middle East.

We then hopped on a ferry to Fogo Island, where we saw the Earle House (which may or may not be related to Hailey’s roommate). We also hiked the Fogo Head trail – by far one of the most beautiful hikes of the trip. On our hike up this gorgeous mountain that overlooks the sea, we left our mark on the trail by building an Inukshuk. Back in Fogo City, we had a relaxing evening at the Brimstone Head Folk Festival, enjoying the musical stylings of local artists. That night we treated ourselves to “lodging” at the Caribou.

Bright and early the next morning, we caught the first ferry back to the “mainland”, so as to have a full day in Gros Morne National Park (soooo worth it). In the park, we went on three hikes with diverse scenery: the Tablelands (interesting mountains and a stream), Berry Hill (a bog), and Western Brook Pond (the highlight of the day, through swampland and a fjord).  We camped for the night in Shallow Bay campground in the northern tip of the park, in the city of Cow Head.

The next day, we walked along the Shallow Bay beach collecting sea glass, and trampled on dunes that we only later discovered we were not meant to walk on (let’s hope the grass survived). From there, we made our way to Port-aux-Choix where we learned about the different waves of First Nations settlers in the region. There, archaeologists have discovered an aboriginal burial ground dating back about 4000 years.

We went from Aboriginals to Vikings in L’Anse-aux-Meadows (pronounced lance-ee-meadows). This was the site of a Norse village that existed for 5-10 years in the year 1000 CE. We saw a replica of a typical Norse dwelling, as well as the excavation site. On our drive there, we got our first (but not last) view of icebergs. The most impressive icebergs are found in St. Anthony – our next stop. We spent some time appreciating this natural phenomenon before rushing to catch our ferry to Labrador.

We spent the next three days driving on the brand new highway (really a gravel road) through Labrador and Northern Quebec to Montreal. And with that, we come to the end of our cross-country adventures. We made it 62 days and 28,545 kilometers, and our only battle scars were a few chips in the windshield and a shattered back seat window.

Canada's Ocean Playground

Good morning, Vietnam

When we last left you off, we had just arrived in Nova Scotia. On the morning of August 4th, our first stop was Grand Pré where we learned all about Acadian history. We went to a national historic site that explained the history of the Acadians as well as their exile due to their insistence to remain neutral and not take an unconditional oath to the king of England. This was also the site the Acadians received the news that they were to be exiled.  There, we also learned why the Acadians were such successful farmers in the area. They were able to construct dykes which controlled the tidal currents in twit favour. 

From there, we drove to Digby, a small fishing community. Although it was too cloudy to drive to a lookout, we walked around the quaint town and did some souvenir shopping. We then set off for Lunenberg where we walked along the water at sunset and observed some of the 'unique' architecture of which Nova Scotians 
take great pride in it being a world heritage site. They just looked like houses. We had a slight hiccup on the way home, and forgot where the campsite we had left our tent at was. No worries, iPhone to the rescue. 

The next day, we went back to Lunenberg to see the restoration  efforts on the Bluenose II. That's right, the second version of the boat on the dime. They are rebuilding the hull of the boat and expect it to take passengers again as early as next year. 

Next, we drove to Peggy's Cove. On the way there, we stopped at Accadian Maple Products to sample some syrup and get free delicious maple coffee and fudge. Although Hailey doesn't partake in maple, coffee, or fudge, she satisfied her taste buds by buying two litres of blueberry juice. In Peggy's Cove we saw a historic lighthouse situated on a bed of really cool rocks. We spent lots of time exploring the beautiful views of the rocks and the water. 

From there, we went on to Halifax! There, we checked out the Busker Fest and explored downtown. 

The next day, we spent more time in Halifax and made our way down to the local farmer's market. Definitely the most popular one we've seen all trip. It was so busy, we had to go find another, more quiet one. We also walked down to Pier 21, Canada's Ellis Island, and read about the waves of immigrants that entered into Canada. After, we made our way to lunch at the Wooden Monkey, an organic restaurant. Delicious. Before heading out of Halifax to see more tidal phenomena, we checked out the Busker Fest once more, but alas, the crowds were too large. 

We then drove to Truro to see the tidal bore, which is not boring at all. Due to the narrow waterway leading into Truro, the high tide rushes in all at once like a wave. We watched the entire area fill with water in under 15 minutes. It was truly an amazing sight. We camped for the night in Glenholme. 

The next day we set to conquer the famous Cabot Trail. We drove for a while appreciating the scenery. We then tackled Middle Head hike in the hope of seeing whales from shore. Although the day was too rough to see any, we enjoyed the hike which provided views of the ocean, beaches, and birds. We spent the rest of the day continuing along the trail stopping for a few hikes, a pretty waterfall, and Cabot Landing Provincial Park - the site at which it is believed that John Cabot landed for the first time in North America. We camped for the night in the national park along the trail. 

The next morning we continued on the Cabot Trail, but unfortunately it was too rainy to do any hikes. Instead, we headed to Judique to attend a Ceilidh, also known as a kitchen party. There, we took in traditional fiddle music while enjoying a delicious meal. 

