05 September - All the Good Stuff!

A lazy morning was had and we started our day with rolled oats, berries, raisins, dried apples, maple syrup, and great views. Plus coffee, of course.

    Leaving at ~11am, we stopped at the Saturday Market. Vegetables were picked up for the next two days and artist booths admired. One of these days we'll get here early enough to get some cinnamon buns. They are always sold out, when we arrive, and the stall left empty with only cruel laughter left behind.

    A quick visit to the Free Store, because they were closing in 30 minutes, uncovered four classic books by Georgette Heyer. She's an author who, when she was 19, in 1921, wrote and published "The Black Moth" based on an idea from her ailing younger brother. It was set in the Georgian period. She also wrote "Regency Buck", the first Regency Romance, in 1935. I have since read "The Black Moth" and its quite good. She writes excellent dialogue that makes you smile. I'll read the other three in rotation with other books.

    Time for lunch at Hornby Island Bakery and Pizzeria. Its located near the Co-Op business hub and we've eaten here before. The artichoke, mushroom, spinach, and sundried pizza was delicious and hit the spot. Weirdly, not many were here and we briefly realized that had been true for many places since yesterday.

    Next we journeyed to three, of the six, alcohol producers on Hornby Island: Island Spirits Distillery, Hornby Heart Winery, and Middle Mountain Meadery. All three make different things in different ways. I also enjoy their different presentation styles and environments. It also provided a good opportunity to ask about the downturn in the numbers of tourists we've seen this trip. They didn't know why, but acknowledged they've had fewer visits than last year.

    The picture of the meadow is where Middle Mountain Meadery has many of their hives.

    Heading back to our campsite we relaxed, had supper, and enjoyed the night. More crib was played and took some night sky pictures, which few turned out. 4.8km and 8 flights climbed

03-04 September - Up Island Bound to Pitch a Tent

03: After giving our house sitters a tour, and finishing off some errands around the house, I drove to where my wife works. I ordered a mocha, with oat milk, in a coffee shop and sat down to work on my travel notes.

    Close to 5pm, I got the message. Picking up my wife's mug I procured a tall blonde latte, with oat milk. Soon she was ready to go. Next stop...Parksville!

    It took about two and a half hours to arrive at tonight's accommodations and, after a quick unpacking of essentials, we drove to Tigh-Na-Mara resort to have supper at Cedar's Lounge. Tonight's meal for me was the seafood linguine with jumbo prawns, bay scallops, sockeye salmon, white wine cream, roasted garlic, fire roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes, pickled shallots, and lemon. Delicious! My wife had the cedar plank sockeye salmon with mango salsa, white basmati, and seasonal vegetables. I snuck in a dessert of Peanut Butter Pie. Yum.

    After driving back we got ready for bed, read a bit, then drifted off to slumberland. 11.2km walked and 26 flights climbed.

04: Woke early-ish and drove back to Tigh-Na-Mara for breakfast. On the way, behind the motel, there was an army of bunnies! Dozens and dozens were chewing on the rogue clumps of grass without a care in the world. Nice to see. I wonder if there were wild bunnies or "rewilded" bunnies who were descendants of pets.

    Delicious breakfast consumed, we repacked the car. Before getting some groceries, we stopped at Coyote Coffee Roastery and Loaf Bakery, the latter was new to us. Both were great places to fuel up, and get snacks, for the next leg of our camping trip.

    Shopping done in Parksville, we drove the short distance North to Buckley Bay to take the ferry to Denman Island. While waiting for the ferry to come back from the Denman side, we bought some smoked salmon and smoked scallops at Fanny Bay Oysters Shop. After browsing next door, at Weinberg's Good Food, I saw a scary sight when I left the business...our ferry was here! I called out to Natalie and ran to the car. Fortunately, we got there before our lane got moving, but it was close. Whew! Pulse rates decreasing, I continued to read the Jack Reacher book I was currently on. 

    On the other side, we drove to Gravelly Bay ferry terminal. There were no sailing delays and we got on the next ferry to Hornby Island.

