Minnesota or Newfoundland? Tough call...

I think my family will be glad that I discovered Minnesota before Newfoundland. The people, location and food seemed like home to me. Were invited to a local talent night on the way to the night ferry so stopped in and listened to some "newfie" music. Met Dion and the Garage Band (pronounced "Gay-redge"). Saw several people there we had met in Codroy Valley -- Melinda and Bernadette from the tea house

Got some great recipes there -- Flaky, Jigg's Dinner and Pease Pudding -- guess what? I now know what Pease Porridge Pot means! Remember? Pease Porridge Hot, Pease Porridge Cold, Pease Porridge in the pot 9 days old. Some like it hot, some like it cold, some like it in the pot 9 days old!" It is a split pea recipe cooked in a bag. I picked up a kit and am ready to give it a try when I come home!

Also saw the lighthouse keeper's wife there as well as people from the grocery store (no dried cod flakes or salt beef for traveling will try else where!). Met several locals and loved the music. They even did a shout out to the "Girls from Minnesota". Will upload pics of Newfoundland later.

Sitting in a cafe waiting for Laura to do some laundry down the street. We are in Baddeck, NS just off the Cabot Trail after crossing the ocean last night. I was able to do my laundry at the light house one day while Laura was out exploring shopping in NL. I had a quiet day at Cape Anguille/Codroy having tea with some folks, taking long hikes and just listening to the ocean. So far, my favorite day.

The folks in Codroy were great, though. Carol and her niece Carol took great care of us and their scores of aunts/sisters dropped by. Carol made me a crocheted washcloth and stove towel as a going away gift. We traded recipes and addresses.

I truly hope to make it back there someday. The "Carols" and I agreed we felt like family. Kewl beans.

Oh! Sent a ton of stuff home (food stuffs, books, a few souvenirs) and it should arrive in 7-10 days. Sending off postcards today so be looking for them.

Miss you but am enjoying myself a bunch. Now, if I could just figure out a way to make a Mayo way station in Newfoundland...

On Beyond Zebra

you can double click photos for better viewing!






"Said Conrad Cornelius O'Donald O'Dell,
My very young friend who is learning to spell:
'The A is for Ape. And the B is for Bear. The C is for Camel and the H is for Hare. The M is for Mouse and the R is for Rat. I know all the twenty size letters like that..." And I said, "You can stop, if you want, with the Z, because most people stop with the Z but not me!"

pics from today

Fletcher's where we had breakfast...and met Dave and his new girlfriend. The first landing of settlers and the tidal bore area in Truro -- thirteen hours later, 40 feet high and Laura would've been swimming! our yard sale and church cemetary excursions.

Dulse?

Today we learned about Tidal Bores - we started in Truro and made our way to Cape d'Or. We shopped along the way at YARD SALES (go figure...we are weird - we found folk art -- someone's brother took tree mold (yeah, tree mold) and painted it -- we had to buy one -- look for pics later). Everyone here is so friendly -- we have made tons of friends and even given out this blog to them! We stopped at church bazaars -- Laura got some fresh today homemade jam and I picked up a great church cookbook!!! A lady at a quilt place was selling something called Dulse. It is seaweed and when the tidal bores are out and the ocean floor is bare for up to 13 hour, people walk out onto the ocean floor and pick this seawood and dry it on shore. When the ocean rushes back (sometimes with a tide level over 52 feet!), they have this wonderful salty snack. It is dried and better harvested in summer they say. We'll report back! At Cape D'Or I made a great discovery about myself -- see blog above! But first we stopped in Parrsboro where we met Gordon -- a man in his 70's. His 45 year hobby of tracking the Tidal Bores has kept him busy and a walking encyclopedia. We learned a ton! He invited us to an early potluck supper in Diligence down the road but we were in a hurry to get to Cape D' Or before the sun set. It was worth the trip! On the way back to our cottage in Truro, we stopped at Five Islands and had supper -- best chowder ever! Laura had her first, but not last, lobster roll. The waitress grew up speaking french and english -- and listening to old Country which was on the radio tonight. We chatted about Willie, Waylon and the boys and our learning Johnny Cash songs. Music is universal!

Tomorrow, we head to North Sydney to prepare for Newfoundland. After a great breakfast of fresh picked blueberries, yogurt and these amazing little powder biscuits this lady makes -- we found them on one of our quirky stops for lunch!

A long, but great day!

Life is good in Canada

We are here! Not a bad day's travel. MSP to Detroit...had a healthy lunch and bought some traveling books -- Laura is reading Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dosteoevsky , Penny's fare is much lighter with The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks. Laura is jealous...her only other 'light read' is To Kill a Mockingbird...someone needs to remind her she DOES receive the NY Times Book Review every Sunday!) Also picked up Will Shortz' Sudoku for summer vacations!

Flight from Detroit to Halifax was interesting...one flight attendant for the passengers (a mere 60 passengers). Halifax at night as we arrived laid out like a jeweled necklace set complete with earbobs and a bracelet...the coastline was lit and the way the bays wrapped in and around Halifax/Dartmouth was breathtaking -- can't wait to see it in the day time.

Our hotel is the Rainbow Hotel in Truro...very Mom and Pop place. The owner's son was a bit disappointed that we had missed the Dr. Hook concert and so did he because we were so late arriving! The motel is like little cottages strung along the town street. There are orange bedskirts!!! Very 50's I think. Good news -- the water is POTABLE!

Late, now. 2 hours ahead of MN. Thinking of our family and pets. Time to do some tourtista reading (Tidal Bores tomorrow and the search begins for the greatest cup of coffee in the Atlantic Maritimes!).

We leave you with this from Lao Tzu: A journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step.

Where is Nova Scotia and Newfoundland?

Not as far away as say Greenland! Click the map to enlarge it for better viewing then click on your back arrow to return to this page. We'll be traveling by airplane, auto and ferry.

Nova Scotia banner

Tentative Schedule of our Travels

We begin on August 25th arriving in Halifax late and heading to Truro.
August 26/27 will find us exploring the Tidal Bore area and the vineyards of Nova Scotia (and some beach time!).
We spend the night in North Sydney on August 27th as we have an early ferry to Newfoundland.
We will stay at a lighthouse in Newfoundland August 28-30. Leaving Newfoundland on the 2 a.m. ferry (YAWN!) on Aug. 31st. The next 5 days we'll explore Cape Breton Island. Our last 4 days are spent in the Halifax/Dartmouth area doing some sightseeing and research on The Narrows.
More to come...