New Brunswick

New Brunswick


This is an odd little province, but I mean that in a nice way. The capital of Fredericton seemed smaller than the other rural cities of the province. In fact the only reason it IS the capital, I think, is because it has the most history to offer. History especially connected to the British and their defence of Canada against the Americans. In contrast to Quebec this city steadfastly hold onto their British heritage through re-enactments, heritage buildings and museums as if not to do so will invite people to think of them as another French province. There are plenty of French speakers in New Brunswick and that seems to play a part in their accent – a lilting sing-song Canadian – which is quite fascinating to listen to.

We managed to visit a number of interesting places in our short time in NB, including the Sea Caves at St. Martins, The Hopewell Rocks in the Bay of Fundy near Moncton, the Reversing Falls at St Johns (which weren’t reversing at the time we saw them) and Magnetic Hill in Moncton.

The last was the least convincing of the attractions and thankfully we avoided the $5 entry fee to try it by arriving after hours. Saving the money was not a case of being ‘cheap’. Magnetic Hill is apparently a mysterious little hill that “pulls” your car backwards uphill when you are in neutral. I won’t give way the details of how it does this, suffice to say that surveyors would not be allowed on the site! It is a clever way to fleece tourists of a few extra bucks I guess and that seems the North American way – if more than three cars arrive at a place – put a price on their visit.

Fredericton was a pleasant enough town and our accommodation, Hartt’s Island RV park was a surprise find. It had water slides, putt-putt golf, a driving range and more – all of course for an added cost! Luckily for us anyone staying there could use the water-park for free for one hour in the morning and this was all we needed. The town with it’s so called attractions was a bit of a fizzler for us probably because we had been to the Ottawa museums not long before. The changing of the guard was interesting and a drama troupe put on a kids show for free in shady parkland. After that there wasn’t much worth visiting.

So, we travelled on to visit the Sea Caves near St Martins via a quick stop at a service station to buy some soft-serve ice cream that you could buy by weight. The best part was that you could program up to 8 flavours including bubblegum and butter pecan, and then add your own fresh toppings. It had us so interested that we began discussing how we could run a similar business at home in Brighton. The sea caves proved to be a big winner with the kids as they performed death defying walks along slippery seaweeds on the steep sides of the cliffs.

The plan was to stay at Shediac a place known for its beaches – known to a few too many people as it turned out. We arrived late in the day and after 4 parks eventually secured the very last site at a fifth park in another town due to a late cancellation. The park was called Sandy Beach and we had a spot immediately behind high sand dunes next to a sandy beach – who would have thunk it!? The first day was sunny and ideal for the beach, but we had learnt to go with the weather while we had it and so at lunchtime we drove to Hopewell Rocks for the afternoon low tide. Thankfully we did, as the next day it rained – hard. The campgrounds flooded in sections to the extent that the owners used small pumps and hoses to pump water onto the dunes and away from campsites. Their ability and practised ease in this made us realise that flooding was not uncommon.

We opted for the movies at nearby Moncton. The kids and dad watched Despicable Me and loved it, while mum watched the next movie of the Twilight series and enjoyed the kids free time.

By the next day, the rain had gone and it was sunny again. A very lazy pack-up and slow farewell to some people that we met in the park meant departing at lunchtime. What was meant to be a short drive to Prince Edward Island where we could be set-up for camp by lunchtime, eventuated into another park search in the early evening. We finally made Jacques Cartier Provincial park on the edge of the western side of the island – unfortunately it was on a Friday night!

Nova Scotia - where the bears aren't a problem

Since we have begun our camping in Canada we have been warned of the dangers of bears. My favourite joke about bear awareness goes like this; To be bear smart you should wear bright shoelaces with bells so that the bear can see and hear you well in advance of your arrival in his vicinity. To further warn bears of your presences, wear a strong smelling scent like peppermint. So how will you know if there are bears in the area? You will see bear poop coloured with bright laces tinkling like a bell and smelling of peppermint!
But all of those fears aside - we can rest easy here in Nova Scotia because the mosquitoes have eaten them!!

These pictures are circa 2010, KOA campgrounds of West Halifax.

The following picture with an adult hand is to show scale (and the last time this hand was seen in one piece).

I now understand why children under 7 years of age need to be accompanied by an adult to the toilets.

Quebec

I learnt quite early in the piece how to drive in Quebec City. It involves pushing your accelerator flat to the floor for the whole time and barging into other lanes at seemingly random times and places. No-one honks their horns, shakes their fists or even seem to notice this behaviour so I must be right.

