12.06.2022 – Today is the big day !! The boys and I are flying to Montreal !!! I've had a stomach ache for days, does it work with the dogs? ?? Lt. According to the official information on the Lufthansa website, the dog box must not be larger than 0,85 cm x 1,20 cm x 0,73 be cm, but the dog must be able to stand comfortably in it. That fits with Quappo, but Frodo certainly cannot stand loose in this box. A few days ago we took our friend Julia to the airport and saw her, that the employees pay strict attention to it, that the dogs are comfortable. We also happened to find a shop at the bottom of the baggage claim area, who sells larger dog crates and opined, Lufthansa would have no problems with this size ?? Understand that who wants, we just bought the XXXXXXL box for Frodo.
Franzi and Hannes accompany me to the airport, I am very happy, that they support me practically and mentally – alone I would be lost. In fact, at the LH switch, no one cares about the size of the box, all employees are super nice and look closely, whether Frodo and Quappo are standing comfortably, to turn and lie down. Our boys are doing great (before that I had doped her with a tablet from the vet), simply lie down in the box with the fullest trust in God and doze.
A huge stone falls from my heart, now it can actually start. One last hug, a few tears flow ………
Hans-Peter and Walter are already there 10 Days flew to Halifax, since Henriette has arrived there in the port. the 2 Men have already explored the area a bit, ate delicious lobster and tried the latest Scottish fashion. The landlords of the Airbnb Terry and Maria were super nice and took the men to the top spots in Halifax on Sunday. In the evening there was a barbeque together with fresh lobster.
Henriette 2.0 has now arrived safely and Hans-Peter is on his way to Montreal.
The flight is smooth and comfortable – but on the approach to Montreal I actually hear a loud bark and a pitiful squeak – oh Gott, these are definitely mine 2 guys !!! On me, at the baggage claim I am greeted violently and licked – they survived.
Hans-Peter is ready and takes us 3 in reception. With Walter's help, the dog boxes are stowed on the roof, the dogs pee on Canadian soil for the first time – the journey can begin. In Cornwall we find a parking space at St. Lawrence River – perfect introduction to Canada. After a glass of Württemberg wine, I fall into bed dead tired. In the morning I venture into the cold water – is a bit fresh, but afterwards I feel fine.
In the afternoon, supplies are bought at Walmart, bought a Canadian SIM card and made small talk in the parking lot. It's really incredible – we can't 5 standing somewhere for minutes without being spoken to: the Canadians are absolute truck fans and simply find our Henriette “awesome”. There is no such vehicle here and everyone is dying to take photos of the pretty lady. And something else is incredible: Canadians are incredibly friendly, cordial and open – one is not used to that in Germany.
In the afternoon we arrive in Gananoque – the gateway to the 1.000 islands. The archipelago in the Saint Lawrence River consists of 1.864 islands, on most islands there are small summer houses of the surrounding big city dwellers. Here, too, we enjoy a quiet night and a refreshing swim in the river.
We find a nice dog meadow and a nice dog sitter explains it to us, that we absolutely must make a detour to Grass Greek. Said, did, let's go there – it is a beautiful park with an incredibly large dog park – the paradise for the fur noses. Unfortunately we cannot stay there in the evening (spending the night here is prohibited in many public places) and so we spend the night next to a sports field.
While having breakfast we discover a bird's nest on the mast: actually lying there 3 little baby eagles out:
In the town of Kingston (was from 1841 until 1844 the capital of Canada) let's make a stop, stroll through the streets, admire the old locomotive and the pretty little houses.
The journey continues to Prince Edward County – a small peninsula with beautiful sandy beaches and many wineries. In the small town of Wellington we are looking for a place to stay, the nice pastor offers us a parking space next to his church. An elderly Canadian shows us the way to the city center and invites us to a beer at the local brewery – he mean, he can afford it and it would be fun for him, to invite us – just really nice.
