St Stephen's: Canada's Chocolate Town

Just over the border crossing in Calais, ME you enter the heart of downtown St. Stephen's, New Brunswick.  A right hand turn takes you past the interactive chocolate museum, which tells the story of rise of the Ganong Brother's success in candy making starting in the late 19th century in St. Stephen's.  A block further brings you to the well run, and friendly visitor center.

St. Stephen's is a slightly out of the way stop on the way into Canada's eastern shores.  Route 1 in Canada has been re-developed and runs around the city now, but the old Main Street in Calais, ME still brings you to the old border crossing.

I stopped here on my way back from paddling the Bay of Fundy to visit some friends who work and run St. Stephen's University.  I had to stay longer to visit the chocolate museum, and buy some wonderful Canadian chocolate to bring home to friends.

Don't travel the east coast of Canada without stopping here.  Especially if you have kids.  The interactive chocolate museum is a wonderful hands on experience.  I like Canada's Atlantic Coast.  I'm hooked on the Bay of Fundy, and St. Stephen's will be a regular stop for me on my Holidays to Canada.

Kayaking The Bay of Fundy - #26 Revisited and Accomplished!

This last weekend I drove to Hopewell Rocks Park, New Brunswick, Canada.  The world's largest tides are only 9 hours drive from Boston, and so I took my $2,000 1994 BMW touring wagon, and my $200 14' sit-on-top ebay kayak and drove to Canada looking like I was riding a banana wagon.

Leaving Friday night I headed straight for Moncton, New Brunswick, and after a few other stops (see next post) arrived at the northern edge of the Bay of Fundy with my banana boat still attached to the car.

Saturday afternoon I visited Hopewell Rocks Park, bought my admission ticket, and signed a waiver at the Interpretive Centre releasing them from any potential disaster.  Then I drove to the location where the kayak instructors and tour guides put in for the the tours.

High tide was on it's way.  If you want to kayak at Hopewell Rocks, you have to do so at high tide, because at low tide you can walk in the spots covered with as much as 20-25' of water at high tide.

The day was windy and choppy with 3' to 4' waves, and there was one group already out with the guides, but they quickly went in, and canceled the second group due to the choppy seas.  I paddled south toward Hopewell Rocks, and came to the sea stacks, and "flower pots."  This place is stunning, and it is serious natural wonder worth visiting.

I spent a few hours in the water.  I rode up and down the waves appearing and disappearing to the watching crowds on the sea cliffs, and then made my way to the protected little coves of sea stacks.  I backed into tight crevices, and paddled back out again.  I explored the rugged coast line and the flower pot formations.  I chatted with onlookers in the stairwell which at low tide takes people down to the beach, and became a photo op for the other tourists.  I avoided going under Lover's Arch, because the waves were too big, and I did not feel like getting smashed between the water and the top of the stone archway.

The water was far too turbulent for me to get out my camera, and take some photos, so my D-40 stayed in the little gortex bag.

The following morning I returned to Hopewell Rocks Park to walk where I had kayaked, and took a lot of photos.  I also learned that the park rangers were watching me the whole time to make sure I was safe.  They remembered the one solo kayaker out in the choppy waves going up and down.

The Park Rangers are knowledgeable and friendly.  One gave me tips on where to head to paddle the next day, Kevin showed me videos of the black ducks he rescued from abandonment at the park, and Shawna gave me some great information on the seaweed and tides.

I am going to be headed back without question.  This is a world class adventure location, and can be experienced with a little adventure, or with complete leisure.  This is a first stop on holidays to Canada as far as I am concerned, and as for now, I can check it of my Bucket List of 1,000 things to do before I die.  Paddling the Bay of Fundy, and going back to walk where you paddled is more fun than driving a banana car.  Yep, its true - I'm a Fundy now.

#26 - Kayaking the Bay of Fundy

The largest tidal range in the world is boasted by Canada's Bay of Fundy, and it is on my bucket list of places to go.  In sections of the bay the tidal range is as large as 53 feet!  So you can imagine there are things to see in this wild land, which you not find anywhere else in the world.

Chignecto Park is a great place to take this adventure.  Paddle out to the famous Three Sisters rock formation during high tide, and go back to walk among these sea stacks during low tide.  Nature is at it's wildest and most beautiful in the Bay of Fundy, but of course that's the way it often is - dangerous wildness and awe inspiring beauty are wrapped together in a paradoxical package.

I'm planning on kayaking the Bay of Fundy.  It is not enough to see the tide, I want to get right down into it, and feel it beneath me.

Do you want to add this to one of the thousand things to do before you decide to permanently visit heaven?  Hopefully we'll meet in a sea cave, or among the stacks of Three Sisters. 

Catch cheap flights to Canada, and make your way to the rugged south eastern coast.  Join me in Canada - get Fundy with me.

#23 - Ice Tubes: Surfing in Canada

Canada.  Surf.

