Another Family-Favourite Fall Tradition

I love fall adventures.  The flies are gone and the weather is cooled down enough to make hiking tolerable.  This is my favourite time of year to be in the forest and one of my favourite places to hike in the fall is at Uisge Bàn Falls in Big Baddeck.  Since I moved back home, it's been a family favourite.  I usually suggest it and whoever wants to come with me tags along.  Sometimes it's dad.  Sometimes it's my sister.  Sometimes it's both sisters if they are both home from away at the time.  Sometimes it's all four of us and sometimes friends and partners tag along. This year, everyone was either sick or busy with other things so I called a friend and we did the hike alone. 

I was supposed to meet my friend at her trailer at the Joyful Journeys Campground in Jersey Cove but the lineup at the Englishtown Ferry was very long!  I would have been there for close to an hour.  Instead, I had her get the ferry on her side because it looked like there were no cars there.  Within ten minutes she arrived at my car and hopped out of hers and into mine and off we went to Baddeck. 

As we drove, we contemplated not doing the hike because it kept raining.  A shower would arrive and we'd decide to go for a drive instead.  The shower would stop and we would decide to go on the hike instead.  This happened several times before we arrived at the Uisge Bàn Falls Provincial Park.  

We got out of the car and got ready for the hike.  We got that far so there was no turning back.  We could still see the parking lot when the skies opened up again.  We kept going.  It didn't stop raining the entire hike but fortunately, the thick canopy provided some shelter from the heaviest rains. 

I was surprised to see so much water in the river as we didn't get a whole lot of rain all summer.  The fall colours were spectacular as they always are along this hike and the rustling leaves made for a relaxing afternoon in the great outdoors.  There were a few people on the trail but we mostly had it all to ourselves. At the falls, we stopped for a rest and some photos and I was surprised to see so much water there too!  

The rain didn't put too much of a damper on our hike and back at the car, neither one of us was ready to call it a day yet.  We took a drive to the Red Barn and turned off on the road to Middle River.  The fall colours are always nice on this stretch and that day was no exception.  Stunning as always!  

I Love These Long Weekends in Margaree

Besides my regular vacation I take in Mid-August, the long weekend during the first week of August is one of my favorite parts of summer because that's when I usually head to Margaree with friends and stay in the area for several days hiking, swimming and enjoying the peace and quiet of the country. 

 

This year was a little different because someone who had never been there came along.  An international student from the big city who wanted to get a taste of authentic Cape Breton rural life. Since he had never been outside of the urban area of the island, I decided to take the long way around the Cabot Trail to get to Margaree.  

We left early to make it to Ingonish in time to have a bite to eat for supper and than drove onto Pleasant Bay and Cheticamp while it was still light enough to enjoy the scenery. Of course, we made a few stops at some key locations along the way.  There was sightseeing at The Point and Ice Cream at the lighthouse in Neil's Harbour.

I love showing off my beautiful island to new people.  This trip was extra special as the person was young and super excited to be seeing something new.  Watching his eyes light up and his head spin around in all directions as he took it all in made me super happy.  To hear someone who was so well-traveled ohhh and awww at the beauty of my little island made me realize how lucky I am to live in such a special place. 

 

It was almost dark when we reached Cheticamp and stopped for gas and some snacks.  It was quite late by time we pulled into the old country house that would be home for the next few nights. 

There's something about staying in an old country home overlooking the sea.  Those old homes have character!  This one is well over 100 years old.  Our foreign guest expressed a mixture of emotions upon discovering that there was no Wi-Fi, the floors creaked and mice were frequent visitors.  I think he was culture-shocked for a bit at first but settled in quite nicely to his rural digs.  

 

I always sleep so well in the country especially in an old house such as the one we were staying in.  No distractions from modern amenities, just the sound of the wind howling outside and the fresh summer night air flowing through the windows.   

Over the next few days, we made good use of our time.  The first day was the only one that was hot and sunny enough to head to the beach so that's exactly what we did.  We drove the 40 minutes to Inverness and staked a spot in the sand.  My newfound friend-from-away grew up in a desert climate so he wasn't used to taking dips in the ocean nor could he swim.  I got a good laugh watching him slowly inch his way to deeper water to duck while he shivered in the icy water.  The water wasn't cold to me at all at 21 degrees Celsius but I can understand how someone from a dry, hot climate would find it cold. He finally ducked and tried desperately to mimic me floating in the salty water.  It was so salty, it seemed almost impossible to sink.  Alas, every time he tried, he sank beneath the waves.  I gave him credit for venturing into the water at all let alone trying to swim!

