Day 4 - Saint Martins (Saint John) Part 2

Although I was looking forward to every port we were scheduled to visit, I was really looking forward to the excursion to Saint Martins from Saint John.  Earlier this year, I had seen an article on the CBC news site that mentioned the twin covered bridges in Saint Martins.  At the time one of the bridges had been shut down to traffic and my hope was that I would be able to walk across it.  Did I manage to do so?  You'll have to wait and see.

The bus trip took about an hour and 15 minutes, but Barbara kept us well entertained with interesting facts about New Brunswick and especially about Saint Martins where she resides.  The village was founded by Loyalists who left the U.S., and was the home of several shipbuilders who found the lumber they needed to build their ships right in their backyards.

I've since forgotten the details, but one of the stories Barbara shared was that of a shipbuilder who had gone out to sea, and was presumed as he was away from home for longer than expected. He was surprised when he returned that his wife and children had managed, without him, to finish the building of another ship.  What a story of resiliency and tenacity.

On the way through the village, Barbara pointed out some of the older homes but unfortunately I wasn't able to capture decent photos through the bus window.

Once we travelled across the covered bridge, we stopped down the road at the Caves restaurant.

We had a choice of seafood chowder or minestrone soup with a homemade biscuit or chicken strips and fries with dessert and a soda or coffee for lunch. I chose the minestrone which was wonderful...but the biscuit was even better!

On the way, Barbara had shown us a few rocks that had a line of color through them - she called them wishing rocks. 

At the beach we were told we could pick up as many as our pockets could hold (or six).  I found three that I thought I'd packed but I haven't found them just yet.

The restaurant is named for the sea caves nearby.  The lighting was not great but I did get a few photos.

Because the tide was rising we were unable to walk out to the caves.  Another reason to return!

I wonder if this little boat was anchored there as I suspect it would likely float by the time the tides were highest.

To the right is little waterfall...not certain at all it's source.






Finally (at least in my mind) it was time to board the bus and return to the covered bridges.  

 It was almost impossible to get the photo of the two bridges as there were so many of us attempting to get the same shot.  I wanted to yell at everyone to move but I didn't.

Barbara told us the second bridge and the little red house to the right of it had been featured in a Disney film.  She couldn't remember which one, and I've yet to find any reference to it.

 Both of the bridges seemed to be in use by vehicles, so I checked with Barbara as to which was out of commission.  It was the one we had crossed earlier that morning (the closest one in the upper photo).  At the time, they had to have passengers on the bus use the pedestrian walkway and the bus would cross empty, load the passengers on the other side and carry on.

So I didn't get a chance to walk across the vehicular portion of either bridge...though I did take the chance to stand on the roadway for this shot.  

What a scenic spot!  I can imagine it might look a less appealing in the winter when the snow flies.  Barbara assured us though that the Bay of Fundy never freezes.  As a result the snow that falls in Saint Martins disappears almost as quickly as it arrives.  

We were a little early for the fall colors, but I did spot this little bit walking along the path to the second covered bridge.

It was such a lovely day, the sun was warm with a light breeze.  So while my dream of walking the covered bridge was thwarted, I have such wonderful memories of the time we spent in Saint Martins.  

Next up - Halifax

Day 4 - Saint John, NB Part 1

Feeling better today, thanks to Buckley's liquid gels, Vick's VapoRub, Fisherman's Friends lozenges and about 48 hours of sleep over the past 4 nights and afternoon naps.  I made it through the entire workday without feeling the need to crash under my desk for respite. (Not that I've ever done that....oh wait there was that one time...).

This is going to photo heavy post, so I'll break it into two parts.  First, Saint John itself and the second part, the excursion to Saint Martins.

We arrived late evening on September 20 in Saint John New Brunswick, about 11 p.m.  Once the ship was cleared, guests were able to disembark.  I don't if anyone did...I was fast asleep.

