The Vikings got to northern Canada around the twelfth century. Remnants of a Viking village were discovered in a place call L'Anse aux Meadows (current population 32). This is now a World Heritage Sight. We also visited Corner Brook, a very pretty city in southern Newfoundland.
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| A recreation of the original Viking village, complete with re-enactors, has recently been opened. | This is the rest of L'Anse aux Meadows, a very sleepy fishing village. | Excavations here uncovered Viking artifacts. | A Viking mud hut has been rebuilt on the original site. | The graffiti on this shack speaks to the village's dependence on fishing. |
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| Corner Brook was home base for Captain Cook when he surveyed the area. This is a view from his monument. | This plaque describes Cook's activities prior to heading to the South Pacific. | Our naturalist guide found us some wild blueberries. | The local paper mill has set aside this stream-side trail for hiking. | The mill also owns this peaceful reservoir. |
Nova Scotia
There is no documentation that the Vikings got this far, but they may have. Cape Breton Island is very pretty but economically depressed. Halifax, further south in the province, is one of North America's most underrated cities.
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| Sydney harbor in Canada is not as well known as its Australian counterpart. | The harbor was protected in WW I and WW II by this gun emplacement. | The little town of Glace Bay has a synagogue which still has regular services. | The French held Cape Breton Island for a long time. This fort at Louisbourg was their major defense. | This Mountie had no personality. |
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| No doubt that Pat enjoyed our Halifax Kayak adventure. | The Halifax Public Gardens is very colorful. | Here is the view of the city from Halifax's Old Fort. | The Old Fort is also known as the Citadel. | This cute little tug boat takes kids for rides around the harbor. |