Day 61

Tuesday, 24th October 2023 – Vancouver, British Columbia

5-7 degrees, cold and wet

et day. We had a little explore of Gastown, near the Waterfront, before it got too wet. This district grew up around a saloon which opened in 1867 by John “Gassy Jack” Deighton. Today, Gastown is a charming mix of cobblestone streets, restored 19th-century buildings, and storefronts.  Chic boutiques and galleries line the streets, and several restaurants open onto Blood Alley, named after the city’s first slaughterhouses. There is also a steam clock, which chimes every 15 minutes.

We walked back to Canada place on the waterfront. Five sails adorn the roof echoing Canada’s nautical past. Usually there are great views of the harbour, but the weather was not playing the game today. Inside Canada Place is a flight simulation attraction – here we were whisked away on an exhilarating journey over the Canada’s most spectacular scenery. Special effects — including wind, mist and scents — combined with the ride’s motion, to create an unforgettable experience. It was fantastic – especially as we could recognise most of the places that were shown.

We had lunch at the famous bakery Breka – which was very well patronised, and had delicious food choices.

Then an afternoon of shopping, mainly to stay out of the rain – well that was my reasoning anyway. Only trouble was I couldn’t buy up too big as our bags were close on weight restrictions!

We had a lazy hour in the hotel suite to regroup – it is one bedroom suite, so plenty of space to relax, with a nice view over the harbour (when it’s not raining!)

Dinner at the local Indian Curry House which was lovely and warming. I know it sounds like a dream to be eating out every night, however I am looking forward to going home and having some nice home cooked meals – well for a few days anyway!!!!

Day 62

Wednesday, 25th October 2023 – Vancouver to Brisbane

6-11 degrees (feels like 5 degrees), cool but fine and sunny

Thank goodness the rain has gone! It has turned out to be a picture perfect day!

Had a slow morning getting the bags organised to go home. Then off to Granville Island to explore. Today, this once down-trodden industrial district has a glorious array of boutiques, galleries, and artists’ studios in its brightly painted warehouses and tin sheds. There is also a Public Market offering a cornucopia of fresh foods. So many choices… we had trouble deciding on what to have for lunch! The island is also a center for the performing arts, and boasts several music, dance, and theater companies.

Back to downtown for some last-minute retail therapy. I had my eye on a black Lapin coat. After much deliberation, I made the big purchase, and we were on our way to our last dinner.

We had a reservation at the revolving restaurant at the Vancouver Lookout at the Harbour Centre. It was a great finale to our stay in Vancouver as we had 360 degree views of the city in daylight, transitioning to sunset, and then the night lights. It was just lovely. Plus our meal was excellent – seafood chowder to start with, then stuffed salmon for Frank, and Ahi tuna for me. Divine!

Picked up the bags- they seem to be multiplying – taxi to the airport, a wait in the Air Canada lounge, then the 14 hour flight back to Brisbane.

What can I say about our trip to Canada and USA… I am sure to be asked “what was the highlight”? There have been so many highlights! The polar bears – what an experience, Niagara Falls – truly magnificent, the Rocky Mountains – such scenic landscape with the luxury of travelling through on one of the greatest train trips in the world, and Denali National Park – such a privilege to be able to witness the natural beauty and witness the wildlife in their natural habitat. I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to see what I have seen in the last nine weeks, and to share the experience with my loved one.

Day 55

Wednesday 18th October 2023 – Niagara Falls, Ontario to Winnipeg, Manitoba

7-14 degrees, fine

What a beautiful sight to wake up to – Niagara Falls right outside our window! We were going to go out for breakfast, but we decided to stay in and enjoy our last view with our modest coffee and muesli. Anyway we still felt very full from the night before!

Today was a travel day. Pickup from the hotel by a minibus to go to the airport – turned out to be a lengthy trip (3 hours ) with all the pickups along the way.

Then it was a long wait at the airport for our flight to Winnipeg. A little drama when we checked in our bags – we didn’t have baggage included- and we thought we had 2 bags each as our paperwork said First Class! We had to pay for 2 bags and carry the others on. But, then when we were boarding, they asked if we could check in the hand luggage – at no charge – as it was a full flight! Go figure!

The Lakeside Signature Hotel was located across the road from the terminal. Very handy. Five minutes later we checked in. This is where our polar bear tour leaves from, so we had changed our extra night to this hotel which meant we didn’t have to move the next day, much more convenient.

Day 56

Thursday 19th October 2023

Winnipeg, Manitoba

6-16 degrees, sunny, unseasonably warm

A day to explore Winnipeg.

Winnipeg is located at the geographic heart of Canada. It lies at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Over half of Manitoba’s population live here. Winnipeg was an important trading centre for First Nations peoples for around 6000 years. From the 1600s, European settlers came to trade fur, then in 1880s grain became the principal industry.

The geographic centre of Canada

We caught an Uber to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. In a daring glass and limestone structure, this museum’s goal is to increase awareness of human rights in Canada and around the world through very interesting exhibitions. The Tower of Hope gives a great view over Winnipeg itself.

Canada Museum for Human Rights First Nations display

Red Dress Protest display

Centre for Reflection

We walked across to the Forks National Historic Site which stretches along the west shore of the Red River. It was once a railroad terminus, and now filled with boutiques, craft stores, food vendors and cafes. We managed to fill in an hour or so, having coffee and browsing the shops.

We walked back into the edge of downtown, but didn’t see a lot other than banks and shops. As we had been warned by the hotel that downtown is not the safest area, we decided to head back to the hotel. This time we caught the bus back – it was fairly straight forward as we just had to look for the bus going to the airport. Bonus – we tried to buy tickets when we got on, but obviously that is not a simple process. The driver told us to have a seat, so it was a free ride back!

A nice dinner at the hotel, at a very reasonable price ($20 – $25) – the best priced since we’ve been in Canada, before picking up our warm boots, and jacket for me.

At 9pm we had our polar bear group meeting, where we met our tour leader, Duane, and fellow travel companions – who were also looking for polar bears. Oh this is going to be exciting!

Day 57

Friday, 20th October 2023

Winnipeg, Manitoba to Churchill, Manitoba

7-0 degrees, fine

Early start ready for our adventure. We were on the charter plane ready for a 7.30am takeoff. Now this is the way to travel – no security checks, just straight on the plane, and even had inflight service. It was a 90-minute flight to Churchill. Churchill has no road access and can only be reached by plane or train from Winnipeg, and two other towns.

Our driver, Tim, picked us up – there were 18 in our group. Two people were missing as their connecting flights didn’t line up – wouldn’t you be peeved!

A little sight seeing of Churchill – located at the mouth of the Churchill River on Hudson Bay. Churchill retains an industrial feel, with no luxury hotels, no sealed roads, and few trees. This vast Arctic landscape is snow-free only from June through to the end of September. Despite its remote situation, Churchill was an important point of entry into Canada for early European explorers and fur traders arriving by boat in the 18th century. The Hudson’s Bay Company established an outpost for fur trading here in 1717. Today, visitors come to see the polar bears in the fall, beluga whales in spring and the splendid tundra flora in this region.

We had a stop at Cape Merry Battery – a defensive battery built to provide protection – it is opposite the Prince of Wales Fort on the other side of the Churchill River. Samuel Hearne was an important name in the Churchill’s history, The guide gave us the history of the area, while 3 other guides stood by with their guns on polar bear watch. This is serious business.

Cape Merry An armed guard for us

In case of attack – this will sort out those bears!

We also visited the polar bear detention Centre. Bears that come into Churchill and pose a threat, are trapped and put in the detention centre. They are not fed, and kept there until the ice sheets form. They are then taken out to the ice and sent on their way.

Lunch was at the Tundra pub, then time for a little explore of the town. Great display at the local museum.

Elk Arctic fox den

First Nations home

Next we had a talk from Florence, a Dene lady  with a range of animal and first nations people displays(one of the indigenous groups from the area) explaining her heritage, and how she has had to learn about her own culture because her mother was one of the stolen generation (taken to a residential school) and hadn’t grown up learning about the Dene way of life. Very sobering.

Now it was time to go out to the Tundra Lodge. We went by four wheel drive bus to the buggy docking station, changed to the tundra buggy, and on our way. Our new driver Bob has driven buggies out here for 22 years. Before that, he was the zoo keeper at Assiniboine Park Zoo. He is also a pyrotechnician and organises firework displays for many events – a man of many talents, plus a wealth of knowledge re polar bears and their habitat.

The Lodge was awesome! Our bags had already been placed under our assigned beds. Our bunks were all made up complete with individual lights and heating ,a soundproof curtain for each bunk, and a full curtain in front of both bunks, so we had a dressing area. It was a great set up.

An introductory meeting was held in the lounge area before dinner, with hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Dinner followed- fresh salad (the greens grown in Churchill), elk and bison lasagne, followed by chocolate mouse, and plenty of wine. To think all this could be put together out here on the tundra! It was quite late by the time we finished dinner, the skies were cloudy ( so no chance of northern lights), so bed it was. And we both slept very soundly in our toasty bunks.

Day 58

Saturday, 21st October 2023 – Churchill, Manitoba

1-6 degrees, sunny

The excitement started before breakfast – a polar bear, then an another red fox were in front of the Tundra Lodge. Now this is exciting! This is what we came for! We watched them for a while before having breakfast. Fruit, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, muffins, pastries, toast – all on the menu at the Tundra buggy.

When Sparky (this bear was recognised and had a “name”) decided he needed a rest, we moved on. Before too long we saw an Arctic Fox – he had his winter coat (they change colour as the season changes) and looked simply stunning. His coat was a brilliant white. He was busy darting through the vegetation, and hiding behind the rocks. Fascinating to watch.

Next, the Arctic Ptarmigans. They also had their winter coats already, a few brown feathers, but predominantly white. They tended to gather in groups on the ground, and looked stunning when the took off in flight. An Arctic Swan and her cygnet were a rare sight in a little lake. Just gorgeous. Also saw a couple of Arctic geese. So much white!

Very exciting – we saw a mother polar bear and her cub – the first sighting of this cub this year. They were walking, then resting, walking then resting. We spent a while watching the pair. The cub was just so gorgeous.

Lunch in the tundra was soup(mushroom today) and sandwiches.

More polar bear watching after lunch. A young female bear kept us entertained for a while. She passed the male at one stage, but kept on going. Duane gave us so much information about the polar bears and the other arctic animals. It is a harsh environment for these animals to survive in. There are approximately 660 polar bears in the southern Hudson Boy region, down from 1300, 20 years ago. Because of global warming, the sea ice is later to form, so the bears are later going out to hunt for seals. The ice is also melting earlier, which means the hunting season finishes earlier. The female bear needs enough body fat to become pregnant (delayed implementation), so a shorter hunting season could mean the female is not in optimal condition to reproduce.

If a female does become pregnant, she will go into a den under the ice in November/December to give birth, and doesn’t emerge from the den until March, when she will go out to hunt seals. She doesn’t eat all the time she is in the den, and the cubs feed from her. The cubs stay with their mum for 2-3 years.

A few more bear sightings filled in the afternoon. At 5pm we were back at the lodge ready for a debrief of the day, and a talk from a biologist, Johanna, te the breeding habits of the polar bear. During that time we were interrupted 3 times by bears walking around the lodge. One of those times was by the mother and cub. It was amazing.

Another equally as spectacular dinner. Soon after we had the first squeal of delight when the Northern Lights decided to reveal their true colours. What a fabulous light show we had. How lucky were we! So much excitement for one day – we had no trouble sleeping.

Day 59

Sunday, 22nd October 2023 – Churchill, Manitoba to Winnipeg, Manitoba

-1-4 degrees (-7 wind chill factor), sunny to snowing

After all the excitement of the night before, we woke up to a beautiful crisp morning with a light white frost. Another fantastic breakfast in Dan’s Diner, and then we we were in the tundra buggy by 8am.

A bit slow on the polar bear hunt today. We saw the teenage male from the day before not far from the lodge. He was busy sleeping so we went in pursuit of the mother and cub hoping that they wouldn’t be too far away. In the meantime, we saw fox’s dens, ptarmigans, and enjoyed the beautiful tundra. The tundra covers most of the land of the Arctic circle, and nearly 20% of the earth’s surface. Tundra plants have much in common to cope with the environment. All are low growing to reduce the risk of damage by strong winds and to take advantage of the higher temperature at ground level. Mosses, lichens and grasses are the most abundant but in addition the tundra is host to over 500 flowering plants. Many have leaves that grow in clusters to trap pockets of air which helps them to stay warm and reduce dehydration. At this time of year, the colours of the tundra are the magnificent fall colours.

By mid morning we had snow – leaving a very fine white covering over everything. The water pools had ice around the edges. It was magical. We found the mother and cub right at the very tip of polar point. Another female polar bear had ventured out to that same point. Feeling threatened, the mother and cub disappeared from our sight. Not long afterwards, we saw them emerging from the water 300 metres away – they had swum this distance to feel safer. They then kept walking until they disappeared from our view.

Another female bear decided to entertain us for a while. She was nicknamed “cow bear” as she spent some time chewing on the long grasses.

Bob gave us all a turn driving the buggy. That was a bit of fun – it’s a big machine to manoeuvre. He even gave us a certificate to say we were accomplished drivers! I think that might be a bit extreme!

Lunch was cauliflower soup and sandwiches. All very nice. More bear watching, but then we had to head back to the buggy dock and swap to a shuttle bus to get back to the airport. We had another charter flight back to Winnipeg. All plans went like clockwork – the organisation is first class.

A smooth check in back at the Lakeview Hotel, before we had farewell drinks at the Sports Bar. We had had the most amazing time on our polar bear expedition, and met some truly lovely people, all with the same ideas about travel as we have.

Day 60

Monday, 23rd October 2023 – Winnipeg, Manitoba to Vancouver, British Columbia

6-9 degrees , drizzly

Our flight to Vancouver wasn’t until 5.30pm, so we had the greater part of the day to fill in.

So off to Assiniboine Park Zoo we went! The weather wasn’t on our side – drizzly rain. But, despite that, we had the best time at the “Welcome to Churchill” exhibit. There are 5 polar bears there. We saw them sparing, and then swimming. You can actually work through the pool. It was amazing – the icing on the cake! Two of the bears polar plunged and gave us the most wonderful show while they frolicked in the water! The harbour seals were equally entertaining. It was like the grand finale of our polar bear expedition.

We also saw a Snowy Owl, an Arctic Fox, and the massive Muskox. It was a great sub Arctic display.

Back to the hotel to collect our bags, only to find out our flight to Vancouver was going to be delayed three hours. Frank walked over to the airport (it was across the road) , and managed to get us on the earlier flight. So we rushed over with our bags, had no trouble checking in, and straight onto a flight. Perfect!

Day 43

Friday 6th October 2023 – Quebec City, Quebec

6 – 24 degrees, sunny, partly cloudy

Disembarked the Norwegian Pearl – the end of another wonderful cruise. It had been nice not to worry about the bags for a week!

Into a taxi and dropped the said bags at Chateau Laurier Hotel, located just outside the old city walls. Turns out it is a great location, easy to walk everywhere, and right next to a great restaurant precinct.

Quebec sits on the cliffs of Cap Diamont overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. Quebec was an Iroquois village for thousands of years before French navigator Jacques Cartier landed here in 1535. It wasn’t until 1608 that Quebec City was established by Samuel de Champlain as a colony of New France.