From there, we headed to our next rainy day activity which was a mining museum in Grace Cove. There, we learned about coal mining and visited a real mine. Our tour guide actually worked in the mine and gave us a real insight into how daily life was in the mine. He also shared great anecdotes of his experiences. 

Then, it was off to the ferry to Newfoundland! See you in the next province.

Tal , Val, and Hailey

Land of Green Gables

Shalom and peace unto all!

When we last left you off, it was July 30th. On the 31st we drove over a really really long bridge (also known as the confederation bridge, the world's largest over ice-covered waters) into Prince Edward Island. We first stopped at the info centre where Valerie was the only one cool enough to dress up like Anne of Green Gables and have her picture taken. We also saw a large statue of Anne. Next we went to O'Leary where we saw the world's largest potato (also a statue). 

Next, we went to North Cape where we saw lots of windmills in the only wind research centre in Canada. At low tide, we were able to walk out to a rock reef and got to take in the red dirt that characterizes PEI. Next we went to Skinner's Pond, the birthplace of Stompin' Tom. In Miminegash, we made up for our lack of courage in St. John, we shared a seaweed pie (which was not really a pie and contained only seaweed extract). 

We then went to West Point where we went to Cedar Dunes provincial park. There we saw the only lighthouse that is also a hotel, and soaked up some sun at the beach. From there, we headed to Cap Egmont where we saw various buildings made almost entirely out of old alcohol bottles. We enjoyed a delicious meal at ship to shore restaurant, a place with the most bizarre sense of humour we have ever seen. We then set off to Charlottetown to meet our hostess for the next 3 days, Tracy. 

The next morning, headed out to Orwell to see us some old buildings. We saw some of the oldest buildings on PEI including a church, a town hall, a general store, and a functioning farm where Valerie made friends with a goat. Then, we journeyed on to high bank and PEI's oldest, and until recently only, winery. Their most popular product is blueberry wine. Mmmmm delicious. 

From there, we went to Buffaloland provincial park in an attempt to see buffalo. We saw none. We then took odd for Panmore Island (and yet another lighthouse) where the most interesting thing about the island is the causeway there. This manmade structure has collected sand dunes alongside it and is now a provincially protected 'natural' area. 

We then went to another one of PEI's many beaches, Basin Head. This beach is known for its 'singing' sand. Because of its high silica content, the sand squeaks when stepped on. There was also a really cool tidal effect where swimmers could jump off a bridge at low tide and the cutter would wash them out to sea. We wished we had brought our bathing suits. 

We then drove to East Point where we saw the convergence of three different bodies of water - the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Northumberland Straight, and the Atlantic Ocean. We then enjoyed an awesome seafood dinner featuring a 60-foot buffet. Yum. 

The next day was Anne of Green Gables day. We first walked around Charlottetown shopping at Peake's Quay as well as along Queen street. Before leaving the city, we visited Province House, the provincial legislature. 

After that, we headed to Cavendish, the hometown of L.M. Montgomery. There, we saw the farm on which Green Gables was based and took a walk through the 'Haunted Woods' to the foundation of Montgomery's childhood home. From Cavendish, we headed to Summerside where we saw the musical 'Anne and Gilbert' which tells the tale of Anne all grown up and in love. It was very entertaining. 

The next morning, before drivin over a really really long bridge yet again, we stopped in Victoria by the Sea to indulge in gourmet Belgian chocolates. We also visited a glass studio. We then crossed the border in Nova Scotia. Before camping for the night in Canning, we visited the world's largest blueberry in Oxford!

More from Nova Scotia coming soon

Tal, Val, and Hailey

Be...In This Place

Greetings from New Brunswick!

We left you off in Miramichi (where we tied up to a tree). The morning of July 28th was a beautiful one. We learned about Miramichian history while walking along the water. We then drove out to middle island, a beautiful place with a dark past. It was here where they quarantined the Irish immigrants escaping the potato famine. Many arrived on cramped boats where they caught scarlet fever. 

From there, we drove to Fredericton. There, we went to the Garrison district where we saw a former barracks that is now a crafts market. We also walked by the legislature, as well as along a boardwalk where we saw our first (of many) Maritime lighthouse. Later, we took in an awesome amateur play at the guardhouse near the old barracks and indulged in some lemonade. We then headed to a park where we saw the changing of the guards and listened to part of the performance of a Celtic fiddler. We then had dinner at a pub where Hailey experienced maritime shimp for the first (of many) time. Her facial expression was unforgettable. 

The next morning we headed to St. John where we saw the reversing rapids. This is a phenomenon that occurs at low and high tide. It's a slow phenomenon. We then went to a farmer's market where we were too chicken to sample dulse (a type of edible seaweed) despite claims it was actually good. 

From there, we went to Fundy national park where we first went to Point Wolf and walked along the ocean floor!!! The tide was super low, so we were able to walk out over 300 meters. From there, we visited Alma beach to view more spectacularly low tides. There, we could see fishing boats that were beached in a harbour. It was cool. 

