Tidbits from Canada

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Now that we have internet access again I feel like I need to use it so a short odds and ends message.

We have had clam chowder, fish chowder and seafood chowder in several places along the way from Maine on into Canada. All have been delicious and fun to taste different ones. All of the chowders we have had have been of a broth soup consistency, much thinner than traditional New England chowder, but very good.

We both feel we have had a 2 year supply of coleslaw and french fries. It seems like most fish meals you order come with those 2 items. You know you have had too many fries when you start comparing them among restaurants as you would with steak or a glass of wine.

We have been expecting more "traditional" menu items either Scottish or Acadian along the way. The only traditional Acadian item we have seen is baked beans. This was also a very popular item on fishing schooners and according to the menu on an old ship was served for breakfast every day and often also for lunch or dinner. We have limited our intake of that dish. We bought oat cakes at a local bakery today, but haven't seen much else Scottish. Almost all restaurants serve lobster, fish and chips, and steak. Think they are catering to the customer and not tradition.

Campgrounds all nice. Central facilities (toilets and showers) very clean, but more limited in numbers relative to the size of the campground than in Europe. Many more large rigs and those people seem to use their own, so less need for central facilities. Have only seen one other individual walking to facilities in jammies (besides me in a t-shirt and terry cropped pants). In Europe everyone walked to the facilities in jammies, a robe or even a couple of guys in undies.

We are really enjoying our GPS system. Works great and has kept us on track. This one has a voice (very calm female voice) that prompts you when to turn, etc. If you deviate even to pull into a rest stop or gas station, she says, "recalculating route." She (Garminella) and I have had a few disagreements on which way to go and it is about an even split as to who has won. We never leave her alone in the truck and when we are walking around or biking David often has her tracking our route. A couple of days ago we were walking aroung Halifax, David had Garminella with him in his pocket, and went into the men's room. As he was preparing to do what he needed to do Garminella in her calm and clearly female voice politely said, "recalculating route." He didn't check to see if anyone heard her, just got out of there as fast as possible. You have heard a number of bathroom stories about me so thought you needed to hear one about David.

Gas prices higher in Nova Scotia than in New Brunswick. Think we are now paying about $4.30 a gallon, but who's counting. We definitely are setting up base camps and doing day trips in just the truck.

Enough trivia for now. David and Barb

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