Today, Quebec is the provincial capital, and is almost entirely French speaking. The European ambience and architecture, and the city’s crucial historical importance, contributed to Old Quebec being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The hop on hop off bus was first on our itinerary today. A two hour round trip gave us our bearings of this charming city. What we saw of Quebec, we loved! With its beautiful riverside setting, historic sites and narrow cobblestone streets, we didn’t know where to start when we got off the bus. First a coffee – we found the best patisserie (Smith’s) with the best French pastries.

The Fairmont Le Chateau (Frontenac) is a luxury hotel built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 19th century, on the cliffs overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. This steep copper- roofed landmark dominates the skyline of Old Quebec. Made from brick and stone, the grand hotel has 611 guest rooms. We thought this was a good place to start our sightseeing. Terrace Dufferin boardwalk runs from the hotel to the edge of the Citadel and offers an opportunity for sensational views of the Saint Lawrence River, the Laurentian Mountains, Ile d’Orleans and the port. A lot of activity there today as there were 4 ships in port.

We strolled around the cobblestone streets, exploring historic sites such as the Hotel de Ville (town hall), Place d’Armes (originally a parade ground), Monastere des Ursulines (originally a nunnery), Plaines de Abraham (the huge city park), the city walls, and just generally taking in the ambience of Quebec. We actually went back to our hotel for a short rest at one stage – it was unseasonally hot, and there were a lot of tourists because of all the cruise ships. But once refreshed out we went again. Even found a laundromat to get the essentials done – for a lot less than what it would have been on the ship. And, there were shops all around the “lavoir”, so no time wasted!

Dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant, Louis Heber, around the corner from our hotel – part of a great restaurant precinct. It was hard to decide where to eat, but we had made a wise choice. Carrot soup to begin our meal, I had duck and Frank had meat skewers – both were excellent.

Day 44

Saturday 7th October 2023 – Quebec City, Quebec

15-21 degrees, cloudy, humid

Out for breakfast – when in a French speaking region, what do you have … French pastries and coffee! The almond croissants are to die for! And it must be a good patisserie if all the locals are eating there!

Today was a tour along the Beaupre coast and Ile d’Orleans. The Montmorency Falls was our first destination. They are only about 15 minutes from Quebec. The falls are 83 metres high, topping Niagara Falls by 30 metres, but no where near as wide. We were going to take the cable car to the top and walk across the bridge over the top, but due to time constraints and a lot of buses arriving at the same time, we had to settle for walking around the base, plus a little way up one side. A little frustrating, but at least we got to see the falls before the threatening rain arrived. Lots of spray at the base – you would have thought it was raining! Thank goodness for the raincoats!

On to Ile d’Orleans – a little island 5 kms from Quebec in the Saint Lawrence River, accessible by bridge. The scenery was so pretty. The changing leaf colours were spectacular – I couldn’t stop taking photos. The reds, yellows and oranges were so vibrant. The quaint French style houses, many with traditional copper or steel roofs, were a picture set amongst the trees.

We saw first hand the charm of rural life on the island – Apple orchards, canola fields, pumpkin patches, strawberry fields (they have 2 crops a year), and market gardens. The land is extremely fertile.

Last stop was the shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre. It is one of the four major shrines in Québec and the oldest pilgrimage site in North America, dating back to 1658. Dedicated to the mother of the Virgin Mary and Quebec’s patron saint, it is one of Canada’s most sacred places. The complex includes a Basilica, a Holy Staircase, a Memorial Chapel, a Fountain, and the 14 Stations of the Way of the Cross. The building certainly was stunning, further enhanced by the colourful trees surrounding it. We saw the copper doors made by the artist from the earlier copper factory. There was a wedding taking place in the upstairs chapel while we were there.

We made a stop at the local Chocolatier on the island, before going back over the bridge and stopping at Albert Gilles copper art museum/studio. The legacy of a local artisan has been well preserved by his family who now run the business. Recognized internationally for his brilliant accomplishments, artisan Albert Gilles developed a specialisation in crafting ornamentation for churches, basilicas and cathedrals.

Back to Quebec City just in time to race down to the port to see our friends from the UK who were about to sail on the Queen Mary II – we had met Janice and George on our Panama Canal cruise in 2019. It was a short reunion – that was the only time we could make the connection, but lovely to see them and exchange travel notes.

From the port, we explored the Lower Town – this was a very vibrant area rich in cultural pride and exuberance. Bustling cafes, boutique, restaurants, and art galleries all lined the cobblestone winding streets. To get up the great escarpment to the Terrasse Dufferin, we took the funicular up – $5 was a good investment.

We treated ourselves to a drink at the very glamorous bar in the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. It was a show in itself watching the barman make the many cocktails on offer. We also watched the Queen Mary II slip and do a 180 degree turn in the Saint Lawrence River before sailing off into the distance.

For dinner, we went to the Concorde Hotel, not far from our hotel. It was a revolving restaurant, 360 degrees views – and lucky the rain held off. Accompanying the views, we had a delicious 3 course meal. What a great way to finish our stay in Quebec.

Day 45

Sunday 8th October 2023 – Quebec City, Quebec – Montreal, Quebec

17-10 degrees, coolest in the middle of the day, a cool change, raining

A definite cool change had arrived, and the rain! Found a nice restaurant across the road (Le Chalet) – they had only opened a couple of months ago. They served a very nice breakfast, huge serves – we should have shared – but then again, I’m not sure I wanted to share my smoked salmon omelette.

We started off on a little walk… in the rain, but we didn’t get too far before we decided it really wasn’t that pleasant. We only had an hour to fill in between we needed to go to the train station for the first leg of our Canadian via train travel, so we caught up on internet news etc back in our warm room.

A short taxi ride to Gare du Palais (train station) ready for our train ride (Via Canada travel) to Montreal. All straight forward to check in, just a 35 minute delay with the train … and we had to be there an hour before. Not sure why we needed to be there so early, so there was a bit of waiting time.

The train was very comfortable for the three and a half hours we were on it – nice wide seats, internet, basic food service, can’t complain. The big bags were weighed and put into the baggage cart – just made in into the 23 kgs!

Long inhabited by the St Lawrence Iroquois, the area known today as Montreal, was once the site of fortified villages, surrounded by fields of corn, tobacco and sunflowers. In 1603, French navigator Samuel de Champlain claimed the area and by 1611 had set up a fur trading post. The city grew and the economy shifted to maritime and railway shipping. In 1880 , the Canadian Pacific Railway set up headquarters in Montreal, and 1919 the Canadian National Railway followed suit.

What makes Montreal interesting today is a cultural, rather than a geographical, confluence. The city is proud of its French-Canadian culture with 88% of the population speaking French.

We arrived into Gare Centrale just before 5pm. Turned out the Hotel Bonaventura where we were staying, was linked to the station, so we could wheel our bags straight to the hotel via the underground. The hotel was very nice and our room had a fantastic view over the city.

Unpacked and out to explore… well that was interesting to say the least! Because it was a Sunday evening, must places were closed. We wandered around the underground from the station (Montreal has a huge underground system) but we kept coming to dead ends because entrances to other buildings were closed. Well we were confused! So we went out to the streets- obviously we had picked the wrong ways to go, because we could find nothing open except McDonalds or Starbucks. Because of the underground system, there aren’t shop fronts as we know them, so nothing obvious. After over an hour of wandering around in the cold, we gave up and went back to our hotel for a meal. It was very nice, it’s just that we like to explore locally and try the little authentic restaurants if we have a choice.

Day 46

Monday 9th October 2023 – Montreal , Quebec

7-12 degrees, cloudy, drizzly

Let’s try again…looking for breakfast this time! Well we didn’t have much better luck…. turns out it was a public holiday (Canadian Thanksgiving), and again most cafes were closed. After we walking around in circles, both above and under ground, we went down to Gare Central (Central Station) as we thought sone of the cafes would be open… and, turned out to be great idea. We had a nice omelette and coffee each at the station cafe. Not so sure about Montreal so far?

Our activity today was a walking food tour of the Latin quarter and Little Italy. We had to get to the meeting point by metro, which we navigated quite well… although I was in trouble because I tried to go through the train turnstile on an exit, not an entry, which of course invalidated my ticket. Of course that let to us just missing the train, so I was not popular! Luckily another one came in 5 minutes. Another plus was that we found a supermarket- we needed a couple of basics, and hadn’t found one in Quebec, do it was a mission accomplished.

Our first stop was at a Latin restaurant where we tried Pupusas🫓 thick griddle cake (often made with cornmeal) stuffed with pork meat or cheese, served with pickled cabbage and Curtido (pickled vegetables) on top. Add a spicy tomato based sauce, and the result was delicious. The pupusas was accompanied with Horchata – a rice milk drink flavoured with cinnamon and sugar. I don’t think I would drink this on its own, but paired with the pupusa, it was perfect.

Walking along the streets, our guide gave us the history of how the different ethnic groups settled in Montreal along the rue Saint Laurent (only street that goes the across the entire island that Montreal sits on) .

A visit to the Marche Jean-Talon (markets) was fascinating. These markets are favoured by local chefs, and has aisles of fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, meats interspersed with specialty shops and busy cafes. We had explanations and samples of sheep and goat’s cheese, hams, dips including  mutabil (middle Eastern dip made with smoked eggplant), ice cream and sorbet. Also interesting were the mushrooms – so many we had heard of. The Hen of the wood mushroom (native to China, Europe and North America) was massive, velvety to touch, and much sought after over here. Also the maitake mushroom.

We continued on into Little Italy to a coffee specialist where we had a coffee, before then moving onto a chocolatier. We tried very interesting chocolate samples here – dark chocolate with corn, chili flakes and pepper (it was divine), and chocolate with rice and miso (popular with the Japanese) were two of the ones we d enjoyed, also a buttery pistachio spread.

Here the tour ended, so we continued to wander around the local streets, where we bought some empanadas from the Latin market, and also some Portuguese tarts and cannele from the Italian market – we had dinner sorted!The favours were delicious.

That evening, we walked down to Vieux Montreal, or old Montreal – this is the oldest part of the city where Montreal’s founders built the Catholic village. As the city expanded in the mid 20th century, Vieux Montreal fell into decline, but then underwent a renaissance in the 1980’s. The remaining 18th century buildings were transformed into upscale restaurants, stylish bistros and chic boutiques. Cruise boats berth at the port just there, so lots of activity. The Basilica Notre-Dame de Montreal is a magnificent structure, as is the Marche Bonsecours, and the Hotel de Ville. There was also an art deco building called Edifice Aldred – had to do a photo stop there!

We stopped at a bar in Place Jacques Cartier (main square) for a drink (we certainly couldn’t possibly eat more after our day tour), and to do some people watching. By the time we walked back to the hotel we had walked 22000 steps for the day.

Day 47

Tuesday 10th October 2023 –  Montreal, Quebec

8-12 degrees, cloudy

Today we did the hop on hop off bus – the pick up point was not far from our hotel. Montreal has some fascinating buildings, great murals, interesting districts- the street lamps change as the districts change. We had a fabulous view of the city from Mont Royal. We have noticed there are building and road works everywhere you go – I guess that will all stop when the snow comes.

We did the complete 2 hour circuit without getting off – it was absolutely freezing!! Even Frank was cold. I think because we were sitting in the open air, we just could not warm up. We almost ran down to the underground when we got off the bus, to have a coffee and warm up. This was the opportunity for Frank to have his poutine. The whole underground had changed today – everything was open! It was a whole new world.

When Montreal opened its first metro lines in 1966, it inadvertently created a whole new layer of urban life- the Underground City. The first metro stations had underground links to each other. This has turned into a vast network of over 30 kms of boutique lined passages, housing more than 1600 shops, 200 restaurants, hotels, and film theatres. It is theoretically possible to lead a rich life in Montreal without ever steps outside – this could be a good thing when it is snowing and bitterly cold in winter. We were determined to work out the underground system!  So we set off to explore.

We first walked to the entertainment district, the gay district, Chinatown – just walking, looking, and taking in all the sights. Many great murals and sculptures along the way. Then we headed down to the underground and got close to Vieux Montreal.

We had dinner at a lovely little restaurant called Chez Suzette. It was our anniversary so we wanted it to be special. We had a cheese fondue for entree, a meat and chicken fondue (cooked in broth – the meats were so tender) with vegetables for main meal, and crepe suzette for dessert. It was very special.

Last attempt at the underground – and we did it! We walked from almost Vieux Montreal back to our hotel, navigating the labyrinth of tunnels – we just had to keep reading the signs, and re orientating ourselves. It was a great achievement, and a 20000 step day.

I feel like we have just got to know Montreal, and it is time to go. I can see why people like living here- there is a lot to do here, and very culturally diverse. The food scene is also very attractive, once you work out where to go!

Day 48

Wednesday 11th October 2023 – Montreal, Quebec to Ottawa, Ontario

8-12 degrees, drizzly

Back down to Gare Central – no problems, we knew where to go! Even had time for a patisserie treat and coffee in the underground. Now we know the train system, our embarkation process was straight forward. No checking in the big bags this time, you took them on yourself. They did weigh them though- and we were ok!

The two hour train trip went quickly – more industrial scenery this time, some fall colours on the trees. A ten minute taxi ride and we were at the Marriot Hotel in downtown Ottawa.

Ottawa has a fine setting on the banks of the Ottawa and Rideau rivers. It was named capital of the Dominion of Canada in 1857 – picked in part because of the rivalry between the English and French.

We still had a few hours to explore and luckily there was a lot to see within walking distance. Dominating the skyline, the country’s government buildings – the Supreme Court, the Senate and House of Commons – are situated on the Ottawa River overlooking the downtown area. The Gothic Revival sandstone buildings with copper roofing were completed in 1860, and are distinctly reminiscent of London’s Westminster. We walked along the grounds of the buildings enjoying the views, the magnificent buildings, and the eternal flame. I also loved the glass government buildings opposite, showing the reflections of the gorgeous parliament buildings.

The Canadian War Memorial was opposite Parliament Hill. Two servicemen are posted at the memorial and change guards each hour. We were there to witness the final dismount of the day. Canada has seen its share of the world’s battlefields.

The Rideau Canal is in the same area. Built in the mid 19th Century, the Rideau Canal stretches from Ottawa to Kingston, 202 kms, . Originally built as a defensive barrier protecting Canada against the Americans, then used for shipping, it is now more for recreational use. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I was fascinated to learn that in winter, the water levels are lowered right down, so that the canal becomes the world’s longest skating rink. People commute to work by skating. In summer, boats, canoes, kayaks are out in force. Bike paths and beautiful trees run the length of the canal.

Onto to Major Hill Park for a lovely view back to the Parliament Buildings, before walking around the Byward Market. This neighbourhood bustles all year round. There was a colourful collection of craft shops, cafes, boutiques, restaurants and night clubs.

Walked through the upmarket retail centres to head back to Elgin Street in Downtown. There is a restaurant precinct there. After perusing our choices, we settled for Browns Social club for dinner – that was a great choice – fish tacos, Ahi tuna, and lovely fresh salads to go with both. Frank has been enjoying the local Molson beer, and I even had a glass of bubbles – that doesn’t seem to be a “thing” here. Seems to be more spirits or wine in Canada.