Next, we headed to Hopewell Rocks where we saw flowerpot rocks. Durning high tide, only the tops of them are visible, but at low tide, you can walk out to the very base of them. Because of the tidal movements, the rocks are molded into beautiful and unique shapes. 

Wildlife count for the day was one vulture. 

On July 30th, we woke up to rain and decided to head straight to Moncton where we kept on getting mistaken for U2 fans. We went on a scavenger hunt in a chocolate/soap/maple factory collecting free samples. We then went to magnetic hill. Valerie and Talia both took turns putting te car in neutral and "driving" it up hill - steering while magnetic pull did the rest. It was really cool. We then partook in our save-it-for -a-rainy-day activity of seeing the final installment of Harry Potter and doing some shopping. 

Next, we went to Shediac where we saw the world's largest lobster (sculpture). We ended the day in Murray Beach provincial park. 

This ends our New Brunswick installment. Catch you later!

Tal, Val, and Hailey

La Belle Province

Greetings loyal blog followers!

We left you off at the end of our first leg of the trip as we took a rest stop in Montreal. We left the city on July 24th on our way to Quebec City. We enjoyed a pleasant afternoon there starting off with a picnic lunch at the port. We then strolled through the old city viewing the citadel and walking along the promenade. From there, we drove around the picturesque Ile D'orleans in search of a beautiful view of the Montmorencie Falls which we found after a few short detours. We then drove up the north shore and ended up in Baie Sainte Catherine (which is in a fjord!) for the night. 

The next day we got up bright and early to see us some whales. We boarded the zodiac (small yellow inflatable boat that didn't have enough seats for Talia) and ventured out into the estuary (where salt water and fresh water meet). We saw tons of seals, minke whales, long-finned whales, the smallest whales in the world (we deem them dwarf sperm whales because our guide didn't know the name in English), and a sleeping humpback whale. Due to some misunderstanding about the schedules ferry times to get over to the south shore, we ended up driving back through Quebec in order to cross the St. Lawrence. This pleased Hailey as she got to visit the copper museum she was dying to see. On the south shore, we made it up to Rimouski where we stayed on a rather steep campground. 

The next day, we went to cap chat where we saw a rock shaped like a cat (if you squinted and used your imagination really hard) as well as a rose garden. We then drove to the Gaspé Peninsula which was a breathtaking drive along the water and provided amazing views of beaches, cliffs, and tall churches. We then reached Forillon Park where we first visited L'Anse-Aux-Sauvage. We walked down to the beach and skipped some stones while taking in the stunning view. We then went to the southern section of the park where we saw Grand Grève. We then headed to Percé where we were hosted by Talia's neighbours who also have a house there. 

On July 27th, we spent the morning in Percé where of course we saw the rock from all angles. We walked on the boardwalk along the water and enjoyed some authentic Québécois pastries and a real café au lait. We then headed to Miguasha Park where we saw a museum about fossils found in the area. These fossils represent the transition from water to land vertebrates. We also got to walk along the beach where archeologists work tirelessly throughout the summer uncovering more fossilized sea creatures and plants. They also have a large collection of 3D fossils which are quite rare as the animals often get squished before they are fossilized. From there, we drove on to New Brunswick! There we stayed in the Miramichi campground. 

See you in the maritimes!
Tal, Val, and Hailey

There's a Crowd!!!

Greetings!

When we last left you off we were in Toronto where we spent two days. There, we welcomed the third member of our adventure, Hailey.  The highlights included a beautiful hike along the Scarborough Bluffs, a stroll through the distillery district, and some shopping in both Kensington market and Queen street west. 

On July 20th, we headed north from Totonto to Algonquin Provincial Park to spend 2 nights at Hailey's cabin. The cabin was so isolated that it was only accessible by boat and had no electricity. That evening we canoed to the Arowhon Pines and went for a refreshing dip in the lake. The next day, we had a visit from Jen who was on her day off from working at the camp nearby. We took the motor boat back to land to go on a hike on lookout trail which provided some very beautiful views. Before heading back to the cabin, we treated ourselves to ice cream at the portage store. When we got to the boat; however, we discover an unhappy surprise. The motor had died on us. After an hour of innovative solutions (you guessed it, none of them worked), we were rescued by Leon who gave us a tow to the cabin. He was nice enough to toe us back to the car the next morning so we could make it back to Montreal. There, we took a much needed break and settled into our own beds for two nights. 

Until next time!
Tal, Val, and Hailey

4 Great Lakes, 3 Provinces, 2 Good Friends, 1 Hell of a Time

Hi all!

When we last left you off, we were still in Alberta. From Medicine Hat, we made our way to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan! The town is accurately named considering there is a giant moose in the middle of it, claimed to be the world's largest. We ended off in Regina for the night. We. Spent some time walking around Wescana park where there was a festival with music, wake-boarding contests, and a motocross. We walked along the river that runs through the city and soaked in the beauty of it all. We also saw the gorgeous legislature building in the background  It was almost hard to believe we were in the prairies. 

