Thursday, July 1, 2010

Holiday in the Maritimes

Confederation Bridge connects New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The 8-mile long bridge opened in 1997 and cost $1.3 Billion and took 4-years to build. The view is from PEI.
The Canadian Maple Leaf flag is flanked by flags of PEI. The flag contains a gold Heraldic Lion which also appeared on the Coat of Arms for Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (for whom the Province was named).
The Victoria Village Inn where we stayed in the quaint village of......Victoria.
Victoria Seaport Lighthouse Museum, located in one of the oldest lighthouse on PEI, built in 1879.
The North Rustico Lighthouse was established in 1876.
Our first visit to the sea in Canada. The sand is 'red' in PEI and the sky was most deffinetly blue whilst we were there. The sea is the Gulf of St Lawrence further east is the Atlantic and then Europe.
Oh! Another lighthouse this time it is the Fish Island Lighthouse - Cabot Beach Provincial Park, PEI. Decomisioned in 1961, an otherwise good year.
The colourful houses of Charlottetown the Provincial capital of PEI. It was most famously the site of the Charlottetown Conference in 1864, the first gathering of Canadian statesmen to debate the proposed Canadian Confederation.
Green Gables, located in Cavendish in the Prince Edward Island National Park. The house inspired the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery's tale of, Anne of Green Gables. It was qaint to hear one of the student guides proudly inform an American that all the furnitur is 'antique'. We wouldn't expect anything less.
The Trans-Canada Highway between Victoria (BC) and St. John's (NF) is the world's longest national highway with a length of 7,821 km (4,860 mi.). We travelled on a section of the highway in PEI.
PEI is well known for it's red soil and potato crops. We passed a McCains factory in PEI and guess they must produce the oven chips.
We stopped on the New Brunswick side of the Confederation Bridge. It's not that long really, 5 ft!!
Our road trip from PEI through New Brunswick (seen above) to Nova Scotia was great. Easy driving on straight roads lined with trees all the way. So it seemed.
Welcome to Nova Scotia. Is that the Scottish flag? Close. The flag of Nova Scotia consists of a white base with a blue (saltire) cross of St. Andrew on it. In the center of the flag is the shield from the provincial coat of arms, which is also the coat of arms of Scotland. The flag is a reversal of the Scottish flag, which is a white cross on blue.
The harbor at Peggy's Cove, possibly the most photographed fishing village on earth, was awarded the Triple A designation by the American Photographers' Association. Triple A means that a photographer can point the camera in any direction, at any time of day, in any weather, in any season, and expect to get good results!! So why did I fail? Only kidding what a great photo and what a great place taboot.
Another AAA photograph. Such creativity, bet you've never seen that done before!
Oh, and there's me in Lunenburg. In 1995, the World Heritage Committee, recognized Lunenburg's cultural and natural heritage by adding it to their World Heritage List. We are getting to experience historic Canada. It's a bit different to the GTA!
This is our B&B in Lunenburg. It's called the Atlantic Sojourn and our wonderful host's were Sebelle Deese and Susan Budd. We would recommend this B&B to any one it was fabulous.
If you think the houses are colorful in Charlottetown, wait until you see Lunenberg. Wow!
Out on the open sea looking for whales. Well you have to when visiting Atlantic Canada.
...and there he is (or is it a she). Right on que a Minky whale. I can't take any credit for this pcture. This was taken by a fellow passenger on the tour, Deanna Wheeler. Thanks Deanna. It was quite exciting.
Back to port in Lunnenburg. This is the view of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. Well worth a visit.
The final day of our holiday back in Halifax. In 1917 a French munitions ship, the Mont Blanc, collided with a Belgian relief ship. The collision sparked a fire on the munitions ship which was filled with explosives. On December 6, 1917, the Mont Blanc exploded in what was the largest man-made explosion before the first testing of an atomic bomb. Debris from the exploding ship landed 5km away. The explosion decimated the city's north end killing over 2000 people.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