It was very cool by the time we walked back to the hotel – 8 degrees (felt like 3.5 according to the weather zone app). Nothing like a brisk walk in the cold after a nice meal!

Day 49

Thursday 12th October 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario

8-12 degrees, sunny

Our first stop today was to go to the High Commission of Australia to have our vote for the the Voice Yes/No referendum. It was only a ten minute walk away.

Next onto Ottawa’s hop on hop off bus. We thought we were prepared for the cold after Montréal’s cold bus trip – thick jackets, beanies, gloves, but it was still cold, and the sun was out! We got off at the National Gallery of Canada to thaw out!

Within a futuristic structure of pink granite and glass, the National Gallery houses the country’s premier collection of fine art. We enjoyed the European Masterpieces, as well as some of the contemporary and indigenous art. We had limited time there so enjoyed what we could. The famous Maman (spider) sculpture is at the entrance to the gallery. The Cathedral Notre Dame is opposite- its silver spires stand out.

Back onto the bus, to enjoy more Ottawa landmarks, then got off at the Canadians Museum of History. Again we had limited time- we could have spent the whole day here, but we did learn a lot about indigenous and current history. The museum was really well set out, and the exhibitions were excellent.

Afterwards, our new friend Heidi picked us up and took us for a scenic drive of the Gatineau district (actually part of Quebec, not Ontario where Ottawa is). It was a beautiful county drive through forests of brilliant fall coloured trees. I find the colours are mesmerising. The low sumac plant is such a bright red. We stopped at an old timber mill on a small river which had been restored into a hotel with spa resort. The tranquil country setting was so pretty. Then we went back to Heidi’s neighbourhood of Wakefield for a drink at the local. It was really nice, so cosy, and very warm inside. Lots of chatting going on.

Heidi then took us back into downtown where we had dinner at a little Indian restaurant, Shafali, in the Byward Market precinct. It is one of those tiny little restaurants, nothing fancy, with the most scrumptious food, and excellent service. It was so lovely to spend the time with Heidi and learn of daily life in Ottawa.

Day 50

Friday 13th October 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario to Kingston, Ontario

5-14 degrees, sunny

Cool start to the day, but sunny. Taxi to the station, for a two hour train trip to Kingston. We are getting quite proficient with the VIA train system.

Kingston was briefly the capital of Canada from 1841-44. Once a centre for ship building and the fur trade, Kingston is one of the freshwater sailing capitals of North America and the embarkation point for many cruises. It is situated on Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Cataraqui and St. Lawrence rivers.

We arrived at our booked hotel to find that they had oversold their rooms. There was a big conference on for the weekend. We left the bags and wandered around town for a couple of hours while they sorted our accommodation out. It is an easy town to get around, and has some nice shops, so our time wasn’t wasted. Coffee and lunch were welcomed.

Back to Market Square- they had found us another room at their sister Marriott hotel, Delta, across the road, and right on the water front. Bit of a drama finding it – there was a side entrance , and the young bellboy who was helping us take the bags across didn’t know where it was. Lucky one of the residents saw us looking perplexed and helped us find our way. The Delta was a definite upgrade. Our room overlooked the harbour – beautiful. Very picturesque.

Because it is now off season, the Kingston hop on hop off bus has been replaced with a trolley car – we did not mind. After our cold experiences in Montreal and Ottawa, the enclosed trolley car was very much appreciated! The guide gave us an animated history tour of Kingston, taking in the historic downtown and waterfront, the restored French bastion Fort Henry, the Royal Military College of Canada, the Penitentiary Museum, Queen’s University and all its associated campuses and student accommodation buildings, plus there another two universities.

Kingston is known as the “Limestone City”, for its grand 19th century buildings, one of which includes the lakeside City Hall. Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A Macdonald, built many houses here out of limestone, including Bellevue House National Historic site. I loved the architecture, and charming homes, and the changing tree colours framing them, added an extra layer of beauty.

Next, a bit of mundane housekeeping – a trip to the laundromat. It was only a ten minute walk away so we thought we had better take advantage of that while we had the chance. Possibly the last wash for our trip. An hour and a half later, everything was processed and back in the cases, and we were out for dinner.

There is a small Cambodian community in Kingston – they came as refugees in the 70’s and are well established into the community. We had seen at least 4 Cambodian restaurants. We chose the one near our hotel, Apsara Angkor – another winner. Lovely fresh tasty dishes, in a very ambient setting. Also, we had window seats, as there were a lot of people out and about in their Halloween costumes. Kingston is a town full of university students, so plenty of night time activity.

Day 51

Saturday 14th October 2023 – Kingston, Ontario

7-12 degrees, cloudy, solar eclipse

Out for a morning walk in this pretty waterside town. The City Park was just beautiful with its changing trees. So many squirrels there, little black ones. They scurry and scamper everywhere, and lead a very busy life.

We were going to go to the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, but unfortunately the keeper of the keys must have slept in. The volunteer, who was waiting with us, however gave us lots of information of the history of early settlement here, and of the ship yards, so all was not lost.

That did give us time for a nice coffee and cake back in downtown, before we went on our 1000 island cruise.

The St Lawrence River, one of the world’s great waterways, is a gateway for ocean going vessels travelling through the Great Lakes. Thousand Islands is literally that – over a thousand islands stretching from Kingston to the waterside cities of Gananoque, Brockville and Rockport. The head chef at New York’s Waldorf Astoria concocted Thousand Island salad dressing at Boldt’s Castle on Heart Island. To qualify as an island, the land must be greater than 6 metres square, and have a living tree. We enjoyed our three course lunch on board, viewing these amazing islands, lovely houses , and the autumn foliage. There were some jet skiers out enjoying the water, as well as a few sailing boats. A magical day. We had a dark sky just after midday due to a solar eclipse – it was cloudy so we didn’t get the full effect of it.

Time for a wander through the streets again, no dinner required after our huge lunch. Back to the hotel for a very laid back and relaxing evening – caught up on the news, and even a bit of Netflix.

Day 52

Sunday 15th October 2023 – Kingston, Ontario – Toronto, Ontario

7-11 degrees

Thought we would enjoy a nice breakfast at Pan Chenko Bakery and Cafe, where we had our coffee and cake yesterday. Great menu, with food living up to expectations – the salmon on rye bread with watermelon radish (much milder than our radishes, and quite refreshing), was presented ever so nicely, and tasted even better. Frank had baked eggs in a saffron tomato sauce with cow feta and lemon gremolata. Great choices. We’re getting inspired for when we go home and have to learn to cook again!

A short walk in the brisk air – 8 degrees – before collecting our bags and taxiing to the station. It was as a three and a half trip to Toronto – 1 hour 45 minutes longer than it should be because of a diversion due to track work.  Taxi to the Chelsea Hotel in downtown – biggest hotel in Toronto apparently. The traffic was heavy due to the marathon run there today. We were going to the ice hockey this evening, so we literally dropped our bags then got an Uber to the Coca Cola Coliseum- through the traffic!

We’ll talk about exciting – so much better than the baseball! It was the minor league – Toronto Marlies versus New York. We had the cheap seats 4 rows from the front, but they were great. So close to the action – and boy, was there action! It’s a brutal game- lots of crashing into the wall, broken hockey sticks, and the game moves so fast. We had a couple from Toronto sitting next to us, who filled us in on all the rules. Lots of families there, and the kids were having an absolute ball! The in game entertainment kept the crowd well and truly engaged. The Marlies won, so there were many happy supporters leaving the stadium at the end.

We took pot luck afterwards, picked a direction to walk – we had no idea of what was where as we had just arrived – and walked 15 minutes to what turned out to be Liberty Village. A nice precinct with quite a few restaurant choices. An Irish pub tonight with great options – my $72 sous vide beef rib was delicious. We found a great Metro supermarket opposite to top on a few supplies, then Ubered it back to our hotel.

Day 53

Monday 16th October 2023 – Toronto, Ontario

7-13 degrees, sunny- cloudy

Our one day in this city, slightly larger than Brisbane. How to make the most of it….

A ten minute walk got us to the hop on hop off bus – first bus off the rank. This tour option always gives a good all rounder view of the city with relevant history, and the guides usually have an entertaining commentary.

Strategically located on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto was first settled by First Nations (they grouped together and were know as Iroquois people) around 9000 BC. In 1787, the British “purchased” the area, and it became Toronto in 1834. Toronto grew at a pace after WWII, and today is one of North America’s most dynamic cities, a cosmopolitan mix of almost 3 million inhabitants drawn from more than 200 ethnic groups.

We took in the following sights – CN Tower, Art Gallery of Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, Bata Shoe Museum (Monday’s aren’t good for tourists – most museums in Canada are closed), Fairmont Royal York (Toronto’s most luxurious hotel dating from 1829), Casa Loma (castle originally owned by Sir Henry Pellatt, one of the most influential industrialists of early 20th century Canada), Ontario Parliament Building (a vast pink sandstone building that opened in 1893), Kensington Market, St Lawrence Market, the Harbourside, the Distillery Historic District and so much more. There’s a lot to see here.

As every where else we have been, Toronto is experiencing a lot construction and infrastructure projects – time is running out to get these completed with the impending arrival of winter and the accompanying snow. If today’s weather is any indication, it’s not far away. The wind was icy cold.

CN Tower was a must see for Frank. Visible from almost anywhere in the city, the iconic CN Tower is a marvel of 1970s engineering. Originally built as a communications tower, it is now the top tourist attraction in the city. With floor to ceiling panoramic winows and a glass floor, we had a fantastic view of the city’s landmarks and Lake Ontario below. The SkyPod is a higher level, 447 metres as opposed to 342 metres, but because it was cloudy, we didn’t think we would see any more than what we did see. We enjoyed our coffee and cake picking out the various landmarks.

A little walk around the surrounding area afterwards – the CN tower is near the station and in between was the historic Roundhouse, home to the Toronto Railway Museum. The Roundhouse once had stalls to repair and maintain 32 locomotives. Steam locomotives sit around the still operational turntable.

A pedestrian subway, with colourful murals, took us under the railway and into King Street. This is part of the theatre/entertainment district and has many good bars and restaurants. We found a nice little Mexican restaurant to enjoy some lunch.

Back to the bus for the remainder of the tour, hopping off at the distillery district. The cobbled lanes and preserved Victorian industrial buildings were once home to the whiskey distillery of Gooderham and Worts. The area now consists of shops, studios, galleries, bars and restaurants. Many of the original features have been preserved. The area is anchored by the Mill Street Brewery – we did a brewery tour there while tasting the locally made ale. They also distill a nice citrus gin – pity we have no luggage space. A great way to finish up the day.

We did meet a lovely Australian couple while we were waiting at the bus stop – the wife was about to start a medical fellowship in Toronto. Surprisingly we haven’t see any Aussies since we left the west coast. People think it’s amazing we have come all this way. “Oh wow, so far away” us the standard comment. We were like celebrities when we were on the New England cruise. Both the Americans and Canadians must think we’re like mushrooms when we come from down under! If only they knew how well travelled many Australians are.

Back to Yonge-Dundas Square – Toronto’s version of Times Square – this square is situated at the city’s busiest intersection. It regularly hosts concerts, fairs, and a variety of other events. Opposite the square is the huge Toronto Eaton Centre – it is bursting with four levels of shops and services under a spectacular vaulted glass ceiling. Of course I had to have a “quick” look in there, before calling it a day.

Day 54

Tuesday 17th October 2023 – Toronto, Ontario to Niagara Falls, Ontario

7-13 degrees, sunny- cloudy

An early start today – haven’t had too many of them on this leg of our trip thank goodness – for our last train ride. Meanwhile, on our way to the station, the taxi driver told us he could take us to Niagara Falls for $200. That would have been a much more straightforward option, but we already had our train tickets. Anyway, the two hour trip to Niagara was very comfortable, no complaints. It gives us time to catch up with photos, the blog and emails, plus enjoy the scenery.

Short taxi ride to the Marriott on the Falls Hotel at Niagara Falls. Driving through the township of Niagara Falls tourist area (Clifton Hill) was like driving through Las Vegas – there were glitzy streets with bright lights, every fast food vendor you could think of, Margaritaville, casinos, bars, restaurants, and garish amusement park attractions. Our hotel was not in this strip thank goodness, but just a little further down in a quiet area – overlooking the falls!

Our room was ready in the hotel – what a spectacular view, right over Horseshoe Falls. We couldn’t wait to go down and do our activities. The shuttle bus stopped outside our hotel, and took us down to the Table Rock Welcome Centre where we exchanged our vouchers for tickets.  Niagara Falls actually has three cataracts as the speeding river is divided into two channels by Goat Island, a tiny spray soaked parcel of land. On one side is the mighty Canadian Horseshoe Falls, and on the other side is the smaller American Falls, along with the narrow Bridal Veil Falls.

Journey Behind the Falls was our first experience. An elevator took us down to a tunnel under Horseshoe Falls. Dressed in our yellow raincoats we had our first experience of the magnificence of the falls, force of the water and the deafening sound. Ninety percent of the water roars over the semicircular cliff here. Although the majestic rumble of the falls can be heard for miles, there is no preparation for the sight itself , a great arc of frothing, hissing water crashing over a huge cliff and dense clouds of spray.

We walked along the boardwalk, taking numerous photos along the way of Horseshoe, American and Bridal Falls, to get to the Maid of the Mist boat cruise. Here we upgraded to pink ponchos before embarking our boat which took us right in front of all three falls – a very close up and personal experience. We would have got very wet without our ponchos. Great experience.

The Niagara River makes a dramatic sharp turn 4.5 kms downstream from the falls generating a vicious, raging whirlpool – one of the most lethal stretches of water in the whole of North America. The effect is created when the river pushes against the northwest side of the canyon, only to be turned around in the opposite direction. We viewed the whirlpool from the century old Aero cable car which crosses the gorge high above the river. Sensational views of the river and equally stunning surrounding foliage.

Onto the white water walk which provides a close up view by means of a tunnel and an elevator which leads from the top of the gorge to a riverside boardwalk. It was a great way to see the force of the Niagara’s current, 35 km/hr. The rapids are grade 6. Several tightrope walkers have both successfully and unsuccessfully crossed the river at this point.

 I have to say I am glad we were there in the off season (actually a lot of things were closing the week after we were there). All the guides kept mentioning how crowded it is in peak season, and also gets very hot in the elevators and tunnels.

What a fabulous full on day! We were supposed to be having dinner at Table Rock restaurant overlooking the falls that night. At 4pm we received an email saying our reservation was cancelled! Not happy. We happened to be at the visitor centre when we received this notification, so we went up to the restaurant to challenge this – we had made a reservation 3 months ago, and had a confirmation the day before. Turns out there was a private function that night – definitely not happy! I put it down to the “Aldred Factor” – it happens from time to time. Anyway they booked us in at their sister restaurant, Queen Victoria Place, up the road (and also gave us a discount).

We had time to go back and get changed, and have a drink whilst watching the falls from our room. It was magic, and we chose not to let the previous drama spoil our night. This time we caught the incline car (like a funicular) down to the falls area, and walked to the restaurant.

We had the most wonderful meal watching first the sun go down over the falls, then the spectacular light show at the falls. All this whilst enjoying an amazing three course meal, and drinking delicious cocktails and wine. It was a very special day. Something we both had been wanting to see for a long time.