The next day, we were lucky enough to get a private tour of depot, the RCMP training facility. It has been in this location since the formation of the North West Mounted Police that were commissioned to protect the west from American invaders and other villains. It was placed in Regina because it was the capital of the North West Territories at the time. Nearby at Fort Dufferin is where the Mounties began their famous trek west. We also visited the Heritage Centre at Depot where we learned about the past and present work of the RCMP. We  got to watch the noon parade (which wasn't actually at noon) where we saw the Mounties in training strut their stuff for the onlookers. We saw a band as well as many different marching formations. 

From Regina, it was on to Fort Qu'apelle where we saw a monument commemorating a treaty that was signed there between Canada and multiple first nations groups. We then entered Manitoba! We camped for the night in Neepawa. 

The next day, we attempted to go to Spruce Woods provincial park where there are sand dunes, quicksand, and rainforest. Unfortunately, due to flooding in southern Manitoba, we were not able to reach our destination (not due to a lack of trying). 

In the afternoon, we arrived in Winnipeg. Since it was such a beautiful day, we spent some time in the Forks district. Now a trendy market, this area used to have great importance as it is the meeting place of the Red River and the Assinibione. We did a walking tour of the area which led us across a bridge to Saint Boniface, an old French district of the city. Unfortunately, we weren't able to walk along the river because the path was completed submerged under water. 

In Saint Boniface, we learned about French culture in Manitoba. We visited the grave of Louis Riel and also saw a monument recognizing French Western Canadians who died in the world wars. We stopped by the childhood house of Gabrielle Roy, a famous French writer whose books have won numerous awards (some of which are based in Montreal). 

At the end of the day we walked through the legislature building - the nicest one yet. There were many statues including a gold plated boy on the roof and a huge bison in the entryway. 

The next day, we made our way out of Winnipeg after a quick visit to the Jewish Heritage Museum of Western Canada (which turned out to be just a hallway in the JCC). Next, we took a tour of the Royal Canadian Mint where we learned how coins are made. Did you know that the penny actually costs more than it is worth? It costs the mint 1.5 cents to make each one. Also, they keep having to make more because mist pennies put into circulation simply disappear (under your couch cushions perhaps). We also saw the Olympic and Paralympic medals and lifted a 500,000 dollar gold bar. 

We then made our way to Grand Beach for an afternoon in the sun. It was a nice, relaxing day that provided a much needed break. That night we made it to West Hawk Lake which was right on the border of Ontario. The sunset was spectacular overlooking the lake. Wildlife sighting for that day was one white-tailed deer right outside our tent!

The next day we did a lot of driving. We stopped for the day in Thunder Bay, Ontario. There, we saw a Terry Fox memorial. It was just nearby where he stopped his marathon of hope. The statue point in the westward direction so as to keep his quest alive. We also went to the Mount McKay lookout where we could see the entire city. 

The next day we made our way to Sault Ste. Marie. Our first stop was to sleeping giant provincial park. Te highlight of the park was an island that looked like a giant sleeping on his back. We then took a trip to an amethyst mine where we learned about how the rock is formed and removed. We even got to try our own hand at amethyst "mining" and were quite successful. 

That afternoon, we made a quick stop in Wawa to pose in front of the world's largest Canada Goose. It was mighty big. We then stopped for the night in the Sault. Wildlife sighting for the day was 5 deer including a stag! (the first one of the trip)

In Sault Ste. Marie, we checked out some famous locks (we didn't really see what the fuss was all about). After an unexpected delay due to a parade, we headed to Sudbury to see the world's largest nickel! We then set off to Parry Sound to visit the Bobby Orr hall of fame. Although it was closed, we saw some interesting artifacts in the gift shop including the infamous goal (and the matching bobble-Bobby). We camped for the night in Midland. 

When we woke up the next morning we went to the Heron museum.   There, they had artifacts of the Heron tribe as well as a replica of a fort where they lived. It was interesting to see the difference in technology between the Western Aboriginal tribes. The Heron were more sedentary due to a greater reliance on farming as opposed to hunting. We also saw the use of tools with obvious influence from European settlers and fur traders. 

The next stop was Owen Sound, the hometown of artist Tom Thompson. In the museum bearing his name, we learned about his life and mysterious death. We also got to see some original small paintings completed while camping in Algonquin Park. 

In our next stop, Clinton, we saw an old railcar which had been turned into a museum. This railcar is special because until the 1950s, it had been used as a traveling schoolhouse for isolated communities in Northern Ontario. The teacher lived there for the entire school year. They lived in the back of the car while the school was in the front. They would stop in each community with at least 6 children for a week every month (leaving behind a month's worth of homework of course). We got to tour the school as well as the living quarters that had been restored after the car was out of use and abandoned. What is interesting is that this museum only exists because of the efforts made by teacher's daughter to preserve her childhood home. 

After seeing North America's largest water wheel in New Hamburg, we made our last stop in Niagara Falls (after getting a glimpse of lake Erie of course). There, we did the Journey behind the Falls where we got some great views of the rushing water and learned about how erosion makes the falls move position. We saw the falls lit up at night and took in a fireworks show above them. We made it to Toronto that night spending it with Talia's sister Ilana. 

8 Parks and a Stampede

Hello!

