Goodbye northern Ontario

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Living in northern Ontario has been an incredible experience - five years of gentle, quiet living in a region of the country where life thrives in a harsh and challenging environment.

From the very first day, I was charmed by the helpful, genuine and kindhearted folks that welcomed me with open arms into their homes and their lives.  The village where I made my home embodied the heart of the Canadian spirit - a place with a wonderful sense of community, inclusion and a desire and willingness to help out one's neighbours.  I can only hope to live in such a place again!

Sadly, all good things must end. Life takes us in new directions and as one chapter ends, a new one begins.  My next chapter will be as different as can be imagined from the old - big city, throngs of people, traffic jams - the hustle and bustle of life in an urban centre.  But there is much to look forward to as well - new friends, opportunities and experiences.

A big, warm thank you to all the wonderful people that made living in the north such a great experience, especially to the many folks that I didn't get a chance to see before moving away.  You will be greatly missed!

Below are a few images from my time in northern Ontario - a brief glimpse into the events and landscapes of the last five years of my life.

Touring Gaspesie National Park

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It's hard to believe that a full year has flown by since I first published this website and started blogging weekly. It's been a lot of fun and I would like to thank all you readers for dropping by regularly and for your kind comments. It wouldn't be the same without you!!

Our trip to Quebec to see the fall colours continued in Gaspesie National Park. Having arrived in the dark, we woke up to amazing views - towering hillsides of yellow with touches of orange and red. The weather was incredible for October - low 20s and sunshine - perfect hiking weather.

Read about the beginning of our trip as we visit Montreal and Kamouraska.

Eel fishing, Kamouraska and Parc National du Bic

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The village of Kamouraska in Quebec is a hidden gem. Tucked up alongside the St. Lawrence river, Kamouraska has the most adorable rainbow coloured shops, charming bakeries with delicious French pastries and freshly baked bread, and cute cafes with great menus. Oh, and the houses are divine and include my dream B&B - yellow and white with porches and windows for days. I could retire here. 

Kamouraska is known for its eel fishing, although there are only a handful of licensed eel fishers nowadays. Fishermen set up nets along the river to catch eels as the tides go in and out. These sea monsters make me a bit squeamish but they are an important part of the ecosystem and their numbers are declining rapidly due to pollution and the numerous dams that prevent their reproduction. Fishermen who used to catch thousands of eels now only catch a handful. 

Continuing east, we stopped for a quick break at Parc National du Bic to stretch our legs and view the emerging fall colours.

A fall day in Montreal

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Montreal is a city that we always travel through or around without ever taking the time to stop and visit. Mostly, I think, because it's too close to home and when we're on a road trip heading east the goal always seems to be to drive as far as possible on the first day.  So when the opportunity arose a few weeks ago to spend several hours in the city, we started planning our adventure. Shortly after we arrived, however, it became clear that we weren't going to be able to visit even a fraction of the places on our list - the city was too big and beautiful.  It would take days, if not weeks, to fully tour this historic, interesting and vibrant place.

We decided to explore the area known as Old Montreal on foot, walking the cobblestone streets through the market, past old stone buildings and gorgeous storefronts to the Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal. The interior of the Basilica was stunning and well worth the modest entrance fee. Afterwards, we wandered down to the waterfront, along Quai Jacques-Cartier - where the fall colours were starting to appear - ending at Terrasse Bonsecours, as a golden sunset turned the city aglow.

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Big Nickel and Dynamic Earth, Sudbury

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On a gray September morning, a group of us visited the Big Nickel and Dynamic Earth in Sudbury.  The Big Nickel, Sudbury's most famous landmark, is a must see - after all, mining of nickel and other minerals are what built the city and the region.  Dynamic Earth, a museum that explains the history of mining in the region, is located next to the Big Nickel. A tour seven stories down into the mine shows the different methods of mining over a long period of time. 

Eastern Canada road trip - Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne National Park

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It was late afternoon by the time we arrived at Gros Morne National Park. After pitching our tents, we laced up our boots and headed out on a short hike (3km one way) to Western Brook Pond, one of the easiest and most beautiful hikes in the park.

The day was beautiful. The sun was shining, the sky blue and full of fluffy clouds. Even as more clouds rolled in and the wind began to blow, it only added to the atmosphere of the landscape. We passed over limestone ridges. The wind whipped the water from the bogs onto the boardwalk.  We arrived at the lake just as the clouds completely covered the sky, but hot chocolate from the shop warmed us up. Boat tours were available through the fjord but we arrived too late to catch the final cruise of the day.

The fjord was incredible. More than a hundred glaciers surged through the Long Range Mountains during the last Ice Age, each one scraping, carrying and wearing down metres of rock. The movement of the glaciers created deep ravines, forming dramatic landscapes such as the cliffs that tower over Western Brook Pond. The weight of the ice sheet put pressure on the land, forcing it downwards until the lowlands were below sea level. When the ice started to melt, the valley between the 2000-foot high cliffs filled with saltwater, turning it into a fjord. The departure of the heavy ice caused the land to rebound, as 2km thick glaciers were no longer pushing it down. The lake was cut off from the ocean by the rebounding land and the deposits left behind by the glaciers. The salt water was eventually flushed out and the fresh water now found in the lake has an extremely high purity rating.

Eventually, threatening skies and the encroaching darkness forced us to head back to our campsite and a warm dinner prepared over an open fire.