The following morning, I did a wander on the ship with my camera. I bought a new zoom lens from my camera this summer and I appreciate it's ability to zoom in on objects in the distance. 

The sign is to the left of the tall building in this second photo, and I was on deck 15 of the ship.

I found it interesting that the heliport has lighthouses.  I wonder if they aren't simply decorative.  

These houses/townhouses were so pretty. I love the architecture and their location near the water.  

Later I had breakfast with Conna before she left for her excursion at 8 a.m.  My excursion was scheduled for 9:30 so I puttered around for bit for a bit before I headed down to the lounge to wait for the call to disembark. 

We made our way through the terminal to waiting buses.  Our bus had 44 passengers plus our guide, Barbara and driver, Joey.  Both were wonderful ambassadors of Saint John.  Barbara was especially knowledgeable and brought a basket full of items for "show and tell".

Our first stop on the excursion was Reversing Falls.  Barbara suggesting it should be the reversing river, since there is an underwater cliff not visible from the river's edge.  The Saint John river empties into the Bay of Fundy, however when the tides in the Bay are at high tide, it actually stops the flow of the water from the river and reverses the flow.  It's truly amazing to see in person.  Here are several photos from the morning stop.

We had about 15 minutes at this stop before we left the city for the drive to Saint Martins. (see part 2)

When we returned to Saint John that afternoon, we had a stop at the market.

Barbara explained that all the hanging artwork was created by the elementary school children in celebration of Canada 150. Later this year the artwork will be auctioned off with the funds benefiting charity.  What an awesome idea!

Pretty pumpkins!  

And less pretty (at least to me) is the live crustaceans available for sale.














I made a quick dash through the market before heading over to King's Park and the Loyalist graveyard. 

This structure is a two-tiered gazebo.  I can imagine it must be fun when there are activities going on in the park.

This is a lousy photo of the cemetery due to the lighting but it was pretty clear the stones were old.

None that I saw were legible.












The gates that bordered the graveyard were gorgeous, but I bet at night, it would be very spooky!  Great place on Halloween, perhaps.  

We only had about 20-30 minutes so it was hurry up and get a few photos and get back to the bus for our return to the Saint John River.  
Before the bus stopped at the site, there was an audible gasp from the passengers.  The river truly was flowing in the opposite direction.  Obviously photos don't do it justice, but I think the distinct change in color is the result of silt flowing back into the river.

We only had a very brief stop, as it was nearing 3 p.m. and all-aboard was 3:30 p.m. with sail-away shortly after.  

As we left the port we received a salute from the pilot boat. 

It was a fantastic day, sunny and warm, and so very interesting.  I definitely plan to return some day to explore this beautiful province.  A day was simply not enough time.

Day 2 - Boston, Mass

We had a late arrival into Boston at about 11 a.m. Several of us had met for breakfast at the Horizon Court earlier in that morning, but it was a lazy start to the day.

Boston was cool, cloudy and threatening rain the entire time we there.  A half-dozen of us took the ship's shuttle from the port to the downtown area.

We were dropped off near Quincy Market and I split off from the group as I wanted to wander at my own pace.  Across from the market is Faneuil Hall.  The hall was opened in 1742 as a market place.  The space was soon not sufficient to meet the needs of residents and longshoremen, and Quincy Hall was opened in 1826.

I was most impressed with Faneuil Hall.  The first floor holds numerous vendors, the second floor is the Grand Hall, and the 4th floor holds a museum to military history.  I wasn't able to visit the Grand Hall as a Boston council meeting was underway, no idea what was on third floor - I assume offices, and the 4th floor was very interesting.  I took no photos but my favorite by far was the picture of George Washington crossing the Delaware.

From Faneuil Hall, I walked part of the Freedom Trail.

Old State House was built in 1713 and is the oldest surviving building in Boston (courtesy Wikipedia).  I didn't realize it was a museum or I might have entered in. 

What did strike me was the age of the building in comparison to the others surrounding it.  It is truly a testament to the original builders.

