Friday, October 31, 2014

St. Andrews...A Weekend in New Brunswick

We were fortunate to visit New Brunswick for the long Columbus Day weekend, and on our way home, we stopped in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, a National Historical District, just under 20 miles from the Canadian-United States border.


St. Andrews, founded in the late 1700s as a loyalist town and shipbuilding center, has a charming downtown, punctuated with nautical shops, quirky boutiques, and places to sit and people watch.









A lovely inn, Canada's oldest summer hotel, sits in the middle of the main street.



St. Andrews is the home of the Algonquin Resort and prestigious 18-hole golf course. 

The picturesque seaside Veteran's Memorial. 


Whale watching is also a popular activity here, drawing on a rich nautical tradition. 






Like all cute towns, they had a lovely coffee shop, where I had the tastiest maple scone and hot apple cider. 


And then we I stopped to ham it up for a couple of fun photos.




Have you ever been to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea or anywhere in the Maritime Provinces of Canada? Where are your favorite spots?







Thursday, October 30, 2014

Rodrigo y Gabriela... Midweek Date Night in Boston

I love Pandora. It is usually streaming in the background of just about everything that I do. 

I have favorite channels for different activities, and I have found so many artists that are now part of my iTunes library an have become new favorites. 

Rodrigo y Gabriela are an example of a new favorite, and when I found out through Goldstar's discounted ticket program that they were coming to Boston, I knew we would go. 


Rodrigo y Gabriela are guitarists from Mexico who, heavily influenced by rock bands, such as Metallica, became famous as street buskers on the streets of Dublin. 

Their energy and talent are unmatched. 

Their music has been featured in the films Shrek and Puss and Boots, as well as in the pilot for Breaking Bad, and even Monday Night Football

So after a late start and heavy traffic, we finally made it. 

The centrally located Orpheum Theatre is practically across the street 
from the Boston Common's Park Street station...easy in and easy out.



The show opened with Norwegian guitarist, Øystein Greni, who is the singer and lead guitar player of the Norwegian rock and roll band BigBang, who joined Rodrigo y Gabriela on the 5-week American part of their tour. 

It was a great set, and he set the stage for what was to come. 

And Rodrigo y Gabriela did not disappoint. Diverting from a typical set list, they took requests and shared stories with the enthusiastic audience who seemed to know and love every song. 


Rodrigo y Gabriela, on stage with Øystein Greni

We left smiling and energized. It was a fun night in town to hear amazing live music. If you have the chance, check out Rodrigo y Gabriela on Pandora or wherever you find your music. You are in for a treat. 

A clip of "Diablo Rojo" from Late Night with David Letterman


Have you found any new favorites through Pandora or another streaming music service? Please share. 

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The Cíes Islands...islands of the gods

Spain has beautiful beaches, no doubt. And this summer, we had the opportunity to visit the beach that The Guardian called The Most Beautiful Beach in the World and what the Romans called, islands of the gods.



The Cìes Islands are part of the Vigo estuary; an archipelago of three islands; a 40-minute ferry ride from the cities of Vigo, Baiona, or Cangas in Pontevedra, in southern Galicia. 

If you're leaving from Vigo, park at the mall. There are plenty of spaces and it's reasonably priced and adjacent to the dock. 


The flag of Spain and of Galicia




Rodas Beach, called Caribbean Beach, on Monteagudo, was named the most beautiful in 2007, for its white sand and crystal clear, turquoise blue water. 








There are no hotels on the island, but you can camp. There are no trash cans either; everything you bring in, you must bring out. And there is no electricity on the island. 

There are a visitors' center, a small market and two restaurants for tourists. You can kayak and swim, but you cannot do anything to disrupt the island ecosystem. 


As a nature preserve, any activities that threaten the ecosystem are prohibited. From what we could tell, people camp and sunbathe. They swim and walk around the island...it's a giant campground. 







It is beautiful. The seagulls like it, for sure. The world's largest colony of seagulls live here...reportedly over 40,000. There are other birds too, but seagulls are the dominant species. 


Who can blame them? The Cíes Islands, and specifically Rodas Beach, are lovely. 

Where is your favorite beach? What is your idea of the most beautiful beach in the world? 









Sunday, October 26, 2014

Friday, October 24, 2014

Hopewell Rocks..a Weekend in New Brunswick

We love going to Canada. Here in New England, we are within a reasonable drive of the eastern provinces, and we have wanted to explore Atlantic Canada for a long time. 



Over the Columbus Day weekend, we traveled to Saint John, New Brunswick to explore Hopewell Rocks, at the Bay of Fundy, near Moncton. 



Also called the Flowerpot Rocks, these rock formations stand 40-70 feet tall and, like the rocks at Cathedrals Beach in Galicia, Spain, are covered by water at high tide. 

The Bay of Fundy is reported to have the highest tidal range in the world, rising over 50 feet at high tide.  


So lucky to have walked on the Atlantic Ocean floor on two continents...in Europe, in Spain at Cathedrals Beach and in North America, in Canada, at Hopewell Rocks. 


The ocean floor is accessible for up to three hours before and three hours after low tide. 







At high tide, visitors can kayak the same area where they previously walked. 



According to the Park's Learning Center, the tides vary because of the shape of the shoreline and the depth of the water. The Bay of Fundy is funnel shaped and fairly shallow, which facilitate higher tides because the water has nowhere to go. 



The water appears brown as it moves across the mud flats, resulting in a  "Chocolate River" effect.

The mud flats that produce the "Chocolate River."


There are some unique caves and structures to explore, and plenty of places that are "selfie" and "Instagram-ready." 




I like big rocks and I cannot lie...







If you meander too long, there is emergency shelter, but I'm guessing it's not recommended. 



Interpretive staff are stationed on the beach, providing guided tours and advice on issues related to the incoming tide.  

When we were there, one of the staff members was sharing this time lapse of the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, captured at Hopewell Rocks on September 12th. 



Hopewell Rocks are open to visitors from May to October.  Your entrance fee ($9 CAD) allows you two consecutive days, in order to see both high and low tides. And don't forget to see the cute mascot near the gift shop, who is always ready to bid you adieu. 




Just down the road, along the Fundy Trail, is the Cape Enrage lighthouse, one of the oldest in New Brunswick, built in 1840. 


Today, it is a popular spot for rappelling, zip lining and rock climbing.

Have you been to Hopewell Rocks or any other places in the Atlantic provinces of Canada? What are your recommendations?