To Travel or Not to Travel

Well, the day I thought would never come has arrived. I never thought I would say this, but I think I am sick of traveling.  For now, at least.  

I still love everything about travel.  I love hanging out in airports, arriving in a new destination, learning about new cultures, hanging out with locals, exploring off-the-beaten places and just being somewhere I've never been before. But lately, travel just seems like a huge hassle.

When I last left the country before Covid-19, international travel was a breeze compared to what it is now.  I got to my destination with very few delays and hitches and had the time of my life.  

In comparison, the last time I traveled far from home was last year and the getting there and getting home part of the trip was disastrous and the trip itself was spent with the flu due to a woman sitting across from me on my flight who thought it was a good idea to board a plane with the plague, refuse to wear a mask and make half the plane sick.  

I planned to travel this past fall.  I didn't end up going.  I procrastinated because of everything going on.  Airlines threatening strikes, high prices for everything, illness outbreaks, flight cancellations...then I got Covid.  Good call.  I would have spent a week in Iceland hoping to see the Northern Lights but shivering under the covers in a hostel dorm instead. 

I still have it in the back of my mind to go somewhere this spring but....more strike threats, more airline drama and prices rising even more.  AND I get sick every time I travel now.  Nothing worse than being in a foreign country alone and sick. Spend all that money to go on vacation only to spend it in bed and miserable. 

There are still several places I'd love to see in the United States (San Francisco, Hawaii, Nashville) but with everything going on down there with political unrest, border nightmares and violence, I think I'll wait that out for a few more years at least.  

Elsewhere in the world, it's the threat of illness, flight cancellations and all the regular travel hiccups I'm used to but times 10.  I just can't be bothered. Travel seems like more of a hassle now and a hassle that just doesn't seem worth the trouble.  The reality of booking a vacation and only being able to enjoy a fraction of it due to cancellations, delays and strikes and who knows what else these days, seems like too much of an emotional and financial gamble right now.  

Don't get me wrong.  I still want to see many places yet. Just not right now. Well, I'm still debating whether to go somewhere in the next year.  Japan or Iceland are the two destinations I'm eyeing.  But really, I just love it here so much in Cape Breton that I'm starting to feel like I don't really need to travel much anymore.  I have everything I could need and want here.  The beaches on this island are more beautiful than any I've seen anywhere else I've been.  The Cabot Trail makes most of the places I've traveled seem mediocre. The culture and history is more colorful than any others I've explored and summers here are incredible.  I will never leave Cape Breton Island in summer ever again.  If I do travel again in the future, it will be in any other season but summer!

So what will the future bring? It's hard to say.  As I write this, I'm perfectly content sticking around Cape Breton.  But that trip to Iceland is already almost planned out so it feels like I might as well go at some point.  And Japan is calling my name.  And New Zealand has been a dream since childhood.  I'm healthy and in no hurry to depart this world yet, so there's still plenty of time to make those dreams come true.  I also change my mind a lot so really, who knows! 

 

 

 

The most Dreadful Day of My Trip to Alberta...Going Home

And finally that day came and I wasn't looking forward to it.  The day I had to leave the serenity of the mountains of Kananaskis Country and return to the bustling city airport in Calgary to catch a flight home to Cape Breton. 

I tried to sleep in that morning because I knew I would be awake for a while attempting to get home but that didn't happen.  I was up at the crack of dawn.  The plan was to drive my sister to work, pick her up at 3:30, come home and eat and head to Calgary right after so we could get there in enough time to check into a hotel near the airport and relax and get a bit of sleep so I could catch my early flight and my sister could be rested enough to drive to work the next morning.  Little did I know that that plan would go out the window by mid-day.

I had the news on in the car while doing my normal morning coffee run and the news out of Calgary that day wasn't good.  A major water line break was wreaking havoc on the city.  Traffic delays and water restrictions were quickly becoming an issue.  We decided it was best to wait until later in the evening to head out just before dark to avoid the city's rush hour traffic. 

I spent that afternoon packing and enjoying the peaceful mountain environment.  After supper, we watched a movie and relaxed before setting out for the city.  We didn't get checked into the hotel until after 10 PM. By time we grabbed something to eat and got ready for bed, it was near midnight.  

I barely managed to get a mere three hours sleep before my alarm sounded.  I was up and ready to go by 3:45.  Fortunately, flight check-in was right across the street and my gate was not far from there so 15 minutes was plenty to make it through security two hours before my flight. 

