Hi Family and Friends!

We hope this post finds you well or well on your way to recovery. We constantly pray for all that we know are struggling. Stay strong!

We have been busy in CT for a bit as Kenny had foot and then cataract surgery (both very successful – Yay! We can hike again!!) But we certainly need to share our most recent trip to New Brunswick, Canada. We visited our friends, Ronnie and Patsy Roy in St. George, NB who where amazing tour guides! We were very happy to see them as we hadn’t seen them since we left Flagler Beach last February! They haven’t changed and it was a fun reunion.

The evening of our arrival we attended a concert at their church. There were many talented singers but the most notable was a little six year old who had an amazing voice and all the confidence in the world to use it. Her younger brother, also sang his heart out! All of the performances were fun to listen to and watch and it was a great way to orient ourselves to the community of St. George.

We were exposed to so many things while visiting but I will just focus on the highlights, of which there are many!

Our first day out, we decided to take a brisk walk on the George Trail along the Magaguadavic River. It was a beautiful and clear day and we stopped at the Blueberry Store to use their facilities. Interestingly, we ran into friends of Patsy and Ronnie’s (Brad and Gail) who immediately invited us to take a boat ride with them that afternoon! So, of course, who wouldn’t take a ride on a pontoon boat on a sunny day! Off, we went. Thank you Brad and Gail for adding to our memorable experiences in NB! We learned quickly that everyone knew everyone in St. George! Or perhaps, Ronnie and Patsy are known by everyone in St. George!

Our next highlight was a trip to Deer Island. We had the pleasure of Patsy’s sister, Betty, joining us on the trip. (Betty is also one of the many friends we were lucky enough to make at Flagler Beach. During our stay, Betty made several yummy meals for us. Thanks Betty!). We ferried to Deer Island from St. George to go to Point Park (West Isles) which has the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere. According to information provided, the ocean can rise from 18′ to 28′ above the low water mark. We were not there at the peak time but close enough that the rising tide put on a fascinating show.

Ronnie and Patsy next took us on a day trip traveling the Fundy Trail Parkway. As carved in a huge stone on the Parkway, “The Fundy Trail Parkway was built by the people of New Brunswick for the enjoyment of all who cherish the natural beauty of our province.” And beautiful it is! Around every turn there are vistas to see and ever changing terrain to photograph. We packed a picnic lunch and enjoyed it on one of the scenic stops. At the Visitor Center, we took a pleasant walk bringing us to a beach filled with interesting cairns some of which looked like people.

As we turned around and headed back down the parkway, we stopped to explore caves we hadn’t been able to see when we started. The tide had subsided so the caves were now exposed and accessible. Pretty amazing day!

Another highlight was a weekend trip to Prince Edward Island. We took our RV and camped on the island. The summer season had recently ended and many things we might have seen were closed. However, we found some fun things to see and do.

We discovered the Doucet House where the first credit union was established. The Doucet House has a rich and interesting history. The Acadians of Rustico were extremely poor and a Catholic priest, Father Belcourt, arrived changing their culture and pulling the community out of poverty. He established the Farmers’ Bank of Rustico (precursor to credit unions) which allowed the farmers to purchase items on credit to help them become more prosperous. He also helped the community in many ways, establishing the church, setting up a school, and was instrumental in obtaining books from Emperor Napoleon III of France to establish a library. He even instituted the Rustico Band. He was a “jack of all trades”, clever, and just amazing. He owned the first car in PEI and also had the first car accident. We might have overlooked this little gem but we were very happy that we didn’t.

We visited the St. Dunstan’s Basilica which is a National Historic Site of Canada. The architecture is gorgeous. The PEI Heritage Center and Museum which showcased a video of the Acadian history and culture was also very interesting. We did as much touring of the island as time permitted and, of course, had to order some famous PEI mussels. We will certainly want to visit the island again. It was a bit of a tease and our timing was a bit off for some things we might have enjoyed visiting.

With Ronnie and Patsy, we visited their dear friends, Bill and Diane. Their home is located high above the Bay of Fundy and the view from their backyard is truly spectacular.

Our time in NB was well spent. Ronnie and Patsy are the ultimate hosts. We shared great meals and great times. We golfed, went whale watching with Robin and played cribbage most evenings. How lucky we were to meet many of their family members that live nearby. Chris, your seafood chowder is to die for! Patsy and Ronnie, thank you for all of the wonderful places you showed us and the fond memories you have given us!