So now we have been to the big three – Victoria, Iguazzu, and now Niagara Falls … which is the best? They are all different and all magnificent. Victoria Falls are so much higher, but a lot narrower. What I did love there, was having dinner on the boat in the Zambezi River on top of the falls watching the glorious African sunset over the falls. That is an experience I will never forget. I felt with Niagara Falls, you are so close to the falls. Walking along the boardwalk, it felt like you could reach out and embrace them.

I hate to single out one, but Iguazzu was massive – and just so impressive. We also had the option to go under the falls in small boats, with the water pounding on our bodies. The wildlife there was also a highlight. Iguazzu was spectacular in so many ways.

Day 36

Friday 29th September 2023 – Boston – New England cruise

12-18 degrees, cloudy drizzly

So the drizzly rain has returned! Lucky we saw what we did in Boston yesterday. Today we were boarding the Norwegian Pearl for our one week New England cruise – yay! We can unpack for the week.

We checked out of our accommodation. Because we had a couple of hours to fill in, we took a drive to Cambridge and Harvard University. It would have been lovely to have a walk around this very pretty area – beautiful trees, lovely 3 story weatherboard houses, but because it was raining we just had a drive around the streets.

When we could no longer take the crazy Boston drivers, we headed to the Sea Port to get ready to board the cruise ship. Frank dropped me off with the bags, then returned the hire car. I felt quite relieved the driving part of our trip was over!

The boarding process took over an hour, even though we had checked in online, however before too long we had found our way to our cabin 10594. We had lunch, then came back to unpack – for the week! A nice feeling after being on the road for 5 weeks.

Sail away was at 4pm. Getting orientated ourselves with the ship didn’t take too long – we had been on this ship before – when we did the inside passage in 2011.

Dinner was at Le Bistro, the specialty French restaurant, and it was divine! Think escargot, scallops, french onion soup, Duck L’orange, sole… Not a bad way to start the cruise.

Day 37

Saturday 30th September 2023 – Bar Harbor, Maine

9-16 degrees, cloudy to sunny

Bar Harbor was the 19th Century summer haven for some of America’s richest people including the Astors and the Vanderbilts. In 1947 a fire destroyed a third of the town’s lavish homes, thus ending its reign as a high society enclave.

We couldn’t get into a tour here, but we were quite happy doing our own walk around the town. The Main Street was very pretty with its couloured row houses. Lots of restaurants, cafes and gift shops – the tourists are well and truly catered for.

Exploring the shore path was picturesque- a lovely shoreline, and some gorgeous “cottages” to be seen. How the other half live!

Back to the main area where we had to try the Maine lobster roll, lobster chowder and traditional Maine blueberry pie. We actually bought it as takeaway, and enjoyed looking out at the ocean and many boats while we enjoyed our lunch. It didn’t disappoint.

Next we headed along the shore road in the opposite direction to see La Rochelle Mansion and Museum.

La Rochelle is 13,000 square foot mansion built for George Sullivan Bowdoin & Tulia Irving Bowdoin in I902-03. It has 41 grooms, 15 bathrooms and 11 fireplaces- not a bad little “cottage”. The architects were Andrews and Rantoul of Boston. The Bowdoins used the gorgeous home as their summer cottage for 3 months a year. Other long-time occupants before the Historical Society acquired the mansion in 2019 include Gampbell Soup heirs Ruth & Tristram Colket and the Maine Seacoast Mission.

Time then to tender back to the ship. Our dinner tonight was at another specialty restaurant, Moderna, which was Brazilian Churrasco cuisine. Oh my goodness, absolutely delicious, and so much food. The meat just melted in your mouth. Two nights of fine dining and already my jeans are tight!

Day 38

Sunday 1st October 2023 – Halifax, Nova Scotia

9-16 degrees, sunny

Halifax was founded in 1759, and was planned as Britain’s military centre north of Boston. It has a long history of adventure as the town where legalised pirates (privateers) brought captured ships to be shared with the crown. Today Halifax is one of Canada’s foremost centre of higher learning, and has many colleges and four universities. We had a bit of time before our Halifax tour started so we did own self guided walking tour of downtown.

Our organised tour took in two of Halifax’s most popular sites – Peggy’s Cove was first. We had an hour of breathtaking wooded coastal views along the Lighthouse Route to get to the Cove.

Peggy’s Cove is a picturesque village and lighthouse, and are among the most photographed places in Canada. A romantic folk tale is told about how the Cove got its name. Young Peggy was traveling to Halifax to meet her fiancée when the ship she was in foundered on the rocks. She was rescued by local folk, and when visitors went to see her they would say they were going to see “Peggy of the Cove”.

Collision of crustal plates beneath the ocean floor forced molten material to the surface, which solidified as greyish-white coarse-grained granite. The rocks have been there for 350 million years; the crustal plates are still moving but no more than an inch a century, and there hasn’t been a glacier hereabouts for 10,000 years.

Peggy’s Cove is home to friendly fishermen, the nearby barrens are a controlled conservation area, and the irresistible sea, as it has for millions of years, still breaks on the immovable shore.

I loved the coloured houses – so quaint. Also of note we saw the de Garth Monument which William de Garth carved into a large granite rock.

Continuing on the scenic drive to the next site, we saw gorgeous houses where all the rich and famous live. We also saw quite a few “tent cities” where the homeless live.. obviously a place of extremes.

The second site was a visit to the Fairview Lawn cemetery which is the final resting place of 121 victims of one of history’s most tragic maritime disasters. Just before midnight on 14 April 1912, the White Star liner RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The majestic ship sank in less than three hours with the loss of close to 1,500 lives. Some of the bodies remain unidentified. Our guide brought the tale of the great ship’s ill fated maiden voyage to life.

Back in time for a couple of cocktails before dinner. We ate at the Indigo Restaurant – some very nice barramundi – before the evening show with Dana Monique singing. Such a powerful voice, singing female soul covers.

Day 39

Monday 2nd October 2023 – Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

9-17 degrees, sunny – Absolutely gorgeous sunny day!

Sydney is the only city on Cape Breton Island. With a long history as a mining centre and once the location of the largest steel plant in North America, the town’s main industries now are customer support centres and tourism.

We found the local taxi company and managed to organise our own tour with another two couples who were looking to do something similar.

We had 6 hours in which to enjoy Cape Breton Island. First we went to the Nova Scotia Highland Village, which is a living history museum located on a hillside overlooking the Bras d’Or Lake. Here we stepped back in time to experience 180 years of Cape Breton architecture and history. The costumed staff provided commentary on what it was like when the Gaels migrated to Nova Scotia from Scotland from 1770 onwards. Different structures were displayed from the one room Scottish Blackhouse to the more advanced colonial homes built 100 years later. Very interesting. How brave were these people making the move with their family, bringing virtually nothing.

Our next destination was the cute seaside town of Baddeck, also on the Bras d’Or Lake – the lake is huge. Had a little wander around the town before going to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum – another very interesting place. Can’t believe how many things he invented – from the telephone to the audiometer to hydrofoils, plus dabbled with airplanes, X-ray machines and graphophones (similar to a gramophone) . A very clever man.

The countryside was just gorgeous. Unfortunately, we were about a week too early for the fall colours – they were just starting to change. Manjeet said they will be really spectacular in a week or so. There are 65 species of maple trees here.

It was a great day – Manjeet was an excellent driver and guide, and our new friends, Nancy and Denis from Michigan, and Rad and Shanti from Toronto, were lovely. It worked out very economical as well – the cruise was promoting the same tour for US$199 per person, in the end we paid the equivalent of US $75 per person, and much more personalised.

Back in time for a drink before dinner. Tonight’s specialty dinner was at Cagney’s Steakhouse. Frank had the prime rib which he said melted in his mouth. Even though it was a steakhouse, I took the seafood option – tuna roulade, lobster bisque, then grilled shrimps, scallops, calamari, crab cake and branzino fish. Delectable!

Day 40

Tuesday 3rd October 2023 – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

10-22 degrees, unseasonally warm for this time of year, sunny.

Charlottetown is known as the birthplace of Canada – this is where the 1864 Charlottetown Conference was held, which eventually led to the formation of Canada as a nation. It is a centrally located coastal city with charming tree lined streets and elegant 19th century row houses .

Today was a day I’d been keenly looking forward to – a visit to the Anne of Green Gables House. This was the house that featured in the series of novels written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, first published in 1908. I got to relive my childhood memories – I loved the stories of Anne. I saw her bedroom, her dress she wore when Matthew and Marilla picked her up, the slate she broke over Gilbert Blyth’s head, and strolled down the much enjoyed Lover’s Lane. Also saw where Lucy Maud Montgomery and her husband were buried close by in Cavendish (which is where the Lucy grew up living with her grandparents).

To get there we had a scenic drive through rolling hills and the pastoral areas of Prince Edward Island, as well as alongside the white sandy shores, surrounded by sapphire blue water and red sandstone cliffs. Lobster fishing, oyster and mussel farming were in abundance. The countryside is stunning – my favourite so far.

We enjoyed an amazing lobster lunch at the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company – a 1913 butter factory which is now a restaurant and shop, showcasing island products. The lobster was divine, as was the locally made raspberry cheesecake.

Once back at the port we walked into the town of Charlottetown. There are so many beautiful historic Victorian era homes, churches and quaint shops. Many local artisans selling their wares. Moo ice cream is famous here. The Fire Brigade had some beautifully restored trucks and vehicles on display.

Back on board, and ready in no time for another specialty dinner – this time, Teppanyaki. And oh what a show.. had to be the best Teppanyaki we have been at to date. The chefs not only cooked and did their circus tricks – they sung extracts from so many songs. They were a delight! The entertainment after dinner was a “Back to 1969” tribute show – Frank was in his element.

Day 41

Wednesday 4th October 2023 – Sea Day

A day at leisure – lots of eating and drinking, some onboard activities including trivia, the art auction (which I always find interesting even though I don’t intend to buy), and a martini making/tasting workshop. We tasted 6 martinis – from the traditional, to one with Chamboard in it, an espresso martini, a cosmopolitan, and even a surprise one with Pitaschio liquor in it. It was nice, but sweet – you couldn’t have too much of it. A nice day overall.

I don’t usually like sea days, I’d rather be out seeing some exotic land, but it was actually good on this occasion to have a rest day.

Day 42

Thursday 5th October 2023

Saguenay – 12-24 degrees, cloudy to sunny, and windy. Because of the wind it did not feel like 24! It felt much less than that.

At the tip of a majestic fjord where the waters of the Saguenay and Saint Lawrence Rivers meet, lies Saguenay. It was a very pleasant sail through the fjord, which was formed by a retreating glacier splitting a crack in the Earth’s crust during the last Ice Age 10000 years ago.

The Saguenay Fjord is unusual because one water layer is superimposed on top of a very different one. Near the surface, a layer of warm brackish water (between salt water and fresh water) flows to the St. Lawrence. Near the bottom, a layer of cold marine water flows in the other direction from the estuary.

By juxtaposing two water layers with differing salinities and temperatures, this waterway also enables freshwater and saltwater species to live next to each other. This unique circulation of water makes the ford and Baie des Ha! Ha! a natural environment with a great diversity of life forms: some sixty fish species (40 saltwater and 20 freshwater species) and over four hundred invertebrate species.

Due to the exceptional depth, cruise ships can travel up to La Baie, a borough of Saguenay. We had a little walk around La Baie – it is very small. The main attraction was Notre Dame Church – each of the 4 walls are made of different stone, because they kept running out of money as they built it.

Next we did the hop on hop off bus (a school bus) and went to the Fjord Museum. This gave us a greater understanding of the importance of the fjord during colonisation and the fur trade, later with logging, pulp and paper industries, and aluminium production. Also, good information on the settlement of the area.

Onto the town of Chicoutimi – a quaint town, with several churches. Saw the Little White House that miraculously survived the Flood of 1996. Pretty scenery, houses not as cute here, but the trees are definitely more colourful. Temperatures get down to -40 in winter, with 6-8 feet of snow in town, and 28 feet in the mountains. This area is 97% French only speaking.

We found a French Patisserie in Chicoutimi where we had the best coffee of the trip so far. It was perfect. Taken a while to find – lucky we could rely on the French!

Our final specialty dinner tonight – we decided to go back to Le Bistro. Couldn’t resist the French flavours – we justified that we were getting ready for Quebec! Steak tartare, scallops, coq au vin, duck l’orange were all on our menu of the day – what can I say.

Final cruise entertainment was a Legends show – Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley tributes were fantastic. The cruise entertainers always put on a great show. So last drinks, bags packed and outside the cabin, ready for the next chapter of this amazing holiday.

Day 19

Tuesday 12th September 2023 – Vancouver to Chicago

14-20 degrees, fine

Travel day, up early, taxi at 6.15 to go to Vancouver Airport- had a lovely young Indian driver who just loved cricket! He knew all the Aussie cricketers so Frank was in his element discussing the current one day tournament.

Usual boring plane travel – 4 hours on Air Canada to O’Hare airport in Chicago. We had a pickup arranged – which all went to plan this time. Different conversation with the driver this trip – English was not his first language! We had lost 2 hours this trip, and had arrived in the middle of peak hour.

We stayed at an Airbnb in Chester Street- turns out it was a fabulous location- walking distance to most attractions. Got ourselves sorted, put a load of washing on, and went out to get a feel for the local area. From what we could see, there was amazing architecture in every direction – no doubt we will find out more tomorrow. We did find Trader Joe’s – so set ourselves up with a few supplies. We were hanging out for a home cooked meal, so we bought some chicken and fresh vegetables, and home we went to cook dinner which we enjoyed with a bottle of French Cabernet Sauvignon.. and it didn’t break the bank! Our washing was done… simple pleasures!

Day 20

Wednesday 13th September 2023 – Chicago, Illinois

14-20 degrees, sunny

Chicago is the third largest city in the US. It is situated at the southwest edge of Lake Michigan, and is a similar size to Brisbane. Despite burning to the ground in 1871, and witnessing terrible social unrest, the city rebuilt itself to emerge as the financial capital of the Midwest. It is famous for its innovative architecture, its vibrant cultural and educational institutions, and its colourful and turbulent political history. It didn’t take as long to work out there is a lot to do in Chicago!

We thought we’d tackle it by doing the Big Bus Hop on Hop off tour. Bit of an issue – there was a city funeral for a fallen fire officer, so streets were closed off where we we supposed to catch the bus. We were diverted a couple of times, but eventually we were on our way an hour later than anticipated.

We had an entertaining tour guide on the bus. We did a couple of legs then got off at the Willis Tower. At a height of 442 metres, it was originally known as the Sears Tower. It is one of the world’s tallest buildings. There was a fabulous interactive display as you entered the Tower, showcasing the architecture of many of Chicago’s buildings and featured the city’s rich history. We then headed up to the 104th floor for amazing 360 degrees views of the city . The walk out to the “Ledge” was a highlight – here you walked out on a glass floor overlooking the city below. A little nerve racking I have to say.

A bite to eat, and back on the bus. We saw the Trump Tower, the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, the Corn Cobs, John Hancock Centre, Millennium Park, the Art Institute, the Magnificent Mile, the Chicago and Nederland Theatres, the Loop trains, and so much more.