    We were too late to check out the Free Store, at the recycling/garbage place, and we were too early to check into the coop campground. Time to relax and eat, but there was a problem. Our favourite place, Vorizo Café, was not just closed but had fire damage. Reading the sheet of paper on the door there was a fire and they were waiting for the insurance to wheedle its way through bureaucracy. They were also soliciting funds to set themselves back up quicker. We got takeout lunch from the Coop instead. (It has since reopened). Fuelled up, we had fun visiting our favourite stores in the area and checking out the funny ads. We also admired a quilt that was being raffled off.

    Now we were off to our campground. After a conversation with one of the folks who manage the campground, who have done it for the last 25 years, we drove to our camp site. Once the car was unloaded, and driven to its parking spot, we set up camp and enjoyed the view. And what a view.

    The rest of the day was spent relaxing, walking around, having supper, and enjoying the colours of the sunset. That and a cunning game of Crib. 5.3km walked and 2 flights climbed.

27-28 August: Good with their Hands, Shellfish Tastes, and Relativity.

Over the next two days my aunt V, uncle L, and I would chat and ruminate on life. I also assisted my aunt in learning how to use cloud storage to document share, which is important as an executive for her quilting group.

    My uncle showed me his HO railway layout, including handmade structures. He has expanded what he has done, since I last saw it, and is a very accomplished modeller. Making many of his buildings specifically for family, friends, and nods to historical buildings that no longer exist is a skill of foresight and patience. Just like quilting is for my aunt. In particular, my uncle has made an HO scale quilting shop with elaborate surroundings with my aunt and her friends as tiny figures. I definitely need to work more on my terrain and up my skillset.

    A more recent hobby of his started with LEGO trains and buildings. It was originally done to draw kids into the hobby of trains. It has since expanded to pirate and castle sets for his own amusement. He picks and chooses carefully which ones to build and has even made custom ones based on historical castles and ships. It was nice to see and made me think of my own LEGO sets, from the 90’s, that are sitting in plastic bins…all alone in the dark (cue solo violin music that fades away gracefully).

    Uncle L also showed me the layouts, at the model railroad club he is a member of, near St.George street. There are many scales represented around the basement rooms. The HO layout is HUGE and members can use an app, or connected laptop, to control individual lines. Model train layouts have come a long way since I briefly got involved in my teens.

    On the evening of the 27th, they took me to Cafe Leo in Shediac, a long-standing seafood fry restaurant. I may have been here during my youth, but I don't remember for sure. The bridge and stream nearby look familiar though. What I do know is that the fried seafood here is delicious! I chose a mix of fried clams and scallops with fries. Yum!

    On the 28th, in the morning, I repacked everything for my flight the next day. It was a challenge for some of the items and with enough bubble wrap and large ziplock bags it was achieved in style. My aunt gave me a bonus gift…a HUGE bag of dulse (dried seaweed) from Grand Manan Island. It was premium stuff and was washed very well with no barnacles or other stuff attached to it. I’ve been having it as a snack to quell my hunger at night or mid-afternoon. Brings back memories.

    In the afternoon we went to the building where my uncle C and aunt R, on my father’s side, live. I thought it was mainly for uncle C’s birthday, but I have since been informed it was for me with uncle C’s birthday being a bonus. Regardless it was an opportunity to reacquaint with my father’s side of the family. It was great to see them all and catch up on what everyone was doing. Memories were relived and laughter was had, as well as sadness for those who had passed. Family reunions, in our later years, have more of the sadness. Yet the fun times also crawl up from the depths of memory to balance these feelings. Life, and our brains, are a complicated thing.

    Once back at my aunt and uncle’s place we chatted, relaxed, and watched the Netflix film “The Grey Man”, which had slightly over the top action sequences but was good fun. My aunt might read the books the film was based on. 2.6km and 10 flights over the two days.

25-26 August: Friends, Family, and Masked Clans

On the 25th, during the only full day at M’s place, V drove in from Fredericton. She is M’s daughter and also a good friend. We met WAY back in 7th grade, when the family moved to Riverview N.B. During my parent’s divorce they became a second family for me. We all caught up with each other’s activities and future plans. 

Like last night, there were some nocturnal visitors…racoons! They were quite bold and two clans of them live in this area. They were quite cute with all of their kits.

On the 26th, after a relaxing morning and great conversations, it was time for me to go. Once we said our goodbyes I drove into Sackville to see J&A for lunch. 