When we last left you off, we were in Canmore, Alberta. After driving through Banff going east, we went back through toward BC. Our first stop was the Cascades of Time gardens in the city. Despite the fact they weren't fully realized as a result of the Depression, they were beautiful. We then took the scenic route from Banff to Lake Louise. On the way we stopped for a few hikes and scenic views. One of which was Johnston Canyon, a waterfall in the park. You could practically walk right up to it. 

Then we went to see Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, two gorgeous glacier-fed lakes in the park. Despite the mass of fourth of July tourists, we managed to find a secluded place to eat our picnic lunch and take in the view. 

We then headed back into BC through Yoho National Park. There we saw an even more impressive waterfall, Takakaw Falls, one of the biggest in Canada. We also saw a natural bridge made out of rock that was formed by the current running through. Waterways in these parks are constantly changing due to running water eroding the limestone. Eventually, this bridge will disappear. 

In Field, the town in the park, we discovered that Yoho was home to the Burgess Shale, something Valerie had been searching for since the beginning of the trip. This prehistoric stream was crushed by mudslide millions of years ago, which fossilized thousands of extinct marine creatures. 

We camped for the night in Martha Creek provincial park right outside Revelstoke. Wildlife count for the day was one caribou near the gas station in Banff. 

The next day we visited Revelstoke, Glacier, and Kootenay National Parks. In Revelstoke, we drove the meadows in the sky parkway. We were only able to drive the first half due to snow, but we still saw some amazing views of the rocky mountains. We then took a walk in an old growth cedar forest. This forest is the most inland temperate rainforest in the world. Usually, they are closer to oceans, but because of  BC's unique climate, this forest was able to prosper. The trees were really really tall. 

In Glacier, we took a hike along an old train track used in the early days of the Canadian Pacific Railway. On the trail, we learned how this portion was abandoned due to the extreme mortality rate of railroad employees due to avalanches. The trail ended at Roger's Pass Summit where there is a memorial to the over 200 people who perished. 

We dipped into Kootenay to see the spectacular entry way into the park. The road passes directly through a red canyon with cliffs towering over us on either side. We ended our day by visiting the wolrd's biggest truck in Saprwood, BC. It was huuuuuge! 

We camped for the night in Pincher Creek, AB. Wildlife count was 3 ground squirrels, 4 antelope, 1 coyote, and 1 deer. It really is amazing how the animals come out right after all the tourists go back home. 

On July 6th, we headed out to Waterton Lakes National Park. This park is special because it lies on an ecotone, a transition area between two different ecosystems. in this case, the prairies and the Rockies. This park also has the deepest lake in the Rockies. Overlooking that lake was the stunning Prince of Whales hotel which provided some great views. Since Waterton Lakes borders another park in the US, they cooperate together. They are the only park of this type and have been declared the world heritage sight. We also saw the first oil well in Western Canada. Although it wasn't that successful, it paved the way for further oil explorations in the area. We also took a walk along Cameron lake and the Red Rock canyon. They were both beautiful.

From Waterton, we drove to Writing on Stone provincial park. This area contains many Aboriginal petroglyphs. We took a walk to one that described a battle scene. Since we were in southern Alberta, we got our first glimpse of the Canadian Badlands. 

We stopped for the night at a municipal campsite in Coalhurst right outside the city of Lethbridge. We saw one deer that day in the city of Waterton. 

The next day we set out for Calgary! On our way, we stopped in Head-Smashed-In to see a Buffalo Jump. This was an old Aboriginal practice of hunting buffalo. They would run herds off a steep cliff so the animals would plummet to their deaths. This was a very complicated method. We learned about it as well as other aspects of Blackfoot culture in the museum there. 

Upon arriving in Calgary, we went to the Chinese Cultural Centre and Museum. There, we saw life-size replicas of terra-cotta warriors and art from the many Chinese dynasties, including a magnificent image of a pair of tigers made entirely out of feathers. 

After dinner, we enjoyed Petr's Drive-In's famous milkshakes. De-licious. 

The next day was the Stampede! we headed downtown early in the morning to watch the parade (and get a glimpse of the duke and duchess, of course). We, along with over 100,000 other people, enjoyed several hours of floats, bands, and dancers. After exploring downtown a bit, and doing some cowgirl shopping, we headed over to the stampede grounds. There, we enjoyed a figure skating performance including Vaughn Chippeur, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. We also saw an incredible high diving performance (one of the boards was 80 feet in the air!). Before going to see the chuck wagon race, we spent some time touring the rest of the grounds and soaking in the festive atmosphere. After the race, we watched a spectacular Grand Stand Show involving acrobatics, fireworks, singing, dancing, comedy, and an amazing trampoline act. The Stampede  motto "the greatest outdoors show on earth" was no exaggeration. 

Thank you to Duncan for hosting us, and to Melissa for the great suggestions. 

The next day was DINOSAURS!!  We started off at the Royal Tyrrell Museum where we took in the amazing displays of dinosaur bones, replicas and footprints, and other fossils. We also learned about the challenge of finding and extracting fossils. From there, we went to Dinosaur Provincial Park,  where many of the fossils on display at the Royal Tyrrell had been found. Over 35 different species of dinisaur fossils have been found there, the most of anywhere in the world. We went on a hike and saw a fossil bed (ie a mass death site containing hundreds of bones per square meter) and a half-excavated dinosaur. 

