Another Day in Picturesque Canada

What a day this was!  Not only was it our National Day - St-Jean Baptiste - which is just a regular day for the rest of Canada, it was a day of touring Nova Scotia!  Our day started with a bite to eat and good coffee at Starbucks.

We actually had to go back to the hotel room because Stinkypaw couldn't drink properly and had to change her top.  And all those talks I've heard about opposable thumbs and stuff they have, making them more evolved than animals, yeah right!

Anyway.  We met up with her Postcrossing friend and her husband and headed for a little road trip.  Despite Stinkypaw's hubby lack of interest in seeing Peggy's Cove (just a lighthouse, according to him), I'm happy we went.  It was quite the sight!

I guess we were lucky enough that there was wind and the waves were crashing, showing and reminding us of what a force of nature the sea is. Look at this nice picture of us three.

Don't we just look like the puuuurrrfect little family?  Can you believe some people were taking pictures of me, as I sat there posing for Stinkypaw?  Some were even being nosy enough and asking if I'd traveled anywhere else in the world.  I tell you some people, as if they'd never seen a trimmed beaver before!

We walked around some, took some pictures, that place was quite scenic to say the least.  Stinkypaw even got her passport stamped by the lady at the postal counter (just like she did when we went to the Arctic Circle Center a few years ago)...

We continued our drive by heading to Lunenberg, also a picturesque, quaint little town.  They had lunch on a terrace on the waterfront, quite the view and then walked around some.  One thing we've noticed since we've been visiting Canada, it closes early.  By 5 p.m. the little shops were closing.  This morning we've noticed that most restaurants were not opening before 10 am, thus making them go to Starbucks! Those Canadians, I tell you, they almost have union hours!

On our drive back to Halifax, we spotted ring-a-dings as Stinkypaw calls them (they're actually lupins) and she managed to catch a picture of them, love those weeds!

You must admit they're not bad, right? Right! Glad you agree!

We were almost at Mahone Bay - here's the proof that I've been there! |Also quaint and picturesque.

From there it was cruising along the highway, Nova Scotia style.  I must say, despite being all relaxed and stress free, it was a long day.  Stinkypaw had not really realized how far of a drive it was from Halifax.  She was happy to spend that time with her friends exploring that part of Canada.  She believes, as I do, it was worth every moments, and we're all thankful to our local "guides".  I guess it is true what is said about those Canadians folks being nice and all...

Road Trip to Canada

Well hello there!  It's been a while since I traveled anywhere, but this time it's a doozy as we went for a road trip, not a little one, but one that took over thirteen hours of driving!  Stinkypaw wanted to attend yet another meet-up and this one was taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia - two provinces over heading East.  She managed to convince her better half to accompany us and off we were!

As we drove through New Brunswick, there were many patches of wild daisies, and since it's always been a dream of mine to lay in a field of wild flowers, Stinkypaw pulled over, during the little stretch of road she drove, since Hubby drove most of the way, and indulged my fantasy...

Don't I look like the cutest thing among these flowers?  I sure think so...  Good thing she stopped when she did, because an hour or so after, it started to rain and it poured for the rest of the way, really crappy drive, if you ask me, and I wasn't the one driving!  By the time we arrived in Halifax, the rain calmed down some, so that was nice.  I was happy to get out of the car and welcome the nice bed after that long and exhausting day.

Saturday the weather was trying to clear up some, so they decided to walk around some and explore while slowly making their way towards the café where the meet-up was being held.  Along the way we passed this big city sign and just had to take that tourist shot...

Can you see me among the flowers, bottom right?  I know I`m small, but I'm all there!  Not long after that, we stopped at a local whole in the wall type of place, very bohemian, which turned out to be a café but also a youth hostel.  The had good breakfast burritos and Hubby had his first local beer, which according to Stinkypaw fitted him perfectly since an old friend of his used to call him ''Propeller Head" turned out to be a nice IPA, according to him...

After the pit stop we kept walking, heading towards the meet-up place.  Ten ladies were partaking in this one, four locals, two from Ontario and four from Québec.  It was quite the Hen Party, lol and many postcards were signed.  Don't know the total tally since the organizer had made an official card, and two others also did their own cards, so there were lots of cards!

After the meet, some were heading home, others went out for dinner and we followed one of the locals.  Turned out we made our way to a restaurant where a bunch was supposed to be, but we did not see any of them there, so after waiting for a while, we decided to go some other place along the water front.  We had a great dinner, great company - nice to put a face (and more!) to a Bacefook and Postcrossing profile and actually get to know them.  After dinner Hubby and Stinkypaw kept on walking along the water front, even if all the shops were closed by that time, but they spotted a few places to come back to for Stinkypaw to get some postcards.  Along the way I actually ran into a public figure in Canada, so I had to take a picture with this old Prime Minister of Canada...