Yes, the two words do belong together - at least for some people.  The last couple years I have not been out surfing, but I plan to change that.  Canada is one of the those places I would like to visit for a surf trip - in the Fall or maybe even the Winter.

Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but first you must realize that the waves on the eastern shores of North America are at their best in the Fall and Winter, and during the occasional late Summer hurricane which travels into the North Atlantic.  That leaves late Summer through Winter for the best surf.  Considering this I have wanted for quite some time to do a Winter surf trip taking me north from Massachusetts into New Hampshire, Maine, and then yes, into Canada.  Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland - maybe Labrador these are the places I want to go.  Maybe some surfing during the the northern lights?  Now that would be crazy!  :-)

Just remember, a good winter suit, and a thermos with warm water to start.  A nearby pub with a fire would be a great addition as well.

So, consider some surf fun in Canada.  Canada is making the pages of surf mags these days, and you can find cheap flights to Montreal.

It's on my list of a thousand things to do before I die.  Wanna join me?

Learn to play the bagpipes: Update on #13

You know you want to learn to play the bagpipes.  Have you considered going to a bagpipe summer school? 

Canada's Prince Edward Island has the school just for you:  The College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts.  Affiliated with Glasgow's College of piping, this school people come to learn from all around the world.  New Zealand pipers, Japanese pipers, Kuwaiti pipers, Singapore pipers, and yes, even Scottish pipers have learned here.

The College of Piping also has classes in Highland and Step Dancing, and Drumming.  Prince Edward Island was originally inhabited by the mi'kmaq, and the 2006 census identified 90 people who still speak mi'kmaq.  The population identifies itself mainly as Scottish, English, Irish and French (in that order), so the Celtic influence on Prince Edward Island is strong.

Price Edward Island may be just the place to connect with your inner Celt, and learn the pipes.  I'll be learning to play sometime soon, so I expect you will be sitting down for a piping session with me.

If headed to piping school please checkout these cheap flights to Canada.

#22 Go Mumming in Newfoundland

Winter does not seem like the time to visit Canada, but there is more than one reason to make the trek north in the coldest, longest days of the year.  My last winter suggestion for the frozen upperlands was to visit in the winter to experience the Northern Lights.  But, there are even stranger things happening in Canada in the winter than the wondrous Northern Lights.

Newfoundland is home to a 200 year old Christmas tradition:  Mummers visiting from home to home, or as it is also called among the Newfoundlanders "belsnicklers."

Here in Salem, I organized a Mummers Festival in 2008, but this is not the same as a spontaneous event with masked marauders knocking on your door and taking over your home with a party, demanding to be fed and given drink.

In St. John's there is an annual Mummer's Parade, and it certainly would be worth it to watch the parade, but I want to go mumming in Newfoundland!  I want to dress up and go house marauding creating parties as I travel with friends.  Who would not want to do that!?  It must be on your "bucket list" of things to do before you die.

You will need a ticket to Canada first, if you are going in the fun, festive, albeit cold winter season.  Check out the cheap flights to Montreal.

Canadian Northern Lights: Update on #12

For those of you following my list of things to do before I die.  You will have seen that I want to go to the far reaches of the northern hemisphere to see the aurora borealis - commonly referred to as the northern lights.  It is #12 on my list.

The northern lights require darkness.  From mid-August until April is typically a good time to catch the Northern Lights depending on how far north you are.  The best viewing occurs at the darkest and coldest  times - January being a peak month for viewing the aurora borealis. 

Ontario even boasts a scenic drive dedicated to the Northern Lights among other natural wonders.  Visiting the northern lights in the dark seasons in Canada will require bundling up in warm clothing.  You will be visiting one of the world's colder climes during the colder months.  So, be prepared when you catch a cheap flight to Canada to pack for cold weather, and don't forget to bring your camera.

#14 Go to the Busker's Festivals!

Each summer Canada's largest Busker's Festival enlivens the days and lights up the nights in Halifax Nova Scotia.  Six stages on the waterfront become a feast for the eyes, ears and mind.  Break dancers, fire spinners, and street performers of all variety take the stages and entertain people for 10 days each August.

Along with a rugged coastline of rocky shores and sandy beaches the Halifax area has a lively nightlife to entertain and keep you busy from dawn to dark. Other events in such as Shakespeare by the Sea, and the Royal Nova Scotia Tattoo fill the summer months with non-stop fun.

In Ottawa, Canada's second largest busker's festival happens at the Spark's Street Mall at the end of July and beginning of August.  Street performers on the sidewalks and stages of North America's most beautiful cities help transform a nice time into a unforgettable experience.  Add visiting some of the great busker festivals to your list of things to do while traveling Canada.  Get yourself some cheap flights to Canada this summer and check out the Busker's Festivals along with everything else Canada has to offer.  I'll meet you there, and maybe we can both check it off our bucket list.