We then set out for Medicine Hat, our final destination for the day, and the site of the world's largest tipi (over 20 stories high).

See you next time,
Tal and Val

Wild Rose Country

Greetings from Alberta!

We have finally entered the third province/territory of our journey. But before we tell you about that, here's how we got here. 

We left off in Teslin, YT, our last full day in the Yukon. The next day, before heading out to BC, we visited the George Johnston museum where we learned about the first car in Teslin and the photographer who owned it. George was a member of the Tlingit tribe, and captured much of their lifestyle with his camera. Since there were no roads yet in Teslin, George and some friends built one. In order to earn money to hire workers to maintain the road, he gave taxi rides to his tribe members. This road actually became part of the Alaska highway built during WWII. In the winter time, he drove along the ice and used his car to hunt. He painted it white in order to camouflage it. 

Next we visited the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre where we got to look at some beautiful Tlingit artwork including masks, moccasins, and purses. We also got to try Bannok--a traditional bread-like treat. 

Our last stop in the Yukon was Watson Lake. There, we visited the signpost forest. It began because a soldier building the Alaska highway was homesick, so he decided to put up a sign with the mileage to his home town. Other soldiers began copying him and the forest grew to what it is over 70,000 signs. 

Our first stop back in BC was the Liard hotsprings, which are pretty self-explanatory. They were very beautiful and relaxing. We camped for the night in Toad River. Wildlife count: unknown. We saw 4 black bears, and a whole bunch of bison including 3 herds (and their babies!!!). 

The next day we mostly just drove all the way to Valleyview, AB. On the way we passed through Beaverlodge and saw the world's largest beaver (don't get too excited, it was a statue...). Wildlife sightings included waking up to a moose in the lake at Toad River. On the drive we saw 4 bighorn sheep, 1 black bear, and 1 baby moose. That night we also saw a doe near our campsite. 

The day we finally arrived in Edmonton. First stop was the Royal Alberta Museum where we saw lots if cool displays of animals extant and extinct (including dinosaurs!!!). We also saw tons of geodes and other precious stones (bling bling in layman's terms). Our next stop of course was the West Edmonton Mall. It was a really really big mall. And no. We didn't get you anything. 

The next day was Canada Day! (or Dominion Day as we spent it). We spent the day traveling back through time and visiting 4 different eras of Edmonton's past. We went to the 1920s, 1905, 1880, and the 19th century when the city was used as a fort for the fur trade. An interesting fact about the 1905 era was that the town grew so quickly, a tent city was developed. New residents could live in a tent for up to two years while they waited for their house to be built. Before you feel too bad for them, they weren't living in a tent like ours. Some had oil paintings and grand pianos. 

We spent the evening with a quiet, delicious dinner. And what better end to a perfect Canada day than fireworks!!! 

Thanks to Brett for being such a great Edmonton host!  

On our way out of Edmonton on Saturday morning, we stopped by the farmers' market in an effort to stock up on some fruit. Despite being unsuccessful (apparently they don't grow fruit in Edmonton), we did have some delicious free samples. 

From there we headed off to Jasper National Park. We took a scenic drive to Maligne lake where we had a picnic lunch. We also went on a walk to Moose lake in hopes of finally seeing a moose with antlers (so far all the ones we've seen have either been calves or females). But alas, no such luck. 

From there, we ventured back into BC in order to see the highest peak in the Rockies in Robson Provincial Park. We then set up camp for the night in Valleyview, BC. 

Wildlife count that day: two herds of bighorn sheep and a ptarmigan. 

Sunday, we returned to Jasper. Despite waking up to find it pouring on us (hey, what can you do? It is BC after all...), we decided to start our day with a ride up to the peak of the Whistlers mountain--not to be confused with actual Whistler. Despite it still be cloudy when we got to the top, we hiked to the summit and had a nearly 360 degree view of the Rockies and the town of Jasper in the valley below. 

We then drove down the Icefields Parkway towards Banff. The drive provided gorgeous views along its entirety, but the highlights were Athabasca falls and Athabasca glacier. The glacier was very cool (haha get it??!). It has been receding for the past 150 years, and its waters feed into the many glacial lakes of Banff and Jasper. Which means that mere hours before we gaze upon the water in these lakes and rivers, it had been ice since the most recent Ice Age (over 10,000 years ago... Imagine the freezer burn...). 

As we entered Banff National Park, the weather began to clear. Our first stop was Mistaya Canyon,  where we saw giant potholes that had been carved in the limestone by the water's current. We continued our drive south and camped for the night in Canmore, AB. 

The wildlife count for Sunday was: two caribou, one black bear, and a weasel. 

Larger Than Life/Plus Grand Que la Nature...adventures in the Yukon

Hello again!

Although we haven't posted in a while, we are writing to you from the exact same spot as last time - Teslin, YT. After making our way around all of the Yukon, we return here on our last night before heading to Edmonton through BC. 