I'd like to say the trip home went smoothly but if I said that, I would be lying because it was anything but smooth.  Long story short: my ticket was wrong.  It said it would take 24 hours to get from Calgary to Montreal.  I had issues finding someone to help me.  It took so long to find someone that I missed the opportunity to get breakfast and ended up having no food, except for the tiny bag of pretzels Air Canada so generously includes in the $1300.00 ticket price, we were delayed 1.5 hours on the tarmac with a equipment malfunction and delayed again in Sydney when there was no one available to assist on the ground. 

I walked off that plane exhausted, hungry, thirsty and cranky and to make matters worse, my ears popped so bad, they didn't pop back to normal upon landing so I was also deaf. It was nice to be home but I was already missing the Rocky Mountains. 

The Journey From the Atlantic Coast to the Stunning Rocky Mountains of Alberta

I am one of very few Cape Bretoners who never lived or worked in Alberta Canada but both of my sisters and many of my extended family members and friends either have or still do live there.  That means I have a strong connection to the province.  Currently, it's the Calgary Alberta region that has the strongest connection to me as my sister and her partner currently live and work about an hour from there in a remote area of the Canadian Rockies known as Kananaskis Country.  This is where I recently went on a week-long vacation and loved it so much that I think I'll make Alberta travel a priority.  I've been longing to get back there to see the mountains again.  After all, it had been nearly 16 years!  I felt 2024 was a good time to return.

 I searched and searched for flight deals but found nothing.  I was surprised at the prices as they were so much higher than the last time I traveled to Alberta. I booked my flight about a month in advance with the rest of my Airmiles.  It was my first time flying in six years.  I was used to going on vacation somewhere far at least once a year but due to various things (work, Covid) I didn't go anywhere for a really long time. I was a little anxious because I didn't know what to expect.  All I heard from others who traveled recently and from the news was stories about flight delays, cancellations and other travel-related issues.  Fortunately, the flight to Calgary was mostly fine.  My flight was from Toronto to Calgary was cancelled but swiftly rebooked about 45 minutes later than the original flight.  Not a huge deal. 

My sister was waiting for me when I arrived and we immediately headed for the Trans Canada Highway and left the big city behind.  I saw the city skyline as we drove towards the Rocky Mountains.  That was enough for me.  Urban sprawl was the last thing on my mind; I couldn't wait to get to the remote tranquility of Kananaskis Country in the midst of some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire country. 

I wanted to sleep during the drive since I hadn't slept in over 24 hours by that poin but I was so excited to see the Rocky Mountains getting bigger and bigger as we drove towards them that I was unable to close my eyes.  The first time I drove that stretch of highway many years earlier, I was so struck by the beauty of those towering peaks that tears welled in my eyes.  

Once we found our way out of the city, the drive took about an hour.  I was looking forward to seeing my sister's current living arrangements as I'd only seen pictures.  I knew we had arrived when I saw the sign for Mt. Kidd RV Park.  Off to the side of the park was a small community of people who worked in the area and were able to live a cozy little neighborhood surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks and thick forest. 

I instantly fell in love with her place.  So many memories of her and her partner's outdoor adventures were plastered all over the cozy dwelling.  Pictures, maps, souvenirs and knick knacks made it almost museum-like.  I spent much of the first while there just looking around and feeling happy that my sister had found someone to share these incredible adventures with. 

I knew I needed rest but I also thought it better to try and maintain a normal schedule.  That meant going to sleep around my normal time. 

After a tour of her home, some unpacking and a quick bite to eat, we took a drive around the Kananaskis region to get me familiar with it.  I was awestruck by the beauty but even more awestruck by that fact that there was hardly any people around!  I knew instantly that this was my kind of place; Serene natural surroundings to enjoy mostly all to myself!

A Weekend at Rita's Retreat

As a child, I got a kick out of driving up the long driveway in Coxheath, Cape Breton and admiring that beautiful home with the well-manicured lawn and indoor swimming pool. "look, I think that's her in the kitchen" my mother quipped one day.  "Her" being renowned Cape Breton singer/songwriter Rita MacNeil.  Every time we went for a family Sunday drive, us kids would be in the back seat chiming "can we drive around Rita's mansion?". And that's what we would do. No one seemed to mind us taking a little peak.  Just a young, nosy family out for a drive, trying to catch a glimpse of a local celebrity.

 Years later, Sunday drives with my parents were replaced by coffee runs and aimless road trips with friends.  For many years, I didn't lay eyes on that beautiful home in Coxheath.  It wasn't until June of 2022 that I would get to see the house again and even sleep inside! 

I received a call from my friend inviting me to a party that was taking place at an Airbnb in Coxheath. After not getting out much for more than 2 years due to Covid, I jumped at the chance to get out of the house and do something different and see some people I haven't seen in a long time. Curious as to where exactly the Airbnb was so I would easily find it when the time came, I searched for the address on Google Maps. That's when I learned that I would be staying at that house I used to beg my parents to drive by on those long ago family drives!

I drove up to the house and it was almost exactly as I remembered it. I couldn't wait to get inside! I always imagined what it would look like inside and I have to say, I was quite impressed!  As an Airbnb, Rita's Retreat has everything!  Well, first of all it's huge!  The main house where I stayed had several bathrooms, a games room, a huge fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, piano room, sun porch, and large patio. However, the best part was the indoor swimming pool!

There was drinks and pizza around the dining room table before venturing to the bottom of the hill to sit around a campfire. Even though it was quite late when I returned to the house, I couldn't resist a late-night swim in the beautiful pool. 

All in all, I strongly recommend anyone local looking for a beautiful place to host an overnight event like a family reunion or any large families traveling in Cape Breton to book this amazing property but I hear it's quite popular and can book up quickly!

The Songs that Take me Back Down Those Forgotten Roads

Many things bring back memories but for me, the one thing that can conjure up any memory, good or bad, is music. Every relationship I’ve been in had a theme song that reminds me of that person. Every bad breakup also has a song (unfortunately, one particular song, which happens to be one of my favourite songs, reminds me of a person I’d rather forget!).

There are songs that remind me of my childhood friends, people who passed away, people who moved away, moments I never want to forget and moments I wish never happened but can laugh at now.

There are also those songs that remind me of memorable things that have happened on the road or while traveling abroad.  Those songs set the backdrop for some interesting, sometimes funny and always unforgettable moments where people from different backgrounds and cultures were united in a moment of togetherness even when language wasn’t a common factor.

I can trace the connection between music and travel back to my grade school years when my class would pile into an old school bus and travel to various places around Cape Breton for field trips. All the way to our destination, we sang songs. Even the bus driver would join in.

The 90s - Teenage Rebellion and Walkmans

Road trips with my parents were much the same until I hit my teenage years and music took on a different form. It was no longer “cool” to sing along to campfire-like songs with my parents; My Walkman (yes, Walkman – it was the 90’s) was my steady companion on those long trips and I often retreated into my own little world as I watched the world go by through the car window. 

 

MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory and Technotronic. Again, it was the 90s.  My parents hated this because they saw it as me removing myself from their circle and being anti-social. I saw it as me discovering my own taste in music and setting my own soundtrack to the memories that were being made.

As I got older, I started leaving the portable music player at home and listened to the radio instead. I developed a taste in music similar to my mother’s. Dwight Yoakam, The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, The Garrison Brothers, The BeeGees, Sheryl Crow and Nana Mouskouri. I started to appreciate well-written song lyrics and real instruments. Folk music, country music, rock music, world music.  I developed quite a diverse taste in music!

Now, when I hear “The Streets of Bakersfield” by Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens or Roger Miller's version of "Me and Bobby McGee" I'm taken back to the days when Mom and I would drive around town with our coffee. 

The songs "Silver Seas" and "Massachusetts" bring me back to the days of watching mom carefully prepare dinner. Boney M's Christmas Album brings happy tears to my eyes because it reminds me of the time-honoured Christmas tradition of decorating the house with that album playing so loud, the whole house would shake. 

When I got my first car, the first things I did were make a bunch of mix tapes and CDs and raid the cheap bin at Wal Mart where they sold old cassettes of long-forgotten bands from the 70s and 80s. 

"Perry Mason" - Ozzy Osbourn - First Cape Breton Road Trip on my Own

When it comes to special memories made on the road, there are many and each one can be paired with a song. I remember the day I got my first car quite well. My parents surprised me with a white 1989 Honda Accord. I grabbed some tapes from my bedroom and jumped in the car to embark on my first solo mission behind the wheel of my very own car. Well, not really solo. I tool my sisters along. 

I remember the song that was playing when I pulled out of the driveway; Ozzy Osbourne’s “Perry Mason”. A few months later, I furnished that car with a brand new, state-of-the-art sound system with amps, subwoofers and a CD player, top of the line in those days! That faithful little Honda was my sanctuary for 6 road-trip-filled years. I figured I had put that poor car through enough when the odometer reached 425,000 kilometres.

The summer before I moved away for college, I took one last trip around TheCabot Trail. I still remember the song that was playing on the radio when I found myself driving along the lonely country road through the Margaree Valley; “Strawberry Wine” by Deanna Carter. 

  

The Harmonica Player

When I moved to Newfoundland in 2000, my car came with me.  The night of the ferry crossing from Cape Breton to Argentia was one filled with bitter-sweet emotions.  I was homesick before the ferry even docked but excited to be going on that new journey.  As I stood on the outside deck of that ferry and watched my hometown get smaller and smaller and the waters around me become dark and rough as we crossed into the open ocean, loneliness swept over me.

 Then, I heard a sound coming from above me in the shadows of the upper deck. It sounded like a harmonica. I followed the sounds until I noticed a shadow on a bench in a far corner. A young man was playing the harmonica and soon, that young man joined the band in the main lounge for a lively set that had me forgetting my sorrow for just a little while. 

 

"Sweet Child of Mine" - Guns N' Roses - Theme Song of my Youth (Or perhaps my entire generation)

Everyone has that one song that takes them back to the best years of their life.  That song for me is Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N' Roses.  Driving around the backroads of St. John's and touring the outports outside the city while a carload of us sing to this song at the top of our lungs is one of my fondest memories but this song was the backdrop to so many epic moments of my life.  

"Billy Jean" - Michael Jackson - My Song

 Everyone has that one song that everyone else knows as their song.  For me, it's Billy Jean.  I'm sure everyone on George St. in St. John's knew it was my song.  I know almost every DJ did!  I wouldn't have to say anything when I approached their booth.  They just knew and next thing you know, my song would be on. 

I liken my reaction to the first few beats of the song as the reaction you get from a cat who hears a can of tuna being opened...running to the dance floor, usually a few sheets to the wind but always with the intention of savouring every moment that song graced the interior of whatever club I happened to be in. 

 "Dirty Old Town" - The Pogues - St. John's, Newfoundland

I moved to St. John's, Newfoundland just out of High School so the first 11 years of my adulthood were spent there so I was heartbroken when I had to leave.  

 The night before I departed the city for good, I managed to get all of my friends together for one last night on George Street.  We hit all of our favourite haunts, enjoyed some of our favourite local bands, drank, ate and had a blast.  We ended the night at the same place we ended every other night we got together on George St. over the last 11 years.   

At last call, as I savoured my last Vodka and cranberry a familiar song came on. Fittingly, the song had been sort of a theme song for my life in St. John's.  Fittingly, Dirty Old Town was the last song that played that night. When I want to return to that special night many years ago, all I have to do is close my eyes and listen to that song and I'm taken back there. 

 

"We no Speak Americano" - Yolanda be Cool - Playa Del Carmen Mexico

A trip to Mexico many years ago turned into a complete disaster and in the background of every horrible moment that week, the song “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda be Cool was blaring through the speakers in the common area of the hotel. I’m not sure why the staff had such an obsession with that particular song but even when I hear it today, I have flashbacks to that horrible week in Playa Del Carmen.

 

"Mambo #5" - Lou Bega - Varadero, Cuba

My trip to Cuba the following year was much better. The only problem? I had the song “Mambo #5” by Lou Bega stuck in my head for weeks after I returned home! For some reason, this song was played over and over again in the common areas of the resort. Now every time I hear that song, it reminds me of that week.\

 

 

"Freedom 90" - George Michael - Montezuma, Costa Rica

 And then there was Costa Rica, one of my most memorable trips. A week spent at a yoga retreat in paradise. I was too tired to walk back to the retreat after an evening spent wandering the little surf village of Montezuma so I hailed a cab. My driver couldn’t speak a word of English and we both struggled to communicate. After some pointing and hand gestures and broken words in English and Spanish, he understood where I wanted to go. We started the short journey up that steep hill to Anamaya Yoga Retreat in silence until he turned on the radio. One might assume that a Spanish song would be playing on a local station in a Spanish-speaking country but it was an English song. My driver recognized the song and that man who could not speak a word of English only a few minutes earlier began to sing along to George Michael’s “Freedom 90” at the top of his lungs…in clear, unbroken English!

 

Over the course of my life, I have had many such unplanned and unforgettable moments and I feel fortunate to have those memories and to be able to remember the songs that bring me back to those special moments frozen in time. Someday, I may forget those memories and I can only hope that the sound of a particular song will bring me back. I believe music has that much power. I’ve experienced that power many times.

 

Unforgettable Meals From the Road

Food is one of life's greatest joys so naturally, one of the greatest joys of traveling is getting to try out local dishes while indulging in another culture.  Some of my fondest travel memories involve memorable meals I've enjoyed on the road and the people I shared them with.  From the open-air restaurants of the Caribbean and Central America to the cozy pubs of rural Scotland, here are some of my most memorable meals from the road.

Somewhere Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada
While in Las Vegas, I rented a car and took a 3-day road trip in the Mojave Desert and explored some of the more remote regions of Nevada, Arizona and California. While driving along a country road somewhere in the middle of the desert, I came across a diner standing alone among some cacti and Joshua Trees.  It looked like something you would see in one of those old western movies.  I went in.  I don't even remember what the name of the place was or what I had to eat, but I remember the atmosphere.  I was greeted with an air of subtle weariness, perhaps because I was an outsider.  I remember the view - vast desert and distant mountain ranges.  Although I felt a little uncomfortable in that remote place, it ranks high on my list of intriguing places that I've stopped at for a meal in the middle of nowhere.

Les Isles de la Madeleine, Quebec
Like most Canadians, I love a heaping plate of greasy, cheese-and-gravy-soaked Poutine.  What most people don't know is "real" poutine (made with cheese curds instead of melted mozzarella cheese) is rarely served outside of French-speaking areas of Canada.  That's why I just had to try the dish while I was in Les Isles de la Madeleine, a group of islands belonging to the predominately French province of Quebec.  I took this trip with my mother as she always wanted to go there to see the place where her grandmother came from. We found a nice little place overlooking a beautiful seaside panorama and enjoyed the best plate of poutine I've ever had.  And yes, it was made with real cheese curds. 

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico 
In Playa Del Carmen, I stayed at a small boutique-style hotel that offered a buffet at breakfast and the food was extremely good.  The first morning, I wandered down to the open-air dining area and was amazed at the choices available!  The food was better than I imagined it would be and I soon learned that the Mexican food I eat in Canada isn't real Mexican food at all.  The other amazing thing about meals at this hotel? The friendly staff interacted with me and even sat with me at my table.  They wanted to know everything about me.  Where was I from?  Is there snow there?  Do I know so-and-so from Winnipeg?  Even though they could barely speak English, they made an effort to make me feel welcome and appreciated and I had no problem answering all of their questions as I had many of my own.  

Havana, Cuba
Before I left for Cuba, I was told by others that the food is not very good.  I stayed at an all-inclusive resort and during the first few days, forced my way through a number of horrible meals (think dry bread, rancid dairy products, rotten fruit and tasteless other items) before trying a meal at a restaurant off the resort.  I was in Havana with a group of other tourists and we decided to do lunch at a small restaurant.  Now, when people tell me that the food in Cuba is disgusting, I tell them "no it's not! It's only disgusting in those cheap all-inclusives" because the meal I had in that restaurant was excellent in every way possible.  Not only was I able to enjoy a delicious, fresh, homemade meal served by the  friendliest staff, but I also got to enjoy it with a fantastic group of people from all over the world. 

Montezuma, Costa Rica
During the first leg of my travels in Costa Rica, I stayed at a lovely yoga retreat in the little surf town of Montezuma on the Nicoya Peninsula.  I can't pinpoint one particular meal during the whole week that was amazing because all the meals served were amazing and definitely among the best I've had in my entire life so far.  Fresh, organic produce and eggs taken directly from a nearby farm were used to prepare the five-course meals (appetizers, soup, salad, main course and dessert) and a softly-lit dining area overlooking the Pacific Ocean with a table big enough to seat two dozen people from all over the world made dining at this place an experience I won't soon forget.

  

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

During the second week of my adventure in Costa Rica, I spent time exploring the area of La Fortuna which included a day at the luxurious Tabacon Hot Springs Spa.  After a relaxing day soaking in the hot springs, I and the group of travelers I arrived there with were treated to a lovely meal at the on-site restaurant.  A huge buffet was served with an abundance of fresh, delicious items.  I think I heard about a dozen different languages around the table that night.  Sharing a meal with people from so many different cultures is an opportunity I never turn down. There was storytelling, email-swapping and language lessons.  And the meal?  Phenomenal!

Derricks, Barbados
I found an excellent deal on a week-long apartment rental for my trip to Barbados and the rental came with the option to have meals served three times a day.  Every morning, afternoon and evening, the lady who ran the place prepared a homemade meal right in front of me.  I enjoyed these meals in the pretty outdoor dining area where I could watch the mischievous little green monkeys playing in the nearby trees.  These meals were all made with the healthiest and freshest ingredients and were delicious. The best part about the meals was the fact that I had never heard of the recipes before so I got to try brand-new-to-me dishes.  Eating a meal each day in a home-like environment made it seem like I was visiting an old friend rather than traveling solo in a foreign country.

Pearson International Airport, Toronto
I know it seems odd that anyone could have a memorable meal in an airport let alone one of North America's biggest and busiest.  However, amidst the chaos that is Pearson International, I found a quiet little sandwich bar tucked away near my gate.  I grabbed the one thing that appealed to me in the display box which was a vegetarian sandwich, and took a seat at the back where I could watch everything going on outside the little peaceful oasis.  That sandwich was worth every cent of the 8 bucks I paid for it because it was one of the most delicious veggie sandwiches I ever had.  The coffee was good too and as I sat back, relaxed and prepared to indulge in my hot caffeinated beverage, a young man with a guitar took a seat just outside the shop and, despite the noise and chaos around him, he started to play. 

Edinburgh, Scotland
Within hours of arriving in Edinburgh, I had already hit the streets.  I knew I only had three days in the city and wanted to make the most my time.  I was dead tired, jet-lagged and starved but I walked over twenty kilometres that first day, exploring every nook and cranny of the downtown area.  By evening, I had to find something to eat, something quick and something nutritious.  Just around the corner from my hotel was a cozy little cafe.  I walked in and ordered a veggie sandwich.  The sandwich itself wasn't anything extraordinary, although it was quite good and definitely filled with veggies.  It was the atmosphere that accompanied my meal.  As I sat in a booth by the window that Friday night, the crowds were preparing for a wild night on the town.  I got a real taste of the excitement that transpires when tens of thousands of locals and international tourists intermingle for the evening's festivities.  As the streets grew more crowded, a lone bagpiper stopped right in front of the cafe and began to play.  He may have thought he was playing for the enjoyment of all those people on the street but in my mind, it seemed like that delightful serenade was made for my ears only.  

  

Broadford, Scotland

They say the best way to get to know a place is to wander around on foot.  I guess you can say I got to know Broadford quite well.  I arrived at my bed and breakfast in the early evening and the only thing on my mind was food.  I neglected to pick something up on the road and since it was getting late, it was difficult to find something to eat.  Not having a car available (and not wanting to waste money calling a cab), I started walking.  Of course, it being Scotland in September, I ended up wandering around aimlessly in rain, wind and cold.  I walked to the bottom of the hill where I had seen a few take-away restaurants.  No lights, no cars in the parking lots, no staff around.  Closed for the evening.  I walked some more.  I got hopelessly turned around and ended up going in circles and had no idea where I was or how to get back.  Finally, I found a tiny pub. Upon opening the door, I felt like I was walking onto the set of Coronation Street.  A cozy atmosphere filled with friendly locals watching sports and gossiping and laughing and carrying on.  I was greeted with a hearty welcome from the friendly barmaid who was happy to make a meal for me even though the kitchen had just closed.  She must have felt sorry for the soggy, wayward tourist.  I took a seat at the bar and was welcomed into the group of patrons who were interested in finding out more about this lone traveler looking for a bite to eat on a stormy night.   I enjoyed my meal and a pint and bid them all farewell before trekking back into the cold, wet night.   

 

 

Fort Augustus, Scotland

While I'm used to traveling alone and therefore eating alone, one of my most memorable meals was the one I enjoyed on my last evening touring the highlands and lowlands of Scotland.  I had spent five spectacular days with a dozen incredible people from all over the world. The last night of the tour was spent in a pretty little town not far from the banks of Loch Ness.  Upon arrival, we parted ways to check into our accommodations, which were scattered around town, and agreed to meet in an hour by the canal for dinner.  A lady from the United States was staying in the same bed and breakfast as me so we walked together.  Turns out we both had a really bad sense of direction.  We walked and walked and turned around several times when she admitted she had no clue where she was and neither did I.  Then the rain and wind came.  By the time we found it, we were both soaking wet and hysterical from laughing so hard at our misadventure.  Fort Augustus was not particularly bustling on that wet, cold night so by the time we got back into town, our group had dispersed and almost everything was closed.  We again found ourselves wandering around in the rain until we found a pizza shop that was still open. That night, as we sat eating pizza by a window overlooking a deserted street in a land foreign to us both, we talked about everything under the sun as if we were old friends who knew one another for years.  

 

 

 

 

A Year of Firsts...Firsts for Missing Out!

The Covid-19 pandemic certainly messed up everything for everyone!  Things are slowly starting to get back to normal here on Cape Breton Island but this past summer was a strange one for me.  It was the summer of "missing out" as I call it.  This is because many of the things that I do every didn't happened.

I was celebrating a big Christmas gathering with friends at our community hall when I first heard about the Corona Virus. No one was taking it seriously back than.  In fact, jokes were being mage about it.  We hugged and sat close to one another at the table. We gathered around a letter that arrived in the mail from Louis in Portugal who had found my father's message in a bottle on a beach in the Azores. We gathered closely around the tree as the children opened their presents. Little did I know it would be my last such gathering for a very long time.   

While enjoying all my usual activities in the summer of 2019, there was no indication of what was to come in just a few short months and how it would upend the lives of everyone around the world.  How we take things for granted when the unknown is lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting. I have a lot of catching up to do when this is all over!

My whole life, I've had a strong connection to the Fortress of Louisbourg.  My mother worked there as a guide in the 70s and I have French-Acadian heritage on her side of the family.  Every single year, 39 years straight, I visited the fortress at least once. As a child, I ran around the open grounds of the courtyard, hung out with the farm animals and climbed the fortress walls.  Although I hated the sound of the cannon firings, I looked forward to this part of my visits when I got older.  Sometimes I went to the fortress several times a year but always tried to get there for the Fete de St. Louis Day where they had 18th century military demonstrations and old fashioned fireworks similar to what was used during that period. Recently, I had been attending the Canada Day festivities every year. It's been two years since I've been there. 

The Fortress of Louisbourg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

 

 

 

 Baddeck is my kind of town and one that I always visit numerous times each summer but I didn't even drive through it this year.  It didn't occur to me until the end of the season that I hadn't been there.  I was working all summer and was always in a hurry to get to the beaches on the west coast so I bypassed the exit to the pretty little town on several occasions. I was only able to travel around the island on weekends and the idea of trying to navigate the large crowds that congregate in Baddeck on summer days kept me away.  The monthly festival that had been taking place for the past few summers didn't take place this year so that was another reason I never went.    

 

 

Every fall since I moved back home in 2011, there's one event I look forward to all year round and that's the Celtic Colours International Festival.  The concerts, the guided hikes, the markets, the galleries, the community meals.....how I miss all of these things!  Sure, I can watch the festival online, but it's just not the same as being there in person.  

Even my trips to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park were scaled back this year.  I usually make a trip up there at least once every two weeks.  I only went once this summer and once just a few weeks ago when the leaves were changing colour. I can't imagine a year without going to the Cape Breton Highlands; of all the places on Cape Breton Island, that's my number one favourite area. Cape Breton weather can be hit or miss and it was a bit of a miss this year with most of the rain and adverse weather happening on weekends, which happened to be the only time I could go anywhere. 

Visits from family who live away, missed events and festivals and two years spent mostly close to home.  Once someone who used to love going on multiple road trips a week, I'm now used to staying close to home and have learned to love the things my own backyard has to offer.  With the price of gas, this's probably best.  My older, high-mileage Hyundai is certainly appreciating the break!  

Despite missing out on some yearly traditions, I found new places to explore around Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, ate at some new places, spent lots of time with family and dreamed of a future free of this virus so I can get back on the road....exploring near and far and not caring about whether or not I'm standing six feet away from a stranger or if I forget my mask in the car.  Well actually, I might hold on to the mask. I haven't had a cold or any sickness since the pandemic began!

The old railbed that passes near a trail in Gardiner Mines, Cape Breton Island.