I had to backtrack once as I got off the trail, and came to this memorial to the Irish Famine Survivors.  My great-grandparents came to Canada in the 1860's shortly after the famine ended. However there are many families with the same last name in the U.S.  

The bravery of our ancestors is beyond words, to leave all they know behind to go to a place they no nothing about.  Today we can search on-line, get information from travel agencies and so forth.  In those days it was on blind faith alone.

Old City Hall is simply a gorgeous building (or maybe it is just me)  

I found, however, the critter below a little too much like a certain POTUS who will remain unnamed. 

(I sure hope the donkey doesn't mind being compared to the Orange Guy)ioooooooooooooooooooooggfv  That's what Sheldon thinks of my comment. :)

My final stop on the trail was King's Chapel (at least that's when I lost sight of the red bricks).

  It was starting to rain a bit more (hence the moisture on the lens), so I ducked inside for a look around.

Originally an Anglican church, the building was under construction from 1749 to 1754, and is currently an Unitarian church (Wikipedia).

The interior was lovely with box seating and a huge organ.

 The pews were originally rented by member families who could decorate them as they chose.  Since the 1920's the decorations have been uniform.

I'm thinking, having attended church as a child, that these box pews would have been warmer and act as a containment for small children.  Not a bad idea! 


The pipe organ was massive, though I later read it is smaller than most in European churches.The church is not large, so I can only imagine how it would sound echoing off the stone walls.

Next door to the church was a burial ground.  I had assumed it was part of the church but apparently not.  It was founded in 1630 as the first burial ground in Boston (Wikipedia).

I wandered around the stones, the oldest I was able to read was from 1704, the newest was from 2003.  Most of the stones were in poor repair and leaning, or broken the writing most often illegible.

At this point, I decided to make back to Quincy Market to grab a bite to eat and browse some of the shops.  I must have been hungry as I didn't get a photo of the exterior of the building.  This is the ceiling in the center rotunda where I ate my slice of pizza.

I made my way back to the shuttle to the ship and was on-board by 3 p.m. I spent a little time in the hot tub before heading down to the International Cafe for a cup of Chai Tea.  I ran into the five women from the morning - they had decided to do the amphibian tour.  It sounded like fun but I'm glad I did my own walk-about.  

Later I went up to deck 16/17 for a few more photos before we left Boston.

You can see how foggy and cloudy it was...  Those downtown buildings are almost obscured.

Despite the cooler temperatures and a bit of rain, it was a nice day in Boston.

The following day we were meant to be in Bar Harbor, Maine but alas that was not to be.  There was an announcement at 7 a.m. that due to 9-10 foot swells and 40 knot winds the Captain was abandoning any attempt to anchor outside Bar Harbor.  As the port is either two small, or isn't deep enough, we would have been placed on lifeboats (they hold about 100-150 people so they aren't small) to tender in.  

As a result we had a sea day, which I didn't mind but some of my fellow travellers found boring.  I always say if you're bored on a cruise ship, you're trying to hard!  I slept in a bit, had a relaxing breakfast, sat and read my book, checked the Internet, grabbed a Chai tea and read some more.  I planned on taking in a movie at about 2 in the theatre but decided to lay down for a few minutes at 1:30 and woke up just before 4 p.m.  I did another wander before showering and changing for dinner at 6 p.m.  After dinner, Conna, Valerie, and I went to the Club Fusion for music trivia.  We made a reasonable attempt but without Conna we would have been lost.  Most of the music was from the 50's and 60's.  I was only 10 years in 1969...and never a music buff.

We finally sailed out of the clouds on our way to Saint John, New Brunswick.  More on that tomorrow (or the next day as I'm suffering from a wicked cold and having trouble focusing my attention on anything for very long.  Started this post about 8:30 this morning, it's now 12:50!)

Day 1 - Newport RI

This was my first visit to the New England states and I certainly wasn't disappointed.  I don't recall when we arrived in port, but Conna, Valerie, Lori and met for breakfast at 8 a.m on the aft deck of the ship.  