In Teslin, the only thing worth seeing is the natural history exhibit containing dioramas of species found in the Yukon. Fortunately, it was right in our campground. Then we set off for Carcross, short for its original name, Cariboo Crossing. This was a midpoint on the railroad bringing gold prospectors from Skawgay to Whitehorse. Its breathtaking lakeshore was also the spot where prospectors sailed out toward Dawson City before the railroad. 

Right outside the city, we visited the Carcross Desert, the world's smallest. It was odd to see sand dunes surrounded by snow-capped mountains. From there, we went on to Carcross trading post where we attempted a hike which proved too steep. Instead, we made friends with Crazy, the dog who tried to lead us up the mountain while  playing fetch with tree branches (or shall we say small trees). 

On our way up to our destination of Mayo, we passed by the five finger rapids, one of the most difficult to traverse. It too was part of the boat passage to Dawson. When we reached Mayo, we got in touch with Matt, who luckily became our local tour guide for the remainder of our stay in Yukon (thanks Rafi!). 

Wildlife count for that day was only one bear. 

The next day, June 21st, also known as the summer solstice, we set out for Dawson City on a mission to see the midnight sun. On our way, we visited Keno, a small silver mining town. We toured their mining museum as well as saw a house insulated with glass bottles (interesting concept...). We also drive to the top of Keno hill (or shall we say mountain) to see a signpost that indicated the distance to various international cities (including Haifa!). 

Just to give our readers a sense of the size of these mining "towns," on a walk along the lakeside in Mayo, a group of locals after hearing we were visiting from Montreal asked in a surprised tone why we had come there. 

Dawson City proved to be slightly larger. Our first night there all we really did was drive up to the Dome to watch the midnight sun. Despite the light rain, it was still really cool to see the sun not set. 

Wildlife count for that day was a golden eagle in Keno, a red fox and porcupine on the road. 

The next day we toured Dawson and visited the city museum. In the afternoon we set out on the Dempster highway. Heading North, we saw lots of tundra (which is springy to step on), crossed into the Arctic Circle, and said "hello" to the Northwest Territories. We camped that night on the Dempster. We were so far north that the sun didn't even bother trying to set. When we went to sleep at 2AM, it was as bright as 2PM. Needless to say, our internal clocks are very confused. Wildlife count for the day was a bald eagle, a black bear, and a rabbit. 

On the 23rd, we took the Dempster back into Dawson. On the way, we stopped in Tombstone Territorial Park. Unfortunately, it was too rainy for a hike, but we learned all about the animals in the tundra environment. An Valerie learned to tell the difference between a white spruce and a black spruce. She uses this knowledge daily. On the road we saw our first marmot!

Back in Dawson City, we had dinner and a show in Canada's oldest casino, Diamond Tooth Gertie's. We also witnessed a timeless Dawson City tradition, the Sourtoe Cocktail. Apparently, it seems that for some people the logical thing to do upon finding a pickled toe is to put it in a whisky glass and take a shot (not swallowing the toe but merely touching it to your lips). Don't worry, we weren't daring enough to try it ourselves. 

The next day, we drove to Whitehorse. Before leaving, we took a short scenic drive on the top of the world highway which goes into Alaska. The road was built along the ridge of a tall mountain. We saw amazing views of mountains from above. We also stopped in Braeburn for the largest cinnamon bun you have ever seen. It also made a good breakfast the next day. 

Finally arriving in Whitehorse that evening, we were excited to finally be back in a real town. It had two Tim Horton's! (the only two in all of Yukon). We celebrated in a "busy" bar called Tippler's. Wildlife viewings for the day were a black bear, a ground squirrel, and a coyote. 

After sleeping in the next day due to sun-lag, we spent lots of time in the Beringia Centre where we learned about animals of the ice age including Mammoths, and Scimitar Cats. We also learned how people got to North America by following them across the Bering Strait. 

From there, we went to the train museum for a ride in an old mine train. This also happened to be the starting point for a 24 hour mountain bike marathon. 

We enjoyed an appetizing meal at Timmy's and then went on a hike along the water. We saw Canada's largest fish ladder as well as an abandoned town. 

On June 26th, we went on a day trip to Kluane National Park. The park was larger than we imagined, and so required more driving and less hiking than we had hoped, but we still managed to fit in 2 nice hikes (well, one and a half...). The first was on an old sheep trail and had gorgeous views of the river and surrounding snow-capped mountains. The second gave us a view of rock glacier, a rock face shaped by a melting glacier (as you may have been able to deduce by the name). Definitely worth all the driving (especially since it was sunny and beautiful). That night we stayed back in Whitehorse with a friend of Matt that we had met the day before at the bike marathon. 

Today, we finally got a chance to be typical tourists in Whitehorse. We spent the morning souvenir shopping. We also toured the S.S. Klondike, the largest sternwheeler to have crossed from Whitehorse to Dawson City in the 1930s. It was able to sail in less than 2 meters of water even when fully loaded with ore from the mines. 