Breakfast in front of the car the next day takes a little longer – people keep coming by, who admire and question us. It is now Thursday and the plan for today is: look at Toronto. The distance is not very far, however, we underestimated the city traffic: for the last 3 kilometers we need more than an hour. construction sites, Traffic lights and millions of cars – Thank goodness we have time !! Quite centrally we find a parking space in Coronation Park – right next to the dog park. First we walk to the Rogers Center and CN Tower in the middle of the crowd, with flat feet we treat ourselves to a hamburger and Corona around the harbor district.
In the middle of the city we sleep surprisingly peacefully (maybe it was the tired feet ?). So rested and strengthened with a delicious breakfast, Let's take a closer look at the city the next morning. We come through China Town, Kensington und Little Italy – a bit like New York.
2 Days in the city are enough for us (and the boys), so we continue to the next highlight: the Niagara Falls. The traffic is sluggish the whole way, everyone seems to be heading in the same direction. We arrive in the late afternoon and are amazed at the mix of Las Vegas, Disney land and natural wonders. The falls are really beautiful, the whole thing takes a bit of getting used to. At night the falls are illuminated – everything is very American ??
The stroll through the show mile is also impressive – Here's something for every taste:
After all the hype, we need some nature again – we continue on the beautiful Niagara Parkway to Fort Erie. There are beautiful long sandy beaches – but unfortunately we cannot find a parking space. There are prohibition signs everywhere – very bad. Only in Dunneville is there a parking space by the river. We are surrounded by anglers, who all admire our Henriette again – nothing will come of it with rest :).
A week has already passed, tonight we finally have to find a parking lot with a good network and write down a bit of our experiences. There is a Walmart parking lot in Orangeville, you can always stand here without any problems. The shopping is also done immediately – Of course, the shops here are also open on Sundays.
A night in the Walmart parking lot brings with it a lot of new acquaintances – our vehicle is admired and photographed again and again. A friendly Canadian gives us the tip, that we really should go to Collingwood, that would be a nice bathing spot. After breakfast we make our way there – is really a pretty place, but as is so often the case here, camper-unfriendly :(. So only one night stays in another Walmart parking lot – we don't sleep that bad.
We decide, further north in hopes, that there aren't that many no-parking signs there. On the way there are very pretty photo opportunities and a nice bathing spot in Waubaushene. Perfect, to cool down in the heat and have a coffee break.
On the way we actually see our first bear: Unfortunately, the little guy is quite far away and our camera is not at hand. Until we have everything ready, we can only take a picture from behind – but you can recognize him as a black bear – or ??????
In the evening we find a super nice place in the middle of the forest – perfect for the first Canadian campfire. However, mosquitoes swarm here, crane flies and other animals – our boys don't think it's funny at all and are very annoyed.
After a very short morning walk (who would have thought, the mosquitoes are still there !), Henriette wants to continue. In Espanola we meet Katrin and Andrè, which Hans-Peter had already met in Hamburg when shipping. There is a nice coffee gossip, tips are exchanged, the Spanish water dogs Berta and Rudi also came to terms with our boys after a few minutes. Since Katrin and Andrè have put in a laundry day and are therefore at a campsite, we have to go back in an hour – otherwise the school bus cannot turn around ?? 40 Kilometers further you will find a dream place: right on the water with lots of space and no prohibition sign far and wide – we are excited. The first sunset can also be captured here – what more does the camper heart want !!
in the morning at half past 6 wake us up with the first rays of sunshine – but at this hour even they can't lure us out of bed :). In the dream weather we decide, to spend the day here sunbathing, To swim, reading and doing laundry. Our great washing machine is used for the first time – we are excited, it works perfectly. The sun dries the laundry in no time at all, so the housework is really no problem.
We're about to catch a real sunburn – we didn't expect that at all. The evening ends with a nice fire, the boys chill in the heat all day.
Friday, the 24. June – today we go hiking: I have the hiking cup & Saucer picked out, it's supposed to be one of the most beautiful trails in Ontario and it's just about 20 kilometers away from us. Arriving at the parking lot we are surprised: there are quite a lot of vehicles here, there's definitely a lot going on there ??
But most only walk to the first viewpoint, after that we have the forest all to ourselves. It goes over hill and dale, a really nice way, knapp 14 kilometers we walked.
