October 2022 - Operation Relocation: West 2 East Coast, Canada

Day 18: Today’s the day, West Coast meets East Coast…

October 8th, 2022. Today’s the day!

We woke up today refreshed and ready for the days travels. It’s a bit of a jaunt, being just over 7 hours and a time change ahead as well. But we all know we will be getting into our temporary home tonight!

We hit up some McDonalds for the road and got to it. The day was glorious. Not only because we would finally arrive at our road trip destination, but because it was absolutely gorgeous. The sun was shining, the skies were blue and the energy in the car was restored. Although the temperature outside was cold, only 4 degrees celsius, our coldest morning yet. After 1 hour of driving, we were already in New Brunswick! Woohoo our 1st Maritime Province!

Though we would only be driving through New Brunswick today, we took note of the places we want to visit when we return. These travels to another province will be so much simpler since we won’t have to take a ferry. High five to a $200 savings alone! Sorry BC Ferries, but I’ve paid for you for far too long. I know, I know, what about PEI…well fine, I know I have the option to take a bridge, but I am willing to take that ferry to visit. And I can hardly wait.

Travelling along hwy 2 is a treat. New Brunswick has an abundance of trees as far as you can see. Continuous views of yellow, orange and gold, just hills upon hills with deep enclosed vales. It is so incredibly beautiful. So much so that, New Brunswick nearly stole my heart and we thought maybe we should also be looking here. Plus…it boasts the Worlds Largest Axe, in Nackawic, NB standing at 49ft tall. Did I see it, you ask? NO, at this point Chris would stop for no one haha. He was done with sightseeing and driving location to location! And so, Onward we go, mere hours from home.

As we passed Sackville, and made our way to the Nova Scotia border, finally seeing our first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. Here; the waters we are seeing is through a branch off the Bay of Fundy, unsure of this ones official name, but there it was just off in the distance! We have waited for this moment since we set off nearly 3 weeks ago! Though it was fleeting, as the hwy carried us on, but I didn’t care. As our new home was right on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Atlantic would be on my doorstep for months to come.

It was just after 5:30pm when we finally crossed into our new Province of Nova Scotia! We zipped straight up to the Welcome Centre where the flags were flying and the sun was shining. We parked the Jeep and went right over to the Nova Scotia sign and took the family pics. We even met a couple from Minnesota who were getting ready to explore the province for the next 5 days. I was disappointed that the Welcome Centre itself was closed, meaning I wouldn’t be able to grab my postcards to send home and lapel pins…and then it hit me…I can grab these anytime. We are actually here…to stay!

From here; we still had another hour and 45 minutes until we would be home. So we carried on, now on the 104 of the Trans-Canada Hwy. Taking notice of the different county signs with their individual slogans and the wildlife. What was really paramount, was the devastation from Hurricane Fiona. Large sections of trees uprooted, trees blown over, others broken in half. And this was what we could see from the hwy. As we passed some homes, it changed to missing shingles, buildings blown over, trees blown down in front yards, and broken fences. Keep in mind; our arrival is now 2 weeks after the the hurricane hit. The aftermath we can currently see is still very evident, saddening and extreme.

We did notice as we left New Brunswick however, a convoy of military personnel was leaving Nova Scotia. And shortly after our arrival into Nova Scotia a convoy of linesmen from Quebec was now leaving, as well. A good sign that Nova Scotia, though a long way to go, was on the mend. But now, it was getting dark and we were getting closer to home. So how our area faired would have to wait until morning.

We finally arrived at 8:00pm after one missed turn, thanks to the dark. Unloaded our luggage and quickly explored the house before setting out again….this time for to outfit ourselves with blankets, towels and a few staples. We were back home by 9:00pm, and wouldn’t be heading again tonight.

Though it is late, and we are all tired, we are all happy to be here. Arriving safely, with all of our things, and my trusty Jeep still running well, even after many bumpy roads and potholes.

After 18 days, I am so proud and ecstatic to say that the four of us have now travelled 5,442.0 kms together. Gone through 8 Provinces. Experienced incredible wildlife moments. Visited so many of Canada’s great cities. Stayed in crappy hotels to luxurious ones. And were fortunate enough to also experience some of the Great White North’s greatest natural attractions, tourist attractions and heritage attractions!

So, I say goodnight as a traveller and with thanks for following along with us.

And this isn’t the end. This blog is called Operation Relocation…we may have moved, but we are not really relocated. We have much more exploring to do!!!

Cheers and xo.

Melanie

Day 17: Into Canada’s LARGEST province…

We left Cornwall mid morning to start heading into Quebec. Outside was overcast and dreary, which suits our moods. Everyone is tired. Tired of different hotels every day, tired of the routine of unloading/loading the jeep, tired of sharing a room, and; tired of driving. We are all ready to be “home”. Or in a space that feels like home. And right now, it is all within grasp. 12 hours to be exact.

