Newfoundland In A Day

Can you cross a province in a day? Yes. Should you? No. Following the
Trans-Canada Highway is no way to see the country but it certainly moves
you quickly from one place to another. We started yesterday out with a
fabulous, and I mean fabulous, breakfast at the St. Christopher's Hotel
in Port Aux Basques. Homemade beans. Homemade toast. Perfect eggs.

Dave woke to the foghorn in Port Aux Basques. No, it wasn't me snoring
or yapping - it was the foghorn, literally. The fog was thick as pea soup in
the harbour at Port Aux Basques and was thick in varying spots as we
made our way across The Rock.

The Table Mountains rose out of the mist, turning everything into a
picture post card.

The beans gave us gas, yes, but it wasn't the kind we needed for the car.
We've been spending much time and money at gas stations. This one was
particularly scenic. Just outside of Port Aux Basques, it boasted a couple
of friendly old farts who were chatting about moose hunting. They
wanted to go but the wives had other plans for them and they only had tags
for 42. 42 moose, I asked? Dave said no, it was the zone.

Near Corner Brook. The scenery was stunning.

At Joey's Lookout.

Love bugs.

Check out the washout! This was at Joey's Lookout, not far from Terra Nova National Park.
It was the worst damage we've seen so far from Hurricane Igor. Not only did it
cause this deep crevice down the side of the hill, it also took out the culvert and
the pavement on the Trans Canada Highway. It was all fixed up by the time
we arrived, thank goodness.

Joey Smallwood was the Father of Confederation in Newfoundland, the man credited
for bringing this province into the Canadian fold. He then became a longtime
and very popular Premier of Newfoundland - one of the most popular
politicians in Canadian history.

Dave's nose.

A broken culvert at another spot along the Trans Canada; this one in Terra
Nova Provincial Park. There were several spots along the highway
where construction crews had to repair Igor's damage.

On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again,
making music with my bean-eating friends,
who just can't wait to get on the road again.

North Sydney to Port Aux Basques

Breakfast at Annfield Manor, North Sydney. Incredibly good coffee.
Elegant setting. Delicious food.

Hey Sam, we took this picture for you! In North Sydney this morning.

The really lovely, friendly lady who welcomed us to the ferry dock.

The mouth of the ferry boat is open, ready for cars and trucks to board.

A tractor trailer drives on to the ferry. Incredible that so many heavy
vehicles fit on a boat!

Cormorants hang around at the North Sydney docks.

And a-wake we go!

Dave looks great with a Canadian flag sticking out of his head.

Me. Seasick. Doped up on Gravol. In the background, our first glimpse
of "The Rock."

Land ahoy! Thank god!

Port Aux Basques looks so scenic and charming from the vantage point
of the ferry.

Our very comfortable hotel, up on a hill overlooking the harbour and the town.
The St. Christopher's is a fine place with an awesome restaurant.

We're about to drive off the ferry. The folks who work there have the
loading and unloading down to a science. Everything goes smooth as silk.
Except for my stomach.

Saying good-bye to our ferry and hello to Newfoundland!

The view from our hotel parking lot. Doesn't this house look so inviting?
Tomorrow the weather forecast here is for sunshine and warm weather.
Looking forward to driving across the province tomorrow and arriving in
St. John's tomorrow night.

Fredericton to North Sydney

Dave lookin' sexy at the Best Western in Fredericton.
We were on the road at 8 a.m. and it was raining cats and dogs.
There was an election here last night - apparently the Liberals
got tossed. Who knew?

We actually got lost looking for the Magnetic Hill, driving right by
this super-subtle unobvious sign. In my defence, the last time I was here
(about 16 years ago), the Magnetic Hill was just a simple dirt road out in the
New Brunswick countryside. Now it's a goldurned theme park
complete with zoo and restaurants and all kinds of crap.
A zoo? Really?

How it works. And it works! Really! It works!

At the bottom of the Magnetic Hill. It's a hill, right? Well, the good old
Jeep went right up that hill backwards, in neutral! Incredible!
They say it's an optical illusion but that looks like a hill to me.
What do you think?

Yup. Another province. We were suh-moking fast.

At the Welcome to Nova Scotia tourist information place on the Bay of
Fundy flatlands. I only put this picture in because my hair looks good.
Good hair is important.

Dave doing the pomp-pomp count. We only had 20 left at the tourist
welcome place in Nova Scotia. By the end of the day, though, we had lost
all the pomps on the roof racks. The last one I saw leave was on Cape
Breton Island.

Pugwash: where the Raneys take their dog Tyson to get bathed.

I drove, too! Even though I looked like a crazed chipmunk!

Ooooh, cool diner alert! This one was a Petro-Canada gas station just off the
main highway near Glenhomme. The place was full of men and older
couples. The men were truckers and workers. The seniors know great
food and great value when they see it. This place was GREAT!

My club sandwich was about the best club I've ever had. Honest.

Usually Dave's sandwich is known as a western but not in Nova Scotia.
Here they called it an eastern. Whatever they call it, it was delish.
And look at the size of it! Also in Glenhomme.

My name is Webster. I'm a mother.
I don't know how to open my eyes but I'm a mother.

"Stool Bus." hahahahaha! Near the Canso Causeway, Mulgrave Nova Scotia,

Cool cliffs, Mulgrave, Nova Scotia.

Crossed the Canso Causeway. Welcome to Cape Breton!

The first thing we saw in Cape Breton was a dead moose head tied to
a fourwheeler on a trailer. Welcome to Cape Breton!

Dinner at Pizza Delight in North Sydney, Cape Breton. Should be called
Pizza-Not-A-Delight. Suckage,  people, suckage. Look close in the
mirror to see Dave leaving the joint.

North Sydney sunset.

Annfield Manor, the B&B we are staying in tonight before hopping
the ferry to Newfoundland tomorrow. Can hardly wait!
This place, by the way, is just amazing. Stunning Victorian
atmosphere. Incredible antiques. Beautiful rooms.

Annfield Manor: bath mat.

Annfield Manor: our clawfoot tub.

Annfield Manor: our four poster bed; my laptop.

Annfield Manor: the knocker on the front door.

Annfield Manor: our dresser.

Annfield Manor fountain.

Annfield Manor: the garage is full of antique sleighs.

Annfield Manor: the gardens are beautiful.

People get married in the gardens at Annfield Manor, often
at the gazebo.

Annfield Manor: the official greeter. Works for food.
I hear the breakfasts here are great - let you know tomorrow.
(Hope it's not hay.)