OUR 2005 CANADIAN HOLIDAY
SUMMARY AND GUIDE FOR FUTURE TRAVELLERS

Marion and I had five and a half weeks in Canada in Sep/Oct 2005 and visited parts of five provinces - Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island

Brief Summary

We flew from Glasgow to Toronto, hired car 1 there and visited bits of Ontario – meeting family and family history, together with Elora and Niagara as tourists.

We dropped car 1 in Toronto and took the train to Ottawa where we were met by Eric and Louise who were our hosts, chauffeurs and guides for Ottawa, Montréal and Quebec cities.

From Quebec we took the train overnight to Halifax NS where we were met by Gail and her family, hired car 2 and toured through Central Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia North Shore, Cape Breton and back to Halifax by the Marine Drive along the Eastern shore. Lots of autumn colours, lots of interest, but regretfully many attractions closed, lots of nice people.

From Halifax we flew to Toronto to catch the return flight to Glasgow (more about that later).

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Travel by Air

Apart from our flight from Glasgow to Toronto and back by Transat, we also flew from Halifax NS to Toronto on the day of departure (to avoid having to stay in Toronto – one afternoon after the first week was enough to tell us that Toronto would not be a pleasure unless one had a guide or understood their public transport system, so we spent more time in Nova Scotia). The flight was booked with Air Canada by internet. It is probable that we could have found a cheaper flight but I was hooked on Star Alliance members. Comfortable (more leg room than Transat) and on time. The Transat flights were uneventful except for about an hour of very bumpy flying as we approached Scotland, so causing us to miss breakfast.

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Travel by Road

We arrived the Sunday before Labour Day (first Monday in September) – not a good idea if you want to do anything significant before Tuesday.

Both cars were hired from Thrifty Dollar Rental – arranged through their UK office (tel: 01494 751600, International.Reservations@thrifty.co.uk, www.thrifty.co.uk) Both hires were up-graded – which appears to be Thrifty’s normal practice. In our opinion the first up-grade was overdone – from an “economy” car to a 3.7l Jeep Liberty which is neither economical not the ideal car for straight-line motoring (which is what most of south Ontario’s road are). The second up-grade to a Chrysler PT Cruiser was OK – though the car has some drawbacks, which thought at the design stage could have eliminated.

Motoring in Canada is (of course) on the other side of the road but otherwise possibly the most significant other matter is their courtesy to pedestrians. Unlike UK, as a pedestrian you do not have to be on a crossing before the traffic gives way to you; in fact in some places (like Halifax) you can be dosing or dithering about whether to cross or not and they will stop and wait until it is clear that you are not going to cross!

Canadian roads are special. Their unpaved roads (at least those we used) are in general far superior to UK unmade roads – they are usually wide (two way) and smooth. Their paved roads vary enormously. When newly repaved they are very good but otherwise they tend to have reasonably smooth surface for the off-side wheels (but not always) but the near-side wheels are on surfaces which appear to have subsided. So the car is being continually rocked from side to side. It is as if the road was originally made single track with shoulders (more about them later) and then they decided to make it two track simply by surfacing the shoulders but without bringing the structure up to the standard of the single track bit. Heavy trucks then hammer the road and it looks as if there has been a longitudinal earthquake. You must be wary of shoulders. They are normally both soft and a few inches below the running surface and there is a substantial ditch beyond the edge. It is not wise to run onto the shoulder at anything above walking pace. There are exceptions - usually on the Trans-Canada Highway near towns.

Signposting quality varies enormously. In Ontario most direction signs and road names appeared to be small and only readable when you had reached them and possibly too late to take appropriate action.

Speed limits are lower than in UK – generally 100 km/h (about 62 mph) on dual carriageways and 80 km/h (about 50 mph) on singles. However you may find 30, 40, 60, 70, 90 and 110 km/h. 60 & 70 are common on approaches to 50 areas. Slip roads to and from main road exits can be very tight. I won’t tell you the normal speeds of Canadians other than that the trucks (maybe up to 60 tonnes) travel just as fast.

