Travelogue
Falling in Eastern & Maritime Canada '21
by Norman Bituin
This travel pictorial is a road trip in the Eastern provinces (Ontario and Quebec) and Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) of Canada on Sep. 28 - Oct. 13, 2021 at the start of the fall season. But we did fall in love too with the autumn scenery and foliage landscape as we cruised along in our rental 8-seater Yukon XL SUV for some 3,505 kilometers (2,178 miles). "We" included five ICU/ER nurses (3 active, 2 retired) from my wife's hospital in Whittier, CA and three "dutiful" husbands. Fyi, as fully vaccinated US citizens we had to upload our passport, vaccination card and other relevant info in the "ArriveCAN" app to get a "Receipt" for entry in Canada, plus a negative PCR test lab result within 72 hours of arrival. You cannot board a plane in the US for Canada without these requirements.
From Google maps, Toronto to Charlottetown on a direct route is 1,696 kms. (1,054 miles).
Our actual mileage (with stops at Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Saint John and Halifax) was 3,505 kms. (2,178 miles).
Toronto, Ontario
We picked up the Yukon XL SUV at Toronto International. As you can see, we were literally packed to the rafters.
Kensington Market is a noted tourist attraction in Downtown Toronto. Toronto is the capital of Ontario.
It is a center of Toronto's cultural life as yuppies, artists and writers moved into the area.
Kensington Market is a multicultural neighborhood from Central America, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Iran, Vietnam, Chile and other global spots.
Cannabis dispensaries abound. In October 2018 it became legal to buy, use and possess recreational marijuana (cannabis) in Canada.
Gelato with your weeds anyone?
Chinatown is adjacent to Kensington. We had lunch at a dumpling house.
Rogers Center is the home of MLB team Toronto Blue Jays.
The CN Tower at 1,815 feet completed in 1976 held the record for the world's tallest free-standing structure until 2007 when it was surpassed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
A much taller architectural landscape than when I lived here in the mid-70's.
Cherry's bff and classmate at UST Nursing, Pauline and husband Mark Gonzales (leftmost), both from Abra, hosted
us for dinner for two nights and prepared Ilocano favorites igado, sisig and papaitan, among other delicious dishes.
Nathan Philip Square with Toronto City Hall is the site of concerts, art displays, the winter festival of lights and other public events.
During the winter months, the reflecting pool is converted into an ice rink for ice skating.
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, then and now, still flows and roars.
Ottawa, Ontario
We were blessed with good weather. Contrary to earlier weather forecasts of continuous rain, it only rained in Ottawa.
Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of the Province of Canada when it was a British Colony from 1841 to 1867.
The Parliament Buildings are three edifices on the three sides of Parliament Hill's central lawn. The Center Block has the Senate and Commons chambers.
Montreal, Quebec
Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal, dedicated in 1857, is closed for repairs.
We attended Sunday mass in French at the nearby Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel.
Canadians said "Oui, Oui" to Justin Trudeau on his third term as Prime Minister after he called a snap election on Sept. 20, 2021.
Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and is Canada's largest church. It was founded in 1904 by Saint André Bessette,
beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1982, who is credited with thousands of reported miraculous oil healings associated with his pious devotion to Saint Joseph.
A hike to the top of the Mount Royal lookout provides a spectacular view of Downtown Montreal, especially at night we were told.
Quebec City, Quebec
Quebec City, the capital of Quebec, was founded by Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer and diplomat, in July 1608.
It is the only fortified city north of Mexico whose walls still exist. The city walls, first erected in 1690, extend 4.6 kms. (2.8 miles).
The walled city withstood the French siege of Quebec in 1760 and the American siege of Quebec in 1775. About 300 cannons were placed
in the ramparts in 1860. The ramparts, along with the rest of Old Quebec, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
The St. Lawrence River traversing Quebec and Ontario runs 3,058 kms. (1,900 miles). It connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean.
Walking on the narrow street cobblestones in Old Quebec with its small stores and cafes gives a truly European feel and ambience.
A Halloween pumpkin patch and peeking at Cochon Dingue (Crazy Pig) resto in Quartier Petit Champlain.
The funicular is an option to get up to the hill at Le Chateau Frontenac.
The entire side of this Old Quebec building is a giant painted art mural.
Here's a zoom shot.