Driving in Quebec City also requires you to ignore EVERY speed sign. As I hurtled along a 50km/h zone doing 70 km/h I was overtaken by EVERY other car on the road who probably though that I was an old lady - except for the old lady who also overtook me!
Quebec city is such a strange place. The people there speak French, claim to be Canadian and all because they were defeated by the English hundreds of years ago. At least that's my understanding of it all. Actually the claim to being Canadian is secondary to their claim of being Quebecoise. While most of Canada proudly fly the national flag to show their confederated spirit, Quebec resolutely reminds everyone of their particular heritage and independence.

This adds to the attraction of Quebec city along with it's surprising age – one building showed a plaque that dated it to 1677 and it's in a central part of town.
 The old garrison section of the city reminds you of how war was waged way back when. High walls, open cannon placements and a commanding view were apparently enough to stop all attackers – unless of course as the defender you decide to come out of that fortress and attack on open ground, which is what the French did as the English approached.
I found the history of Quebec fascinating – a 30 minute battle in which both the opposing generals were killed and the colony of Canada was changed from French to British. That is probably why Quebec province steadfastly maintains their Frenchness – they haven't forgiven the English yet.

The people of Quebec City rarely speak any English or do they bother to learn it, unless they are in a job requiring both languages. But the effect of that insulated French in Quebec is felt throughout much of the rest of eastern Canada. So many people in bordering provinces are bilingual and so effortlessly so that you cannot see the "switch" in their language brains flicking from one language to another.

So physically the city has plenty of historical buildings to show its French heritage and culturally it reminds you with every word spoken and written.

All of this in a former English colony. The strangeness of the place really comes from the behaviour of the people – they act European. The supermarkets sell alcohol, cars are driven at light-speed everywhere and there is an attitude of indifference that could be misconstrued as arrogance if you were arrogant about your own culture.

In short, visiting Quebec is like visiting another country without having to cross an international border I felt that I needed my passport while we were in the province of Quebec.

Quebec

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On the road Batchawana Bay to Ottawa

The contrasts between the two places listed in the title are quite incredible. I have already written more than enough about our stay at Batchawana, so I will pick up the story from that point on.

Driving out of the bay and along the lakes edge in thick fog seemed to suit the situation as though we were creeping away from a naughty deed. Even in Sault Ste. Marie the fog was thick enough to hide much of the city as we travelled through.
The moment that we left the influence of Lake Superior, just out of 'the Soo' the fog lifted and it became quite warm and definitely humid. The further east we travelled the more the humidity built along with the temperature. By Sudbury we ran into the dilemma of whether to have the air conditioner on in the car and overheat the engine, or windows down and overheat us. We settled on a compromise whereby we managed to do a bit of both.
By mid morning we were looking for a break and a chance to stretch our legs. Some helpful advice in Blind River we found a small lake at Algoma Mills – ideal for a spot of swimming actually. The leg stretch turned into breakfast and a stop of 2 hours. So much for our early start.

Just before Sudbury I saw a bear having a drink, but by the time I realized what it was we had driven past and the rest of the family missed out. Naturally I gloated for the rest of the day!
By the time we reached North Bay it was looking less and less likely that we would make Algonquin Provincial Park – our goal for the day. We decided to find an information centre and ask for advice – what a great idea – the ladies in the centre were absolutely wonderful. They gave advice, lollies to the kids, highlighter pens for our maps and even tried to find us some insect repellent! As a result of their excellent help, we ended the day Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park which was much closer.
We were exhausted after the previous night of broken sleep and a day that started on the road before 7am and was finally arriving at 6pm – it was a LONG day. Tempers were frayed and brains were mushy. A bloke from a nearby campsite helpfully pointed out to that we were trying to park in a turnaround rather than our designated camping spot – after numerous attempts to get it right!! The blokes name was Henry and he turned out to be a wealth of information and a good mate to have at camp.

Henry showed us snapping turtles, told us about the fishing and swapped stories on Canada and Australia. In the campsite next to us there was a 7 year old girl called Emily who became a fast and firm friend with Megan. The girls played happily the whole time we were there. We stayed for 1 night partly because the cost was more than $42 per night and partly because we still wanted to cover more distance.

