Author: wolfesbuketlistscom

HELSINKI

LEAVING STOCKHOLM

ARRIVED AFTER 4 AIRPORTS AND 18 HOURS FLYING WHAT TO DO? TAKE A 3 HOUR WALKING TOUR THE OLD TOWN AND OF COURSE IT WAS RAINING

AFTER MULTIPLE ‘CAT NAPS’ THAT NIGHT WE ENJOYED A BOAT TOUR OF THE STOCKHOLMS ARCHIPELAGO ISLANDS.

SWEDEN RESPECTS THE ENVIRONMENT WITH WALKING AND BICYCLES AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES EVERYWHERE.

WE VISITED THE FAMOUS VASA MUSEUM. IN 1680 A GIANT WARSHIP THE VASA WAS LAUNCHED AND IT SUNK AS IT LEFT THE DOCK. OMG! AFTER 300 YEARS IT WAS LOCATED AND RAISED FROM THE DEPTHS. THEY HAVE CREATED A MUSEUM TO THE RAISED AND RESTORED HULL.

THE RAINS HAVE STOPPED AND STOCKHOLM HAS COME TO LIFE WITH OUTDOOR RESTAURANTS AND COFFEE SHOPS.

THE 2025 ADVENTURE STARTS TODAY……

WE’VE PACKED OUR BAGS AND ARE CHECKING OUR CHARGERS SO WE CAN STAY IN TOUCH

THIS YEAR WE’RE HEADED NORTH TO THE COUNTRIES THAT MAKE UP SCANDINAVIA: SWEDEN, FINLAND, ESTONIAN, LATVIA, POLAND, NORWAY AND DENMARK.

A CHANGE FROM OUR USUAL TRAIN/CAR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION WE OPTED FOR A SHIP. THE OCEANIA ‘SIERNA’ DEPARTS STOCKHOLM JUNE 26.

THE 2024 CANADIAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES ……

OUR HOTEL OVERLOOKING THE HALIFAX AIRPORT SIGNALS THE END OF OUR CANADIAN ADVENTURE ‘C2C’

WE JOURNEYED THIS MORNING TO THE ANNAPOLIS VALLEY; FILLED WITH APPLE ORCHARDS, WINERIES AND IS ONLY A MILE FROM THE COAST. WE DINED AGAIN ON LOBSTER ROLLS.

THIS AREA WAS SETTLED BY FRENCH ‘ACADIANS’. WE TOURED GRAND PRE, A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. THE AREA SERVES AS THE CENTER OF THE ANNUAL REUNION FOR DESCENDANTS OF THE ACADIANS. THE POET LONGFELLOW WROTE ‘EVANGELINE’ ABOUT THE HISTORY.

AFTER 3+ WEEKS OF TRAINS, PLANES AND BUSSES FROM VANCOUVER TO HALIFAX COVERING 4,444 km, THE LAST WEEK OF THIS JOURNEY WAS VIA RENT CAR. WE TOURED NOVA SCOTIA, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND PARTS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. THE DAYS ITINERARY WAS OFTEN FINALIZED OVER BREAKFAST AT TIM HORTONS. IF WE WENT WEST ON MONDAY THEN ON TUESDAY IT’S EAST OR NORTH OR…

THE 2024 CANADIAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES ……

WE ARE ENJOYING ‘WANDERING’. YESTERDAY WE DROVE WEST ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND THROUGH CAPE WOLFE, UNTIL THE ROAD ENDED AT WEST POINT. BOTH LOCATIONS HAD LARGE MARINAS FILLED WITH LOBSTER BOATS.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A SUNDAY DRIVE. ON THE RETURN WE PASSED A GATHERING AT AN OLD CHURCH. IN THE CAR PARK WAS A MOSTLY RESTORED GREEN BENTLY SPEEDSTER. A BEAUTIFUL VEHICLE!

