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Showing posts from May, 2010

Cape Breton

Yep am here at the walking convention in Sydney on Cape Breton island in Nova Scotia and having a great time. Did a 10km walk this morning which was beautiful along the harbour and into a ravine through a forest, etc. This afternoon more meetings - I am on the Board of Directors so lots of meetings...oh well we do get to go for some walks!!! Staying at the Cambridge Suites with my friend Lea - I feel so pampered as it's lovely. Our room doesn't face the water but the hotel is on the water front. Tonight is our banquet. Last night was the meet and greet - we all got a bowl of mussels - I have had mussels before but I did enjoy them - sort of. Not something I'd want everyday. Before the meet and greet we went for dinner to a pub and I had some delish fish and chips. Tomorrow another 10 km walk and another meeting...Then I hit the road Monday morning and will have the car until it's time to fly home next Saturday...will do the Cabot Trail, Louisbourg, Baddeck, G

Goodbye St. Johns

Lovely Jelly Bean houses in St. Johns In about 15 mins. the taxi will pick me up to take me away from here...:( I love this little city - wish I had more time to explore. Oh well Cape St Mary's was well worth losing a day here and I can always come back. This morning turned out to be lovely so I had breakfast at a cafe on the water - baked beans and toutons with molasses. . Typical Newfie breakfast - it was good. Then I did a bit of retail therapy - found another pair of earrings similar (they are all unique) to the ones I bought last time and promptly misplaced one (my favourite trick) plus some hand made wooden coasters (am obsessed with coasters) and some Screech (dark Jamaican rum specially brewed as Screech) coffee beans!! Oh and some partridgeberry & Baked apple tea. I like things I can use - and also can fit into my backpack. Oh it's a tight squeeze!!! Once I get back to my suitcase in Halifax I will be fine. Anyway I walked up the hill a bit to the cat

Wild with the birds

It was a beautiful day. We headed out for Cape St. Mary's with a stop at Placentia on the way. The weather was beautiful - chilly but blue sky and sunny. We walked about a km to where the birds were nesting. It was spectacular. Blue blue sky - turquoise ocean and birds flying all over the place. I can't even begin to put into words what it was like. The photos and video can't even come close to describing it. Fantastic isn't a strong enough word! We (the other fellow on the trip who was from Toronto and me) stayed there about half an hour just drinking it all in. I will never go back there as it could never be that perfect again. There were about three different kinds of sea birds but the gammets were the prevalent ones. And all for $50!! It had to be hush hush as the other guy paid $110!!! And he said to me wow this is a good deal for the price and I said..'YEAH'!!! :) I felt kind of guilty but not too guilty - guess I got the discount for

Good Morning from Newfoundland

Gorgeous day out there - blue sky. A bit nippy but can handle it. Off to Cape St. Mary's this morning. Should be a good day. If the weather holds and I am up for it may walk to the Battery tonight. My foot was still bothering me yesterday so I babied it a bit. Tomorrow..rain. So will probably look in the shops - my flight leaves at 1:50 so not a whole lot of time to do sightseeing. I will wander around as the weather lets me. Just had a bagel and coffee this morning - still full from yesterday's meal!!! Am hoping to have another traditional Newfoundland meal tonight as well as a typical Newfoundland brekkie tomorrow morning.

On the rock or in the foggy rock -not!

Well here I am in St. John's - ended up to be a lovely day. Was overcast when I arrived but not blue sky and cool. However I am trying to rest my poor feet today so didn't walk too far. I did walk in the downtown area and up and down hills (hard not to here..). Angela, the owner of the hostel (Foggy Rock hostel) met me at the airport. My room is huge with a TV and right by the bathroom. Plus access to a computer 24/7. Gotta love it! It is an old Jellybean house right downtown. I am here until Wed. afternoon. I had asked about tours and Angela called me to say there is a tour to Cape St Mary's tomorrow and I will get it for $50 - half price. No complaints there! It is supposed to be a beautiful day..apparently it's been raining and dull for a while. I guess I could tour the rest of the city but I love the downtown area - I am sure the rest of St. Johns is like any other Canadian city so staying in this area makes it special. Love the jelly bean houses, th

Hi from Dartmouth

Just took the ferry over here and low and behold there is a library! So thought I'd pop in and update my blog and check email. This morning I did a 5 km walk over to Point Pleasant Park which is gorgeous. I enjoyed it last time I was here so made a "point" of going back. All sorts of paths and you feel like you are in the country - surrounded by ocean! Got my doggie fix as well. Then I walked to Lower Water St. and visited the Halifax farmers market. It was HUGE and would have been enjoyable but it was absolutely packed as in not being able to move. I treated myself to a veggie samosa and bought myself some wild blueberry tea (delish!) and carried on to the ferry terminal. The trip over was nice - it's another sunny day here. There is a market over on this side as well but not as big or crowded so much more enjoyable. I sat and had a coffee (and something else...yeah I was naughty....) and listened to a couple of musicians. I will head back on the ferry

Hello from sunny Halifax

Public gardens in Halifax Beautiful day here. Long day yesterday...flew to Calgary, then Toronto - luckily didn't have to change planes but was able to get off and walk around a bit. Arrived into Halifax on time and took the airporter in - the driver was very nice and dropped me at the university so it was a five minute walk if that to the dorm. Needless to say he got a tip! It would have been a half hour hour walk to the university - up hill. No probls when you have no luggage but otherwise it saved me a taxi fare. My room fits the bill. I share a bathroom with about six other rooms which is what I am used to. The bed is hard...as all university beds seem to be but I can live. Woke up to hear some guy saying loudly "Is this it" and his wife trying to shush him and saying I am disappointed too. I briefly thought "I'm glad I don't have one of those" and promptly fell back to sleep. I walked over to Spring Garden Road to get something to eat a

Four more sleeps..

Until the next adventure...Thursday I fly off to Halifax. Yippee, can't wait. I love Halifax. I will be staying at the dorms at St. Mary's University - for $42 a night which includes tax and brekky you can't go wrong..Well maybe some people may think you can but I am used to staying in cheap basic places. If I didn't I couldn't afford all these trips. When I do stay in a nice place (such as The Cambridge Suites during the walking convention in Sydney - sharing a room) it makes it all that much more exciting. I was registered for the Blue Nose Half marathon in Halifax a week from today but have had to downgrade due to not being in shape to do it. (no one's fault but my own) I should be able to do 10km and what's neat is that the 10k goes over the bridge into Dartmouth which will be so much fun whereas the half marathon didn't - it goes into Pleasant Park which I will cover on one of my own walks. Better to discover new places. I can't wai