In the afternoon, we set off for Skagway, Alaska, our first (and hopefully last) time crossing the US border. The drive over was spectacular, definitely the best scenery we have seen so far. The view of the clear glacial lakes in front of snow-capped mountains was phenomenal. In the city, we toured the Dyea village, a town built up and torn down in the span of a century. Now, there is hardly a trace of anything at all. The only remaining structure, a false front of a real estate office, only remains because it is being heavily supported by beams. The town grew quickly because of the gold rush. It was the start of the Chilcoot trail which took prospectors over a nearly vertical incline to Bennett Lake, YT. The boom of the town lasted only three years because of competition with neighbouring Skagway. They won the railroad, so Dyea fell. It was incredible to hear about how much the town grew in such a short amount of time, only to fall even faster. 

We could not end our short trip to Alaska without visiting the Sarah Palin store. The funniest part about it was the Obama store next door which was not open for business. We also sampled some local spruce-tip beer which was excellent! (and has a day's supply of vitamin C - the beer was originally brewed to help prevent scurvy among the travelers.

Wildlife count for the day was one bald eagle and one fuzzy porcupine!

Now we have circled back to Teslin and will be making our way down to Edmonton. This brings to a close our Yukon chapter of the trip

Beautiful British Columbia

So I hate to disappoint you all but since Valerie's cold refuses to go away, we have called off the trip...

...just kidding! Here's what we've been up to for the past three days. 

We started off by dipping our toes in the Pacific Ocean along the sea to sky highway in West Vancouver. We then set off to visit Bridal Falls, the sixth largest waterfall in Canada. Needless to say, it was spectacular. Next, we visited Historic Hat Creek Ranch, a roadhouse built from the gold rush era. Since the roadhouse was built before the road, either the owner had ESP, or we have a few things to learn from him about getting his way.  These roadhouses were constructed about every 12 to 14 miles along the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail so that the horses could have a break. After taking a short ride in a stagecoach, we think the people probably needed a break too. The road was so bumpy that dishes needed to be packed in molasses just to get there in one piece. 

On the Gold Rush Trail, we also witnessed our first of many wildlife sightings! This one was a doe that crossed right in front of the car ahead of us. Don't worry, moms, we stopped with plenty of time...

After getting a little lost in Quesnel, we finally set up camp at 10 mile lake provincial park. 

We woke up day two to find our shoes soaked outside the tent from the rain that had started early in the morning. After quickly packing up in our raingear, we headed to Prince George. After an attempt to buy produce at the 'farmers' market (which turned out to be a little disappointing at a dollar a tomato), we set off toward Houston. 

Along the way, we drove through Vanderhoof, the geographical center of BC. And that's about the best thing that town had going for it ( no offense to any Vanderhoovians that might be reading this). In Houston, we had lunch in the shadow of the world's largest fly fishing pole. 

On our way out, we passed though Smithers, the hometown of Dan Hamhuis. The locals are very proud (and the abundance of Go Cancuks Go signs made us slightly concerned that news takes a while to get there. More surprisingly, Prince George had no mention of it being the hometown of Zdeno Chara. Hmmmm...

Moricetown was the next stop. There, we walked down to the water in hopes of seeing some salmon fighting their way upstream (we thought it would be cool to see a fish climb a ladder haha). But alas, we got there too soon and it seems that tours only start later in the summer. 

We drove to Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park through Terrace. It was by far the highlight of the trip so far. Years ago, a volcano erupted over the area covering it completely with lava covering hundreds of square kilometers. We went on two hikes through the park appreciating the rocky terrain which apparently resembles the surface of the moon. Our GPS discovered a short cut to the 37 highway which heads up to the Yukon. Unfortunately, the 60km road took us an hour and a half to drive since it is an unpaved logging route. Although our map warned us of this, we decided to go on an adventure. And it was worth it because we saw two black bears and a grouse!

Earlier that day, we also had our first encounter with a moose that was smart enough to look both ways before crossing the road. We also witnesses a little duck family crossing the road single file. 

Since there really isn't anything but spectacular scenery to see between Meziadin Lake, where we had camped for the night, and the Yukon Territory, day 3 didn't have much besides driving. We stopped at Dease Lake to fill up gas and have lunch. As we exited the city, Valerie saw a fox by the side of the road and pulled over to get a better view. Turns out the fox wanted to do the same. As soon as it saw us slow down, it started following our car wondering what species this big red thing belonged to. We saw two more black bears as well along the way. 

We then reached the Yukon border! Of course we had to stop and take a picture. Another group was doing the same thing. Coincidentally, they too are trying to reach Dawson City for the 21st. 

Being in our first territory is really exciting. We camped at Teslin the first night, our first sight with toilets and showers!! There's lots to see in The Yukon, so expect there to be more activities in our next blog. 

More to come!
Tal and Val

Intro

Hello friends and family of Tal and Val (and any other interested readers)!

As you must know by now, we are traveling across Canada starting June 17th. We will be starting in Vancouver, BC, heading up to Dawson City, Yukon, down to Calgary, and then across to Newfoundland!

For those of you who are interested in reading about our adventures and misadventures on this sure-to-be-eventful road-trip, you can follow our blog. More to come later, but for now, we pretty much have little to say.