Logosland is a water-park camping resort along the way to Ottawa. With the heat still high and humidity higher, we opted for a couple of nights there so the kids could play on the slides. We timed it wrong. The day that we arrived late in the afternoon it was hot and humid- perfect for the park but too late to get our monies worth. The next day we were ready to go – but it rained heavily all morning and into the afternoon so we didn't bother.

To make the most of the day we decided to take a drive and visit the Bonnechere Caves. Privately owned and run, these caves were a series of river tunnels that had been discovered by a very intrepid local. When he found the caves they were running with fast cold water and he found his way through with only a small torch and a camera. The story behind his discovery was fascinating and spun a 2 minute walk through into a 30 minute 'tour'. What made the caves really stand out though was the chance to take your time and photograph as much as you pleased, being allowed to touch everything and getting to travel along a side chute with little lighting. The kids were in underground heaven.

The next day as we packed up, the sun came out and again it began to get hot again. To late! We decided to move so off we travelled towards Ottawa.

We were told about a brand new park called Calypso just the other side of Ottawa and so we promised the kids a chance to enjoy that one instead.They did enjoy it too. Ian was savagely sun burnt because he didn't allow enough time for the cream to soak in before going into the water - ouch.       

The park was brand new and had terrifying rides just right for a fearless 8 year old. Dad chose to watch the girls (his own thank you) as they paddled in the water playground or the wave pool.    

The day was a long one but definitely worth the visit. We used the water park as a break from all of the museums that we were going to see. On day one we visited the Royal Canadian Mint at Ash's request and then wandered around the park area nearby to see Parliament Hill and other cool sights nearby.

The art gallery was interesting from the outside, but we didn't get time to see inside. The lock system that allows boats into the Rideau Canal from the Ottawa river was fascinating to watch. The gates are still opened and closed by hand, using a system that is likely the original - if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

Day 2 was a day for the Museum of Civilization. A day is barely enough and we could go again and again just to enjoy the activities in the children's museum.

The day after the water park it was very humid with a little rain, so visiting museums was a great choice. We managed the Nature Museum and the Canadian War Museum - where Ian wet himself with excitement.

The reason for his excitement were the huge range of World War II military vehicles on display, including a German Panther tank, a Russian T34 tank and modern day tanks. Very exciting for someone who has an interest - not so much for little children and a wife who are not interested. I'm sure there are still the heel drag marks across the floor after Jill persuaded me to leave!

The last day in Ottawa included a display of horsemanship by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a visit to the aviation museum (again, excitable loss of bladder control was a factor) and the science and technology museum which included a steam train ride.

The RCMP were very impressive and approachable too. The kids loved the chance to pat and chat.

The aviation museum showed planes from WWII - guess who was excited - including a Messchersmitt 163 - one of Germany's first jet fighters! The propeller is just in case the jet fails ;-)

The science and technology museum demonstrated to us a crucial piece of information - Paige is probably too small to be an astronaut just yet. After what seemed like 5 minutes we had to leave the museum as it was closing - 2.5 hours after we entered! That's having fun!

Our summer holidays - Thunder Bay to Ottawa

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Jenkoz Odyssey Week 1

The end of our first week (almost) and we are on the far eastern boundary of Ontario, near Ottawa. So far we have stayed at four different locations in our trip across this half of Canada. Each place has been quite different from the previous and each offers its own particular attractions.
Neys Provincial Park, Lake Superior
Highly recommended by a number of people in Thunder Bay, Neys P.P. was a beautiful introduction to our tour of eastern Canada. The park nestles alongside the Pic River (the first 'dirty' river we have seen in Canada) and covers an area of geological importance. It stretches along a wide sandy beach littered with tonnes of wood in the form of logs and woodchips.

                               

Walking along the beach was a strange experience as lake mists rolled in and out during the day, hiding parts and revealing others.
The kids made new friends, Cora and Jeanna, who were marooned with their parents after their truck broke down as they were travelling to the Yukon for work. The girls happily came for a walk with us to see more of the park and together all of the children acted as ideal bear deterrents with the volume of noise they made along the walk.

                                                                                                                   
The lookout walking trail was what we chose and it didn't disappoint. The views were good, and the walk itself lead us through constantly changing environments. There were plenty of moss covered rocks, hidden small creeks and lush green foliage all the way.
                                                                                                                                                       

There were two lookouts as it turned out which gave us an overview of the park and surrounds, but of more interest was the train running around the edge of a sheer cliff face with enormous double decked carriages behind. What a train trip it would be for visitors, but alas it is only a freight line.