He's never been a good looking man, but he always wore his red rose on his lapel, such a sharp dresser!

After a good night sleep, we started our day by walking downtown.  We walked through the Halifax Public Gardens, beautiful place, full of trees and so many flowers, I was so happy...

Look at these purdy flowers...

Today the sun was shining at 23 degrees (not bad!), but man oh man is it windy here!  They had a bite to eat on a roof top terrace, and then made their way back to the waterfront for Stinkypaw to get some postcards.  After some shopping, they stopped for a refreshment (of course!)...

Nice spot they chose, by the water but somewhat protected from the wind.  Hubby had another local beer and I think he was afraid I'd take a sip or something...as if!

I much preferred her root beer floatie... that was quite yummy!

And this concluded the first chapter of our road trip 2019.  Stay tuned!

Another Meet-Up!

Would you look at that, here I am, yet at another meet-up!  This one was in Montréal, downtown, at the Cafeteria of the Bay, on the 7th floor.   I came with Postman Pat and his cat, of course.

They had a good turn out, and many cards were signed, check out the pile...

On the road for Postcrossing... again!

This time, we are heading to Canada, as she said! We took the train and headed towards Toronto.

She had a Postcrossing meet-up in Ingersoll, ON so instead of driving (by herself) she went VIA.

It was a pleasant ride, really.  Got to look at the scenery, enjoyed a good meal and mostly do nothing but be driven!

This was a big meet-up, over 2,500 cards were signed that day!  It was a good one to attend as the two founders of Postcrossing came all the way from Portugal.  We got a chance to meet them.

I will say this, though, it was a mighty long way to go to sign some cards, that's all I have to say!

Back to Norway!

Hilsen, as they say in Norway!  Imagine my surprise when I got packed up and heading back to Arctic Norway!  This time around it was for a short visit, but I did manage to visit or re-visit some of the good spots we had found three years ago!

We made our way back to that area with the nice lake, not too far from Bodø.  This time I managed to find a tree my size!

Stinkypaw completed this Inukshuk, just perfect for me!  A nice way to end our little excursion around Bodø.

Of course, Stinkypaw went postal, again!  Think about it, the lady at the library where she bought most of her cards, remembered her from three years ago!  Same thing for the girl at the bakery!  You know you've been often when...

This time, she almost managed to wrangle herself a mini meet-up with a Postcrossing member in Bodø!  That member actually sent Stinkypaw an official card last year, and when she found out she was going back, she contacted that member and asked if they could meet.  And they did.  We ended up for a bite to eat at "Mon Ami" a French restaurant, wrote a few cards, and talked lots.  That member was a timid but nice gal.  We'll see if they keep in touch...

Everyday we were in Bodø Stinkypaw shopped for cards, she wrote cards daily and even tried that new feature on Postcrossing called "Travel Mode" which gives you an ID code from the country you're visiting.  She was all happy to be in a "rare" country, and she actually sent forty official cards in the two weeks we were there. 

Enjoying a moka from the bakery, in the same little apartment we had three years before!  She actually left a few days prior to her husband to go to Oslo and attend a meet-up there.  She was really looking forward to it, and it was fun!  I got to see that lady we had met our last visit in Oslo, she's holding me next to the pile of cards signed that day, a few hundreds.  They were 10 women attending, a nice group of ladies.

After all those cards, we took a walk in the port and went for some isk, we walked a bunch, but it was good... so I'm told!

On the way back, since Stinkypaw was alone, she decided to take some shots along the way... as we walk by the City Hall - a weird square shaped building, with an important role in the history of Oslo/Norway...

In the park along the main street, heading towards our hotel...  One of the nice fountains...

It was actually VERY hot in Oslo at the time.  The morning we left Bodø it was 9 degrees, after a plane ride of 1.5 hours we arrived in Oslo to 30 degrees.  We went from winter to summer!  She even had to buy herself a pair of shorts, it was so hot!

This statue was also along the way to our hotel, on the street (as it was three years ago too), one of many pieces of art we can find walking in Oslo, it's actually pretty nice to see all those big pieces just there on the streets for everyone to enjoy as they walk by!

One of the souvenir that was brought back, was this Norwegian duckie... my new pal!

On our last day, we enjoyed a cold drink on a terrasse and a bite to eat.  The eat was a bit much, but the water was cold and the company was good, so a good way to close this visit back to Norway.

Escaping Winter and Christmas Time All Together...

This year, Stinkypaw and her husband decided to escape for Christmas AND New Year and took me along for this ride! We ended up across the world in beautiful Hawai'i. Stinkypaw loves it there and she didn't want to go just for one week, so they manage to go for two beautiful weeks.