Until next time, we raise our glasses and drink to Patsy, Ronnie, Betty, and their family and friends:

Thanks to all for your hospitality, your kindness, and friendship. You may be sorry because it’s likely we will be invading your home in Canada again in the future.

Hello friends and family!

We hope all are enjoying the fabulous fall weather. It is a bit sad that the fall foliage is disappointing this year but it is a beautiful season nontheless. Just thought I’d write a quick post to cover highlights of our travels through Yukon Territory. We took a small and quick ferry that exited us from Alaska and entered us into the Yukon Territory.

In Dawson City, we stayed at Gold Rush Campground which I would recommend since it is a short walk into town and there are lots of things to see and do in the area. I had wanted to see Cancan dancers and this is the place.

Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall is Canada’s oldest casino and during the season there are three Cancan showings featuring three different performances. The casino is a fun place to visit, a limited menu is available and you can enjoy a drink and a meal while watching the shows. The place is pretty lively, there is some audience participation, and the Cancan dancers are extremely entertaining and fun to watch. The costumes for the dancers are colorful, as are the people in attendance. Definitely worth the $15 to see just one show and the other shows would be icing on the cake. According to their website, dawsoncity.ca/diamond-tooth-gerties/ proceeds from the shows are reinvested into the community. That’s pretty impressive!

While there, we took a quick ride up Midnight Dome Mountain to see 360 views of Dawson City and the Yukon River. Great vistas and amazing topographies. Sunset there would be a spectacle to behold but during the time we visited the sun didn’t set until midnight. The Dome is also a place to view Northern Lights with best viewing late August to mid-April. Since we were not there at the right time, viewing the Northern Lights remains on our bucket list.

An easy walk around town brings you to Dawson City Visitor Center, Dawson City Museum, Jack London Museum, Robert Service Cabin (poet and writer), and Palace Grand Theatre. There are many other places to visit that we had to miss.

The last night in Dawson City we planned to visit the Downtown Hotel, home of the famous Sourtoe Cocktail. The drink is a shot of whiskey with a mummified toe in the glass. Sounds so horribly disgusting that, of course, both Kenny and Susan wished to take up the challenge. One must drink the whiskey and the toe must touch your lips (fondly called “kissing the toe”). If you swallow the toe, the fine is $2,500. Over 60,000 people have ordered this drink. Some people have in their will that they wish to have their toe donated to the hotel so there are backups available and, yes, some have actually swallowed the toe.

So off we went Downtown. When we arrived at the hotel, the patrons were sitting in the dark and we are told that the electricity is out in the whole area and they were closing. Those people already seated had to finish their drinks and leave. They were not serving anyone anymore. Electricity was expected to come back that evening. The whole town was shut down so there was no toe kissing that night. Therefore Kenny and Susan had no bragging rights that they had kissed the Sour Toe.

From Dawson City, we again stopped in Whitehorse. I’d like to give kudos to Klondike Rib and Salmon Restaurant. We had a great dinner on the way up and had another on the way back “to the Lower-48”. Known for their BBQ ribs and fish, all of our meals were delicious and you are sitting in a tent! The atmosphere was fun. Both times we lucked out and didn’t have a long wait to get in but we drove by it several times during our visit and there people lined up down the street. We just loved that restaurant. Even if you had to wait, it would be worth it!

We decided to take a little trip from Whitehorse to Skagway that was advertised in the camp store. A bus picked us up at the campground then we boarded a train that brought us to Skagway. The adventure was the scenic train ride which was narrated, traveled through tunnels and valleys then descended over White Pass. I thought it would be scary or I would be “train sick” but all was perfect. Once at Skagway, we had time for a quick meal then had to board a bus to return us to the campground.

It was a beautiful day to take the train, enjoy the views, and learn some history of the area. It was interesting that the train stopped in various locations and picked up hikers that been in the back country on their own adventures. The trip as described was $90/adult which is pricey. However, that covered two buses and a once-in-lifetime train adventure.

We next traveled to New Brunswick, Canada, to spend some quality time with our friends Ronnie and Patsy. Blog post to come. Stay tuned.

Until next time, we raise our glasses and toast to you:

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy