Brogue with Peanut Butter
I’ll admit it. Until recently, I only had a vague junior high recollection of Newfoundland, and I couldn’t even really pronounce it correctly. For the record, the locals place an emphasis on the “new” and “land” parts of the name, and pronounce “found” like “fun”. But more on that later! I wanted to spend a few weeks in Newfoundland, but the weather and marine gods wouldn’t have it. The main ferry from Cape Breton Island to Port aux Basques broke down, so I spent about a week hanging out in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. Once ferry...
Read MoreTha Gaol Agam Ort, Alba Nuadh!
The second province on my tour of the Canadian Maritimes is Nova Scotia. As much as I loved Prince Edward Island, I think Nova Scotia is my new favorite. Technically a peninsula, mainland Nova Scotia is nearly surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. As such, everything seems to revolve around the sea. (Hence, all the photos of boats!) While PEI was incredibly rural, Nova Scotia has many more urban areas, particularly Halifax. I was pleasantly surprised by this capital city. The geographical location alone makes it noteworthy. Add the historical culture, the friendly people, and the vibrant...
Read MorePrince Edward Island, “The Gentle Island”
Raise your hand if you remembered–or even knew–Prince Edward Island is an actual province of Canada. Is your hand raised? Mine isn’t either. Prince Edward Island, or PEI, is about the land size of Delaware with no more than 150,000 full-time residents (tourists don’t count). And almost one-third of the people live in the capital of Charlottetown or the town of Summerside. The result: a pastoral landscape with a relaxed way of life that is hard to beat! Since it is an island surrounded by salt water, much of the economy revolves around seafood: mostly lobster, mussels,...
Read MoreJe me souviens
Not only is French an official language of Canada, it is the only official language in the province of Québec. As such, French is extremely prevalent in Ottawa (Canada’s capital city), Montréal, and Québec City; three of my favorite cities in all of Canada. The many dialects of Canadian French are different from traditional Metropolitan French in France, but it all sounds the same to me! With my rediscovery of the French language, I understand much of the written word, but it is next to impossible for me to speak it or understand the spoken dialogue. No matter, for the...
Read MoreBigger IS Better, Eh!
OK, so I know what I said about Yosemite, and I know what I said about Yellowstone, and I know what I said about Glacier. Forget it all! None of them can really compare to the unparalleled size and beauty of the Canadian Rockies, specifically Banff National Park and Jasper National Park. I spent most of my time in the towns of Banff and Lake Louise. Banff is a trendy town about an hour west of Calgary, Alberta. Why is it called Banff? It comes from Banffshire, Scotland, the birthplace of one of the major financiers of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Lake Louise (named after the daughter of...
Read MoreO Canada!
I just spent the last week in British Columbia, Canada, and absolutely loved it! With the metric units, a little of the French language, “loonies”, “toonies”, and “.ca” web addresses galore, it was an exciting adventure. It all started with a checkpoint at the U.S./Canada border in Douglas, B.C., just north of Seattle on I-5. According to the “real-time” digital sign, the wait was supposed to be “up to 5 minutes”. Clearly, the sign lied. I waited in line with hundreds of other motorists for almost half an hour until reaching a pair...
Read MoreWhere Is Kyle Now?
Recent Lifestream
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I'm at Tall Chief Encore RV Resort (Fall City, WA) http://t.co/kK1qlRna
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I'm at Quality Press (Seattle, Washington) http://t.co/ZHEQqh45
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Love it when someone else does the driving @ M/V Kaleetan (Washington State Ferry) http://t.co/0LTiNAGg
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Every RV park/campground needs one: a propane truck that drives right up to your front door, er, propane tank. That dude just made my day!
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Port Townsend architecture @ Port Townsend, WA http://t.co/udUnyJtE
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1800s architecture of Armitage Ave. in Lincoln Park + mountains and water of my hometown of Bigfork, MT = Port Townsend, WA. Awesome!
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Posted Port Townsend architecture.
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What a cool campground/marina! Seaplanes, sailboats, ships, snow-capped Mt. Baker all out my front window. [pic]: http://t.co/tVrAhZpT
Recent Photos on Flickr
Golfed in 48 U.S. States So Far
Golfed in All 10 Canadian Provinces
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