DINNER THIS EVENING WAS 2 LB LOBSTERS SERVED AT THE FAMOUS NEW GLASGOW LOBSTER HOUSE. STARTED AS A FUND RAISING EVENT IN 1958 THEY SERVE A SET MEAL OF LOBSTERS, MUSSELS, CHOWDER AND DESSERT AND THE FOOD KEEPS COMING UNTIL YOUR FULL.

TODAY WE ARE HEADED NORTH EAST ON PEI TO SEE WHAT’S THERE. IN THE EVENING WE HAVE TICKETS FOR THE MUSICAL ANNE OF GREEN GABLES.

WE DEPART THE ISLAND IN THE MORNING AND ARE HEADED TO THE BAY OF FUNDAY.

THE 2024 CANADIAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES…..

WE BOARDED THE BEHEMOTH NORTHUMBRIA FERRY LOADED WITH AUTOS, TRAILERS, AND 18 WHEEL SEMI TRUCKS FOR THE 75 MINUTE JOURNEY TO PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

THE CAPITAL OF PEI IS CHARLOTTETOWN. THIS PICTURESQUE TOWN RESEMBLES IT’S EARLY SCOTTISH HERITAGE

OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE FOOD. WE ARE DOING SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE LOBSTER AND MUSSEL POPULATION.

THE 2024 CANADIAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES …..

TODAY WAS A NAUTICAL DAY. WE BEGAN AT THE HALIFAX MARITIME MUSEUM: THE HISTORY OF SAILING FROM THE FIRST NATIONS TO THE WWII CANADIAN NAVY. EXCEPTIONAL DISPLAY OF THE TITANIC DISASTER WITH MANY ARTIFACTS. IN 1917 A NORWEGIAN SHIP ENTERING THE PORT COLLIDED WITH A FRENCH MILITARY SHIP HEADED FROM HALIFAX TO FRANCE LOADED WITH MUNITIONS FOR WW1. THE EXPLOSION LEVELED MUCH OF HALIFAX AND TOOK ALMOST 2000 LIVES. IT WAS THE LARGEST EXPLOSION ON EARTH UNTIL HIROSHIMA.

WE TOURED THE FAMOUS PEGGYS COVE. IT’S A SPECTACULAR GRANITE FORMATION, LIGHTHOUSE AND MULTICOLORED HOMES. WE HIKED OVER THE WALKWAYS ABD ROCKS TO THE LIGHTHOUSE

THE 2024 CANADIAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES…..

WE TOURED THE QUEBEC CITY WATERFRONT WITH 350 OF OUR NEWEST ‘FRIENDS’. TOURISM HAS DISCOVERED QC

WE DINED AT THE OLDEST RESTAURANT IN QUEBEC CITY.

AFTER DINNER WE BOARDED THE 23 HOUR SLEEPER TRAIN TO HALIFAX.

OUR SLEEPER CABIN CONSISTED OF BUNK BEDS, A LADDER FOR THE UPPER AND A COMBINATION EN SUITE TOILET, SINK AND SHOWER. AFTER BREAKFAST IN THE DINING CAR THE CABIN AS CONVERTED TO FORM A COMFORTABLE COUCH.

UNABLE TO SLEEP I AROSE EARLY TO WATCH THE SUNRISE FROM THE LOUNGE.

THE 2024 CANADIAN ADVENTURE CONTINUES…..

QUEBEC CITY MAINTAINS IT’S OLD WORLD CHARM. COBBLE STONED STREETS AND NARROW ALLEYWAYS ARE SIMILAR TO VILLAGES IN FRANCE.

IF THE COBBLESTONES COULD TALK YOU WOULD HEAR THE HISTORY OF EARLY LUMBER AND FUR TRAPPING AND FISHING. THE ARRIVAL AND BATTLES BETWEEN THE SCOTTISH AND THEN THE FRENCH AND THEN BRITISH ALONG THE RIVER AND HILLS. THE CHATEAU FRONTENAC SITS ATOP THE HIGHEST HILL.