Favourite 2017 travel photos. Halifax, NS. June 2017.
Second living room
Canada
An epic road trip
I live in an enormous, beautiful country, and sadly, I’ve seen more of western Europe than I have of Canada. Over the next week and a bit, I’m going to change that equation. As the final part of my family’s move from Halifax to Saskatoon, I’m flying back to New Brunswick to reunite with my wife and my dog after six weeks apart. We’ll load up the car, say a goodbye to my in-laws and kick off a journey of nearly 4,000km from Nackawic, NB to downtown Saskatoon to start our lives together on the prairies.
Since our dog isn’t able to fly, this part of our move will be an epic road trip (thanks Chewy, I owe you for this!). Many have asked if we’ll cut through the USA on the drive. Not a bloody chance. That might shave a few hours off the trip, but I want to do this on my side of the border. I want to drive alongside Lake Superior, see the giant nickel in Sudbury, visit the Terry Fox monument in Thunder Bay and do whatever it is they do in Brandon. I’ve stocked my iPad with driving entertainment reflective of the journey we’re on: Taggart and Torrens “Canadianity” podcasts to keep us laughing and a playlist of Canadian music emblematic of the vast span of highways we’ll traverse.
Eight days, two humans and a four legged furry dude in a Honda Fit driving through Montreal, North Bay, the Sault, Kenora, small towns in Manitoba and into Saskatchewan. Here’s to something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. No new stamp in my passport on this trip, and that’s more than ok with me.
Mile Zero
I usually write about my trips and experiences somewhat sequentially once I return home. But for one experience, I’m making an exception. I’m writing the bulk of this sitting in the lobby of the Fairmont in Victoria, but truth be told, I know I won’t finish writing it sitting here. I’m already blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay, and I don’t need a lobby of cruise ship passengers wondering why there’s a guy over in the corner crying into his iPad.
On this last day in Victoria, I headed out for a morning of urban and public art exploring. One of the last pieces of art on my walk was the sculpture of Terry Fox. It’s located at mile zero, the end of the Trans-Canada Highway. In a country like Canada, that in and of itself would be something to visit. But as I looked at the sculpture of Terry Fox I started to think about his Marathon of Hope and what it would have been like for him to make it to his point. Mile Zero. The entire way across Canada.
Lake Louise, Alberta
Favourite 2012 travel photos – Lake Louise, Alberta. April 2012
Photos of the National War Monument
It’s hard not to feel proud to be Canadian when visiting Ottawa. The multitude of Canadian flags, the equal opportunity use of both of our official languages, and a wonderful selection of museums with many of our key national artifacts are all part of the experience. My favourite patriotic aspect of our capital is the National War Monument. Whether simply walking past it, or taking the time to visit, it leaves its mark. One of the evenings of my stay, I wandered out of the hotel just to sit by the monument and be in its presence. Here are a few of the photos I snapped to remember the moment:
Touring Parliament and the Royal Canadian Mint
After a morning city tour of Ottawa on our first day in the city, we’re excited to tour the Centre Block of Parliament in the afternoon for a couple of reasons. First, the obvious thrill of standing in the place of so much of our country’s political history; Secondly, to escape the heat for about an hour. We end up with a lovely tour guide who initially says she’s from Halifax. After asking where everyone is from, she admits after our reply that she’s really from Dartmouth, but I think we’re the only ones who get her “City of Lakes” reference.
After the requisite security check, we’re off upstairs to just outside the House of Commons. As the House isn’t sitting on this holiday Monday, we get a great view of the House from inside its doors:
Bluenose Traveler 