We disembarked at Navy Pier to explore that area. Originally a municipal wharf used for naval training in WW11, it is now a bustling recreational and cultural centre. There is a Children’s Museum there, as well as an amusement park area – we went on the Ferris wheel which gave us a great view of the city and Lake Michigan – plus many bars, restaurants and other entertainment features. A great entertainment precinct – and just wonderful that we had the perfect weather to enjoy it.

We hopped back on the bus to end up downtown where we enjoyed a bit of shopping and a nice meal. It was pizza but not the deep pan pizza Chicago is famous for.

After dinner we went to the Chicago Blues Bar where we enjoyed some Blues music. It was a great venue – everything paid in cash- $12 cover charge, and all drinks $6-$10. Drinks have been double that price everywhere else in Chicago. Great local band with African American female singer. It just finished off a fabulous day. Chicago has turned out to be the surprise package!

Day 21

Thursday 14th September 2023

Chicago, Illinois

12-21 degrees, sunny

Started the day with a local guide walking tour – Gangsters and Ghosts. It was excellent- heard all about Al Capone, the sinking of the SS Eastland in 1915 when 844 passengers and crew drowned, the serial killer H H Holmes who suddenly acquired all these bodies for science experiments, saw the famous Palmer Hotel where we had the original Brownie (plus I got the recipe), a walk through Millennium Park , and ended up at the beautiful Cultural Centre. It was excellent.

A little bit of retail therapy – found my favourite TJ Max, as well as Ross, Marshall and Burlington. All similar genre stores. Frank’s suitcase had managed to succumb to the travel tragedy of a broken wheel. So new suitcase acquired, which we then had to take back to the apartment- no worries.

Then next mission, off to a Major League Baseball game at the Wrigley Stadium – Chicago Whitesox versus Minnesota Twins. We caught the train there, and followed some fans to the stadium. Little issue getting in – my handbag was too big apparently (even though it is small) – it needs to be 9 x 5 x 2 inches, or clear. We had an another fold up bag with coats in it – we put the coats on, but they wouldn’t let us fold the bag up and put it in Frank’s pocket. So we went around the corner and did that! And I took some things out of my handbag, put them in my pocket, and I was ok. But it was all a bit stressful with everyone giving us instructions.

Anyway, we got in, found our seats, then went and checked out all the fast food venues. As you imagine the drink prices were exorbitant. We had to try a Chicago hotdog for dinner – Frank had the footlong, which was massive. The game was a bit slow – not a lot of home runs, in fact only 2 for the Whitesox (the home team). The fireworks go off when the home team scores a home run. Shame the Twins weren’t playing at home – they had 10 home runs. Anyway, it was a great experience to have been to a major league game – plenty of entertainment to keep the crowd interested.

Train home, and straight to bed. We have walked close to 20000 steps each for the last two days.

One comment I will make about Chicago, sirens seem to be going all day/night every day! It’s a rather noisy place.

Day 22

Friday 15th September 2023 – Chicago, Illinois to Cleveland, Ohio

14-21 degrees

We were going to catch the train to pick up our hire car at Midway Airport, but decided in the end to catch a taxi as it would be easier with our luggage (mainly because we had read it was a 28 minute walk from the airport to the rental car pickup). So we vacated our lovely little Chicago apartment and headed to the airport. At the car centre, we had to quickly get out as the taxi driver had driven up the wrong entrance. In all the haste, Frank had left his backpack in the taxi! Imagine how we felt! There was nothing of significant monetary value in the pack – only all our travel documents!

We tried frantically to contact the cab company, and everything else you do in this situation. Eventually I walked back out to the booth at the car rental entrance, and the lady had a backpack in her hands, and was coming to find us! The taxi driver had just dropped the bag to her. I started crying – I was so overwhelmed that the driver would bring it back, and that she was looking for us. My faith in human kindness has been restored!

The queue for the car pick up took an hour and a half to get through, then we had to find the car. Turns out we had been allocated a 2 door Chevrolet Coupe – we were never going to get our bags into that! The boot opening was tiny. We ended up with a Camry – much more practical, though definitely not as cool looking.

So out on the road – we safely navigated the very hectic Chicago traffic – only one wrong turn- out onto State Road 90, which we followed all the way to Cleveland. Six and a half hours later. It was a long drive, all highway – and a very rough road at that – $28 in tolls. We left Illinois, drove through Indiana, and into Ohio, stopping at 2 travel plazas (our equivalent of a road house) for some sustenance (all fast food choices). We passed through some nice farmland , also caravan farms ( so it seemed). We didn’t arrive to our Airbnb until 8.15pm – it was a very long day.

We had a cute little studio apartment at the back of someone’s home – quite small, but had everything we needed. Our first mission was to find some food, and more importantly, wine! Mission accomplished – what a day!

Day 23

Saturday 16th September 2023 – Cleveland, Ohio

10-22 degrees, sunny

Bit of a slow start today. Although once ranked as one of the poorest cities in the US, Cleveland is a hard working, now vibrant and ever changing place.

Our main aim was to go the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum situated at the Lake Erie Waterfront precinct. First had to navigate the parking once we got there. We found a parking meter near the entrance, however one of the locals advised us to park down the road at the Waterfront car park as it was cheaper – at $18 for 4 hours. Turns out, the street parking was free on a weekend – we could have stayed where we were. And we wouldn’t have had to rush back to get our car at the allotted time! The joys of being a tourist!

The Rock Hall traces the evolution of the rock and roll musical and cultural phenomenon through more than 50 exhibits. We spent nearly 4 hours there, and could easily have spent more time. Even has jam rooms where budding musicians can perform in front of visitors. Great Beatles, Elvis, Rolling Stones exhibits.

We moved the car into the main downtown area and spent the rest of the afternoon exploring here – the Casino, the beautiful Arcade in the Hyatt Hotel, the Soldier’s Memorial, and the Key Tower. We found a lovely vibrant laneway full of restaurants – Mabel’s BBQ was a great choice! Pulled pork with sides, followed by pecan pie. So tasty. I have to say we were the only people in the laneway not wearing blue, white and red – the Cleveland Guardians were playing the Texas Raiders (baseball) at the stadium across the road – and both teams wear blue, white and red!

A bit more exploring after dinner – this time the theatre district – then made our way home for the night.

We are staying in Gordon Square district close to the city. Our street is lovely and shaded and has the most gorgeous 2 story homes with attics and lots of detail. I had a chat to one of the neighbours – the family were busy setting up their front yard for Halloween – think one huge skeleton plus several small ones, ghosts, spider webs, pumpkins and so on. It was a hive of activity. When they are finished, the lights will go on!

Day 24

Sunday 17th September 2023 – Cleveland, Ohio to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

12-20 degrees, sunny

Everyone had mentioned Westside Markets to us, so we thought we had better go and have a look. If you are after fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat, deli items, breads, sweets… this is the place to go. We were limited as we were going to a hotel that night, but we did manage to buy cannolis for morning tea, cheese, hummus and crackers for our lunch, and a bag of fresh fruit for snacking!

It was a two hour drive to Pittsburgh, but we took a few back roads – deliberately- so took a bit longer. The back roads are much more interesting – nice houses, farmlands etc. We also stopped at Walmart for a sticky beak. We bought a few supplies – but no alcohol! We had to show our ID to do so, but we needed a barcode on the ID. Our driver’s licenses and passports don’t have that, so we couldn’t buy any alcohol – I really think it was because we didn’t look old enough!! This is in Pennsylvania. Also took a look at the guns cabinet – you just need to be over 18 and have ID (no doubt with a bar code) to buy a gun!

We were staying at the Doubletree Hilton, bit of a mishap – we found the wrong Doubletree! Back in the car, and found the one we had booked in Downtown. All good. Checked in, and went for a wander around town.

Pittsburgh grew from a frontier outpost to an industrial giant – home to the huge mills of the US steel conglomerate, as well as the Heinz and Westinghouse electric companies. From the Civil War through WW11, Pittsburgh was a thriving metropolis, but in the 1950’s and 60’s its fortunes faded.

There certainly wasn’t a lot happening, or open, as we walked the city streets on a Sunday afternoon/evening. We eventually found a Sports Bar where we had a drink. I think everyone was at the baseball- the New York Yankees were playing Pittsburgh Pirates, or football – Pittsburgh Steelers were playing the Cleveland Browns. In the end we had an early night back at our room, catching up on phone calls, emails, and planning the next couple of days.

Day 25

Monday 18th September 2023 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Washington DC

12 -24 degrees, sunny

Back on the road, driving to Washington DC – a 4 1/2 hour drive. We did a combination of highways and back roads in Pennsylvania. I won’t ever complain about the Bruce Highway again- the roads here are in poor shape. Speed limits also seem to be a “guideline”!

We got caught behind a yellow school bus at one stage. Traffic has to stop in both directions when the bus stops, and the children cross the road to embark. Our only issue was, one child gets on from one house, then the bus stops two doors down for the next family- not sure why they can’t stand together in the middle house and they only have the one stop. It’s a very slow trip behind the bus! So the little darlings head off to school, and mum (in her pj’s) goes home. Not a bad system – that could have saved me a lot of stress in days gone by!

Roads improved dramatically in Maryland. Some beautiful scenery as we travelled over the Appalachian Mountains – the leaves were just starting to change colours with the impending arrival of Fall. Saw a couple of deer grazing at the edge of the road. Frank thought he saw a bear cub.

Another point to note – we observed some amazing lane changes! Cars would travel from the left lane, zoom across 3 lanes to exit on the right – all at high speed. Scary! Not sure why they can’t prepare to exit earlier? Generally drivers seem very courteous letting incoming traffic merge.

We did stop to look for a good coffee at one stage – with no luck – and found a department store instead (Boscov) where I found a new travel bag I’d been looking for. All was not lost.

We checked into Sonesta Suites in Falls Church – a suburb in Virginia with easy access to DC. Because we had a kitchen, we walked next door to Aldi to buy a few supplies. Now I usually love Aldi, and we did get everything we needed – but their special buys were rather limited compared to what we have! Not that I could buy anything – I definitely couldn’t fit a Halloween pumpkin with flashing lights into the suitcase!

So then we were cooking our salmon, when the fire alarm went off – we thought it was our smoke alarm, but turns out it was someone else’s. Regardless, we all had to evacuate and the fire brigade had to come and turn off the deafening alarms.

Day 26

Tuesday 19th September 2023 – Washington DC

16-26 degrees, sunny

Up early for a big day touring the US capital. Washington DC, with its magnificent monuments, superb museums and cosmopolitan flavour is a favourite destination for tourists.

The city is made up of four quadrants with the US Capitol at the central point.

First we had to find our way to the train station, navigate the Metro system, then find our meeting spot at the other end – and we did it! Even had time for an awful Starbucks coffee. We are so going to jump for joy when we find a decent coffee in the US!

We had a tour booked through Get Your Guide – which was well worth it. The tour took in all the famous memorials and monuments including the Naval Monument, The Capitol on Capitol Hill, The White House, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Franklin D Roosevelt Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and the World War II Memorial.

Lunch stop on Washington Harbour (fresh salmon sandwiches for Frank, and delicious mahi mahi fish tacos for me – so nice to find good other than burgers, fries or pizza!) behind going on a cruise on the Potomac River. We saw the Watergate Building, the Kennedy theatre centre, Franklin Roosevelt Island, and the other side of some of the monuments we had seen earlier. So much to see in Washington.

We still had a bit of time before everything closed for the day, so we headed to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. There are a few Smithsonian museums, so we have to be a little selective as to which few we will visit. This one was an excellent choice. One of the most valuable artifacts of all time rests here – the Hope Diamond, a mere 45.25 carat. Harry Winston mailed a simple brown wrapper, containing the diamond, to the museum- if only I had been the intended recipient! It has a fascinating history, owned by many notable figures over the centuries.

5.30pm came, the museums closed, and we were both exhausted! Not sure why. Anyway, we trained it back to the car park, drove to our “suite”, cooked a yummy dinner, and finished just in time to hear the smoke alarms go off again! Evacuate, evacuate.. not sure if this is a nightly occurrence ?? Never one to waste time, we walked to Aldi to get another bottle of the nice Barossa Valley Shiraz we had bought the day before – only thing was, I was in my pyjamas (I did put a light jacket on for modesty before we evacuated for modesty), hey, but no one knows us! A successful mission, and the alarms were reset by the time we got back. Well used time I say. Then a good night sleep to refresh!

Day 27

Wednesday 20th September 2023 – Washington DC

16-25 degrees, sunny

Today was Museum day. The Smithsonian Institution was established in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States, by James Smithson, to “found, at Washington, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” The Smithsonian consists of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoo, and numerous facilities in the US and abroad.

We knew we could only fit a couple of museums in today – our first choice was the National Air and Space Museum. It is one of the most popular museums. Two excellent galleries were the Space Race – where we saw exhibits of the space pioneers, and also the Milestones of Flight which included the Wright Brothers flyer . Again we could have spent much longer there.

We strolled through the Mall which was a lovely walk, though very hot. The squirrels were dashing in front of us scrurrying up the trees. This boulevard stretches for one mile between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, and is the city’s cultural heart.

The American History Museum was our next choice. It had everything in it – from the history the country, the flag and the anthem, the presidents and their First Ladies, to American industry, finance and music. Very interesting.

Frank has been really looking forward to tonight – meeting his friend Steve Hussey (from RAN days in the UK) and his wife, Lisa, for dinner. Steve is working in Washington. He picked us up at Rosslyn train station and took us back to their house – a gorgeous brick American colonial house in an equally gorgeous tree lined street. We could walk to the restaurant, Mele, which had the most flavoursome food – it was one of Steve and Lisa’s tried and well tested favourites. We had a wonderful evening catching up with them.

Train and drive home from there, and lucky enough to miss the nightly fire alarm!

Day 28

Thursday 21st September 2023 – Washington DC to Akron, Pennsylvania

14-23 degrees, sunny

Farewell Washington DC with one last stop on our way out – the Smithsonian Zoological Museum. First we had to navigate our way out of Washington, or should I say through! Only one wrong turn, so not bad.

All the Smithsonians are free entry – so wonderful for everyone to experience. The Zoo had some fantastic exhibits – the pandas (which apparently are being relocated soon), the low-land gorillas (they had a tiny baby there), and the orangutans were my favourites. We spent 3 hours there – it went in no time!

So next we have a two and a half drive to Akron to check into our Airbnb – we’re here for 2 nights. No time to dilly dally, straight out for our Amish Experience Tour – which I absolutely loved!!!!

Where do I start…. so much to say!

So who are the Amish? The Amish are group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowship followers, closely related to the Mennonite Church (there are also Mennonite groups living in Pennsylvania). Here in Lancaster County there are 30,000 Amish living interspersed amongst the “English”. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress and Christian pacifism. They value rural life, manual labor, humility and Gelassenheit (submission to God’s will).

We went to three Amish family’s homes, the first was a dairy farm (where we saw the milking by vacuum pumps), a man who made buggies, and also went inside another family home (their business was making children’s playground equipment). The tour was absolutely fascinating.

Here’s what I learnt..

The Amish believe you are Amish, or English

Education – Children go to school until year 8, then do 3 hours a week vocational training until they are age 15 (government requirement). The children go to a one room classroom with other children in years 1-8 – there may be up to 40 children in the class. The teacher is usually unmarried, and will only have a Year 8 education. They learn English at school, speak Pennsylvania Dutch at home, and learn High German at church(which they need for church).

