Hi there everyone. Don’t be jealous but I’m sitting in a
camp chair at our campsite right on the beach of the Northumberland Strait. A
few boats float right off shore; the beach is empty. Last night I learned how
to dig for clams from a local who had a giant bucket of the succulent
creatures. Alas, I managed to dig up a few very small clams and, in the process,
broke their shells, but… hey… it’s a learning curve.
Our first night of Air BnB was an adventure. We had arranged
to meet the hosts in a church parking lot in Kamouraska de Lalemont and followed
them down a long dirt driveway to a completely secluded little “chalet.” As
they showed us around, we glanced at each other doubtfully – the “half bath”
turned out to be an outhouse. The fully equipped kitchen was a campstove. They
provided three liters of fresh water in jugs and explained how to scoop up yellow
creek water to wash our dishes and bathe – yeah, right. Clearly, showers were
out of the question. The place was cute and the couple had clearly devoted
loving care into the finishing details – they just neglected to include – or disclose
lack of – amenities such as indoor plumbing or electricity. We laughed a lot.
And got a half refund from Air BnB.
Day two was a tiny village called St. Fabien sur Mer on the
Gaspe Peninsula, still in Quebec. We stayed in a “gite” – a bed and breakfast
that is a room in a boarding house. Our host, Denis, made a beautiful breakfast
from foods all locally grown. I did point out, however, that the eggs may have
been laid nearby, the ham came from a local pig, the lettuce and tomato were fresh
from the garden, but the orange juice was probably from California (or Florida)!
Then two nights in a mobile home in New Brunswick – all furnished
with Ikea – feet from the Baie des Chaleurs in a tiny village on Ile Lameque
(Lameque Island). We bought fresh clams from a shop on the dock, had lunch in a
little diner frequented by locals, and sat on the deck enjoying the peace and
quiet. We are now in Kouchibouguac National Park on the Strait of
Northumberland. We met a fun couple last night who invited us over to their
campsite for fresh oysters, which turned into an evening of conversation and
partying over the campfire. Today stretches ahead with possibility of a canoe
outing, a walk along a boardwalk set up to show off and preserve the amazing
ecosystems here, and maybe a bike ride. I saw a bald eagle yesterday.
All in all, and so far, this journey is relaxing, the
scenery is stunning, and we’ve been eating well. I foresee lots of shellfish
ahead – clams, mussels, oysters, lobster, and scallops.
Oh, by the way, Teddy and Lady are quite content. They are
getting lots of exercise and eating well (we add our dinner leftovers to their
breakfast bowls).
Forget Europe – Canada ROCKS!! Nova Scotia here we come!
Tina and Jeff
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