It was a bit of a gloomy day, but the temperatures were lovely.  I can only imagine what it would look like with the fall colors.

Conna had found a two hour sailing on the Aquidneck on-line.  For approximately $30 p/p we boarded the schooner at about 10:30 in the morning along with the other Canadian in our group, Maureen.  Our crew were three young men in their 20-30's.  They were definitely characters, and whenever we asked a question, they had a story ready for us.  

Conna is on the left, Lori on the right as they help raise the sails after we motored out of the bay.

This was one of the ships (or is it a boat?) at anchor.  We were told it was 281 feet long and had arrived from Europe sometime earlier this summer.

Our schooner was only about 80 feet in length, had two masts and four sails.  I was quite happy with the size!

This is the aptly named Clingstone House.  It was built in 1905 by Wharton (of the Wharton School of Business).  After a hurricane blew through it (almost literally) it was sold for less the $4000 in the 60's.  The current owner passed away last year, but it continues to be used as a rental property.  For a mere $10,000 a week, you can rent this self-sustaining house on a rock.  With 10 bedrooms, it's a steal if you take 9 of your closest friends with you. :)  Of course the only way to get there is by boat, so there would be some added costs as well.

We were told this house was the former summer home of the family of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.  Can you imagine?  If this was their summer home, I can only guess how large their 'rest of the year' home would have been.  

It puts into perspective this building, which was apparently Jackie's playhouse!  What a lucky girl, though I suspect she wasn't the one who cleaned it.

I have no idea who currently owns the property but it has definitely been well kept up.  Below and to the right of the playhouse was their boathouse.  It appeared to quite large (like everything else).

After being deposited back on shore Maureen left us as we wandered over to the Crab Shack, which had been highly recommended by the crew.  I'm sure it would have been good but both Lori and I were ready for a sit-down meal, and the Crab Shack was exactly that...a small building on a pier with picnic tables full of customers.  We made our way back up to shopping district and found the Brick Alley.  We had a bit of wait, but it was worth it.  Several of our party had lobster while I had fish and chips with a local beer.  

I had thought I'd take the trolley up to the Cliff Walk but by the time we finished lunch it was mid-afternoon.  I'm sure I would have had time, but I have a fear of missing the ship.  The rest were ready to go back too, so we all took the tender back to the ship.  I changed into my bathing suit and made my way to one of the hot tubs to relax before showering and changing for dinner. 

There were 14 of us that evening, which we split into two tables, one of eight, one of six.  We waited a very long time for tables as we arrived at 6:30 but weren't until nearly 8.  I left around 9 with Maureen as we wanted to see the Marriage game.  It was hilarious - particularly because the oldest couple (who had been married for 70 years) were at odds as Ada wasn't aware John had entered them.  She kept shooting him dirty looks and her responses were curt (but always correct). The two of them easily won, missing only one question.  He was asked what the last words were said in the bedroom at night, he answered "Give me a kiss" which she answered "Move over".  

Another great day at sea.  We sailed that evening for Bar Harbor, Maine but the captain's announcement that evening wasn't promising.  The ship was in motion all night, though not horrible and I certain didn't feel ill.  

On my way

This post is nearly a week behind but I hope you won't mind if I recount the trip over a series of posts.  I have photos but writing keeps the memories alive as well.

I flew out of Regina last Saturday morning; it started early with a 3:15 a.m. wake-up.  I washed up, got dressed and called a cab.  He was earlier than I anticipated but this turned out to be a good thing, as I got held up in a line up at check-in.  For some reason, the machine could not read my passport, and even the agent couldn't get it to work.  It was never a problem at any other airport on the trip, so have to assume it was this particular machine.  The two people in front of me seemed to be worse off, not sure what paperwork they required but it certainly was a lot.