Back in the small town of Little Current, some shopping is done. In the beer store, however, I reach my limits: there are no shelves, cans or bottles here, there is only 2 big screens ??? What to do ?? The nice employee explains to me, that I should choose my desired beer on the screen and then she would hand it out to me. So, now the next challenge: what beer should it be?: Canadian beer, Ontario Craft, Import, Premium, Value ?? What type: But, Lager, Light, Mixed Case, Stout, Porter ??? Which species: Amber, Brown, Cream, Dark, Dry, Fruit, Honey, Organic, Pale ??? And then the question: Low Calorie, Low Carb, Sessional, Gluten Free, Light or strong ?? There are also special offers, Seasonal beers and new varieties ??? After what feels like half an hour, I give up – and the employee helps me, a “normal” to find beer. The rest is bought in the supermarket, while Hans-Peter is deep in conversation in the parking lot.
We spend the night on our beautiful spot like the day before.
Somehow we have to move on – so we say goodbye to the nice spot. A last swim in the lake, then everything is packed. The drive goes along Lake Huron to Sault Ste. Marie, after that we are at Lake Superior – the largest freshwater lake in the world. It's like being at the sea, there is no land in sight and the waves are splashing high. We stop in Havilland , just thinking, sit outside for a moment, we get a visit from Fritz.
Fritz is a funny Canadian with Czech roots, who wants to know, what brought us here. After a few minutes he gets his cooler with Czech beer out of the car and tells us many funny stories from his life – splendid !!!!
We are woken up early the next morning by our birthday boy: (he is so excited) it is the 26.06. – our Quappo will be today 3 year old. Of course, this has to be celebrated properly !!!! Of course there are also gifts, and Frodo gets a consolation bone.
After the party guests get tired of chewing, can we continue. Short stop at the Chippewa waterfall, we find some nice forest trails and reach our night camp in Alona Bay. Storm comes up in the evening, the waves are pretty high.
It rains cats and dogs at night, but in the morning the sun comes out again. We drive through Lake Superior Provincial Park and find (after a bit of searching !) a nice hiking trail: den Noisy Beach. It goes across the forest to a small beach place – it's really loud here – the waves are beating hard on the stones.
We just want to end the evening comfortably in Wawa, we get a nice neighbor: Jason with his hunting dog Hardie. Both guys are really likeable and everyone gets along right away – clearly, this will be a fun evening. Hardie goes exploring with our boys – eventually they will come back. Hardie was irritated, that there are dogs, who are faster than him – he had never experienced that before !! We eat together, drinking beer, later make ourselves comfortable around the campfire with a bottle of wine. During the evening we learn a lot about Jason, philosophize about life, love, about Canada and the war ……. and recognize – after a look at the beautiful starry sky – that we are all just tiny speck of dust in space !!!!
After exchanging phone numbers, we move on, always along Lake Superior. It's starting to rain, so we decide, Today only 100 kilometers to drive. There is a super nice place in White River (even with network reception), here we pitch our tents and wait for it, that the sun will come out again.
Thank goodness the rain never lasts very long here, and so we can set out for the hometown of Winnie the Pooh in the afternoon !! A little bear was actually here in years 1914 Bought by an English vet, groomed, raised and later taken to London Zoo. The veterinarian's young son gave him the name and his father later invented the stories about Winnie.
The pitch is great, we get another great sunset and the next morning the spa – area- from the car straight into the water ! Our destination today is the little developed and therefore wildly beautiful Pukaskwa National Park ! Only a small road leads into the park, the rest is undeveloped and can only be explored on foot or by canoe. There are few hiking trails, those for it are very, very nice. We come through dense forest, rugged coast and long sandy beaches. To 4 hours we are back, I can feel my thighs (from the many steps) and the boys just want to sit on the sofa.
We find our place for the night behind the village of Marathon – although it is not entirely clear, whether it is allowed, to stand free here ?? But we are joined by a French and Canadian camper, so we don't worry about it anymore.