 

The second day, we did some hiking as it was too cool for swimming.  We drove to Cheticamp first for morning coffee and breakfast at Evangeline and a scenic drive along the Cheticamp Back Road in search of an elusive look-off we were told about at Plateau.  

Since we were in the area and were making good time, we decided to take a hike into the Gypsum Quarry.  Although it was too cool for swimming, it was too warm for hiking.  We found that out about 20 minutes into our hike when we felt like turning around but had gone that far, we might as well go all the way to the quarry.  

Our plans to be out of Cheticamp and on the way to Egypt Falls for a hike were delayed when we got caught in parade traffic.  I always forget about the parade for the Festival de l'Escaouette that happens on the long weekend every year!  So we didn't find the look-off but we did get to see part of the parade before hitting the road again. 

The last time I went searching for Eqypt Falls, I had a hard time finding it.  That was a long time ago and this time I had a GPS so we found the trailhead to the falls pretty quickly. 

It was a about 12 or 13 years ago the last time I did this hike and I remembered it being difficult but very short. It's funny how the memory works.  It took about thirty minutes to reach the falls and the trail was much harder than I remember!  There were very slippery spots and ropes had to be used to get down some of the more steep areas.  To make matters worse, I didn't have the proper footwear for such a hike.  

 

Slowly but surely, we made intact.  One thing that stayed true to my memory was the beauty of the falls.  And once again, our foreign friend was in awe at the natural beauty around him.  He kept talking about all the open spaces and trees!

Our last day in the country was not a very nice one.  Rain, rain, rain. We packed up, cleaned up and headed back to the city. Back to our routines and jobs...until the next long weekend.

A Rocky Mountain Road Trip - Camore, Banff and onto Field, British Columbia

My sister works full time just a few minutes down the road from her house but she was able to get several days off to spend with me.  On her last day off, we decided to take a drive to the British Colombia border and spend time in the little town of Field British Columbia.  

Along the way, we stopped in Canmore Alberta to admire the stunning mountain town known for its beautiful alpine architecture and stunning scenery. 

Next, it was on to Banff Alberta.  I wanted to stop there because I enjoyed wandering around the little mountain town the last time I visited.  My sister gave me a weird look when I suggested we go there.  "Why would you want to go there?  It's overrun with tourists.  trust me, it's nothing like you remember it !"  I shrugged off her comment and said I still wanted to go and check out some cafes and shops.  I was there five minutes and begged her to leave.  While it's still a beautiful mountain town, it's no longer a place I wish to spend any time in.  The older I get, the less I like crowds and the more I want to be away from as many people as possible.  In Banff, there are people and cars everywhere!  

Since we were in the area, I asked my sister is we could check out Moraine Lake and Lake Louise.  Once again, I got the same strange look but she agreed to check them out. We arrived at the road to Lake Louise to learn that you can no longer drive up to the lake and the only way to get there is to get a shuttle from a parking lot where the fee to park is 35 dollars.  I said "no thanks" and we hightailed it out of the area and back onto the Trans Canada Highway towards B.C. I had already experienced Lake Louise and Moraine Lake the last time I was in Alberta so there was really no need to see it again.  Besides, the lakes of Kananaskis Country are just as beautiful but without the crowds.  

A little ways up the highway near the border between Alberta and British Columbia we stopped at what looked like a rest stop.  We got out to stretch our legs and take in some of the pretty scenery and noticed that it was actually a historical site called Spiral Tunnels dedicated to the history of the train tunnels that dotted the side of the nearby mountains.  As luck would have it, a train happened to be passing by and we were able to witness it passing through one of these distant tunnels as if it were driving right into the mountain!

Upon arrival in Field, we planned to hike to nearby Takakkaw Falls British Columbia
which is the second tallest waterfall in Canada.  I was looking forward to the short hike to this beautiful natural wonder but we arrived to discover that the road leading to the trail to the falls was closed until June 15th. 

I was just a little over a week too early. 

We decided that since we drove that far, we would make the most out of it and see what we could of the area. We parked the car on a dead end street and began walking when I noticed that a small crowd of people gathered on the grass and taking pictures of something in a backyard. I scanned the area and stopped on a small black mass.  It was moving but it wasn't until a passerby said "did you see the little bear?  Mother is over there behind the tree." A mother bear and her cub were feeding so close to people seemingly unbothered by the paparazzi that gathered to admire them. Even if this was all I got to see that day, that long drive would have been worth it!

 

We drove around the area randomly and happened upon a little park at the end of a road.  The sign indicated that it was an area where two different colors of freshwater converged.  Seemed interesting enough to check out so we climbed down a little embankment to the riverbank and witnessed more stunning scenery.  Of course, this area of the country has no shortage of such views but it's always nice to accidentally find these hidden places where there are no crowds.  