We had hoped Moose would be dozing when we crossed into Quebec…for one main reason. Pranking our teenage son. Moose knows a bit of French, but not enough to keep up in Quebec. So, since day 1 Chris has planned to send Moose into a store when we crossed into the province. Here; unknowingly he would end up having an English/French exchange. Alas….Moose was awake and announced our arrival into Canada’s largest province. We still sent him into a store, where he successfully had an enjoyable exchange with a clerk.

I wish I could say we spent days exploring Quebec. For such a beautiful province, with such rich history and incredible restaurants and shops, days would be the bare minimum amount of time needed to visit. However; our plans for visiting Quebec seem to change as the days went by. Originally we wanted to explore Montreal, Quebec City, and their surrounding areas. Part-way through our trip it became just Montreal and Quebec City. And last night we decided to drive through Montreal, and just visit Quebec City and the Notre Dame de Québec Basilica Cathedral.

It is just over an hour from Cornwall to Montreal, a quick drive through the countryside. A scenic route where I could appreciate the grassy farmland, the orange and gold trees, and watch the world go by on such a rainy day. It was quite relaxing. Entry into Montreal however; felt then, quite chaotic. A very busy city to start, now add in loads of construction. Here many semi drivers will cut in front of you in the blink of an eye, at least signaling, whether there is room or not. And the merge lanes from the construction…oh my goodness. Zipper merge, nope. Merge ahead of time, Nope. MERGE at the very last moment in front of the lit-up arrow sign, YEP. Talk about congestion. Montreal was not my favourite city driving experience, having now driven across the country.

We continued on the Autoroute, hwy 40, towards Quebec City…we thought. We were en route to a busy day of exploring and tasting. Expected to arrive around 1:00pm. But at this point there was no excitement or life in the car from the kids. We pulled off at Trois-Rivieres and had a group chat by the harbour. We let the kids decide what they wanted to do… they wanted to get home…to NS.

As much as we wanted to explore some of Quebec and not just drive by and see it…that was what we all needed to do. Chris and I don’t want to see Quebec as a checklist: tada we made it, okay we saw it, next stop and we are done. No…we want to experience everything Quebec has to offer, and forcing 2 kids who have nothing left is not the way to do it. PLUS! Quebec is now in our backyard per say. A weekend away is not going to be a hard task, so stay tuned for that.

And so we pushed ahead. Chris found us a lovely hotel a few hours away to make the final push. We stopped in Riviere du loup and stayed at Hotel Universal . What a gorgeous and bustling hotel. With very modern rooms, a pool, nordic spa and dining room and bar. Once we did unload the jeep…again we found our room, with a wee bit of confusion. No one wanted to go to the pool. No one wanted to go into the dining room. I didn’t even feel the urge to relax in the nordic spa…which we had a view of from our room. We were beat. And better yet, in one day we would be home. So we ordered room service. Which was superb by the way and quickly settled in for the night shortly after.

Cheers xo Mel

Day 16: To the outskirts of Ontario…

We had to say Good-Bye to Niagara Falls this morning. But I think we all leave feeling more relaxed having 2 days in the same place again. And having had a good time just really exploring. So we grabbed breaky on the go and set off.

Our day today was just driving. Time to get into the next province…almost. We took the 401 and drove over 5 and a half hours today to get to Cornwall, Ontario. This puts us 1 hour outside of Montreal!

As we left Niagara Falls we passed St. Catharines…for those of you who don’t know, Alexisonfire is Chris’s favourite band. Well, Alexisonfire was formed in St. Catharines. Chris has seen his favoutite band a couple of times in concert and City and Colour, aka Dallas Green, one of the singers of Alexis multiple times with me. He was very excited to fill us all in about the members of the band and where it all began.

S0, travelling Vancouver Island to Ontario. What’s the navigation trick? For us, we have used the navigation app Waze for our entire trip. It not only navigates your trip in real time, but other drivers can flag obstructions in the roadway: fog, construction, police, accidents and more. Waze saved Chris from driving into a pressure cooker on his solo trip in the Camaro, since he was alerted ahead and was watching for it!

OK guys…Toll Roads! We ended up on a toll road on our way out of Niagara Falls…BUT you can add that as a setting or choice in Waze to avoid those. Just an FYI should you need, just download the app to your phone and away you go.

One major red flag I noticed as a passenger in Ontario particularly, was veering Semi Trucks…not all, but a lot. And when I looked into the cabs as we drove past guess what I saw…cellphones. This subgroup of ‘professional’ drivers were messing with their phones while hauling on 2-4 lane highways. All the while causing other drivers to move out of their way onto shoulders. Where is your ‘due care and attention’…not on the road. Do better guys. Other guys, keep it up 🙂

Ontario by the way, has some of the best rest stops along the 400 and 401. You don’t have to pull into town, or some scary outhouse. They are called On Routes, which have gas stations for cars and semi trucks. But also; nice indoor washrooms, showers for truckers, a few restaurants, and a convenience store all in one. With indoor and outdoor seating for a nice break from driving. We utilized these a couple of times.