After picking them up, and chatting along the way, we pulled into Irving Big Stop in Aulac near the border to NS. While we waited for our orders, we continued to catch up and ruminate on our futures. Soon our orders arrived. I got the fried clams, with a cup of cole slaw, and side salad instead of fries. Yummy for my tummy.

After finishing our meal we took a detour to Fort Beaujejour, a historical site that is open 24/7/365. It is only the museum that’s closed when it's off season or from lack of employees. The site is an earthworks fort, like Fort Anne in Annapolis Royal. We only drove through the lower parking lot. It was nice to see it again even though it was a quick look.

Dropping J&A off, I visited Blind Forest Books. It had moved since I was last in Sackville and their new location has a little more room. Two books purchased. I drove to the suburbs of Moncton, NB and for the next three nights I would be a guest at my aunt V and uncle L, on my mom’s side. This would be the first opportunity where I would be spending quality time with them as an adult. A fifty-six-year-old adult. Cool. 0.7km walked.

24 August: Turning around, Meeting Familiar People, and Furry Organisms.

Woke up, showered, sent a travel email and a FB post, and walked downstairs for breakfast. The first to enter the dining room, as they open at 8am, I was told by the owner to pick a seat. So I chose the one by the window I sat at last night. My breakfast came fast, as I pre-chose the time I would eat. 

    In a mason jar were granola, fried banana, maple syrup, and toasted walnuts. It was tasty, not too sweet, and satisfying. Accompanying it was a mushroom quiche with Swiss cheese and spicy herbed potato cubes. The crust was crispy and inside was ooey gooey goodness. For the potatoes I liked the paprika flavour.

    After packing the car, and checking out, I headed for Amherst. At least I was going there for the first 20 minutes. I had forgotten something…cheese! Yesterday, after checking in, I put my leftover Costco Gouda and unopened Dutchman's soft and blue cheese spread in the B&B guest fridge. I couldn’t leave those behind.

    Backtracking, and getting back on track, I made it to Amherst. There I spent several hours visiting my Aunt and Uncle, on my mom’s side, D and D. We caught up on what was new, since we last met a few years ago, and how my trip has been going. It was good to catch up with them.

    Before leaving Amherst, I drove down Victoria street East and stopped at Amy’s Used Books. The store is still incredibly packed with books, but the owner still knows where all the authors are.

    It made me sad while leaving Amherst. Lots of closed storefronts and roads in need of repair. Many small businesses, in this hub community, have faded away with the loss of larger employers. When you drive down Victoria street you can see that a lot of money was made in the past by business owners from the huge opulence. This wealth and opportunity were increased when the Intercontinental Railway of Canada was built through Amherst, increasing the number of industries here. 1908 was its peak year of prosperity, but during WW1 was the beginning of its decline. There was a temporary reprieve when the Trans-Canada highway was built, but has since resumed its downward trend. Amherst’s faded flower of prosperity now awaits more capable gardeners. When driving through, take a look at the lovely brick and stone buildings of old downtown and the big old houses of Victoria street East.

    A short drive North West, into New Brunswick, took me to the offramp of Middle Sackville. It is where my good friend M lives and a rural community with the Trans Canada Trail passing through it. In M’s back yard you can look South at the edge of Nova Scotia.

    We caught up on how we were doing, how my trip had gone, and what was going wrong and right in the world. We have our fixes for the problems, yet we have not been contacted about those fixes.

    About a year ago, a mama cat checked out M’s house and found it suitable. It then brought over its four kittens and deposited them inside. She comes by, once in a while, for visits and checkups on them who are being kept as indoor cats. Three of the four got used to me over the next two nights. They each have their own personalities and it was fun to see them in their day-to-day activities. I walked 0.8km today.

23 August: It’s Just Us for coffee, Cornish Lunch, and Wild Caraway for Supper

After waking up, chatting with other guests in the breakfast room, eating a filling and delicious breakfast, and packing the car it was time to head East, and a little West, to Advocate Harbour. It would take four hours and twenty minutes of driving.

I wanted to take the old highway, to a flea market, but I left a little later than expected. It was taking longer to get there with the more windy road. Instead I pivoted and swayed to the modern highway to get to Just Us! Coffee House in Grande Pre.