Here I am at the Honolulu airport waiting for our connecting flight to the Big Island.  They had just enough time for her to enjoy her (first) Mai Tai and him a Long Board.

I also made friends with these two!

As we were about to land in Kona, the flight attendant gave us all a treat, some deeeelicious chocolate covered Mac nuts.

My new friends wanted in on that treat!

Right after I enjoyed my yummy chocolate, I noticed the beautiful view on the Big Island, it is quite dry looking on that side of the island... Look at those waters, so blue!!

Since this was their # visit on the Big Island, these two knew their way around, so they went for groceries for the week, hit a place to eat for dinner and even booked themselves a Christmas Eve dinner! Our first morning came by, full of sun and oh so fragrant! It smells so nice and the birds chirping constantly, unreal! When they got back from their morning walk, Stinkypaw gave me this beautiful plumeria, so pretty, don't you think?

  

We've been gallivanting around the island. She always bring me with them, but depending where they go, sometimes I just stay chill in the car.

We made a pit stop along the way, where you could see many old lava trails left from the 1800 eruption, and how nature is slowly growing back among it all.  It is pretty fascinating when you think of it.

Hubby holding me down

Hubby had to hold me down it was sooo windy there!  I actually flew off when Stinkypaw took that first shot. It was somewhat scary if you ask me!

We ended up at the Black Sand Beach, that was so cool! Well, not really! The sand was VERY hot, but seeing all that black sand was cool!

 Plus we were lucky enough to see some sea turtles just enjoying the warm sand, quite the sight! Check it out!

The Big Island was, as usual (I'm told!), the calm and relaxing place it is.  It's not Kauai, but a close second!  We had a great week, visiting some, beaching most days, and did I mention doing sweet nothing but enjoying it all?

We flew back to Oahu, for our last week, and I actually got leid when we checked in!

Don't I look just like the perfect little tourist!  This is the view from our little lanai, in Waikiki, right by the marina, our new home for a week.  I'm told here it will be a very different vibe, as for one, they have friends they want to catch up with.  It is not quite the same as the Big Island, but as far as I know, it's still hot and I like it!

Today they actually meet up with a friend of theirs, from Australia, who is also in Waikiki, staying at the hotel next door from us! Talk about a coincidence! This is me posing as we're heading out to meet with this dude from Down Under for a bite to eat...  That Marina you see, is where they filmed the opening sequence in Gilligan's Island, remember that old show (way before my time!) from the 70s?

They met up with this crazy Aussie then went for a drink, or two, and I have a feeling that dude thought I was a weird little thing... but Stinkypaw stood by me!

Despite having a great time, and enjoying every little moments we could, it is time to think of heading home...

Yeah, so these two don't really travel light! I have prime sitting in her travel bag, and for that I am thankful!  On our way to the airport we stopped for a bite to eat at a local diner with their good friend.  She Hawaiian (born and raised) and she's like ohana to them.

Stinkypaw might look happy there, but deep down she was crying...hard.  She will miss her friend and that heat...

Here I am poking my head out for a breath during our long flight home.  Man oh man!  It is a beautiful place, but man it's far!

Over twelve hours in a flying banana isn't really my idea of a fun time, but it was a smooth flight.  Usually they try to cut their flight time in half by making they way to the West coast first which is about half way.  This time, because they were flying on points, they couldn't do that.  On the way there we had a short flight and then a long one, but coming back it was the opposite, so here I am trying to stay awake for the last leg of this journey home...

I don't look too back considering being stuffed in a bag for more than 9 hours! This is a little montage she did from the view we had upon our departure and the one we got upon arrival.  Quite a different scenery, wouldn't you say?

Aloha oe! I will see you again, it's a promise...

Not much travels this year...

This year hasn't really been a year of many travels... I did attend a Postcrossing meet up here and there, along with Stinkypaw, but other than that, it's been a quiet year for me this far...

July 8, in Ottawa during a Meet Up, with a fellow Postcrosser...

It's always funny to see how some people react to my presence, and yet, some can't help themselves and want a picture with me!

We were in Canada, on July 8th, 2017!

In August, we (Stinkypaw and I) made our way to Québec City to meet up with another fellow Postcrosser, this time from Calgary, AB visiting Québec city for a week.  Stinkypaw decided to make the drive and use the occasion to spend some time with a cousin of hers.

Co-Pilot, heading for Québec City

A local Postcrosser welcomed us in her home so they did a mini-meet up, all three of them.

August 17, 2017 in QC City

Other than that, I'm relaxing for our next trip, coming up in 61 days exactly!  Now that will be a long and fun trip!  Can't wait!