                                                                                                                               
But life wasn't all "walks in the park" for the travelling Jenkoz. The moment that we arrived to set up camp it began to rain. Lightly at first and so in my great wisdom I advised that we wait for it to pass and then set up. Actually that comment came AFTER a drenching and no success or prospect of getting the trailer setup without further drenching of beds as well. So 1 ½ hours later we were STILL bundled into the back of the car playing games and waiting for the now HEAVIER rainfall to stop or maybe even abate? We gave in and set up the trailer as the rain seemed to ease a little but we weren't going to be fooled by that ploy again; the rain eases then returns stronger than before. Unfortunately for us it wasn't a ploy this time and just as we completed the setting up of wet beds and soaked parents, the rain stopped completely and never returned while we were there. Ah the irony. No pictures folks, no pictures.
After a leisurely start for the day we were undecided as to the exact destination for the evening. Pancake bay had been mentioned as a place to visit but probably not stay due to its proximity to the main highway. We arrived at Pancake Bay at a good pull in time, but thought that indeed it was too close to the highway traffic for a good night sleep. Financially we also hoped to find a cheaper park nearby at Batchawana Bay, camping in provincial parks in Canada is more expensive than staying in caravan parks in much of Australia. For two nights at Neys we had to pay over $70CA. Provincial Parks are the same concept as National Parks in Australia, but with far more amenities such as electricity to your site, showers and toilets and the best drinking water on tap. Still at that rate we would be shelling out close to $400CA or $500AU per week just for accommodation. Enough justification for our penny-pinching- we opted to free camp. I think that the phrase, "How bad can it be?"briefly flitted through my mind before we started setting up camp. That idea was rather prophetic as it turned out.

To set the scene before I introduce the characters, plot and ending to this sad little tale of woe. We drove to the very end of a slowly deteriorating road that ran alongside a lovely bay. At the end was a turn-around area littered with beer bottles, and various other accoutrements of the slovenly. Alarm bells in our heads were muffled by the big pillows of saved money as we happily surveyed the semi-trash pit that surrounded us. There was a small wharf (called a dock here) and some teenagers playing on it. The water was crystal clear and bush closed in around us on 3 sides at least.

The characters were the teenagers on the dock, their considerable number of friends with loud home-made motorbikes, and their passively aggressive parents who dropped more outside our tent so that they could continue to make as much noise nearby as possible. One young lad even thoughtfully handed me a booklet on Pancake Bay, 'if we were thinking of staying more than one night.' Clearly his parents contribution to this blatant act of rudeness. So the characters did their level best to urge us out of their private little backwater.

My favourite was when a large group continued to swim from the dock until near dark in very cold temperatures – just in case we dared to contaminate the water with OUR presence. My sleep was minimal that night as I worried about sneak attacks of vandalism or stealing while we slept – neither was an issue as it turned out.
I forgot to mention the worst characters of all – the mosquitoes! Swarm is sometimes a word used to describe insects when there are many of them. I can't think of a word to describe the sheer number of mosquitoes, suffice it to say that our petrol consumption was INCREASED the next day due to the extra weight of dead mosquitoes left in our trailer!
The whole experience has put me off 'free camping' for a while or at least until it becomes a necessity again. It was also an interesting insight into the mindset of local yokels. They acted rather like the mosquitoes in a way – buzzing around the trailer incensed at the idea of 'fresh blood' tucked away inside – I pity anyone who chooses to move into the neighbourhood.
We beat a hasty retreat (and more mosquitoes) early the next morning. Transferring the kids asleep to the car we closed up shop as quickly as we could and were on the road by 7am – not early enough for a local fisherman who felt the need to fish in fog so thick that I doubt he could see the water – but it was the principal of it!
This early escape was the start of a VERY long day. We finally managed to leave the effects of Lake Superior (cool and foggy) to travel alongside Lake Huron where the weather became increasingly hotter and more humid. By 10.30am we were desperate for a swim and something to eat. We asked for directions in a town called Blind River and were directed to Algoma Mills township with its lake. It was quite the place and just what we needed – although in hindsight, maybe not for the 2 hours that we spent there.
After leaving there we decided we would try for Algonquin Provincial Park, but as the day wore on, the heat continued to build and so did tempers in the car. After a very worthwhile stop at an information centre which was determined to be inaccessible, we refocused on Simon Champlian P.P. considerably closer to where we were at that time.