Our drive was happily uneventful. Chris drove while I watched the world go by. So many of the bridges we passed under have beautiful etchings into the concrete. Horses running across the bottom, in squares; turtles and dreamcatchers on another. Simple things that make the travel more enjoyable.

I watched license plates from Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick go by. But also Maryland, Vermont, Maine and New York. I watched the glowing, colourful trees and sudden flashes of purple from the thistles compliment the gorgeous farmland, all with ease. We even had rain…real rain for more than an hour of our drive. It was refreshing to see and hear, plus it made the colours really pop with the dark clouds above.

That is all the excitement today…

Cheers Mel xo

Day 15: What can you do with a day at Niagara Falls?…

How do you start off the day in Niagara Falls…head over to IHOP for pancakes! We had the sweetest waitress who had only been there for 4 days. She met us with a friendly greeting, engaged with our table and sent us off ready and willing to explore. Below IHOP is a huge arcade, straight out of an 80’s kids dream, but with modern games. Chris killed Aliens, Mason played Guitar Hero and Chloe, Dance Dance Revolution.

From there we headed down Clifton Hill to the falls. Today we weren’t just looking at them, we were experiencing them…right close up. We put on the cool plastic poncho’s and boarded a boat that was going right into them! Our boat was a double decker full of happy and excited tourists. We all shared the experience with smiles and offers to take pictures for one and other. Now, I knew we would get wet…but I really didn’t think HOW WET! As we drove close to the “American Side” (the first set of falls, 3 in total located in Niagara County, New York) the mist from the falls was really fun and we took lots of pictures, everyone shuffled around a fair bit to get ‘the picture’. The boat pushes on to the “Canadian Side”, the Horseshoe Falls. While we drove towards this set of falls, the mist becomes greater. Near everyone on the boat began pulling their plastic hoods over their heads. I tucked my camera under my poncho and actually spun around, as my bum and legs got soaked. The mist turned into a torrential downpour, all the while we are laughing, mainly because I think it was so much greater and more powerful than we expected! We stayed in this hilarious sopping wet position for a few minutes and then the boat spun around. Allowing the super mist to move from our side to the other and for me to take ‘the picture’ with the Horseshoe Falls. Bowie and Mason were sopping wet, but grinning ear to ear. Moose had made some new buddies he was helping with pictures and chatting with. Chris and I were elated. We experienced Niagara Falls…and we shared this unforgettable day with our kids.

Since we were soaking wet and had the convenience of a hotel less than 10 minutes away, we went back and changed. Quickly heading back out and straight to the Zombie Attack…a 6D zombie thrill ride. We get strapped into the weirdest chair wearing 3D glasses and I made sure to have my gun ready! The game starts and so did my chair, jostling us around to mimic the movements of our character…including crashing through trees and zombies and careening off a cliff…all the while hitting zombies with our car or shooting them with our gun. Not everyone’s cup of tea I know, but Chris…he loves his zombies. So, we had a good time. Plus Moose and Chris had the top 2 kills of the theatre.

After that was Ripley’s Believe It or Not gallery…there was some pretty strange things here from: shrunken heads, bone necklaces, 2 headed animals and vampire killing kits. But also: the worlds largest man, fattest man, shadow art, candy art, and megalodon jaws. There is something for everyone here….and somethings that are just to weird for others. Near the end is a grated walkway with a spacey coloured spinning tunnel…can you walk straight across? None of us can, the spinning tunnel messes with your equilibrium tricking your brain that you are losing your balance.

We stopped at a few shops to browse and pick up souvenirs on our way up to Louis Tussaud’s Wax Works. OK, the wax works…how to begin. These are interesting sculptures, these pieces of art. Using the likeness of celebrities, politicians and historical figures seems to be a welcomed challenge, as there are wax museums all over the world. I find them…a wee bit scary. I continuously felt like there were people all around me as I entered new rooms. Some scultpures had a very close likeness to their intended, while others…not so much. But that’s all in the fun of it I guess. We ran into Marty McFly and the Delorean, Jimmy Fallon, Brittany Spears, Tom Hanks and The Rock. Delving further into the gallery we were transported to Star Wars, Hogwarts, into the Hall of Horror and skipped down the Yellow Brick Road right into the Marvel Universe.

We continued to explore Clifton Hill and grabbed a quick lunch at Starbucks and grabbed some Vintage Candy before heading back to the hotel again for laundry and a nap…5 hours goes by fast!

We ran into a fellow in the laundry room who was from Abbotsford, BC. He and his wife have been travelling for the past 2 months from Abbotsford to Newfoundland/Labrador and were now making their way back! What a cool coincidence. They had visited Nova Scotia already and said we would love it and that three of their friends have made the same move that we’re making. Silver Linings all along the way.

