Buskerfest 2013

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

I have tried to have few “destinations” in mind, particularly date specific ones. Once you’ve got an event to attend, everything you do, every place you go —and for how long you stay— then begins to revolve around getting “there” on time. Because of this additional pressure, you convince yourself, and anyone else you’ve stressed out, that the extra effort will be well worth it.

Halifax Busker Festival

Halifax Busker Festival

That said, it should have come as no surprise that my desire to see the Busker Festival in Halifax between July 31 and August 5 pretty much ruled every aspect of our trip from Philadelphia starting July 20. It also created great, unrealistic expectations. Read more »

Categories: Canada, Entertainment | 14 Comments

The Rocks Rocked!

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri
Roz and Manny At Low Tide

Roz and Manny At Low Tide

One of the best things about driving on the roads less traveled are the gems you find along the way. Noticing a sign for Hopewell Rocks on tiny Rte 114 in New Brunswick, I consulted the internet with my trusty iPad and found an amazing natural wonder, one which I didn’t know existed. Read more »

Categories: Canada, Nature | 21 Comments

Traveling Ambassadors

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

Because Leisure Travel Vans only sells through dealers —and those are few and far between— Leisure Travel Vans (a.k.a. LTV) started an Ambassador Program, so people like us, who love our Serena, offer to show our LTVs to interested people who are unable to find a local dealer. Read more »

Categories: America, Canada, Friends | 14 Comments

Here we go again… to Canada!

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri
Our friend Liz

Our dear friend Liz

We had been planning to leave Flourtown, PA right after Memorial Day for a four-month sojourn in Serena to Eastern Canada, but when I fired up the refrigerator, I discovered it wasn’t working properly. Week after week passed, wrong parts came and went, and what started as a faulty refrigerator gasket mushroomed into the need for an entire new door. We whittled down our itinerary to exploring only Nova Scotia and possibly Prince Edward Island, and by July 20 we were ready to hit the road. Read more »

Categories: America, Cuisine, Friends | 13 Comments

Nova Scotia here we come!

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

Hip hip hooray!!! Traveling season is finally here! Tomorrow we leave for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. We’ll come back home through New England in the Fall. Yeah!

Categories: Canada | 3 Comments

Un tour de Quebec en calèche

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

While strolling around Quebec City, It was evident that there was a rich history to be discovered. I’ve mentioned my aversion to boring travel guide books, but fortunately, the old city has a unique “live audio tour” not available in most places. We headed to a nearby carriage stop, so we could get an insiders’ look at Quebec straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

As luck would have it, we found the perfect driver for us, a true kindred spirit. Pierre works hard and lives lean; his only worldly possessions all fit in his back pack. The tourist season in Quebec is winding down, and soon Pierre will throw his bag over his shoulder and head for South America, where his Peruvian girlfriend awaits to explore the Amazon jungle with him, then wherever the road takes them. Bon voyage, Pierre! Read more »

Categories: Canada, History, Language | 3 Comments

Quebec’s Buskers

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri
Manny and old Busker

Manny and old Busker

Walking around old Quebec, you can experience a unique world of art and entertainment without ever stepping inside a museum or entering a dark theatre.

As we meandered through the winding streets, we came upon the Mural of Quebecers, a huge fresco which told the 400 year history of Quebec in the trompe-l’oeil style. A guitar player performing on the street is prominently featured in the Mural of Quebecers.

“Buskerfests” are Festivals of Buskers, and they are popular all over the United States and Canada. Worthy of mention are the Toronto Busker Fest in Toronto, Ontario, the Long Beach Busker Fest in Long Beach, California, the Lawrence Busker Fest in Lawrence, Kansas, the Sault St. Marie Busker Fest in Sault St. Marie, Ontario, the Fort Wayne Busker Fest in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Downtown Dundas Busker Fest in Dundas, Ontario, the Niagara Falls Busker Fest in Niagara Falls, Ontario and most importantly, the Halifax Busker Fest in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Read more »

Categories: America, Canada, Entertainment, History | 4 Comments

La Route des Saveurs de Charlevoix

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

Since eating and drinking are two of our favorite activities, Manny and I knew that the Quebec road trip called La Route des Saveurs de Charlevoix was a must. At the Charlevoix tourist office, we got a beautiful brochure that highlighted 23 of the region’s proud producers and 16 restaurants that serve their products. I rarely get excited about brochures, but this one is so well laid out, enticing and professionally done, it is worthy of mention. We chose several of the most unique places to visit. Read more »

Categories: Canada, Cuisine, Wine | 2 Comments

Boondocking

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

For me, the tricky thing about the RV lifestyle is enjoying a variety of tourist locations without spending money like you are on vacation. That can be difficult when there are entrance fees for worthwhile attractions, outdoor cafes that beckon you to enjoy a nice meal and a bottle of wine, and souvenirs you just can’t live without. All of that costs money, and if you’re not careful, can blow your budget very quickly.

One way to offset expenses is to save money by boondocking, or dry camping. For those of you who are not RVers, boondocking simply means spending the night without paying. It is usually in a place where there are no amenities like electric, water, or sewage hookups. Campgrounds can cost anywhere from $20.00 to $50.00 per night, depending on where they are, what they offer and whether they are public or private. Read more »

Categories: Boondocking, Canada, Friends, Serendipity, State and National Parks | 4 Comments

In search of the quintessential —and elusive— croissant

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Manny & Roz de Lizarriturri

In our loosely planned itinerary, the next stop was going to be the region of Charlevoix. However, Gille and Pierrette, the Quebeçois couple we met at the church with a view, encouraged us to first stop at L’Isle d’Orleans, a small historic island on our way. We’ve learned that suggestions of locals are usually the best advice to follow, so we headed over the 1063 feet suspension bridge, and entered a rural landscape where time had stood still. Read more »

Categories: Canada, Cuisine | 9 Comments