Church- every Sunday. The Amish don’t have a church building, they use a spare barn. The Mennonites do have a church building. The children aren’t baptised until at least age 16. Then can enter a period called Ronnespringer, which can last as long as required, to decide whether they are ready to commit to the Amish way of life.

Dress- Women wear plain clothing, with a headpiece. Mennonites can have patterns, and their headpieces are slightly different. The women make all their own clothes. Men can’t have pockets or buttons, and wear braces. They wear the big straw hats. The men have a beard but no moustache.

Travel – the Amish can’t use a car, instead they have horse drawn buggies. The boys usually get one when they are 16- the girls don’t. Amish people can travel by other people’s cars, trains, buses and boats, but not by planes. They also can’t ride bicycles, but can ride scooters.

Health – as the Amish don’t believe in insurance, they have come to some sort of arrangement where they pay cash and get a 40% discount on all health fees. There are no nursing homes, the elderly are cared for at home by the family. When people pass, the headstones in the cemeteries are all the same, so that no one stands out.

There are Amish farms interspersed with modern farms. Their houses and farms are so neat and well cared for. We would see Amish women mowing the lawn with their push mowers, and next door the “English” would be mowing with the ride on mower. The Amish farmer would be harvesting his born by hand and loading onto a horse drawn cart, while the “English” was doing his by sophisticated machinery.

Electricity- the Amish are not allowed to use electricity, but they can have solar panels (apparently they have the highest uptake of solar panels in the US), can also use batteries (the house we went in had a chandelier set up with battery lighting), gas and diesel.

Luxuries – television is not allowed. Telephones to the house have only been recently allowed – but not to be used that they interrupt family times/meals. Mobile phones are on the banned list .

The tour finished at 8pm, and everything was closed – when you don’t have power, you do things in daylight hours. The guide suggested we go to a pub in Lancaster 15 minutes away. So glad we did – we had a melt in the mouth rib fillet medallion, with crab pieces and Philly cheese sauce, accompanied with lemon potatoes and peppered vegetables – it was divine, those flavours you keep thinking about!

Then had a 20 minute drive back to our Airbnb – in the dark. We had been avoiding night driving, and the dark country roads were a bit hairy at times, but we did it!

Day 29

Friday 22nd September 2023 – Akron, Pennsylvania

14-21, cloudy

We were going into Philadelphia today, but we were so fascinated by the Amish lifestyle, we decided to explore the local area further.

Bird in the Hand (name of the town) Bake Shop was fascinating – we stopped there for morning tea. We tried a Whoopie Pie and Shoofly pie (sweet pies for which the Amish are known for). Great display of pumpkins and mums (flower pots) in the front area, as well as many local cottage crafts. These craft stalls are quite common in the county.

Next went to the town of Intercourse – supposedly named because people used to congregate there for social intercourse many years ago. Regardless of why, Frank was keen to visit! There was a precinct there called Kitchen Kettle Village – 40 local arts and craft and food shops there. Many other businesses in this town.

We went back to Bird in the Hand, to the Smokehouse, for a delicious lunch. The cheese muffins (only a side dish) are worth mentioning!

More exploring in the afternoon. Went to a quaint little village called Lititz. The main reason for the visit was to do a pretzel making workshop at Julius Sturgis’ Pretzel Bakery, originated in 1861 – that was a bit of fun. Walked around the historical town afterwards – some beautiful buildings including a girl’s boarding school circa 1796, some quaint boutiques and cafes/restaurants. A lovely afternoon.

A little more driving the country roads enjoying the Amish lifestyle before we headed in for the night

Day 30

Saturday 23rd September 2023 – Akron, Pennsylvania to Closter, New Jersey

13-17, wet and cold

The day was wet, very wet! Hurricane Ophelia was off the coast of South Carolina, and making us well aware of her presence. We were going to an outdoor museum of Ephrata Cloister, but as most of it was outdoors we decided to continue through to New Jersey to Ronit and Jacob’s home. It was a three and a half drive through solid rain, so involved a lot of concentration. We stopped for lunch on the way, but other than that, it was a straight drive through heavy rain to New Jersey. We were rather proud of ourselves getting through the traffic.

We stayed with our friends Ronit and Jacob in Closter, New Jersey. It was so wonderful to see them. They have a lovely family home with plenty of spare bedrooms. We spent the evening catching up with all the news. Ronit cooked delicious chicken schnitzel with 7 spices, and lots of lovely fresh vegetables. Shoofly pie complimented the meal.

Day 31

Sunday 24th September 2023 – New Jersey and NYC

13-18 degrees, cold and wet – Hurricane Ophelia decided to let the heavens open- it was very wet!

Jacob drove us into NYC, and we found a park in East Village. Street parking is free on a weekend. We had a lovely walk though the suburb enjoying the architecture of the gorgeous terrace houses, and the pretty terrace gardens. We swung by Central Park – all the runners were out. Obviously the wet weather hasn’t deterred them. We looked across Central Park Lake to the Dakota Building (where John Lennon was assassinated).

Our first wet weather attraction was a visit to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, often referred to as The Guggenheim. It is an art museum at 1071 Fifth Avenue. There were two exhibitions there- the first we saw was “Experimental Art in Korea”- probably not my style, and on the lower floor was the Thannhauser Collection – Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern French masterpieces from the Guggenheim’s collection, including works by Degas, Manet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso and more. Enjoyed this part a lot more, plus loved the architecture of the building itself with its spiral walkway.

Next we moved the car and went to East Village. Here we went to a gorgeous Italian restaurant called Rosemary’s, and met Ana, Ronit’s aunt, who we had also shared good times with on our river cruise last year. It was lovely to see her, and the five of us enjoyed chatting over lunch, and then walked around the grounds of Ana’s unit complex. There are 110 buildings- it’s massive, but you don’t feel you are one of the masses. The are beautiful gardens, paths, fountains, coffee shops, grocery stores and restaurants in the precinct – everything you could possibly need. Ana’s unit was big for a one bedroom (70 square metres). She should be very happy there.

We soldiered on in the rain, and went to the One World Trade Centre. Originally called the Freedom Tower, it was completed in 2014, and is now an office building and tourist attraction. Standing as a shining beacon near the site of the original World Trade Centre, it dominates Manhattan’s skyline at a height of 541 metres. The two reflection pools are where the original footprints of the towers were. They are set amongst lovely trees with names of those who were killed written all around the edges of the pools.

Because there was zero visibility from the viewing platform of the tower, we gave going up there a miss. We did go to the museum which was very well done. It was a tragic reminder of what happened on that fateful day in 2001.

Across the road from the museum was a Westfield centre- had a quick look in there, mainly for the architecture. It felt like we were inside a whale! Fascinating. Ronit and Jacob also took us to Eatily – an Italian food store/deli/restaurant – if you wanted something, it would be there.

We eventually got home at 9pm, some cheese and biscuits, and red wine of course, before bed.

Day 32

Monday 25th September 2023 – New Jersey and NYC

14-16 degrees, cold and wet

Today we caught the bus into NYC from the suburbs(Tenafly) – it took an hour. It was Yom Kippur today, which meant there was no school, and somewhat less traffic.

We had the day to explore … in the rain again unfortunately. Ophelia was not going to let us forget she was nearby.

We really just wanted to revisit some of the places we had been to last time. Many steps later, we saw Times Square, Rockefeller Centre, Madison Square Gardens, Trump Tower, Tiffany’s, Grand Central Station (where we had lunch at the Oyster Bar), Macy’s, and so much more. It was wonderful to be set free in NYC again. Just a shame about the weather – last time we were here we were juggling coats, hats, gloves, scarves, this time it was wet umbrellas and raincoats!

Had a nice drink at Beer Authority, did some people watching, before catching the bus back to New Jersey (which only took 35 minutes at 7pm). Ronit had cooked fresh lemon sole fish and vegetables for dinner. Delicious!

Day 33

Tuesday 26th September 2023

New Jersey and NYC – 14-16 degrees , cold and wet, again

Back to the bus, but normal traffic today – 1 1/2 hours to get in today. We were stuck in the Lincoln Tunnel for at least 20 minutes. Straight to the subway to go to Williamsburg. It was an ordeal getting through the turnstile – all fares are US $2.90 regardless of how far you go. I tapped with my credit card – the turnstile wouldn’t budge, tapped again, and again, then successfully went through another gate – turns out I was charged four times! The joys of travelling!

On the train, then had to change trains at Fulton Street – do you think we could find the platform for where we were going … the signs were sending us around in circles. Got on a train eventually only to go the wrong way! Disembarked at the next stop to turn around- only problem was we had to exit the station, then of course pay again to re-enter. We did get to Willamsburg – though I’m sure we could have got there much cheaper by taxi! All part of the travel experience.

Had a fascinating walk around Williamsburg. We had watched the Netflix series “Unorthodox” last year and were very interested in the Orthodox Jew culture. Hasidic Jews first moved to the Williamsburg neighborhood in the years prior to World War II, along with many other religious and non-religious Jews.

The Hasidic community of Williamsburg has one of the highest birthrates in the country, with an average of eight children per family. Each year, the community celebrates between 800 and 900 weddings for young couples, who typically marry between the ages of 18 and 21. Because Hasidic men receive little secular education, and women tend to be homemakers, college degrees are rare, and economic opportunities lag far behind the rest of the population.

We took a walk around the local area, including Lee Street. We saw the men in their white shirts, black pants, coats, umbrellas and hats (and hat covers because it was raining)

Caught the train to Greenwich Village – no problems this time! We spent the afternoon wandering around Greenwich Village, Little Italy and Chelsea, in the rain, stopping at coffee shops, boutiques, grocery stores – just enjoying the neighbourhoods, and trying to remember where we had been last visit.

We also walked along the Highline – we hadn’t got there last visit. The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. Saved from demolition by neighborhood residents and the City of New York, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where vIsitors experience nature, art, and design. Great concept – we enjoyed the views into the streets below.

We stopped for an early dinner at a Latin restaurant in 7th Avenue. Such a good find – the food was amazing – ceviche, empanadas, bodega. The spicy grapefruit margarita was more than amazing!

Onto Broadway next, to the Broadhurst Theatre, where we saw “A Beautiful Life” – the story of Neil Diamond’s life. It was absolutely brilliant. Loved it. The singer who played Neil Diamond had a fabulous voice.

Back to the bus stop to go home – we are becoming experts with the local bus. What a fabulous 3 1/2 days we had in New York – despite the weather.

Day 34

Wednesday 27th September 2023

New Jersey to Boston – 9-19 degrees, sunny – hooray!

The sun has come out – just as we leave New Jersey! We had a leisurely breakfast with Ronit and Jacob, before farewelling them and heading on our way to Boston. It took us 5 hours to get to our Airbnb, which was in a great location, a 2 minute walk to the train, and then only a 15 minute ride into the heart of Boston.

Great little studio apartment – had a few issues getting in, but sorted those out quickly. We also thought the laundry facilities were in the apartment, but they were in the basement accessed from the back door.

Out to explore the local area next, and get a few supplies. We didn’t get that far, just got the essentials. The traffic and lack of parking are very off putting. I can’t say I will be sorry to see the car go! In the end, we found a Chinese restaurant (there was a large choice of restaurants just near us, but Chinese was the cuisine of choice on this occasion), and took our meal home – we just needed a quiet night in! And the food was delicious – the eggplant dish was divine! Good choice!

Day 35

Thursday 27th September 2023 – Boston

9-19 degrees, sunny but cool breeze

Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, was founded in the early 17th century around a large natural harbour at the mouth of the Charles River. It is a major centre of American history, culture, and learning.

Stunning weather to be touring Boston. We navigated the subway system (known as the T) to get ourselves to downtown Boston (which was only a few stops), and then to the Waterfront. The Aqua Duck tour was the perfect way to see the highlights of Boston city, both from a land and water perspective. Frank even managed to take a turn steering the Duck under the Charleston bridge. I loved the glassed John Hancock tower with its reflections of the Trinity Church.

Fringed by wharves and warehouses, Boston’s Waterfront is one of the cities most fascinating areas. The Aquarium is situated here-we didn’t go in, but we could still enjoy the sea lions and fur seals through the glass.

We stopped for lunch at Legal Seafood restaurant – of course we had to try the famous lobster chowder. It was divine!   Next we did a guided walk of part of the Freedom Trail with a guide dressed in period costume. The Freedom Trail is a 4 km walking route marked in red on the sidewalk, and links important sites of the American Revolution. Starting at Boston Common, we stopped and heard stories at the State House, Park Street Church, the Old Granary Burying Ground, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, finishing at Faneuil Hall. The guide was very entertaining with his historical stories. Samuel Adams Brewery just happened to be at the finish point, so of course we had to taste a couple of the ales before walking to Beacon Hill to further explore that area.

The south slope of Beacon Hill was, from the 1790s to the 1870s, Boston’s most sought after neighbourhood, until its wealthy elite decamped to the more exclusive Back Bay (all reclaimed land) . Today property prices are eye watering high. The finest houses are perched on top of the hill, offering fabulous views. Though the earlier houses were set well back from the street, the economic depression of 1807-12 resulted in row houses being built right out to the street. I loved walking around the cobblestone streets enjoying the federal architecture of the buildings.

I was lucky enough to have a short window of retail therapy, before training it back to our apartment. Easy night…left over dinner from the night before. Actually it had been nice to have two very casual dinners with some relaxation. We got the washing up to date, and the bags organised ready to go on our cruise the next day.

Day 7

Thursday 31st August 2023 – Vancouver

14-20, cloudy – lot of fog

Free day today, before we start on our Globus tour tomorrow.

So, 20 minute brisk walk to Canada Place where we caught the shuttle bus to Capilano Suspension Bridge.

Beautiful church in Vancouver

The Capilano Suspension Bridge was originally built in 1889 by pioneer Scotsman George Grant- it was said he built the bridge for his son to fish in the Capilano River. The present bridge, is the fourth, and dates from 1956. It hangs 70 metres above the canyon, and spans 137 metres. There was some sway when we walked across! On the other side there was a series of seven tree walks, so we could enjoy the gorgeous trees and nature.

From here we caught the local bus to Grouse Mountain. The Grouse Mountain Skyride took us up to the peak of Vancouver, where, we could have enjoyed panoramic views of the city – except that the mountain was covered in cloud! Regardless, it was really nice (though cold) at the top – there was a magical feel with all the beautiful trees in the clouds. We took the chairlift right to the peak – we thought there was a break in the clouds, but alas that did not eventuate. We thoroughly enjoyed the very entertaining Lumberjack show, the birds of prey show, and absolutely was enthralled meeting the resident Grizzly bears, Grinder and Cooler. Both bears were orphaned in 2001 and have been cared for by the Wildlife Refuge.

You can also go ziplining – we chose not to do that because of the low cloud – well that was our excuse, also disc golf, and hang gliding. In winter, the summit has all the amenities of a ski resort with 33 runs. Great place for a visit.

A couple of restaurants – we had a late lunch at 4pm, and luckily for us the cloud was lifting, so we enjoyed a view over Vancouver.