2010, Our Third Year in Canada

...and then to New Years Eve at John and Carolyn's with neighbours. We had a good night toasting family and friends in England and Scotland at 7 p.m. ET. Bring on 2011. Isn't time flying by?
After the big Christmas day feast we did get out to Mount St Louis Moonstone for a days skiing. Well that was when we weren't still eating and drinking the favoured Vin Chaud. ...see we did get to the top of the hill. We didn't just tail-gate all day.
This year was our first Christmas at home in Canada. It was quiet but all the same we had a nice relaxing time. Sarah and Daisy under the tree swapping gifts. Well Sarah is, not sure what Daisy made of it all other than having a great time eating wrapping paper.
On Dec-23 we went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. It was a 'Rocking' good show. Lights, lasers and pyrotechnics were fab. They are touring Europe in 2011 so look out for them particularly at Christmas.
Neil, Julie and myself are the new Brownstones Condo Committee for 2011. Avoided the draft for 3-years but succumbed in the end. Anyway here we are posing for the official photograph in front of Julie's wonderful Christmas tree.
The morning after the Domino Canada Christmas Party at the InterContinental Hotel in Toronto. It was a great night on the back of a great year for Domino Canada.
British street artist 'Banksy' paid Toronto a visit in May-2010 and decorated the city with 7 of his works of art! Finding this piece, 'Policeman with Pink Balloon Dog', concluded Sarah's week of writing a thesis on the artist. Whether you see it as art or graffiti, it was fun finding this piece on the back of the old police headquarters building, located on Lakeshore Blvd between Bay and York St.
Cheers Sarah, Happy 18th Birthday, Oct 6, 2010
Not all the swimming pools are in N.America. Concentrate Alfie! We have 2-years until London 2012.
The Anchor at Rowhedge sits on the banks of the River Colne. We moored up alongside the pub and had lunch and a pint of Shepherd Neame on the patio. Well Grandad and I did. 'Lovely Jubbly'.
Family time walking along the sea front at Brightlingsea.
We returned to England in August for Mum's funeral which was on the 18-Aug-2010. Mum's final resting place in All Saints Church, Brightlingsea.
Daisy is now 11-weeks and quite mischievous. She has learnt to sit and that's about it!
A project for Victoria Day long weekend was to refurbish a pair of Maskoka Chairs. Well the weekend project became a summer project and I still have one to complete. They will both be ready for next summer. John and Chelsea our little mascot relaxing on the deck on one of those warm summer evenings in 2010. Let's be clear Chelsea is our little mascot.
Life is never dull for Sarah, as well as starting University she has also started a new job at Purdy's in Union Station, Toronto. Don't eat too many chocolates Sarah. You know what will happen!
So we couldn't put it off any longer. We just had to have a puppy. Meet Daisy she's a Shi-bi on her way to her new home. This is the first and last picture you will see of 'Lazy Daisy' because she has turned out to be 'Crazy Daisy'. A real bundle of energy and great fun.
What a fantastic summer we had in 2010. We have never experienced anything quite like it. Well maybe 1975 back in England (seriously). Lynda frying herself in the mid-day sun at Port Dover. The following week was not 'pretty'. Sore weren't you?
On route (pronounced route not root) to Port Dover we stopped at Hewitt's Dairy Bar or Diner as I prefer to call it. This Diner is the real deal, just like on the films. You just sit on little stools at a bar and the girls behind serve breakfast or what ever!
So Sarah has moved in to Toronto and mum & dad can visit and we can all go out to dinner. Since Sarah has moved in to her student house we have got to see a different Toronto. Much more going on if you move outside of the downtown core. Anyway this little restaurant is call John's Italian Cafe on Baldwin Street and we all like it. My pledge is to eat in every restaurant on Baldwin Street. Sarah thought that was a great idea.
Sarah's room with all her paraphernalia. We think she's happy.
Student digs.
Celebrating Graduation Day with Mr Mustoe her art teacher.
With friends at the pre-prom party.
We all vowed that the summer of 2010 would be a celebration of friendship and wine! I think we did a pretty good job this year. Well the weather helped. From LtoR Lynda, Bruno, Lorraine, Editor, Carolyn and John, who is admiring my new England cap. John and Carolyn had the great wisdom to name their little Yorkshire Terrier 'Chelsea'.
We made a real effort this summer to enjoy the nature in and around the ravine but boy are those squirrels aggressive. In fact it turned out that the grass cutting contractors ran over my bird feeder. Hooligan's.
We celebrated our third year anniversary of arriving in Canada with Bruno and Lorraine on the 3-April 2010. As always a fun evening. Lynda concentrating on getting the labels straight. We've been making our own wine for a couple of years in Canada. It's good fun and cheaper than buying it from the LCBO. Bring on the summer and evenings on the deck with a glass of wine.
In March we went to see the Jersey Boys at the Toronto Centre for the Arts which is in North York. It was a great show about Franky Valli and the Four Seasons. We didn't know the story but we did love the music. Had a pint in the Frog and Firkin before hand.
Not sure why Robert looks so happy, he has had more snow in England this year than we had in Canada. See Phil I do use the snow shovel. Well get on with it Robert there's work to be done.During Olympic week there was an event on in Nathan Phillips Square. We took Robert down to take a look. These are Olympic torches from previous Olympics. LtoR Beijing 2008, Turin 2006 and Athens 2004. Lynda and Robert standing in front of the ice-rink in Nathan Phillips Square.Now we are all smiles in the Lone Start restaurant in Oakville. The last time we visited the Lone Star was in Florida 2000.Robert came over in February to see us. We had a day in Toronto. Seen here on McCaul St, the center of the Universe according to Sarah. Only because the chequered building behind Lynda is OCAD where Sarah plans to spend the next 4-years 'hanging out with the clay'! Sadly in early February Muffin lost the battle with his illness. He had done so well for more than a year. What a brave little fella. He did bring us all so much enjoyment. RIP Muffin. Back to school in January for the final lead-up to graduation. Sarah displaying her art at IRHS. The theme apart from being iconic buildings is; dawn, day and dusk. These pictures are for sale to highest bidder. We have to pay for university somehow!