Flight to Toronto and to New York were smooth.  I was fortunate in having a seat between myself and another guest on both legs.  I arrived in New York (LaGuardia) just slightly ahead of schedule and that's when things took a turn.

Misdirections from the welcome staff had me miss the first shuttle to the hotel, but with a second call and ignoring the instructions from the welcome crew I made my way to the proper area.  I can't explain why the shuttle picked me up where people were being dropped for their flights, rather than the pick-up area except there was lots of construction going on.  It made no sense.

When I got to the hotel, things went from a little annoying to my worst nightmare.  I had booked my hotel using Airmiles, but the hotel had no record of my reservation.  After nearly an hour of attempting to contact Airmiles in Canada (it was after hours and everything was shut down), the head office of Marriott in the States, we simply gave up and I paid for a night's stay.  $299USD plus taxes resulted in a charge to my credit card of $434.93!!!  I have since gotten it straightened out but at the time it was a frustration I could have lived without.

At this point, I wanted nothing more than something to eat, a shower and bed.  The following morning, I took the hotel shuttle back to the airport where I picked up the shuttle to the cruise port terminal.  Our embarkation was delayed as the ship had arrived from Europe that morning, and had to be fully cleared by the US Coast Guard.  We heard later too, that the ship had lost power so it was a bit of wait.  However, as I have platinum status, I was in VIP group 8 and on board by 1:45 p.m.  

I dropped off my carry-one at my stateroom, then went up to the buffet for a bite to eat.  I hadn't bothered to eat at the hotel, as dinner the menu was small and the prices were high.

I headed back to the stateroom to grab my camera and found that my luggage had already arrived!
While I was unpacking, my steward Richard dropped by to introduce himself and check if I needed anything.  
I told him, no I was unpacking, then was heading to muster drill at 4:15, the sail-away at 5 or 5:30 and had dinner plans for 6:30. 

He laughed and said, you have this figured out.  

I had an interior state room for this trip, so there was no sea view or windows.  Yes, it was dark at night but with all the lights nd mirrors it never felt small or crowded.  I might have felt differently if I were travelling with someone but for one person it was perfect.

The bathroom and closet are just inside the door.  There is a small bar fridge in the cabinet below the television, a hair dryer is affixed to the wall next to the mirror and there is lots and lots storage - both bedside table, drawers in the desk, and cubbies in the closet that holds the safe.  

I did a walk-about while waiting for muster drill.  It's held before sailing at the start of every cruise to ensure passengers know how to put on a life jacket and safely leave the ship in case of an emergency.  All guests are expected to attend and those who don't get a special visit from an officer.  I've never missed but I expect they must a remedial class! 

At sail-away I met many of the solo cruisers and a few Cruise Critic members.  Our solo group comprised 13 women and 2 men, two of us were Canadian, the rest were from the United States, and those primarily from New York or Baltimore. Conna was from California and Matt currently lives in Arizona.  The average age was probably 60'ish  (Facebook photos don't always tell the truth).  

It was a hot and hazy day in New York city, with clear skies.  My favorite photo of sail-away is that of Lady Liberty.

Later that evening, eleven of us met for dinner.  The host was shocked when we asked for a table that large, but they managed by squeezing in another chair at a table for ten.  We spent the dinner getting to know each other a little better, and while we sat down shortly after 6:30, we didn't finish dessert and coffee until nearly 9 p.m.  I can't recall what I had for dinner, but the chatter and laughter are with me still.

Tomorrow - Newport, Rhode Island

30'ish hours and counting

Packing is nearly complete, I just have to do some laundry tomorrow so I have some extra clean unmentionables.

Check out my little packing buddy.  Another cat who has to know what's happening at all times.

He really has been a blessing these last few days.  I miss my Sami so much, but he makes me laugh at his antics.  Sheldon also has a tendency to curl up next to my ear at night, with his motor running.  I wake up to the sounds of his purrs.  He's such a love bug.  At the moment he's laying beside me in my chair on his back, front paws in the air, fast asleep.  If I knew it wouldn't wake him, I'd try to get a photo.

