Bathurst in the Rain

Bathurst

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!  After 33 days of travel and only half a day of rain god decided it was time. Luckily it was a traveling day anyway so didn't miss out on anything.  The highway from Perce to Carleton is like driving down a 200 km long village street.  It felt weird having speed limits of 90 (which no one was going with the rain). We stopped in Carleton long enough for me to buy a rain/fall jacket made by a Quebec company. The lady said to think of it as a souvenir.  From Carleton on the road curved inland enough for the fishing villages to disappear and the trees to be in full colour. It helped make the drive easier. 

We had a late lunch of seafood chowder at a tiny, famous, off the beaten path, restaurant. I didn’t know they made each order from scratch and nearly had a fit when I realized how long it would take, but it was worth the wait.  By the time we were finished it was after 4.  The rain slowed Strider down, or at least his driver and Hope found a great B&B in Bathurst.  It is very modern with every detail well thought out.  My room has floor to ceiling windows opening onto a patio and 9 pillows on the bed.  I am amazed at how reasonable accommodations and dinners are especially in the Gaspe and NB.  We stayed in, ate leftovers, and visited with the owner.  Turns out there are weather warnings all across New Brunswick but it all has turned out well and the weather will be better in the morning.

Our lovely host Dene was a self taught artist who took the painting below, a symbol of a strong and united Canada, across the country at the time of the Quebec crisis and had premiers write letters of support to endorse it. There was a lot of symbolism in it as well as the one he did for the year 2000.  

Perce and the Ganets

Perce

We had a slow start after yesterday’s long drive and late night. Thankfully it was only an hour and a half to Perce, including stops along the way. We have a fashionably renovated 2 bedroom suite in what looks like a totally innocuous motel.  It is right on the ocean overlooking Perce Rock and just where I need to be to recharge my batteries.  

I rested most of the afternoon.  Walked into town for groceries and exploration then back to the motel for dinner.  I ordered poutine potato skins stuffed with lobster.  What was I thinking? Totally gross! Saved only by the salad, the pecan tart and the sunset and the big orange moon coming up out of the ocean that later flooded the ocean with light.  

Perce Day 2

Today we were up early to go on the boat to Bon Adventure Island to see the Gannets.  The boat also circled Perce Rock then did the same for the Island to see the birds on the cliffs, the seals and the 

Gaspe Town

Gaspe

It was another all day trip for what the map says is barely 3 hours and every stop was worth it.  It must have cost a fortune to build the road, and as much to keep it maintained. Much of it was cut out of rock and the rock that is left wants to be back on the road so lots of beware of falling rock signs.  The road runs so closely along the coast that in some places the waves were splashing onto the road even though it was just a normal sunny day.  In a winter storm I wouldn’t want to be on it. The winds are so strong the road and street signs are bent back in a v shape.  The road is as beautiful as the highway that hugs the coast of California only without traffic and fewer villages. When it climbs inland the trees are turning and with sunglasses the colours were even more dramatic and beautiful

It is deffinitely windy enough for these and they were maybe 2-300 along this stretch

How Quebec not to paint it white and red.

The road could have been a challenge but the traffic was nil

The whole coastline was spectacular

                                                            Every beach was different

Which was why it took all day

                                                Then there was the cemetary

The bleeding angel

The town of Gaspe is under construction so it is hard to know what it was or will be like.  There aren’t a lot of dining options between sweet breads for $55, in what looked like an abandoned mansion, and cod tongues, in season, at the family restaurant. Neither had a view of the sunset we have come to enjoy. Luckily we found The Artists Coffee shop full of funky folk art, great simple food and a view over the construction to the water and the sunset.  

Our Auberge is really nice, built into a hill so that my room is in the treetops. Tonight was the best evening ever with the super moon eclipse. In the back yard there is a deck with several comfortable chairs.  After trying several spots for the ‘perfect view’ of the eclipse we returned to the comfort of the back yard.  At least half a dozen others soon joined us.  They spoke French but when we were talking in English they would switch to share what they understood.  It was an amazing couple of hours watching the shadow cross the moon.  It gave me vertigo at how fast we are moving through the universe. 

Sainte Ann des Monts

Sainte Anne des Monts From Sainte Flavie

A good day today.  It took all day to go what could have taken less than 2 hours.  We were on the Trail of the Arts and along the way found a Saturday market with crafts, several art galleries and the most wonderful set of sculptures along the shore that made me think of all the refugees in Europe and made me cry.  

                                      A flock of sheep on the lawn of a hotel 

                         

                                         The Saturday Market buildings

Sculptures by Marcel Gagnon

In Metis-sur-Mer where we spent most of the day in the 5 acre garden.  It was a fishing camp for George Stephen who was the main visionary and financier of the CPR.  The lodge, set between the garden and the gulf of St. Lawrence is now a museum and special event site. He left it to his niece who designed the present garden and upgraded the lodge.  They had one of the first Kodak cameras and built their own dark room.  We spent hours photographing and it was nice to see their early images. 

Hope The Photographer at Work

After that all that beauty from art and nature the drive, mostly along the shore, varied between farming country and hilly forested areas was easy.  Our motel has picture windows overlooking the gulf and the lights of the town.  Our host recommended a restaurant at the other end of town.  We decided to walk, giving me 16,000 steps for the day.  The whole way we didn't see one person except one derelict guy on a bicycle collecting bottles.  The restaurant turned out to be more of a retail fresh fish and lobster place with no one eating in it.  The sun was getting low and it spooked me out to think of walking back in the dark plus we would miss the sunset so walked back to the only other restaurant/pub in town as at least it had some cars in front of it. We got a good table overlooking the water and the sunset.  The place felt warm and friendly and served great fresh salad and seafood. After dinner the sun had just set and we walked home along the board walk watching the birds feeding along the shoreline. 

Life does get quieter after the tourist season. There were a lot of for sale signs on the north shore and here a lot of businesses that have closed down.  I’m not sure how much the economy is suffering although the tourist business is doing well with lots of Europeans and Americans coming for the low dollar.  It took a lot of calls to find places to stay for the next few days. We are getting into Peeper Season when everyone comes for the fall colour.

This main street house decorations manages to offend everyone but the horses 

                                                      The view along the Boardwalk

                                                 Sunset on St. Anne des Monts