 

On the way back to Kananaskis, we stopped in Lake Louise to eat at the Station Restaurant.  My sister ate there years before and said it was good and sometimes the trains pass by while you're eating.  No trains passed during our meal but the food was very good and the atmosphere was peaceful unlike many of the other restaurants in the area. 

 

We arrived home quite late and sat outside watching the forest for wildlife.  The squirrels and birds were busy and a deer passed by in the distance.  That night I noticed something peculiar that I hadn't noticed the previous night; the sky stays bright very late in Alberta.  At 10:00, it was still light out!  Now that was something that took some getting used to!

 

My first Full Day in Beautiful Kananaskis Country

I awoke fairly early on that first morning in Kananaskis Country despite having not slept for so long in the days previously. We had some breakfast and retreated to the backyard where there were some benches, hammocks and a fire pit.  I couldn't believe how calm and quiet it was!  All I could hear was a light wind rustling the treetops, some birds chirping and a ground squirrel nibbling on an acorn. My sister kept complaining about how cold it was but to me, it was just right.  I just came from Atlantic Canada where the air was damp, heavy and chill to the bone.  The dry mountain air was a welcoming relief. 

That first day, we went for a hike to troll falls.  I am used to long hikes but after a day of traveling, this relatively short and easy hike was perfect for my first full day in The Rockies. The first leg of the trail snaked through some dense forest with towering trees and thick canopy to keep the hot sun out.  

It didn't take too long to reach the picturesque waterfall.  There were signs everywhere telling people to avoid certain areas due to erosion and rock slides but the area immediately behind the waterfall looked safe so I took my chances.  I wandered behind the falls while the cool water sprayed my face.  It was like the walk that takes you behind Niagara Falls, but without the dense crowds.  

We climbed up another steep part of the trail to reach another little waterfall called Marmot Falls. The climb down to the main part of the trail was easier then the climb up and when we reached the fork in the trail, we took a different way back to the parking lot.  This time, we passed through an open meadow on the edge of the forest. The views of the mountains bordering the area were spectacular. I am used to walking fast at home because I am usually walking to work or walking for exercise.  Here, there was no reason to walk fast.  I wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere.  I enjoyed the slow pace while just enjoying the views and the fresh mountain air. 

 

 

A Late Autumn Hike to Uisge Ban Falls

There's something about late fall hikes.  The cool air, the light snow flurries, the intermittent sun peaking behind those heavy, fluffy fall clouds and the lack of flies and other annoying insects.  I mean, yes, you have to bundle up and trek through some mud and slippery fallen leaves, but the air is crisp and light with temperatures that aren't so hot that you walk at a snail's pace and not so cold that you're too stiff to move. 

The day my friend and I took a hike to Uisge Ban Falls near Baddeck, we experienced such a day.  A perfect day we'll call it.  There was hardly anyone else hiking that day so that was an added bonus.  I like being in the woods without crowds of people to disrupt the peace and quiet so I can hear the trees rustling, the birds chirping and the raging waters of the river and waterfall. 

The trail isn't all that long but we stretched it out for two hours, stopping to take photos and admire the views along the way.  We reached those beautiful falls and just hung around there for a while taking in the sights and sounds of nature before heading back to civilization. 

Our hike was followed by a walk around of the nature campground that I never noticed was in this park before and a delicious lunch at a cafe along the highway.  Winter is approaching fast and I'm hoping to get as many days in like this as possible before we are snowed in!

The Perfect Smoothie and the True Meaning of Pura Vida

By this point, you may be wondering many things about Costa Rica including how big is Costa Rica, where is Costa Rica and what language is spoken in Costa Rica. Well, Costa Rica is fairly small, it's located in Central America between Nicaragua and Panama and Spanish is the official language. If you are wondering where to stay in Costa Rica, by this point in my trip, I would definitely recommend Montezuma.  If it ever crossed your mind to visit Costa Rica, I'm sure you're familiar with what is Costa Rica known for...and Montezuma has it all.  Rainforest, nature, yoga, surfing, spectacular coastline, beautiful sunsets, delicious food, vibrant culture.  It's all here.  

By my fourth day in Montezuma, it felt like I had been there forever. My job and daily chores back home didn’t even cross my mind since I arrived. I forgot I even had a job to go back to. Sadly, my cat, Captain Jack, who I left behind with a friend, had probably stopped eating and was hiding underneath the covers in my bed like he usually does when I go away (he has severe separation anxiety due to an unfortunate event that occurred a few years ago when I had to leave him behind with a friend for almost a year) while I had forgotten I had a cat back home. This particular morning had me thinking about my life back in Cape Breton long enough to make a few phone calls to let everyone know I was still alive and to make sure my cat was at least responding to the occasional Temptations treat.

There wasn’t much going on at Anamaya that day and I didn’t want to just spend the day by the pool so I took an early morning walk into town and spent the day exploring the little streets and enjoying the beach. It was probably the hottest day in Montezuma since I arrived and the walk down that hill was torture. I made it half way down and a young man on a motorbike stopped to ask me if I wanted a ride. I don’t usually take rides alone with strangers but there were people everywhere and there were only two places he could take me; back to Anamaya or into the town of Montezuma. I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it any further without collapsing right there and than in the sun so I took him up on his offer and a few minutes later, I was dropped off at the beach and with a wave and a friendly “Buenos Dias”, he sped off in the original direction he was headed.

Since I was practically on the beach already, I plopped myself down in the sand in a shaded area and relaxed. A storm had passed near Montezuma the previous night and the water was very rough. I attempted to go for a swim but the waves were just too powerful and the undertow too dangerous. Some brave surfers had managed to get past the rough breakwater and were trying to catch some big waves dangerously close to some jagged rocks. I thought this was incredibly stupid but they seemed to know what they were doing and provided me with some entertainment for the afternoon.

By late-morning, the heat was really getting to me and I was starting to feel dehydrated. I wanted a refreshing fruit smoothie but didn’t want to pay 7 dollars for it. So off I went, up and down those little streets, in search of a reasonable priced smoothie. Tucked away in the shade under some trees at the end of one of the main roads heading back towards Anamaya, I noticed an interestingly decorated, outdoor smoothie bar. A free-spirited and friendly young man was eager to take on the challenge of making me up something not-too-sweet and refreshing. It seemed like it took forever for him to make it as he carefully thought out each and every ingredient he put into it and made sure it was mixed to perfection by even allowing me to taste it at various points to see if it was mixed enough. For the small price of 3 dollars, I received a delicious green-colored smoothie (I can’t remember exactly what was in it but I do remember something about Ginger) in a massive glass. I stayed at the bar, took a seat and struck up a lively and very interesting conversation with the young man behind the counter. He obviously loved his life in Montezuma and at one point, he asked if I knew what “Pura Vida” meant. Hmmm, I thought. What does pura vida mean? To me it meant The Pure Life and it was what I had witnessed over and over and over again while traveling through the country. Natural, untouched, simple and pure. “That is how most people interpret it. You see, pura vida can be a greeting, a state of mind, a way of life. You meet someone walking down the street, you say “pura vida”. You catch the perfect wave while surfing, you say “pura vida”. You have a wonderful day, instead of saying “goodnight”, you say “pura vida”. You find a great smoothie bar while walking the streets of Montezuma, you say “pura vida”. It can mean anything but always something good. Anytime something good happens, “pura vida” is the appropriate thing to say”. Made sense to me. How can you not be living the “pura vida” in a country that is considered to be one of the happiest in the world according the Happy Planet Index. Costa Ricans live longer and better lives than people living in other countries of similar economic conditions, Costa Rica is one of the greenest countries in the world and who wouldn’t be living the pure life when they wake up each morning to beautiful, sandy beaches, pristine and untouched rainforest, spectacular scenery and an abundance of things to see and do.

It was mid-afternoon by the time I finished walking the streets of Montezuma and since I wasn’t feeling overly tired, I stupidly walked up that steep hill to Anamya instead of getting a cab. It was quite the workout but I did make it to the top without collapsing in the ditch…barely. There was still enough daylight left to take a walk to Montezuma Falls again and attempt that jump. I was kicking myself for not doing it the day before and had since been contemplating going back so I could say I did it. I changed into my contact lenses and made my way to the path that led to the falls from Anamaya. It was a steep and difficult hike down and all I could think about when I got to the top of the falls was how refreshing the water below looked. It didn’t take much coaxing for me to perch myself at the edge and take that leap 15 feet to the fresheater pool below. And, yes, it was very refreshing and I felt proud of myself for coming back. If there is one thing I absolutely hate, it is missed opportunity. I take every chance that comes my way because, sometimes, you only get one chance to do something and that opportunity never arises again!

Anamaya was once again quiet with everyone out shopping and doing their own thing. I loved how peaceful it was when no one was around and it made me think about how it would be the perfect place to be a writer although I might not get much done with the beach only a short walk away. Bedtime came early again. The next morning, I was trying surfing for the first time and I wanted to be well-rested for that! 

Pura Vida Meaning - The Pure Life. And yes....that's exactly what you'll experience in Montezuma, Costa Rica.