Skyride down the mountain, and then shuttle bus back to Canada Place. We walked back to our hotel just in time for our tour briefing. Met our tour guide, V, plus some of our fellow 46 travel companions. We headed off into town – I was looking for a new raincoat seeing as rain seems to be a very common occurrence in this part of the world. Unbelievably, it turned out to be a difficult task to complete – I had to settle for a poncho from Daiso! Something to eat, and back to the hotel to get organised to start our tour the next day.

Day 8

Friday 1st September 2023 – Vancouver

14-25, sunny

On our way at 8.30 for a guided bus tour of Vancouver city. Took in sights of Chinatown, Gaslight, the Waterfront, Canada Place, English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park, Cambie Village, plus had a lovely exploration of Stanley Park. This green oasis in the middle of the city is a magnificent area of 1000 acres Saw beautiful specimens of trees in the rainforest – Douglas Fir (also known as Oregan Pine), Cedar, Hemlock, Maple and more. Also lovely clear views of Vancouver, Grouse Mountain, Burrard Inlet and Lions Gate Bridge – perfect weather today.

Also saw the totem poles in Stanley Park – the totem poles are an integral part of Canada’s First Nation people. They tell the story of the people, starting from the bottom, working their way up.

We then caught the BC Ferry over to Vancouver Island – couldn’t believe how many cars and buses they managed to fit onto the ferry. It took one and a half hours to cross the Straight of Georgia – a very smooth crossing.

The world famous Butchart Gardens was our next stop. It is a National Historic site for its legacy and lush treasure of millions of flowers, over 900 varieties of plants in exquisitely landscaped gardens. We had dinner in the former historic greenhouse, which was just lovely.

Forty minutes drive into downtown Victoria, and we checked into our most beautiful hotel – the Grand Pacific – next to the Parliament Buildings,opposite the Harbour. We just had to venture out to explore this gorgeous city by night – Parliament House was all lit up, as was the Fairmont Empress Hotel. People everywhere (three cruises in port), markets around the harbour, the atmosphere was electric! We stopped for a drink to soak it all in.

Day 9

Saturday 2nd September 2023 – Victoria

14-25, sunny

A day to explore Victoria – the city was established as the capital of British Columbia in 1871. Though it was soon outgrown by Vancouver, Victoria remains the political centre of the province, and its leafy parks and gardens and buzzing harbour area certainly draw in the crowd.

It was a 15 minute walk along a scenic pathway to Fishermen’s Wharf from our hotel. I thought this area was fascinating – there were 33 float houses along the piers. We spoke to one of the residents who has lived here for 17 years, it would be a whole different way of life. Many seafood restaurants on the pier.

We caught a water taxi, such a cute little boat, across the harbour to Chinatown – the oldest Chinatown in Canada. We explored the very narrow Fan Tan Alley, and were fascinated by the numbering of the buildings – there were some halves due to there being half floors where in the past some Chinese would hide to avoid paying taxes. Surprisingly we had our best coffee here so far this trip!

Heading downtown, we explored Bastion Square, Market Square, City Hall, and Fairmont Empress Hotel. The Empress was completed in 1908 and overlooks the Inner Harbour and dominates the skyline with its ivy-covered Edwardian splendour – gorgeous gardens and stunning inside.

The Parliament Buildings were impressive by both day and nighrt. This grand Neo-Classical building was completed in 1897.

Also happening in the Inner Harbour was the wooden boat festival. Hundreds of renovated wooden boats were berthed there, and you could go onboard some of them and see what some of the owners have done.

Everywhere you go in Victoria there are beautiful gardens and flowering hanging baskets. It is just so pretty, and clean.

So many eating options, of every cuisine were available – so many choices. We took advantage of happy hour, plus had sone yummy delights along the way.

Day 10

Sunday 3rd September 2023 – Victoria to Whistler

14-24 in Victoria, going to 11-14 in Whistler

A very scenic drive to Nanaimo to catch the ferry. Along the way we drove through the very temperate Cowichan District, stopping for a short break at the very picturesque town of Chemainus. This town is noted for its murals. When the local sawmill closed in the late 1970’s, Chemainus transformed itself into a major attraction with the painting of giant murals around the town that depict the history of the region. Also drove through the pretty town Saltaire. There were many gorgeous character homes homes along the way, all of which have price tags with six figures. Interestingly, interest rates have gone up 19 times in Canada in recent times – we shouldn’t complain about our 12 increases in 14 months.

More beautiful trees along the way – – Japanese Plum and Japanese ornamental maple were standouts today.

Another ferry crossing across Georgia Strait, then on our way to Whistler. We had one stop just outside the town of Squamish, at the Stawamus Chief landmark – a large rock face on the side of the mountain which looks like the Indian Chief. A short walk to Shannon Falls gave us a chance to stretch our legs.

An hour later and we had arrived at the Fairmont Hotel in Whistler’s Upper Village. The hotel was exquisite. Whistler became a resort in 1914. Today there is the Upper, Lower and North Villages, all connected by walking paths. Naturally we were straight out to explore. The Lower Village is a labyrinth of lodges, hotels, shops selling winter, ski and bike riding gear, cozy pubs, fine dining restaurants of every imaginable cuisine, and nightclubs. It was rocking! We sat at an outside table at a restaurant for an hour, sipping a drink beside the fire, while watching all the happenings of the village.

At 8pm, we walked the loop back up to the Upper Village. It was a lot quieter – our prechosen restaurant was shut, so we had to re think our dinner plans. Milestones, the steakhouse, served a beautiful steak which we both enjoyed. It was cool outside but really quite pleasant.

Day 11

Monday 4th September 2023 – Whistler

8-15 degrees

Our breakfast today was a sumptuous feast at the Fairmont Hotel – a feast fit for a king! My breakfast of choice, as always, a smoked salmon omelette was delicious. The dried trout was also a delicacy.

A little explore of the shops in the Upper Village while we waited for the pick up time for our booked sea plane excursion – but alas, due to the cloud coverage, all morning flights had been cancelled! It was rather disappointing- this is the second sea plane excursion we have had cancelled in our travels over the years.

We set off instead to do our Peak to Peak excursion. The town of Whistler sits in the middle of the magnificent side by side mountains of Blackcomb (2436 metres elevation) and Whistler. A cable car traverses between the two peaks. So we caught the Blackcomb gondola up to the cable car, then the cable car across to Whistler peak. We then went up to the Top of the World by open chairlift travelling over steep rugged cliffs. At the very top was the Cloudbreaker Skybridge suspension bridge that sways 2000 metres above sea level. I was almost relieved the cloud had come in for this last part – at least I couldn’t see what was down below!

Whilst Whistler Mountain is a skier’s paradise in winter, during the summer months, it is a mecca for mountain bikers. I couldn’t believe the number of bikers, and age was no boundary. As we descended the Whistler mountain, each gondola was bringing up a car full of bikes and riders.

We spent the rest of afternoon in the Lower Village – a drink here, and a drink there, participating in some very enlightening people watching. Also saw the Whistler Olympic Plaza – a great space where many events take place through the year.

The cuisine chosen for this evening’s meal was Mongolian. As we entered the restaurant, we were given a bowl each, and then you selected your protein, vegetables, noodles and sauce. You gave the bowl to one of the chefs, who then stir fried your choice in front of you – with a little entertainment added in the way of a spatula juggle!

Walked back to our hotel, and a nice glass of red wine in front of the fireplace completed the magical day.

Day 12

Tuesday 5th September 2023

8-15 degrees

This morning we enjoyed breakfast and a visit to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre- it was across from the Fairmont Hotel. The Centre is dedicated to the history and culture of the First Nations people. Our host was lovely and had us up dancing to their local songs.

From there, we travelled north through the the heart of the magnificent Cariboo region. Spectacular scenery abounds whichever way we turned – rolling hills, steep mountains, glaciers, deeply incised rivers, and sparkling lakes. The scenery also changed dramatically every couple of hours. A little bit of excitement an hour out of Whistler – we saw a black bear close to the road eating berries!

We had a lunch stop at Lillowoet. Then onto Sun Peaks where we stayed the night at Sun Peak Grand – and just like its name, very grand. It was a distance of 358 kms from Whistler to Sun Peaks – so a full travel day.

Sun Peaks is a ski resort town not far from Kamloops. We had a walk around the village – it reminded me of a Bavarian village with all the quaint A framed buildings, and beautiful flower boxes and gardens. We researched all dinner options – of which there were many – and decided on a delicious cod laksa accompanied by a glass of Malbec at our hotel. Excellent choice! We sat out on the deck – interesting to note, while the temperatures seem low, they don’t feel as cold as what they read. So many people in shirts and shorts! Not me – I have three layers on!

Day 13

Wednesday 6th September 2023 – Sun Peaks to Jasper

6-13 degrees

Another big travel day – 450 kms. Continuing north, and hugging the North Thompson River, we saw agricultural areas, ranching and logging industries. Lunch stop in front of Mt Robson (3954 metres)- crowned the Canadian Rockies highest peak. We were so lucky the cloud lifted so we could almost see the peak.

More changing landscapes before crossing over into the province of Alberta, entering Jasper National Park. More spectacular scenery- precipitous gorges, snow-capped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens in the wild mountainous wilderness. The weather changed every hour from sunny to cloudy to rainy to sunny!

Another bear was spotted on the side of the ride, and elk in Jasper – a herd of them in one area, and two males together not far from the town.

Our excursion just before getting into Jasper was a river raft ride on the beautiful Athabaska River, with a very entertaining mountain man guide, complete with his black toe nail polish. It was a lovely experience, feeling almost a part of the serene landscape. Lovely green and clear glacial waters against the steep tree lined river banks, and the mountains in the background. We did get “just a little bit” wet, but it was all in the name of fun!

Once we settled into the Jasper Inn and Suites, we took a walk into town. It was a hive of activity. The Rocky Mountaineer had just pulled in so there was some traffic at the station. So many restaurants to choose from – we went for the Indian option this time. And another great choice – warmed us up nicely. It was cold outside – the coldest day so far.

Day 14

Thursday 7th September 2023 – Jasper

4-16 degrees

Woke up to hear there had been a sprinkling of snow overnight which added a special highlight to the mountains surrounding Jasper.

We started our day with a walk to the Visitor’s Centre in town to get a map of the local walks. We headed off to the Old Fort, but not far into the walk we came across three female elk, one resting, and the mother and calf busy enjoying the early morning sunshine and fresh air. We enjoyed watching their activity for a little while, however we decided not to continue with our walk as the path lead through the forest where they were grazing, so thought it best not to encroach on their space. Instead we went back to town for the largest coffee I have ever seen, plus a huge raspberry and white chocolate scone – again it was huge!

Back on the bus to go to the Maligne Canyon Wilderness Kitchen for a buffet lunch, before taking the very scenic Maligne Lake Drive. This drive follows the valley floor between the Maligne and Queen Elizabeth ranges. The road travels past many magnificent sights with viewpoints along the way offering panoramas of Maligne Valley and Canyon. The road ends at Maligne Lake, one of the largest natural lakes in the Rockies.

We had a boat cruise across two thirds of the lake to Spirit Island. Our guide gave us a very entertaining commentary as to the geology of the lake and surrounding mountains, as well as the First Nations background history and significance of Spirit Island. A beautiful relaxing afternoon, with spectacular scenery at every turn.

Back into Jasper by early evening- but not before spotting more elk, some mule deer, and Canadian geese. We felt like we had eaten far too much today, so just had some drinks and light snacks at Papa George’s restaurant for dinner, whilst enjoying the colours of the setting sun reflecting on the mountains.

Day 15

Friday 8th September 2023 – Jasper to Banff

4-24 degrees

Another long travel day. More elk spotted not far out of Jasper.

A photo stop at Athabaska Falls, where the Athabaska River plunges 23 metres to the river bed below, was spectacular. The force of the Athabaska River being pushed through a very narrow quartz rich gorge, transforms these waters into a powerful foaming torrent.

We travelled south along Icefields Parkway, one of the most spectacular drives in the world. The Columbia Icefields straddle both Jasper and Banff National Parks and forms the largest area of ice south of Alaska. The ice field was created during the last Ice Age, though the glaciers have retreated over the last few hundred years. The ice explorer took us right onto Athabaska glacier where we could explore this ice field and take many photos with a magnificent backdrop. We were even treated a visit by the local Big Horned sheep family.

Short photo stop at Peyto Lake and Bow Lake – the water in both lakes is a vivid blue. Saw a busy little chipmunk- he was just a little too fast for me to get a photo.

Onward bound to the iconic Lake Louise – one of Banff’s National Park’s major draws. Lake Louise is an enduring image of the Rockies. Famed for its blueness of its water and the snowy peaks that surround it, the lake lived up to its expectations. Dominating the landscape at one end of the lake is the imposing Chateau Lake Louise, built in 1894. The weather had turned it on for us – up to 24 degrees and brilliant sunshine.

As an extra side trip, Vedrana and Gerrard had kindly slotted an extra excursion in for us – a visit to Moraine Lake. It is less well known than Lake Louise, but is every bit as beautiful. Moraine Lake is ringed by ten peaks each over 3000 metres. We did the climb to the top of the rockpile for the best view of all. Also managed to capture a photo of the elusive chipmunk.

An hour later and we were in Banff – such a cute town. We were staying at the Caribou Lodge. Seeing as it was after 7.30pm, we headed straight out in search of dinner – tonight’s cuisine was Italian at Pacini in town. They had a fabulous set up where you grilled your own bread (6 types to choose from) and add your butter/ oil of choice. Very cool. Veal scallopini for me and chicken rosmarino – delicious on both accounts

Day 16

Saturday 9th September 2023 – Banff

4-22 degrees, super sunny

Touted as one of the world’s most beautiful places, Banff combines the stunning beauty of the Canadian Rockies with the quaintness of a small town. Mountains, alpine lakes, glaciers, endless trails, and the famous hot springs all mark the birthplace of Canada’s national parks.

It was a cool early start – first stop Bow Falls. Then onto the gondola to go up to the peak of Sulphur Mountain (2,276 metres) for spectacular views of Banff and the surrounding mountains, whilst we enjoyed a buffet breakfast. Next was a stop at the Parks and Wildlife building and a visit to the picturesque Cascade Gardens. So much beauty in a couple of hours.

Today was our sensational 35 Bell helicopter ride to the spectacular Spray Valley with its many natural wonders – the sparkling waters of the Spray Lakes in the Goat Range, the Three Sisters Mountains, then a close up of Gloria Glacier and Lake as we approached Mount Assiniboine – the Matterhorn of the Rockies (3618 metres). I had the front seat – did they not know I was the most nervous! And the floor had a glass panel so I could see straight down – when I dared to look. Those mountains are so rugged! But what an experience- it was amazing!

Back down to earth – literally! Tonight was our farewell dinner with the group at the Maple Leaf Restaurant. A sumptuous meal while we bid farewell to our Gerard our driver, Vedrana our tour guide, and other guests who were not doing the Rocky Mountaineer train trip. It has been a fabulous tour.

Day 17

Sunday 10th September 2023 – Banff to Kamloops

4-22 degrees

Another early morning start to board the Rocky Mountaineer train at Banff. Today we went from Banff to Kamloops – the reverse of the First Passage to the West route.

True to its name, this route retraces the historic Canadian Pacific Railway, famous for connecting British Columbia to the rest of Canada over 125 years ago. The journey takes in emerald green glacier-fed rivers and lakes, rushing rivers, and spectacular scenery of the Rocky, Columbia and Coast Mountains. Highlights included the Spiral Tunnels and Stoney Creek Bridge, both engineering masterpieces.

