The first time we heard these catchy lyrics was at the Legion in Fort St. John. Chicken dinner, $4 beer, 50/50 tickets and a meat draw. All this and karaoke, and in this neck of the woods music is solidly in the country camp. People are Crazy by Billy Currington was the highlight of the night … More “God is great, beer is good, people are crazy”
The first time we drove off the ferry from Nanaimo to Gabriola, we had just driven across the country from Halifax to B.C. It was 2005, and after decades of living in cities, we were ready to try rural life “lite.” We felt like we had landed in paradise – albeit a paradise lodged firmly … More Gabriola: So you want to move to a Gulf Island?
We’ve been on the road for over 100 days and 21,000 kms, and now…it is coming to an end. What an amazing trip it has been – sketchy motels, rained-out campgrounds, run-over skunks, less-than-healthy road food and all. Every single day has been an adventure and travelling through Canada has often felt like being in … More Taking the slow road back home
Philippe Halsman used that phrase “astonish me!” to challenge his collaborators to greater things. The photographer of over 101 LIFE covers, among many other things, was one of the main exhibits at Musee des Beaux-Artes in Quebec City. He was a master at unmasking celebrities and capturing their essence. This is one of Marilyn. And … More Quebec City: étonnez-moi
We know very few people who have spent any time in Gaspé; many aren’t even sure where it is. So we were so surprised when our friends Sheila and Ajay and their kids started going down to Coin du Banc, a small village near Percé. After a few years they bought a cottage and after … More Gaspé: the Friends and Family Tour
We weren’t even supposed to be in Gaspe on this trip. We had planned to go to the Charlevoix-Saguenay area, but since we left our bookings too late, there was not a room to be found anywhere. Plan B – Gaspe, and what a wonderful Plan B it was. Both my parents are from Gaspe … More Gaspe: The Accidental Tourists
Tent camping in provincial, state or national parks tends to attract a certain demographic – nature-lovers whose idea of a perfect day is a long hike followed by an evening around a campfire under a full moon. Tent camping in a private campground can also offer that perfect day, but it provides fertile ground for … More Nascar & troubadours
Not us – we’re fine. My computer was having “issues”, but it is back on track, purring like a kitten thanks to the nimble brains at Combat Computers in Charlottetown. It had been giving me problems for a while – a MacBook Air glitch was fixed this winter in Vietnam, but about a month ago, … More Back from the dead
With just three days left in Newfoundland, we had two choices – go to Bonavista Peninsula or go to Twillingate and Fogo Island. Since the latter choice involved a longer drive and two ferries, we followed the advice of our friend Ingrid and went to Bonavista. It has been an excellent choice, helped greatly by … More The Bonavista Social Club
“If you go to St. Vincent’s, you’ll see humpbacks not 20 metres offshore,” we heard from reliable sources. St. Vincent’s is a small village on the “Irish Loop” – the southern part of the Avalon Peninsula where a majority of Irish immigrants settled hundreds of years ago. The beach is very unusual, as it has a … More The Avalon Peninsula: city life and wild open spaces
Leaving Ourselves Behind 