Once everyone was chillaxed and rested we headed out for evening part of Niagara Falls. Everything is all lit up. Most of Clifton Hill stays open until midnight, so we wanted to take some of that energy in. First things first…race cars! Moose and Bowie suited up and hoped into their Go Karts. The track is HUGE! and they send out about 20 people at a time, so Bowie was scared. But she went for it after a couple minutes.

Next up, Wizards Golf…mini golf in a psychedelic setting. Fantasy fun for 18 holes complete with dragons, magic spells and mythical creatures. We continued to stroll the streets until we stopped for dinner, beside the Karaoke. I tried to convince Moose to sing even though he’s underage…why not haha, but he didn’t go for it. Next up was The House of Frankenstein, where Bowie was screaming as they rode the roller coaster, which goes in and out of the building!

We grabbed some Ice Cream and headed back to the hotel around 10:30pm.

Fantastic day had by all.

xo Mel

Day 14: Small Town Charm, off to Great Big Falls…

Ready for the road, and we’ve already been on it for two full weeks already! Our goal for today was to head to Chris’s hometown, and get into Niagara Falls. Once in Niagara, we’ll stay for 2 nights and get some real fun in and some normalcy with being in the same place!

We started the day like most of the rest by getting organized and heading down for breaky. Moose was in a much better mood which was really nice to see. Both he and Bowie were excited to see the waffle station at breakfast! We talked about the day ahead and what parts of the trip we’ve enjoyed so far. Once everyone had their fill it was time to go load up the jeep and head out.

Chris’s Hometown:

It was only 1 hour and 45 minutes to Chris’s hometown of Parry Sound, Ontario. A small town located on Georgian Bay off Lake Huron. The drive there is quite pretty, especially in Autumn. There are flashes of Lake Huron in the distance and rivers under small bridges along the way. Parry Sound has an enjoyable village feel. Funky old buildings, busy sidewalks, and a very active harbour. And for the hockey fans out there; Parry Sound is also home to Bobby Orr. Former professional hockey player for both the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks, one of ‘the greatest of all time’. You can even go to the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame located right by the harbour.

While we enjoyed our drive through the streets, I asked Chris if much was familiar to him. Not really he said, but then again he left before kindergarten and had only returned twice, last time being a preteen. So we made our way to the harbour. We walked down the pier and gazed out at Georgian Bay. It may be October 4th, but it was as warm and sunny as any day in August. The reflection off the water was sublime.

As we headed off the dock we stopped at the Island Queen Cruise shop and got a few souvenirs for the road, we even considered a boat tour. There are 2 hour and 3 hour boat tours. They travel around Georgian Bay to the many islands of the surrounding areas, very intriguing. But we were on a mission for Niagara Falls, so until next year Island Queen Cruise. Across the dock we headed to Tailwinds Bar and Grill for lunch. We opted to sit on the patio since the weather was so impressive. While we waited for our order we watched a seaplane take off, and the Island Queen set sail. Though there was a fair amount of wasps also taking in the weather…and our lunch, our meals and service was very enjoyable. On the way out we proudly switched into our Parry Sound swag and proceeded to the jeep. We stopped briefly at the West Parry Sound Museum and walked the grounds. Chris and the kids even went up the old Fire Watch Tower which is 30 meters high. I opted for the lilac garden and the frog pond. Bowie tried to catch frogs, but to no avail…I caught 2, just to show off. It was now time to get back on the road…

To Niagara Falls:

Now this part of the drive…I don’t know much about…as again…I was a sleep, for nearly the whole 3 hour drive. I awoke just in time for Chris to show me Toronto off to the left in the distance. He had already passed Canada’s Wonderland and travelled the 403 and we were now on the 407 and headed to the QEW. Holy traffic! We headed straight downtown and arrived at The Vittoria Hotel and Suites. Moose and Bowie could see the Raceway from the car and all the lights from the many attractions. I swear the car was vibrating, just from their excitement. We made great time getting here as it was only 6pm. So we quickly dropped off our things and began exploring.

First stop…The Niagara Sky Wheel. A 175 foot ferris wheel with booths overlooking the falls. As we climbed in and the wheel began to move, Chris asked the kids if they knew how truly big the falls are? They both replied with a “like I know” and “not really”. Their faces lit up as the wheel climbed and the falls fell into view. Moose pulled out his phone to capture the incredible sight, and Bowie continued to exclaim “WOW!”. This is how we wanted to spend Moose’s birthday, we are just a day late haha. If you are in Niagara Falls and debating the Sky Wheel…don’t. Just get in line and enjoy the ride and the unforgettable moments that follow.

Now the bar was set. After seeing the falls from a birds eye view, we walked down Cliffton Hill to see them up-close. Chris got a wee bit sidetracked by Dracula’s Haunted Castle…so we went in. Now, this Haunted Castle has 3 levels of scariness. Our family is no stranger to scary movies or thrillers; however I was still voting level 1. I got outvoted, even by Bowie for Level 2. So, per parent rule she had to go first. I know what you’re thinking…big deal, it’s a silly haunted house. That’s what we thought too. Hell no, it was unnerving.

We made our way up the steps and our vision became very limited, the halls are painted pitch black, there is some very low light, and the odd neon paint smudge ahead. Immediately I felt disoriented and unsure of my footing as I couldn’t see…anything! I wasn’t really sure which way to go and I KNOW; there is a jump scarer ahead. We are all clinging to each other as scary pictures and displays become visible along the corridors, barely lit. And then…the jump scarers begin. I can’t see a thing, barely Bowie ahead of me…and then a deep voice shouts out from behind…we all scream, which makes it scarier…and he chases us. What’s worse; I still have no idea which way to go. Moose is at the lead at this point and hurries us along. Soon after another one screams at us…this time so scary that we run. Still, no vision, the ground under our feet has changed…unsure to what! And then Moose stops, and does not move…then I hear it. Teeth clicking, somewhere ahead in the darkness; clicking, clicking, clicking, getting closer all the time. No one moves…After what felt like 5 minutes, Bowie calls out “We’re all going to die in here! How do we get out?”. Then a raspy voice quietly utters “To the left”. No one moves still…I push everyone and holler “TO THE LEFT!” and we run past the teeth clicking…there is a bit more light here, but where is Moose? “Moose!!!” finally emerges from around the corner. Shortly after, we successfully made our way out! We talked and laughed about it ALL NIGHT!!! So, it must’ve been fun hehe.

Back on the street we headed down for our closer look of the falls. How do you describe in words one of natures wonders of the world without sounding cliché? What I thought I was expecting ended up being so much more. While we watched the power of the falls and listened to the crashing of the water below, the sun began to set. It was pure bliss. I could’ve stayed there all night. Even Moose and Bowie watched in awe. Beautiful is an understatement.

We headed back up Cliffton Hill enjoying all the action and lights and headed to Benihana for dinner. Benihana! I have never been to a Teppanyaki Grill before so I was excited to share that experience with the kids. Travis, our chef started with a knife and spatula show, tossing and scraping at the hot grill. Shrimp tails tossed into the air, onion volcanos, and heart beating rice. Bowie and Moose watched so intently. A full 5 course meal from the soup to your main dish and cooked in front of you with enthusiasm, entertainment and laughs. A dinner we won’t soon forget.

Back outside, we scouted out the rides and adventures for tomorrow…WE HAVE THE WHOLE DAY IN ONE PLACE!!! Wooohoooo.

Until then xo Mel.

Day 13: Moose’s Big Day…not quite as planned…

We woke up in Sault Ste. Marie on Moose’s Birthday.

Once Moose was awake per our usual tradition, time to open Mom and Dads present. Moose opened the hidden box to find a new pair of black and blue ‘Jordan’s’. The brand of shoes he’s been keeping an eye on. Moose is one of those really special kids, he doesn’t jump and down and scream with crazy excitement, or even show disappointment if he is. He always shows his appreciation with a sweet ‘Thank You’ and a hug. For the Jordan’s, we got BIG hugs and quite a few Thanks Guys, followed by the immediate wearing of said shoes. Bowie picked something a bit unusual for a birthday gift, but not when you are giving to Moose: Crocodile Pepperoni. And he was thrilled haha.

We didn’t want to spend the day driving on Moose’s big day, so we planned a short drive (for us) 3 and a half hours to Sudbury. Here they had a really cool Interactive Science Centre with an Imax. We thought he’d have fun messing around with things and we could watch the Imax and keep his mind off of missing everyone.

Well, that backfired big time. Obviously, how could it not. He’s a teenager! What we hoped to avoid with fun and silliness inevitably happened. Moose got bummed out. For all of his birthdays we have had dinner at a restaurant of his choice with his Nana, Grandpa, Auntie and Uncle, and a party. I have always gone all out for the big party (usually at home, his preference) with his friends. Themed food and cakes, all home made and wacky games when he was younger. This year was different. We were alone. And he was alone, and at his age…we are not always enough. He had calls and texts all throughout the day, which helped I am sure. But the short drive…felt really long at that point.

So what do you do to cheer up a bummed out teen? Sing to him…nah doesn’t work anymore…Scream out to him when you see Amish people driving in their horse and buggy…Yes, that seemed to help. So I did…for at least 3 groups haha.

When we arrived in Sudbury, Moose saw his restaurant of choice. M.I.C Restaurant, “Made in Canada”. It was full of Canadiana and pictures of famous Canadians. Plus the food was excellent. Moose got the Bruschetta Pizza, and Bowie the MIC Burger. Our hotel, The Towneplace Suites, by Marriott, was right up the hill so we checked in. Moose went to have some more chats on his phone. Science Museum…nah. Imax…nah. He wasn’t into it.

So we all chilled in the pool and hot tub for a while. Then it was time for dinner. Our hotel room was the best one yet, on purpose. A great room for a great kid. In addition to a large living space we had a full kitchenette. So we decided to make him his own special dinner and have cake the old fashioned way.

It perked him up abit…and I’ll take it. It’s not lost on Chris and I that some days will be really hard. We had hoped to get him to Niagara Falls on his B-day, but it would have to wait for now…

Happy Birthday Moose, Thank you for being a trooper and weathering the strange birthday this year.

Xo Mom

Day 12: Today we drive, and drive and drive…

We checked out early from Valahalla Hotel and Conference Centre. Not because we didn’t enjoy our stay, we truly did. But, because today was the longest planned driving day we’ve done yet without any ‘stops’. Ontario is a very large province, it is HUGE. Actually it’s Canada’s second largest province “covering more than 1 million square kilometres (415,000 square miles) – an area larger than France and Spain combined.” If you’ve never looked at it, check out a map…She’s a big one!

We needed to make up some good time for 2 reasons. 1. Moose’s Birthday is tomorrow and we don’t want to spend the day driving for him, that’s a lame bday. 2. We’re on Day 12 guys…we’re ready to get some km’s in and get closer to Nova Scotia.

We are covering Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie, which is 699.6km and with no stops should take 7 and a half hours. So, of course, we stopped…25 minutes in. A worth while stop at The Terry Fox Memorial built to commemorate his Marathon of Hope. The park is a tranquil setting, you could bring a lunch and sit at the tables surrounded by trees and flowers. The Memorial itself is quite striking. It is Terry Fox mid-run, high upon a large concrete platform with each provinces coat of arms across the front. The impact the memorial had on the kids was quite immediate, having participated in Terry Fox runs since kindergarten. We took our time reading, walking about and looking out at Lake Superior.

As we continued on our way I’ll share a couple Ontario funny ‘road’ trip facts for you:

a) The road…is SPARKLY. Yes, at first I thought it was just glass. But…the sparkles went on…forever. So pretty!

b) The highway number road signs are in the shape of a crown! One of my favourite little things to watch for.

c) The roads…are in great condition! First time I’ve said that! Not to many bumps and grooves. And if there is, it’s already under construction on it.

As we continued on our way I kept hoping we’d pass a moose somewhere along the way, but alas, I’ll have to keep an eye out. Though we did passed these incredible Red Mountains along the way. The road construction even had pink/red crush all around the road from blasting. The drive along Lake Superior Provincial Park is so relaxing. Looking out at the trees with continuous changing colours and all the lakes, I, again fell asleep. A testament to Chris’s smooth driving and a real indicator that the 3 hour time difference in 12 days with constant travel was wearing me down. We took another pit stop, this time a detour down a side road.

Here, Moose took off his sandals and put his feet in Lake Superior, “Bowie was here” was etched in the sand and I walked the beach and combed for treasure. We returned to the jeep and at this point it was my turn to drive for a bit. The whole stretch of todays journey was alongside Lake Superior, just not always in direct view. Can you name all of the Great Lakes? We got 4 out of 5…its been a while. But we should see all but one on the rest of the trip.

We made 2 more stops…I know 7.5 hours is getting a lot longer now…but Ontario is so beautiful. We stopped in White River, ON. Did you know that is where Harry Colebourn bought the real bear, Winnie the Pooh? Me either! Winnie was later donated to the London Zoo which is where A.A. Milne was inspired to write the stories we all know. Our last spontaneous stop was a white sandy beach called Old Woman Bay, named for the shape of a woman’s face displayed in the cliffs along the south shore (which I could not see).

We finally reached Sault Ste. Marie…a little later than we planned and after dinner. We all headed straight up to the room with our luggage. Moose headed out to the sitting area (near our room, don’t worry Mom) for some calls to friends, as tomorrow is his birthday. We ordered dinner from the hotel and settled in for the night.

Long day done for now. Xo Mel

Day 11: Get me outta this hotel…

Our night in Kenora….hmmmm, unpleasant. We stayed at The Comfort Inn, which was our only option. Just walking down the hall I knew…this. is going. to suck. The hotel halls smelled like weed and smoke. Our room was tiny! And just gross, long term uncared for gross. I didnt take my shoes off until I had to get into bed. We even found an old cookie behind the night stand…blech. I won’t tell you about the bathtub! I didn’t sleep a wink, but…it was the only room available in Kenora.

We got up EARLY. And got the hell out of there! Hit up the Tim’s for breaky and hit the road. It was a driving day, 5 and a half hours off to Thunder Bay, though we enjoyed to scenery. Ontario has the most spectacular trees which are all turning from green to orange, yellow and bits of red. And little lakes pop up everywhere! It’s absolutely spectacular and makes for a very relaxing ride. I ended up sleeping for a couple hours and awoke to Chris shouting WOLF! Walking on the side of the road was this GIANT gray wolf, minding his own business.