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Travel by Rail

We did two rail (one-way) journeys both booked with Via Rail on internet (service@viarail.ca,) from UK.

Toronto to Ottawa was about four hours, comfortable and reasonably on time. Views: trees, trees and more trees – same as the road would have been but with someone else doing the driving. Toronto station is worth visiting for the architecture.

Quebec City to Halifax, NS was supposed to be 18 hours but in fact was nearer nineteen (glad it is not just the British rail system that has timing difficulties). We were bussed from Quebec Gare du Palais (another interesting architectural piece) to Charny on the south side of the St Lawrence to join the train. We had a “double bedroom”. This was similar to British sleepers in that there were two bunk beds and a wash basin, but in addition there was a private loo and a shared shower cubicle, and in the daytime the upper bunk disappeared into the roof and the lower bunk tilted into the wall leaving room for the armchairs that had been lying beneath, in a collapsed condition, to create a sitting room. There was also a viewing car with observation raised deck. However both the weather (cold and murky) and the views (trees again) made it not worthwhile on this trip.

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Accommodation

Apart from staying at two friends’ houses we tried to stay in B&Bs. There were two other exceptions – one night in a motel which was a mistake and two nights in a “cottage” (in UK we would call them chalets). The accommodation we can talk about was:

	The Village Post, Main Street, Crediton, Ontario Donelda Lewis tel: 529 234 6423 This was once the village post office. There is one bedroom with ensiute facilities and a good sitting room with TV. Though comfortable décor and furnishings might be described as “Edwardian”. Donelda’s breakfasts are excellent.
	The Front Porch 1865 Four Mile Creek Road, Niagara on the Lake, (really Virgil) Ontario Bchirico1@cogeco.ca, www.bbcanada.com/5921.html, tel 905-468-1042 Two superbly equipped rooms with ensuite facilities, air conditioning and TV. Bernadette used to run a restaurant so the breakfasts are excellent. Use of kitchen for coffee making and also hall/sitting room. Spotless but very welcoming. Not cheap but well priced for the Niagara region. Bernadette acts as a coordinator for accommodation in the area. Plenty of eating places from cheapish to very expensive. (This is a top tourist area)
	Seaton’s Inn, 167 Seaton Street, Toronto. Tel: 416 960 1225 Not the best part of town but inexpensive and the only one of twelve downtown B&Bs that we e-mailed that bothered to give a reply. It is very central and convenient to the transport system and Union Railway Station and to Cabbagetown. The area suffers from the noise of Dundas Street and the hostel about 100 yards away. However Seaton Street appears to be moving up and certainly Andy and Angelina (they are from Germany) are helping. They have a clean and simple place with excellent breakfasts.
	Le Gite aux P’tits Oiseaux, 722 Buol Base de Roc, Joliette Celine Coutu, tel 450-752-1401 Good sized room in oldish house, TV, shared facilties, super breakfast
	The Three Thistles 389 Main Street, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia (innkeeper@three-thistles.com, http://www.three-thistles.com, 902-624-0517) Phyllis Wiseman has three rooms in this old manse, all with good facilities – we had the best. There is a sitting room for guests and books to read. We ate at the Saltspray (café style) and Gazebo (pub style) – both were good
	Gillespie Country Inn at Parrsboro, Nova Scotia (mail@gillespiehouseinn.com, www.gillespiehouseinn.com, tel 902-254-3196) Lori Lynch and David Beattie ahve a large late Victorian villa in large grounds tastefully decorated and extended. The rooms and facilities are good with two areas downstairs for guests to relax
	North Rustico Inn & Cottages, Prince Edward Island (cottages@nrmci.com, www.nrmci.com 902-963-2253) The Douglas family, who are very welcoming, came from Paisley several generations ago and farmed several pieces of land around North Rustico. They now concentrate on the Inn and Cottages. Our cottage had a fair bedroom with TV and facilities. Cooking was by microwave. Breakfasts were buffet style in the inn but there was really not enough room if all the guests came in at the same time!