Back to the trip....I am so looking forward to getting away for a short time.  Work has been so hectic for the past six weeks with the change in workload, as well as new employees and then my coworker had some back issues and has been off work for over two weeks.  I've been covering for her as well because she has my old group.  And just for fun, there was a last minute call to two half days of meetings this week that took me away from the rest of my work.

What doesn't get down by tomorrow at noon will just have to wait until I get back.  I'm scheduled to fly back from New York next Sunday Sept.24 but apparently Hurricane Jose is currently tracking to head up the east coast of the United States.  Some of my fellow passengers have expressed some concern but I'm not worried.  I suspect if it makes it that far north it will be a rain event only, but if by chance it chases us out to sea....it means I'll have a few extra days off work.  That wouldn't break my heart at all.

What would be disappointing is if the weather results in the cancellation of two of my excursions - sailing in Newport, and whale watching in Bar Harbor.  So if Jose decides to ruin the party he better wait until we're returning from Halifax to New York.

Time for bed as I'm working tomorrow for 6 hours, then home to do laundry, some housework and finish packing.  Then it's dinner with friends before an early night.  Cab will be at the front door about 3:45 a.m. so I can be at the airport in time for my flight.  I'm hoping I'll be able to post from the ship, but if not I'll be back in 10 days(or maybe a few more) with lots of pictures to share.

Have a great weekend!

A very quick update

First off, look who reached the 6 month milestone on Saturday!

He's really starting to be a little person. He adores his mom and dad, enjoys butternut squash and applesauce, and still won't smile (often) for G'ma's camera.  

I had breakfast with D and Eli on Saturday morning.  She's currently living in a friend's basement (bedroom and living area) and had her first shift back at a local retail outlet on Friday evening.  Dad J took Eli overnight and will do so when she works there, at least for now.

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I've been busy getting ready for my cruise.....12 more sleeps until I fly to New York.  For some reason, taking a trip gets me motivated to clean. I've and vacuumed and washed the floors in the entire upstairs of the house, cleaned the bathrooms, and did a bit more packing of my daughter's stuff.  I'll get some more boxes this week and take care of the baby's room next weekend.

My clothes and shoes as packed in my check bag, and I pulled out the carry-on this morning.  In the carry-on will be an extra outfit, undergarments, and pj's as well as a small bag of toiletries, my camera bag, a book, my itinerary* and a pair of ear plugs. The latter are for the airplane as I often sleep - I've been known to doze off as the plane is on take-off.

My old trusty purse I carried on many trips fell apart on the last one, so I'll use the travel bag I bought for Europe.  It has a shoulder strap with braided wire in it to ensure it can't be cut easily and has pockets I can lock to carry cash or other valuables.  It's meant to keep pickpockets at bay though I suspect on the Canada/New England that is less of an issue.  In my purse are my cash, passport, a pen, and a few other small items.  It tucks into my carry-on and that bag fits under the bag in front of my seat.  

*On my last cruise (Oct 2016) I got scolded by an American customs agent for not carrying my itinerary with me.  I didn't think I'd need it as we were arriving in New York overnight before leaving for the cruise.  He informed me I should carry it with me at all times.  Lesson learned!

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Work will be extremely busy for the next couple of weeks.  We're still in the midst of a transition.  I'm learning a new workload, getting to know my staff, and still finish up work from my old workload.  As well I'm responsible for orientation and this week's training of six new staff.  To be honest, I love being busy so though it may sound as though I'm whining, I'm truly not.  I've either asked for or volunteered for more work. 

It will make the time go more quickly....one more marble comes out of the jar on Tuesday, only 15 more months until retirement. 

I said this would be a quick update, but of course, I got wordy again.  I'll close off now with one more photo of my sweet grandson.

That's Sheldon beside him.  Eli loves him and so far Sheldon doesn't seem bothered by the baby either.

Have a great week everyone!