Shortly after that, the time changed…we are now 3 hours ahead of Vancouver Island. When we got into Thunder Bay we checked into the Valhalla Hotel and Conference Centre in Thunder Bay. Which was a welcomed sight after last night! A nice big clean room. Friendly staff. With a beautiful lounge area, a pool and full restaurant. They have been doing renovations and it has a high-end, modern, and stylish feel, with still a rustic appeal. Everyone had a quiet settle and soon made our way down for dinner.

We made it an early night, though Moose was happy to hang out in the lounge for a bit on his own.

Then off to bed, as tomorrow is a much bigger drive…

xo Mel

Day 10: Visiting Vikings and watching for huldefolk…

New Iceland

Gimli has been on the top of my list of places to visit since day one of planning this cross country journey. However, Gimli has been on my radar for years. Why? My Nana had her “cuppa”(her all-day coffee) out of a Gimli, Manitoba mug on the regular right up until her passing. I grew up listening about stories of Iceland and hearing of the Viking settlement Gimli. Learning about the huldufolk or as she would say “The Little People” and of the Icelandic folk who loved making music, writing stories, and watching for faeries.

Gimli is known as New Iceland. Named by the first wave of Icelandic persons who immigrated there, as they were promised land by the Manitoba government to farm and build their lives. It wasn’t an easy transition. The journey across was treacherous and the winters were hard. Out of 300 who immigrated, only 50 stayed! Though they were great fisherman in Iceland, the new comers struggled on Lake Winnipeg. Fortunate for them, the First Nations were welcoming and willing to teach them how to fish these waters.

Now for the exploration of Gimli by our crew. We were welcomed to Gimli by a mighty Viking, standing tall near the harbour of Lake Winnipeg. To enter Viking Park you come through the concrete border, which has Gimli’s history etched on metal plaques. Gardens encompass the mighty statue. While Icelandic family plaques line the walkway presented by loved ones and those who donated to the park.

Next was the New Iceland Heritage Museum. A small museum but with great character. We began with a short film about the immigration to Manitoba and the new beginnings of those who braved the journey. Displays of poetry, tools, the homesteads, and clothing kept us busy. And then…then Moose and Bowie found the dress-up corner. Complete with swords, spears, furs and of course Viking helmet’s. We had our fun and visited the gift shop and away we went.

We enjoyed shopping and browsing for a little while until lunchtime. We all made our way to Europa. A small, kind of strange looking place covered with posters of food items everywhere. But a slamming busy restaurant, people coming and going nonstop, must be good. And it was, including the biggest poutine I’ve ever seen, not even Bowie could finish it.

After lunch we made our way to the waterfront and really took in how big Lake Winnipeg is! Looking in the distance you could see white caps from the wind, and big waves were crashing the shore. The breakwater protecting the harbour has murals painted along, some were in the process of being restored.

We hopped into the truck for one final stop…an important one: Sugar Me Cookie Boutique. A friend I met at work told me about them years ago and even shared a prairie treat with me. So I made sure to visit now that I am finally here. Vinarterta…ask any Icelander from the prairies and they’ll fill you in. Dates or Prunes and Icing vs No Icing…that is a long standing debate. I used to make one with my Nana around Christmas, and I still make mine every year, but Sugar Me Cookie’s Vinarterta is next level!

Treats ✅️ Souvenirs ✅️ Good times had ✅️

It was time to go. We made our way back to Winnipeg. Loaded up the jeep and said our goodbyes. Until next time Winnipeg.

Now unbeknownst to me…we had one more milestone to hit today.

The Centre of Canada 🇨🇦

At this point we have been travelling for 10 days! Then we see the Manitoba Stars. An attraction coming up…The Centre of Canada. We have officially made it half way across the incredible Great White North! 96° 48′ 35″ The Longitudinal Centre of Canada.

We pushed on after that crossing the border into Ontario, Chris’s home province. We had a hotel booked to stay the night in Kenora.

Until tmrw, cheers Mel xo 🤗

Day 9: Exploring Winnipeg with an old Islander…

Grab a tea or a coffee, because this post is a long one thanks to a great day in Winnipeg, Manitoba!

Good Morning Winnipeg!!! Great start to day 9, Cousin was working from home for the morning. Chris and Moose slept in while Bowie and I got up and played with the kids, the fluffy white cat Kiki and Willow the half husky with the biggest, cutest ears! Who also likes to rub your leg, hand or foot with her paw so you have to pay attention to her. While cousin was working he was even making breaky for everyone (egg sandwiches with sausage, ham, tomatoes and cheese). When he was finished work, we all got ready and headed out for our tour of Winnipeg.

The Forks:

First, The Forks. I was unsure what to expect, maybe a little market by the river…NOPE. A massive 2 story indoor market with food vendors and shops alike. With an expansive outdoor grounds that extends out along the river boardwalk. A gem of a place for Winnipeg. These aren’t just restaurants or fooderies, these are top notch culinary delights. As well as fun shops to explore, many that you won’t find anywhere else. There was families and tourists like us, but also the regulars. People just chillin on the couches in the lounge upstairs. Stroller groups of Moms, getting coffees. Others who came for a beer, oh did I forget to say that. Yes a full beer and wine bar open amongst all the other vendors.