Started in 1995 after getting a loan, with their home as collateral, they bought fair trade coffee beans from Mexico. Arranging more partnerships with other coffee growers they have grown their business. They sell great coffee and hot chocolate. Workers, from those who serve the coffee to those that run the company, can become owners in the company too. Their German roasting machines, well loved antiques, churn out great beans. I always like to stop here as their spicy hot chocolate mix is the best. I got a mocha (espresso and hot chocolate) to have the best of both worlds.

Next stop was Truro and my stomach wanted something familiar and foreign. To satisfy that itch I went to The Great British Grub Cafe and Bakery. The place was packed tight so I waited for ten minutes and read until a table freed up. Once seated I easily chose two Cornish Pasties to have. They were something Natalie and I had, many years ago when we were staying within Lake Country in the UK. Well, these were not the awesome ones in the UK, but these ones were still pretty good. Worth the stop.

Ahead of schedule, and a very short distance away, was Cooper’s Cabin and I wandered around their displays to look at old toys for sale. Last stop in Truro was Exor Games where I picked up a few Battletech boxes and a first edition of the Guillotine board game, the revolutionary card game where you win by getting ahead. This first edition has a cardboard guillotine and it's nice to get an extra copy of this out of print game. Natalie and I enjoy its dark humour and easy gameplay. Just before leaving the store, the rain came down and by down I mean heavy canvas curtains of rain down. I waited a few minutes but went for it as my car was just around the corner.

Turning West-North-West, I stopped at Masstown Market to use their washroom and pick up some Lunenberg blueberry wine. A short distance away was another stop, “That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm”. The chickens, and other animals, were happily wandering in their open pens yet still keeping a close watch. I picked up a cheese that blends Dutch soft and blue cheeses, one of my favourites.

An hour and a half later, at 5pm, I checked into the Wild Caraway B&B and Restaurant in Advocate Harbour. I’ve eated here twice and stayed here once. It's a scenic detour from the main highway and close-ish to Joggins Fossil cliffs.

Walking to the beach, I looked out into the Bay of Fundy until the sand bugs swarmed me. I quickly went back inside and worked on my travel journal instead.

At 7pm, I walked downstairs for my supper reservation. Ah, what a wonderful meal. Started with potato cakes, fennel hummus, falafel, and bread with caraway seeds. The potato cakes were deep fried with light butter and spiced salt, Fennel hummus had a nice garlic and dandelion element with fresh cut fennel on the side to bring out the fennel in the hummus. The falafel was green inside and tasted of garden peas and tasty herbs with edible weeds.

Next were the halibut cakes. Dips of lemon garlic (smooth tartness), black truffle (earthy), basil (gentle), and paprika (strong start that transitions to smooth) complemented the lightly fried halibut cakes. The batter had cracked pepper and salt to enhance the flavour. The individual gels were fun to try on their own.

My wine, Blomidon Tidal Bay, arrived and it woke up my taste buds. A combination of maple, chamomile, and lime subtle notes. It cut through the butter in my final course of scallops and a zucchini fritter. The fritter had a perfect char that brought added texture to the dish. The brown butter scallops with cracked pepper, and a tiny bit of salt, also paired well with the olive oil gel (how do they do that!), dulce (Bay of Fundy seaweed) cream threads (great umami bomb that doesn’t distract from the scallop taste), and feta mayo spurts (kinds sweet). With the scallops separately, or together, they made me smile at the expert and imaginative dish. 

As a palette cleanser the raspberry sorbet (deep and dark), on elderflower granita (gentle as a lamb’s wool), provided plenty of flavour to delight.

    For dessert I had a cappuccino (strong and smooth) with Knotwood flan (cherry-like with long lasting notes) and a scoop of juniper cream (so tasty with earthy flavour) on the side. Combined they ran a marathon of taste where one respectfully ran ahead then switched with another flavour. Floral, cherry, forest, fruit, tart, sweet, caramel were all vying for the lead.

As a bonus they provided a wine gummy, a Turkish delight that tasted like quince, and a red velvet-like cookie. As always at the Wild Caraway, the meal may seem small but I ended up being very filled and satisfied.

I journaled and read some more, then got ready for bed. By 11pm I was drifting off so I let myself fall asleep. 5.3km walked and 8 flights climbed.