Halifax

We're heading back to Halifax tonight! I can hardly believe that we're going home. We'll be working around the HRM until next Wednesday, so I will have a full SEVEN days in my own bed! WOO!

Oh. My. Gosh.

Tomorrow I am going to a chocolate factory.

WHOA.

Food for thought...

I mentioned earlier that the majority of food in northern New Brunswick restaurants seems to be deep-fried, or otherwise disgustingly fatty. The menus have become predictable. If I had a deep-fryer (and knew how to use it) I could easily open a 'successful' restaurant based on the following menu:

"Burgers: cheeseburger, hamburger, pizza burger, chicken burger, fish burger"

"Chicken: 1/4 chicken, fried chicken, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, chicken wings"

"Sandwiches: BLT, grilled cheese, club, chicken, egg"

"Poutine: traditional, extra cheese, italian poutine, chicken poutine, clam poutine"

"Fish: fish and chips, deep-fried clams, scallops and chips"

...you catch my drift.

Anyhow, I couldn't take another deep-fried meal, so tonight I decided I would order the "Chicken Salad". Imagine my excitement when a large platter was brought my way. Upon closer inspection, however, I discovered that it was nothing but a pile of (soggy) lettuce, which some shaved chicken tossed in, and drenched in mayonnaise. I can't imagine anyone actually eating it all. Needless to say I did not take the leftovers home with me.

On that note, I think I may have to rinse my mouth again. I can't seem to get rid of the taste of mayonnaise in my mouth...

Observations from northern New Brunswick

• Although many communities are predominately French speaking, a surprising number of the people prefer to read in English.

• Everything can (and is) deep-fried. That is to say, deep-frying is the norm; the standard; the expectation. Anytime I have ordered a salad, or fruit, or anything containing any colour other than brown or beige, I have received a mix of shock and mock from the wait-staff.

• On that note - there is a Dixie Lee on every corner. I haven't eaten there, but I already can't stand the smell.

• The people here are incredibly outgoing, friendly, warm, and appreciative. Some of these communities are so far north in the province they are somewhat isolated. The people are SO excited to see us coming - they can't believe that something they have seen on TV has come to their town.

• Sobeys in Bathurst is incredible. THUMBS up to the staff there for making us feel at home, and for encouraging so many to come out to chat with us. We had an unforgettable day!!!

• Additionally - Price Chopper in Tracadie-Sheila knocked our socks.

• It seems to be windy here all of the time. I shouldn't be surprised. I know that the closer you get to the ocean, the more wind you expect. I'll blame my surprise on the fact that I lived in Ontario for 2.5years.

• Apparently 'Poutine' is a food group here. I have seen everything from 'chicken poutine' to 'deep-fried-clam-poutine' to 'scallop poutine' - AND everything in between.

More observations to follow. Right now I am tired, and feeling like I'm coming down with a bit of a cold. Looking forward to having a day off on Tuesday!

Until next time...

George said it best...

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right

After enduring a month of damp, cold, rain and snow, we hungrily welcomed the unseasonably warm weather we were treated to this long weekend in the Miramichi. Cold weather is tiresome in most cases, but it is especially frustrating when your office is a bus, and you live in hotel rooms. It means that you are cold all day at work, and then feel confined to a small room in the evenings. The shift in weather opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for us!

We spent Saturday morning in Blackville and the afternoon in Eel Ground. Being the first warm day of the year, and a long weekend, things were slow for us as most people seemed to be staying home for whatever reason. We took advantage of the sun ourselves by sitting outside of the bus, soaking up the rays (and the vitamin D!), and enjoying 'summer treats' like ice cream and freezies! In the evening we decided to celebrate the long weekend by going for a nice dinner at a restaurant on the water. We dined on fresh seafood while watching the sun set...it was a nice change from the deep fried foods we had been subjected to in some of the smaller communities.

Sunday was Easter, so I took a morning walk through the quiet city to a nearby church to take in Easter Mass. Spirits were high as the spring weather had brought everyone out in their sun dresses and sandals. There is something wonderful about being able to let your toes breathe after months of confinement in socks and boots. After I returned from mass we all sat out in the parking lot and enjoyed a picnic. When you're living on the road you take whatever outdoor space you can get!

Today we arrived at a lovely B&B in Tracadie-Sheila. The sun is still shining and warm, so we were thrilled to find that the guests have a private deck! I think we may spend the afternoon exploring the town, and soaking up a bit more sun. The weather is supposed to change again, and we won't have another day off for the next 7 days, so we need to make the most of it!