A unique meeting place for all.

We shopped and browsed every store in The Forks. Took the elevator to the very top and had a panoramic view of the whole locale. We went on a walk about down to the dock just steps away from the market on the Assiniboine River. Now, it’s not called the forks because of the amazing food vendors. To find out more, our group hopped on a river tour with Captain Guy. Our first historical stop on the tour was at the legislative building. Here our Captain directed our attention to the statue of Louis Riel, the founder of Manitoba. Riel was an advocate of the Métis for their land and rights and led 2 rebellions before being hanged for treason. Capt. Guy spoke passionately and warmly of the “Father of Manitoba”. He also discussed ‘The Golden Boy’ who stands atop the legislative building. The Golden Boy is modelled after the Roman god, Mercury. In one hand he holds high a flame; to represent the youth who are the future of Manitoba. In his other hand a bushel of wheat; to represent the fruits of labour. The Captain sped us away to many historic places along the rivers. One of my favourite stops was the ‘Esplande Riel’, which crosses the Red River. A foot-passenger bridge that was once a restaurant, unsuccessfully due to NO PARKING in the very cold Winnipeg winters. It is now an IT building. Note: The Red River got its name by an explorer for its reddish-brown colour.

OK, so did you put two and two…rivers together? Yes you got it. The Forks got its name for where the 2 rivers meet: The Assiniboine River and The Red River, in the heart of Winnipeg. Indigenous Elders have said Winnipeg meant “muddy-waters” for how the water appeared when the two rivers met. Both rivers were used as a means of transport, trade and politics for many Indigenous nations and later European fur traders. We all soaked up the sun, the easy breeze and the history until we returned to the dock.

After our tour finished, we walked along the river boardwalk and fed geese and ducks. Moose was one with the goose, hand feeding some corn to one in particular…until it pecked him. We explored the grounds and the Oodena Celebration Circle, a way to view constellations with the naked eye during certain times of the year. Cousin had a quick appointment at lunch time, so we found ourselves at Wienerpeg. Home of the most incredible hotdogs with fun and tasty home made toppings (the Scandinavian for me, the Wienerpeg for Moose and Poutine for Bowie). There is so much to learn and see at The Forks. I highly recommend a visit should you find yourself in Winnipeg, I would spend most weekdays or weekends there on the regular if that was in my backyard.

Assiniboine Park:

Our next stop of the day was to Assiniboine Park, a name that took me half the day to pronounce correctly. Google Maps kept rerouting us to Assiniboine Forrest, attached to the park, but about 10 minutes away from where we were trying to go! So, after getting lost twice and running from an ambulance, we finally found our way to the main parking lot. We met with Cousin and Girlfriend at The Pavilion with all the kids. We wandered the art gallery, which had a Winnie the Pooh exhibit going on. Most of the kids didn’t realize that Winnie was a real bear and that all the stories were inspired by him originally.

There are a lot of attractions at Assiniboine Park, including a zoo, which we decided to forgo today. But we did enjoy the Nature Playground. All the kids needed to run, play and stretch after a busy day at The Forks. We began to walk the grounds, all while enjoying the geese and catching up. The park is very active and lively. Bike riders, runners, walkers and those out for a stroll just like us. We walked and talked with a temporary leave of the park for a surprise. Cousin directed us all across the bridge and across the street to Sargent Sundae. An ice cream store that has been hard a work since 1984 and doesn’t need anything other than its name to attract eager customers. While we all read the menu and ordered, at least 10 people had arrived ahead of us and again after us in a 10 minute period. Whatever your ice cream fancy is, they have it: floats, sundaes, flurries, soft cones, hard cones, malts, milkshakes…and so much more! Sargent Sundae is a Winnipeg staple. Make sure to get in line, it will be worth the wait.

With ice cream in hand we walked back across the bridge and through the forest path over to the English Garden. This had to be my favourite part of the park. Lush garden beds with flashes of colour everywhere. As you follow the brick pathways you find yourself alongside the dense garden beds with blooms and grasses galore. Keep to the paths and you will come across fountains and the cottage. There are many statues in the gardens, including the Queen Victoria Monument which was donated to the City of Winnipeg for her diamond jubilee and relocated to the gardens in the 1960’s. Our final pass through the park was to the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden, some of which made Bowie blush. The sculpture garden is met with a large pond full of lily pads and sculptures in every corner, very serene.

We made our way back to the cars. All the kids opted to go with Girlfriend. Chris and I drove…alone…for the first time in a week!!! Back at home we had a quick dinner, then headed outside for an evening fire pit complete with a marshmallow roast!

Winnipeg! What a great day.

Cheers xo Mel.