Spring Break 2022: Canadian Maritime Provinces

 

One of our favorite places to travel to is Canada. It is different enough from the U.S. that it feels like you are traveling to a foreign country, but without the cost or hassle. We usually travel to Canada at least once or twice a year. Among the many difficulties of suffering through the pandemic was that we were not able to travel to our favorite country to the north. While out in Seattle in 2020 at the height of the pandemic we did try to get across the border to Vancouver, but of course, were turned back. So, when we heard the border restricts were lifted in March we quickly began making plans for our first trip back in a few years.

Our opportunity came with Lily's spring break. We usually go to Ontario or Quebec and so we decided to do something different and visit the Canadian Maritime provinces.  

 

We left late Tuesday night and drove through the night. It is easier doing long drives at night so the kids can sleep. This means less rest stops and a quieter trip for dad. We were stopped at the border, but were able to get over the border without much trouble and arrived at our first stop--Lunenberg ,Nova Scotia—around lunchtime Wednesday.

 

April is the off season for much of the Maritimes so most of the attractions were still closed. Nonetheless, we were still able to find things to do. We began by walking around the docks. We met an older fisherman that was nearing retirement. He mostly worked around the docks. He told us he missed being out at sea, but his legs were no longer strong enough to manage the standing on deck tossed by waves.

 

That night we stayed just outside of Lunenberg, across the harbor at a private campground-like area for RVs and camper vans. Not surprisingly, our camper had a low ceiling, so I had to hunch over while inside, but Lily and Emily really enjoyed staying there.

 

On Thursday we went to visit Peggy’s Cove and then stopped briefly in Halifax. Peggy’s Cove was very beautiful. It was a rocky coastline with a picturesque lighthouse. The area was well-maintained and including a large viewing deck and a giftshop and restaurant. We had a small lunch in the restaurant. It was very cold and windy outside, but that didn’t stop Lily and Emily from climbing over ever rock they set their eyes on.

 

In Halifax we stopped at an Asian market. We also looked into staying at a local hotel, but ultimately decided to stay another night at our camper near Lunenberg.

 

We had been very busy these first few days of our trip and so we spent  most of the day Friday resting. Around the end of the day we visited Oak Island where apparently much treasure was hidden away hundreds of years ago. The legend of treasure has attracted many would-be treasure hunters and even inspired a television show to document the lore. 

 

We stayed another night in the camper and then went back out to Halifax on Saturday. In Halifax we visited the Discovery Center, Citadel Hill, and ended the day at an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. It is a tradition for us to go to these buffets, but I think this might be our last time. While it sounds fun, ending the evening with a sore stomach isn’t that much fun!

Saturday night we drove to St. John. We arrived Sunday morning. Mommy and the kids visited a local Mormon church. There we met a nice man named Bill who helped us with some car problems we were having. While driving to St. John our car began to sputter and the engine light came on as well as a message saying that power to the engine was reduced. Bill said that he had had a similar message on his Buick and that the problem for him was water in his gas. I had pumped gas shortly before this happened and so I suspect that that was our problem too. He told us that the water simply had to make its way out of the engine and that if we kept the gas topped off we most likely wouldn’t have any major problems. 

 

So we continued on our way, this time to Prince Edward Island. On the way to P.E.I. we noticed the ocean on the horizon. Along the coast I spotted a scenic cliffside. We made a short detour to explore and discovered there were some cave-like cavities in the red rock. Lily and Emily needed to stretch their legs so we walked out on the gravel beach to take a few photos before continuing our drive. We ended up arriving at P.E.I. Sunday night and stayed at a nice hotel at a discounted rate in the heart of Charlottetown. 

 

On Monday we did a brief tour of the island, visiting some of the sand dunes along the north shore. It was very scenic and beautiful. Around 7:00 pm we began to make our way back. We crossed the 8 mile long bridge to P.E.I. just in time to take a picture around sunset from the other side. With that last photo we were on our way home. Once again, we drove through the night and arrived back home around 5:00 am Tuesday morning.