We boarded at 7.30am and were greeted by the very professional I carriage crew who treated us like royalty for the next 14 hours. We fine dined and drank cocktails and local wines from the Okanagan Valley, whilst enjoying the ever changing scenery, and some wildlife – some elk, bald eagles, osprey, a black bear and bighorn sheep. They promised us we wouldn’t go longer than two hours without being fed, and they were right!

There were some delays on the tracks waiting for the long freight trains to pass – the sidings aren’t long enough for the goods trains so the Rocky Mountaineer has to wait until they have passed. We didn’t get into Kamloops until 8.30pm, then we had to transfer to our hotel, the Hampton Inn, where we put our head down for the night. Can’t say we saw any of Kamloops.

Day 18

Monday 11th September 2023 – Kamloops to Vancouver

15-21 degrees

7am departure from hotel to get back to the train. We could see a bit more of Kamloops seeing as it was daylight. It is one of the larger towns in BC’s southern interior. Kamloops lies at the confluence of the north and south Thompson Rivers . It appears to be more of an industrial town, however half an hour in any direction from Kamloops, is a nature lover’s paradise – the BC Wildlife Park is home to bears, cougars and wolves, bald eagles and osprey.

We started the day with a Bloody Mary to get us in the mood. Different scenery today- quite varied, fast flowing rivers, more wildlife, bridges, farmland, logging on the rivers, much more variation. More fine dining and lovely wines. Of note, the Arctic Char(like a fatty salmon) and the Steelhead (like a lean salmon) were delicious! Frank took a liking to the Talisker (10 year malt whiskey – with a very smoky smell!) and I loved the Bailey’s. Great music selection as well! It was all very relaxing.

Of note, I loved the way all the locals stopped and waved to the train as it passed – even though they see it every day or second day!

We pulled into Vancouver at 6.30pm – a much more respectable time – and bussed it to the Georgian Court, where we had our last night for this part of the trip. There was a lot of excitement in our street – Beyoncé was performing at the stadium across the road from our hotel, so there were many interesting outfits on their way to the concert. Thought we might be in for a big night, but all was ok, and we got to sleep ready for an early morning start.

My comments – have absolutely loved what we have seen of Canada thus far. The scenery is just amazing, the wildlife perhaps a little elusive, the people are very friendly and welcoming, delicious food choices, and the lifestyle seems very familiar to our Australian way of life.

The Globus tour we did was excellent – we were rather apprehensive re doing a bus trip with a big group, but because it was so well organised, it was great. We also had a lot of choices of individual tours, plus most dinners were not included, so gave us the freedom to escape the group, and hotel basic food, and enjoy all the restaurant choices Canada has to offer.

The Rocky Mountaineer train trip was excellent, but in retrospect, not sure we needed to do it after having experienced all the beautiful scenery we had seen already on the bus trip. I felt it was lot of doubling up, and very long days – I was “mountained out”!We could maybe have better spent the two days. Having said that, it was a very pleasant experience.

On to the USA – first stop Chicago!!!!

Day 1

Friday 25th August 2023 – Brisbane to Anchorage via Vancouver

Today is the day! It is the day we leave for our 9 week trip to Alaska, Canada and the United States. This trip has been twelve months in the planning.

We had a 14 hour flight with Air Canada flying direct from Brisbane to Vancouver, a 6 hour layover there, then 3.5 hours to Anchorage. A Premium Economy flight made the journey bearable. I’m yet to find the joys in flying, other than the means to getting to our destination!

Our bags made it! I was a bit worried as our we weren’t originally checked through to Anchorage. But once the error was discovered, the bags were unboarded, retagged, and reboarded- the systems work!

Taxi to Clarion Suites in Downtown Anchorage. With nearly 300,000 people, Anchorage was founded during construction of the rail line from Seward to Fairbanks, when the Alaska Railroad formed a tent city along Ship Creek. This year the Alaska Railroad is celebrating 100 years since its completion. My observation is that Anchorage is a well planned city with a very structured grid layout – streets one way are numbered, streets the other way are letters. Very flat and easy to walk everywhere. Pretty flower beds in front of buildings, and cute little buildings with coloured weatherboards and slate roofs.

We found the local shopping centre – had to get my phone screen cover replaced, and also get another lock for one of the suitcases as it seemed to have gone missing in transit!

Then dinner- found the Brew House- excellent choice. It was very popular- always a good sign! I had the salmon and Frank had the rockfish – both divine! Walked back to the hotel – 14 degrees, and drizzly. The weather is not looking good for tomorrow.

Our room is huge- complete with sitting area. Early night, ready for a big day tomorrow.

Day 2

Saturday 26th August 2023 – Anchorage – Prince William Sound

13-18 degrees, drizzly to rain at times

We had a 25 minute walk to the station where we boarded the Alaskan Glacier Discovery Train for our two and a half hour train trip to Whittier. Whittier is the western gateway to Prince William Sound and a very busy port- cruise lines coming out of Anchorage berth here. The Majestic Princess was in port today.

We had seats in the upper deck of the train carriage. Great views (well it would have been if it wasn’t raining!) of the alpine countryside and waterways. Major excitement as we saw a mother moose and her two calves in the bushes beside the train track- thankfully the train stopped so we could get a photo.

To access Whittier, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was excavated in 1941-42 to create a supply line to interior Alaska during World War II. In 2000, the tunnel was transformed into the longest shared rail and vehicle tunnel in North America. It took 5 minutes to get through the tunnel.

After disembarking the train at Whittier, we boarded a high speed catamaran to do the six hour 26 Glacier cruise for the afternoon. Prince William Sound is America’s largest intact marine ecosystem carved by 15 million years of glaciations. The Sound encompasses 3500 miles of coastline and over 100 glaciers – we were seeing 26 of them!

The Chugach National Forest surrounds Prince William Sound – this is the second largest national forest. There were dense groves of Sitka spruce and western hemlock.

We travelled through Port Wells up into College Fjord for a panoramic view of glaciers reflecting names of ivy league US colleges. The glaciers were spectacular – even saw alpine glaciers perched on the perilously steep mountain tops, plus we witnessed glacier calvings. Large chunks of ice break off and then crash to the sea making a thunderous sound.

Unfortunately, the weather was rather bleak and not conducive for too much wildlife to be viewed (the annual rainfall here is 180 inches/year, so no surprise it was raining!). We did see a Black Legged Kittiwake (more familiar to us as seagulls) rookery- apparently a healthy sign of the environment. All five species of North American Pacific salmon return annually to the pristine waters of Prince William Sound. To keep in the theme we had seafood chowder for lunch – made with the Czum (pronounced chum) salmon – delicious!

Back to the train for the return journey to Anchorage. Thankfully the sun decided to come out and highlight our view of the snow capped mountains and alpine mountainsides, as well as the mudflats running parallel to the train track . A beautiful sunset at 9.24pm completed the day.

For our late dinner we found a fabulous Mexican restaurant – Tequila 61. We only wanted something light do we chose chorizo empanadas and shrimp ceviche – excellent choices, especially the ceviche. It was divine.

A brisk walk back to the hotel, and managed to make it into bed just before midnight! It was a wonderful day, but a very long day.

Day 3

Sunday 27th August 2023 – Anchorage to Denali

5-11 degrees, cloudy

A short taxi ride to the station (just a bit too far to drag the bags – I know, if I packed lighter …..), then we boarded the Denali Star ready for our 7 hour train trip to Denali. We travelled Adventure Class this time as Gold Class was booked out. It was very comfortable. We sat upstairs in the dome carriage most of the way – beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, lakes, rivers, forests and marshland. Several moose seen along the way – I just wasn’t quick enough to get a good photo. The countryside was delightfully green. We passed through tiny little towns of Wasilla, Willow, Talkeetna and Cantwell. Half way through the journey, the rain decided to revisit.  Lunch in the cafe on board – a reindeer hotdog – very nice!

At Denali station, we are transferred to a shuttle bus to take us to Grand Denali Lodge, which is right on top of the mountain. The process is run with military precision. Our lodge is very nice, with a lovely view of the valley.

Once we checked in, it was almost 6pm, but we needed a walk, so we headed down the very steep track to explore Downtown. Not a lot in Downtown Denali – a supermarket, liquor store, gift shops, some galleries, and a few fast food shops. We caught the shuttle bus back up the hill.

Dinner at the restaurant at the lodge … we’re still coming to terms with the cost! Fish and chips for Frank, salmon and vegetables for me, one beer, and a bottle of Multipulciano came to US$200, or $300 for us poor Aussies! We are finding everything is very expensive here, particularly in this remote area. Our AUD dollar is not doing well at the moment.

Day 4

Monday 28th August 2023 – Denali National Park

6-11 degrees, more drizzle

So breakfast at the lodge – a very basic buffet ( and I mean basic…. a few cereals, minimal fruit, scrambled eggs and bacon, toast and muffins) for US $30 plus 20% gratuity per person , so well over $100 our money, for a below standard breakfast. Needless to say, we have looked at other options for dinner tonight.

We had a big day planned on our Denali tundra wilderness tour. The weather was cool, but apparently that is good for spotting wildlife – the animals are more likely to come out when it is not too hot. We were picked up by a small bus, and on our way before too long (a little mix up as we were not on the list, but we had the all-important “voucher”, so on the bus we got.

We first drove through the area where moose are likely to be seen. It was rutting season (mating), so there apparently are larger groups of moose travelling together- though we did not see any. Not a good start – lucky we had seen a few on our train trip to Denali. We did see the Alaskan state bird, the will ptarmigan.

Our first bear sighting was when we had a rest stop at Savage River – there were two black grizzly bears scavenging food along the water’s edge. They were too far away for any good photo shots, but great to watch through the eyes of the binoculars. Such big beasts!

We then had several caribou sightings. The Caribou is Alaska’s State animal. These are very sociable animals and travel in groups…. one group of five, another of 4, and a couple on their own. One male had dropped one of its antlers… they starts losing them about now.

The Arctic Ground Squirrel put on a good show for us – standing up on its back legs while we were watching it.   As well as animals we saw birds the Spruce Grouse, the Northern Harrier Hawk and the Golden Eagle.

Also saw groups of Dall Sheep up on the top of the alpine ridges – they stay up high as being so white it is hard for them to camouflage when there is no snow.

The colours of the Denali vegetation were stunning – the colours were changing, especially the higher we got. Of note were the Fireweed, the Arctic Willow, Blueberry Willow, Flatleaf Willow and the many Spruces. The mountains were also spectacular – Cathedral Mountain had many colours running through it. All in all, it was an exhilarating day!

The tour finished at 5.30pm. We went downtown for dinner after last night’s experience. Prospector’s Pizzeria and Alehouse had been recommended to us (by the waiter from last night!). There were 50 beers on the menu (mind you, the first two we ordered weren’t available!). We had delicious warming soup for entree, followed by a yummy pizza, accompanied by nice crisp Alaskan beers. Such better value than the night before. Plus the atmosphere was fantastic…. chandeliers made of Caribou antlers, stuffed animals, and bear hides hanging over the ceiling beams.

We picked up a bottle of wine to take back to our room , and walked the twenty minutes straight up to our lodge. We had convinced ourselves we had needed to stretch our legs! Phew, it was a steep climb!

or those who know me well, and know I how much I love washing ….you will not be surprised I did a load of washing! How could I not…. there was a guest laundry several doors down from our room. So 75 minutes later, we had a fully clean case of clothes… and enjoyed several glasses of wine whilst it was being done! I call it good time management!

Day 5

Tuesday 29th August 2023 – Denali to Anchorage

11-18 degrees, cloudy, clear, windy and sunny – a bit of everything

After checking out, we caught the shuttle bus down to the Visitor Centre which is next to the Railway Station, or the Depot as it is called here. Close by are the Dog Kennels where we visited for the free dog show – it was excellent. We met the working sled dogs and had a demonstration of how they work as a team. They use the teams in winter to patrol the park rather than engine operated vehicles. In summer, the dogs have different duties – educating tourists, posing for photos and getting belly rubs. Also received a lot of history of when Denali National Park was created in 1917.

Back to the Visitor Centre which had some fabulous interactive displays. Also a lovely short movie showing the four seasons of Denali – we were certainly very lucky coming to Denali when the park was showing off all its vibrant colours! Denali is a sub Arctic environment with mostly small, slow – growing vegetation – but oh the colours! They were magnificent.

Next to the Depot to check in… Goldstar this time (it was booked out on our way up). “A” cabin all the way! Now this is the way I like to travel… I did mention that once or twice to Frank! Our journey was crowded with brilliant panoramas and scenery, all viewed from our very comfortable seats and large windows. The view at Hurricane Gulch was spectacular- we missed this on the way up as the valley was covered in cloud. Lunch and and dinner were included so we headed down to the dining carriage twice for meals. It was a lovely relaxing experience.

At the Depot at Anchorage we were met by the shuttle bus to take us to Lakeside Lodge – that was a nice surprise. Also had a lovely chat with the hotel receptionist (who loved our accent and gave us breakfast vouchers – it was our lucky day!) whose grandmother was an Alaskan Native. The young girl explained her history with great pride. By the time we got to our room it was 10pm, so really only time for a shower and off to bed.

Day 6

Wednesday 30th August 2023 – Anchorage to Vancouver

11-15, fine, sometimes sunny

Up early and had our Alaskan breakfast of smoked salmon, and other seafood, omelette. We caught the shuttle bus into downtown and then walked to Ship Creek to look for spawning salmon – unfortunately no salmon today. They lay their eggs in this area, and then sadly die, giving nutrients to other wildlife… and so is the circle of life! King and Coho (silver) salmon are the salmon in this creek. Lots of ducks, geese and seagulls. Stopped at the Ulu knife factory nearby to see how these knives native to the Alaskans, are made.

After a little confusion re shuttle buses, we then ended up catching a taxi to the Alaska Native Heritage Museum which is a vibrant cultural and educational centre dedicated to celebrating all cultures and heritages. There are six life sized authentic and traditional Alaska Native dwellings in an arc around a picturesque lake. Each house tells the stories of the regions and peoples, relationship to the land and how the people adapted and continued to thrive over the centuries. We found it really interesting and thought provoking… especially when our country is currently about to have the Voice referendum. There seems to be give and take between both parties.

We had a lovely Albanian taxi driver who dropped us off, then picked us up, took us back to Lakeside Lodge, waited while we collected our bags, and then onto the airport. Turns out we could have left it another 90 minutes to get there, but anyway we were there with plenty of time. Checked in eventually, then had the usual wait, before we flew to Vancouver. A three and a half hour flight to Vancouver. Bit of a drama at the airport because our lift wasn’t there, and we couldn’t make contact with them. So we caught a taxi to the Georgian Court Hotel where we are staying for the next two nights.

Loved Alaska, strikingly beautiful wilderness, very expensive, lovely friendly people, and sadly a lot of homeless people in Anchorage city centre.

When I come back to Alaska, I want to visit Brooks River in Katmai National Park to watch the brown bears feeding on salmon – the live footage we saw at Grande Denali Lodge looked amazing. I have seen a large black bear catch a salmon in the creek running by Mendenhall Glacier 12 years ago, and the image remains fresh in my mind!