	Kilburn House 80 Northmberland Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick (kilburns@nb.sympatico.ca, www.bbcanada.com/2282.html , tel 506-455-7078) Comfortable room with facilities and good breakfasts close to downtown Fredericton. The Kilburns have been on this site for several generations. Fredericton is a university town and so there are plenty of eating places – some noisy.
	Braeside Country Inn at Pictou, Nova Scotia (welcome@braesideinn.com, www.braesideinn.com, tel 902-485-5046) Mike and Anne Emmett - Relatively modern (1938) and recently refurbished. Fair sized room with ensuite facilities and TV, guest computer access. Continental breakfast overlooking the bay. Several eating places in Pictou – we ate at Fougere’s, near the water front, which was good.
	Delaney’s Country Inn at East Margaree, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (bellecote@msn.com, tel 902-235-2524). Large room with ensuite facilities, small television with DVD player and a good selection of movies. Chairs for sitting and lounging. (three other rooms), guest computer access. Deborah and Richard excellent hosts and their Shetland Collie is delightful. There have been Delaneys around Margaree for generations. They are on the east side of the Margaree River about two hours from Port Hastings and 6 km from Margaree Harbour where there are eating places. Cheticamp about 27 km further north along the coast is the nearest substantial shopping area. Both East Margaree and Cheticamp are on the Cabot Trail.
	St Mary’s River Lodge, Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia (lodge@ns.sympatico.ca 552-2177) A small B&B with good sized rooms with usual facilities (almost a suite) very convenient to the Historic Village. Fred & Ursula Schupbach are Swiss and very welcoming. Excellent breakfasts. Evening eating in October not brilliant for choice.
	Salmon River House, at Salmon River Bridge, near Head Jeddore east of Musquabadoit, Nova Scotia (salmonrh@ca.inter.net, salmonriverhouse.com, lobster-shack.com, tel 902-889-3353, toll-free 1-800-565-3353) Small but adequate room with ensuite facilities, very little room to sit. TV easily watched from the bed. Adrrien Blanchette (originally from Montreal) and his wife Elizabeth and staff are excellent hosts. Right alongside the Salmon River which is an inlet from the Atlantic with canoes available (at your risk) and with the Lobster Shack restaurant attached (and really the only close eating place) and overlooking the river.

Information Centre at Port Hastings – we can strongly recommend Rhonda MacKinnon, the supervisor, vic-phast@gov.ns.ca who was more than extremely helpful with accommodation (Delaney’s) and activities (Ceilidh at Red Shoe Pub, Mabou; Cabot Trail walks, IT Centre, Baddeck; etc)
The other information Centres we visited were also very helpful – some with special features such as the cakes and coffee offered at the Covered Bridge centre on the way to Fredericton (don’t expect them everyday!

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IT Connecting to the World

Generally most libraries in Canada and many accommodations have free web connections. If you can e-mail in and out using their facilities then you will be well cared for.
If you want to connect your own laptop then the problem is finding an RJ45 cable connected to a LAN – unless you are wireless enabled. Wireless facilities are available in at least some libraries and some other premises such as hotels and cafes. http://www.wififreespot.com/can.html will give you a list of free sites.
RJ45s are less readily available though we were able to connect at a computer repair shop in Virgil (Niagara on the Lake), (Niagara computer Systems 1501 Niagara Stone Road), cafes in Quebec City (Cote du Palais) and Bridgewater NS (King Street) and at the IT Centre in Baddeck (over the Credit Union info@baddeckit.com, www.baddeckit.comwww.baddeckit.com, Phone: (902) 295-1649) . Charges are very reasonable.