 

Although the trip was mostly a lot of driving, it was still a lot of fun. I definitely enjoyed seeing a new part of Canada. I was struck by how friendly everyone was out there. From the old fisherman in Lunenberg to Bill and several other people we met who helped us out with car problems, to the camper van community—everyone showed us the warm Canadian spirit. 

2021 Miss Asian Pageant

安娜吉李 Lily Li-Nagy， 6岁， 最小的参加者，荣获组委会颁发的荣誉证书

Lily's 2021 Miss Asian Pageant Profile

2021 Christmas Vacation in Georgia and Florida

After much debate and deliberation, this year we decided to take a family vacation to Florida. Thursday, December 23rd, was Lily's last day of school. After she came home we packed up the car and began our drive down to Florida. We drove through the night and arrived in Savannah late the next day, Christmas Eve. We stayed at a hotel just outside of town and then spent a few hours in downtown Savannah the next day.

We spent most of our time in Savannah near the waterfront. Most of the businesses in town were closed, but there were still plenty of people walking along the waterfront. Many of them, like us, were on their way to Florida.

That evening we arrived in Kissimmee, Florida. Just in time for dinner and a show at Medieval Times! Lily didn't remember, but she had been at Medieval Times before, when she was 2 years old. The same age Emily is for her first time.

After Medieval Times we checked into our room for the next few days. Early the next morning we headed out to Disney Hollywood Studios. Apparently the week after Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for Disney. Each ride had a line of 40 minutes to an hour long. We went on a few rides that day, but spent most of our time walking around. 

The highlight of the day was the Star Wars area!

After spending a few days in Disney we were ready for a break from the crowds. We drove back to Georgia, this time to the alpine town of Helen. Once again, we met a lot of people who had come down south to Disney, but were retreating to Georgia for a little R&R. 

There is a lot of natural beauty around Helen. One scenic spot was Ruby Falls. It was a long hike up to the falls, but it was worth it.

The Appalachian Trail (AT) begins in Georgia at Springer Mt. The hike to Springer is 8 miles (with, of course, another 8 mile hike back out). As much as daddy wanted to see the beginning of the AT, it just wasn't in the cards. So instead, we decided to hike up to Blood Mt, just a few miles north of Springer. Blood Mt. is still a significant hike. Daddy and Lily spent most of the day hiking up and back. An added bonus was stopping at Walasi-Yi, a rest stop for hikers. The AT cuts right through the building! The only place on the trail where that happens. 

It was a long drive back from Helen, Georgia to Boston. We knew that we needed some energy for the long trip, so we stopped at an all-you-can-eat crab shack in Maryland. Daddy and Emily don't like crabs. so more for mommy and Lily.

Island Adventure

 

 

 

We took a family vacation this past Thanksgiving weekend to Nantucket Island. Mommy had been here before, but for the rest of us it was the first time on Nantucket. Lily had been on a ferry before, but it was when she was only 2 and she didn't remember it. Lily and Emily had a lot of fun taking the ferry to the island. The waters were calm and it was a beautiful day to be out on the ocean. 

We arrived on the island around dinner time and had for nice community thanksgiving dinner. The city was mostly empty and quiet that first night although the Christmas trees were lit. We wandered the town looking for a hotel, but there were no rooms in the inns. At last though we did find a room. Funny enough, it was the same hotel that Herman Melville had stayed at when he visited Nantucket so many years ago. 

The next day we went to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Daddy enjoyed looking at the exhibits but Lily and Emily enjoyed the children's area where there was a play kitchen and other activities for kids.

After leaving the museum we saw crowds of people moving quickly through the city as though they were chasing someone. We followed the crowds and realized they were looking for the president, Joe Biden, who was in the city. We followed the crowds for a while, but never caught a glimpse of the president. Later that evening there were Christmas Carrols and a formal lighting of the big Christmas Tree in the town square. By that time it was getting late and we had to rush off to catch our ferry back home. Unfortunately, the ride home was not as smooth as the ride out. There was a bit of a storm and the ferry tossed and turned the whole way back. Still, we made it back safe and sound with many stories to tell.