It pours out of buckets all night, our boys don't have to pee at all – only as at 11.00 o'clock the rain eases up a bit, we can go for a little ride. As we continue our journey, the sky kindly clears and we can see the Aguasabon Falls in the most beautiful sunshine. From here we walk to Terrace Bay – a huge sandy beach, the first Canadian ice cream is due.
Back in the car, the first thing we need is technical support: Hans-Peter's mobile phone no longer sends emails ?? Thank God you have children – Johannes can solve the problem over the phone and eventually everything will work again. We reach our pitch in Hurkett, meet our French neighbors from the night before, see a turtle and drink our after-work beer.
Shortly afterwards we experience the highlight of the day, respectively. of the week or. the whole trip so far: At our stand, a huge white-tailed eagle calmly fishes a pike out of the water and professionally dismantles it. He eats the delicious innards right away, he leaves the rest to the gulls. We can observe the whole spectacle up close, the bird is simply calm.
01.07.2022 – today is Canada Day, holiday across the country !!!! On the way to Thunder Bay we look at the Oimet Canyon, the gorge is impressive: 150 wide, 100 meters deep and 2.000 long distance.
We spend the rest of the day partying with the Canadians at Fort William Historical Park – this was once the largest fur trading center on earth. Here you can feel, how the trade has changed over the years 1814 has happened, everything is very nicely recreated, many young volunteers explain the individual houses, lacrosse is played and you can sometimes shoot with an original weapon.
Back at the car we got a message from a Britta on facebook – she discovered and saw our Henriette, that we have a license plate GG – Britta lived in Groß-Gerau for a long time and would be happy, to get to know us !!! Clear, we look forward to this invitation, Britta only lives 15 minutes from the fort, since 20 She has lived here with her husband Robert for years, the 3 children, horses and dogs. Tonight we can stand in her garden (most Canadians have huge properties), next to hers 3 horses. There are actually many more similarities: Britta also attended hotel management school, then worked for LSG for a long time, went to class with the son of Hans-Peter's business partner ……… it's incredible. There is so much to tell, the evening flies by.
Another coffee together, then we say goodbye to the nice woman from Groß-Gerauer. Another natural spectacle awaits us on the way: the Kakabeka Falls, also called the waterfalls of the north. You are really impressive: from around 40 m the masses of water of the Kaministiquia River tumble down.
So, now we just need a nice place to stay for the evening – we don't find anything suitable on the way. At some point we simply drive into the next cross street, lt. Google Maps leads the road to a few small lakes (there are millions of lakes here !) over: and lo and behold, after almost 6 kilometers we come to a perfect spot. Further ahead we see a few more campers, We'll go over to you and introduce ourselves – everyone is happy about it, of course we're being questioned and the Canadians can't believe it, that we Germans discovered their place so easily. You do here for 10 Holidays, have all the equipment with them, what you can imagine (Boot, Kanu, Quad, Grills, caravan ….. and as it turned out, even a sauna !). Back at our car, the washing machine comes first (that everyone here really envies me !) set in motion, a few t-shirts and socks are in dire need of laundry. Our neighbors come back to us a short time later and invite us to a barbecue – we don't say no !!! And it's going to be a really nice one, fun evening with super delicious food (self-caught fish from the lake – really good ), Bier, Wein, Campfire and late at night the men go to the tent sauna together.
We all sleep like stones – what an evening !!! Let's think for a moment, to spend the day here, but the buzzing mosquitoes make us dismiss that thought. So we continue west, fill up the water tanks and the refrigerator on the way and at night stand again on a mosquito-infested pitch. Even the campfire doesn't really drive the beasts away – we flee to our hut. Our dogs don't want the pests either, Quappo doesn't even leave his place on the sofa anymore. After an indoor breakfast, head to Kenora, a small town between the 100.000 Seen. We pay a short visit to the local brewery and buy some 8 Cans of beer for 21,00 € (???) – separate, that's not tasty. There is even a nice trail here – parts are closed due to too much rain, but we'll find a way. Here, too, we are accompanied by millions of gnats – I believe, I have to make a deal with KABS (the Erfeld know, what I mean :)) thread !
We spend the evening in the rain at Rabbit Lake (Quappo was happy right away – the name gives hope).