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Attractions

We chose this time of the year (The Fall) for two main reasons (1) it was not High Season (but see below) so flights and other costs would be less (2) the autumn (fall) colours are fantastic – compensation for the continuous tree lined roads!

BEWARE – Canada (at least the areas we were in) appears to shut down starting on Labour Day weekend and ending at the end of the week of Thanksgiving Day (mid October). Many B&Bs shut for the season and attractions do the same only a few remain open all year. They call it Low Season but that seems an over statement!

We visited (some with friends, some alone):
Clicking on the pics will give larger versions

Elora and its Falls ..
... and black squirrels
Niagara on the Lake
Fort George – Niagara on the Lake (ont-niagara@pc.gc.ca)
Niagara Falls – Maid of the Mist
Willoughby County Museum, near Niagara Falls, Ontario
Welland Canal Lock Centre, St Catherine’s, Ontario
Upper Canada Village near the St Lawrence River 40 mins from Ottawa www.uppercanadavillage.com
That over-sized pencil sharpener (left) is to make conical the ends of the wooden pipes created on the boring rig (right), so that they give reasonably water-tight joints.
Canadian Museum of Civilisation, Ottawa
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (national.gallery.ca)
Rideau Canal locks. Ottawa
MacKenzie King estate & Gatineau Park near Ottawa
Ottawa - the bus service, dozens queing up to give you service!
Biodome, Montreal (www.biodome.gc.ca)
Sulphur spring, Joliette
Plains of Abraham, Rive St Laurent, Quebec City
The Murals. Quebec City
Artillery Park and Dauphine Redoubt, Quebec City (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/artillerie) (The cannons lining the ramparts of Quebec City warrant close study – many made in Scotland)
Pier 21, Halifax where a million immigrants entered Canada (pier21.capier21.ca)
Crystal Beach Point, near Halifax
Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Lunnenberg, NS (fisheries.museum.gov.ns.ca) Bluenose II
Blue Rocks, near Lunneberg
Wolfville NS (Bay of Fundy tides)
Fundy Geological Museum and Partridge Island Parrsboro NS (www.town.parrsboro.ns.cawww.town.parrsboro.ns.ca)
The North Shore cliffs and waves PEI
Confederation Bridge
Montague Museum PEI – very good local museum
WW Boyce Farmers Market Fredericton, NB (www.boycefarmersmarket.com)
Beaverbrook Art Gallery Fredericton NB with its superb collection of Disputed Works (www.beaverbrookartgallery.org)
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Halifax NS (Maritime.museum.gov.ns.ca)
Pictou, NS
Ceilidh - Red Shoe Pub, Mabou, NS -
Margaree & Cape Breton Highlands
Skyline Walk Cape Breton - at the end of the path we saw in the distance a brown rock that moved - a bear!
Alexander Graham Bell Museum & Boats Baddeck, Cape Breton, NS (also good IT Centre)
Cape Breton Miners Museum Glace Bay NS (www.minersmuseum.com)
Sherbrooke Historic Village, NS (www.sherbrookevillage.museum.gov.ns.ca)
Fisherman’s Life Museum, Jeddore Oyster Pond, near Halifax NS (fishermanslife.museum.gov.ns/ca fishermanslife.museum.gov.ns/ca)

There were quite a number of “attractions” we would have liked to visit, but they had closed for the winter – presumably assuming that no one visits Canada after Labour Day

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Libraries

Two libraries in Ontario were very helpful in guiding me to information on my family (Huddleston, Graham, Coe, Lewis and others):
Brantford Library (173 Colbourne Street – a new building [the old building still marked Public Library is part of the University – both are misleading visitors] www.brantford.library.on.ca)
Woodstock Library (445 Hunter Street www.woodstock.library.on.ca)
The Ontario Genealogical Society seems to be well equipped with centres in many places. (www.ogs.on.ca/branches.htm lists the branches and locations)
We also visited the Global Genealogical Shop at Campbellville, ON

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1 December 2005