New Brunswick

Welcome to NB! We've been making our way through the Kennebecasis Valley, Saint John area, Moncton area, and are now slowly heading north.

We spent yesterday in Cap Pele. Despite the cold weather our bus received a wonderfully warm welcome from the village fire department. During the morning our visits were exclusively from men, which was definitely unique! We always welcome men on board, however it often takes some coaxing, as many tend to be hesitant, or only come to accompany women. These men were full of great questions and friendly information about the town. By the end of the day it seemed that word of our bus spread like wild fire from one end of the village to the other! The hospitality was incredible! I would love to go back to Cap Pele on my own time when the weather warms up a bit.

Last night we headed up to Rexton for the night. We stayed at a B&B - our first on this tour. It was SO nice to be out of a chain hotel and into a warm home. I was particularly excited because the house was built in the 1850s, and the owners had made an effort to maintain much of the original integrity of the building. When we walked in I felt my nerd sense tingling. We randomly chose rooms and settled in. Later in the evening our hostess revealed that the Right Hon. Paul Martin had stayed there only two nights previous! I squealed with glee! The girls laughed and said that they were glad that I got the room because I am really the only one nerdy enough to find that exciting! Don't worry - I took pictures of everything!

Today was another pleasant day! We spent the afternoon in Big Cove at the Health Centre. We had an impressive turn out from the community. We love seeing lots of people come out to the bus, but especially love when there are groups of family and friends, and everyone is excited to take in the information that we have. The people in Big Cove were so eager to greet us! I think all three of us felt a warm glow as we pulled away at the end of the day. Hopefully this is a trend developing, and we'll have more days like today in our near future!

S-T-U I love you!

I've slacked off a bit with this blog! I could sit here and make a million and one excuses as to why I haven't posted lately, but then I'd just be wasting time. Instead, I'll just jump to the good stuff.

Last week we spent a day in Fredericton at UNB and STU. Having spent four years at STU I was really looking forward to returning to a place where I made so many happy memories. To be honest, I was also a bit anxious. I haven't been back to Fredericton since graduating in May of 2007. I was worried that I wouldn't like the changes that had happened in the city. I thought it would be weird to be on campus and not see my friends coming across the courtyard. Luckily my angst was brought on for nothing. When we pulled out of STU at 6:00pm last Thursday I was feeling euphoric! The day had been incredible!

We started the day with breakfast at the Diplomat - a favorite restaurant of mine! When I first visited the city for a campus tour in 2002 I had breakfast there; when my parents drove me up to move me in in September 2003, I had breakfast there. When I graduated in 2007- I had breakfast there. I had more breakfasts at the Dip (and many at odd times of the day, night, and morning - some via take-out), than I could even venture to count. Needless to say my day started off on the right foot!

As we drove through town towards UNB my excitement mounted. Driving down Beaverbrook Rd. I saw my old apartment building looming in the distance. I felt a sense of comfort as we passed by, turning through the campus gates. We drove through UNB to our resting place at the SUB. It was raining and cold, but I couldn't shake the excitement. Several people came out to meet us at the very beginning of our day, which was really positive. I looked up at one point and saw Colleen - a friend from band and school, as well as a former colleague at the tourist bureau. It was great to see a familiar face, and was awesome to get to share my bus with someone that I know!

We had lunch at the Cellar - something I had actually never done before. Thankfully it was pretty good, and very cheap, so everyone was happy with that. Before heading up the hill I popped into the bookstore to buy a new STU water bottle. When we finally approached STU I felt as though I were coming home after being away. Immediately I saw a number of familiar faces of some of the fabulous staff that make STU so incredible. My co-workers were so impressed with the courtesy of the STU community that I was filled with pride. Our afternoon was filled with positive visits from interested students. Just when I was pretty sure that the day could not get any better we had a surprise visitor boarded our bus. Sue Johanson (renowned sex educator) was on campus for a talk and decided to pay us a visit. She came on board and discussed being breast aware with us. We gushed - barely able to be believe that we were discussing breast health with SUE we humbly revealed our stories of being 'Sue-fans'. She was incredibly easy to talk to (as one would expect), and very willing to pose for a photo with us. I don't think that any of us will forget our afternoon at STU. It will probably go down as our favorite tour memory.