Basilique-Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Quebec, built in 1647, is closed for repairs.
Often said to be the world's most photographed hotel, the luxury Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which opened in 1893,
sits on a hill overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Hosting world leaders and celebrities, it has 18 floors and 611 guest rooms.
We had a lunch reservation at Le Chateau Frontenac Bistro. Beside it is Dufferin Terrace, a wood plank walkway built in 1879 along the river by Lord Dufferin.
No, we didn't stay and probably couldn't afford Le Chateau Frontenac. But this 3-story Airbnb home very close to Old Quebec was just fine.
We used Airbnb in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax. In Fredericton, Saint John and Charlottetown, we checked in at Delta Hotels by Marriott.
Salvador Dali would probably like to take a look inside Le Musee du Bad Art (Museum of Bad Art). Entrance is free.
Basilique Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré has been credited by the Catholic Church with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled.
Saint Anne is the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. Anne and her husband Joachim are considered the patrons of grandparents.
From donated land in 1658, the Basilica is a Catholic
sanctuary which receives about a half-million pilgrims each year.
Stretching upwards 83 meters, Montmorency Falls, 15 minutes from Old Quebec, is 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls.
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Driving along on the road with the autumn foliage on full display has been a "colorful" experience.
Fredericton is the capital of New Brunswick.
Inside the Officers' Square Museum is the story of the Black Loyalists. After the American War of Indepencence in 1781, free black men and
slaves who fought for the British arrived in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Many suffered from discrimination; others became outstanding citizens.
Saint John, Nova Scotia
The Bay of Fundy has the highest tidal range at 52 feet, with the average worldwide at 3 feet.
The iconic Flowerpot Rock at Fundy Trail Parkway.
Not quite, but the Fundy Cliffs are likened to the Cliffs of Moher (which I had been to) in Ireland.
Bunoy, who had a Chevy Suburban, identical to GMC Yukon, drove the whole way. Riding shotgun, I took care of the Waze gps navigation.
Moncton, New Brunswick
Street art in Downtown Moncton
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia.
We were so excited to see and grab several food items and snacks from this Kabayan Food Mart as we drove into town.
They pointed us to Silong Express where we loaded up on our favorite turo-turo dishes. Tonight we feast at our Airbnb!
The Citadel is the fortified summit built in 1749 at Citadel Hill to defend the town from various enemies.
The landmark Old Town Clock or Citadel Clock Tower
began keeping time for the Citadel garrison in 1803.
Halifax Harbourwalk
Peggy’s Cove is famed for its picturesque and colorful houses perched along a narrow inlet and on wave-washed boulders facing the Atlantic.
Nova Scotia is home to over 160 historic lighthouses. Peggy's Point Lighthouse, maybe the most photographed in Canada, was built in 1915.
On this trip, I got to try my first mirrorless, entry-level full frame camera, the Canon EOS-RP with a 24-105mm kit lens. I like it.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Opened in May 1997, the Confederation Bridge is 13 kms. (8 miles) long. It is Canada's longest bridge and the world's longest bridge over ice-covered water.
It connects the provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Crossing into PEI, all motorists have to stop and queue for Covid rapid antigen test.
Later we verified that the rapid is not good for travel to US. We had to scramble on our last day to get a PCR test and result in time for our flight back.
[Photo from the Officers' Square Museum in Fredericton, New Brunswick]
The Charlottetown Conference on September 1-7, 1864 started the work toward the union of all the British North American colonies.
Followed later by the Quebec Conference and the London Conference, this culminated in the Confederation of Canada on July 1, 1867.
Green Gables Heritage Place, a 19th century farm in Cavendish, served as the
setting for the Anne of Green Gables novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island.
Charlottetown Harbour
St. Dunstan Basilica is the Cathedral of the Diocese of Charlottetown. It was built in 1916 after a fire destroyed the original cathedral in 1913.
When we arrived at Charlottetown on Oct. 11, the Canadian Thanksgiving Day and a national holiday, we were told at the restaurants that the lobster season had
just ended. They had none to serve that day. We were asked to try again the following day. We did and we finally got the famous PEI lobster on our last dinner.
Dropping off our rental Yukon SUV with an additional 3,505 kms. at the odometer at tiny Charlottetown Airport, we were on our way back to California.
Thank you very much, Merci beaucoup CANADA!!
