Hey Craig,

The Gaspe Peninsula is definitely worth it although it might become a little redundant after a while; another seaside cliff, another fishermen village. Funny fact : When you get to Ste-Flavie, QC 132 splits up in two and you get to choose between 132 east...and 132 east! If you turn right, you're going to the Matapedia Valley and if you go straight, you're going to Ste. Anne des Monts. The most scenic stretch of route 132 is the one on the north east side all the way to Percé and Bonaventure.

In Ste-Flavie, there are some cute art galleries, like the Centre d'art Marcel Gagnon which also has a nice restaurant. Check out the outdoor sculpture at the back that extends into the sea (St. Lawrence is sometimes called the sea in these parts). Don't miss the windmill park at Cap Chat, it has the highest vertical-axis wind turbine in the world. North of Ste-Anne-des-Monts, Parc de la Gaspésie is one of my favourite places. Over the years I have hiked 4 mountains within the park, the most impressive being Mt. Albert. Mt Xalibu is more accessible and easy and is also very interesting with its top covered with medium sized stones.

At the tip of the peninsula, In Gaspe, you can visit the Gaspesie Museum and the site where Jacques Cartier erected a tall wooden cross in 1534 in order to claim the territory as France's own. Parc National Forillon is a nice park on the seaside with nice lighthouses (Cap des rosiers) and neat villages. Percé is probably among the most popular tourist destinations within the Province. It is very crowded in the summer. Its main attraction is the 433 meters long Rocher Percé (trans. : Pierced Rock), a natural limestone arch located in the ocean, just a short walk from the village at low tide. Before you go, just ask locals about tides to avoid getting stuck there in the afternoon. Millions of fossils have been found on it and many local legends are associated to that mighty monument.. The other main attraction is Bonaventure Island, a migratory birds sanctuary. It attracts more than 290 species annually.

In the Chaleur Bay area, you'll come accross New Carlisle, the birthplace of former Quebec Prime Minister, Rene Levesque. New Richmond, one of the few English-speaking villages left on the peninsula is quite charming with quite a few historical british-influenced buildings. Gesgapegiaq is a friendly Mic-Mac Indian community with an one-of-its-kind Wig-Wam-shaped church (Kateri-Tekakwitha). A great number of locals speak English, French and the Mic-Mac dialect fluently. You will eventually come accross Nouvelle and a bridge that will bring you to New Brunswick.

Here is the last part!

During your stay in NB, you should sample a few of these suggestions and if you have a few extra days, here are some more. Just so you know, some so-called Acadian attractions or experiences are not necessarily that authentic. Some are very enjoyable and others tourist traps. Personnally, I really enjoyed the Acadian Museum in Caraquet, Fundy NP, Bouctouche, Bathurst and Shediac. I always thought central NB was a little tedious and Fredericton and Moncton a little overrated as compared to the coastal towns, but as I said earlier, I haven't been to NB very often. They're not exactly boring, but they are not as thrilling as some other cities to me that's all. According to the office of tourism, there are 4 possible scenic drives in NB : the great outdoors, the acadian culture, the seafood and the natural wonders. I'm sure I've driven a few stretches of each but I'm not sure exactly when and where.

Nova Scotia also offers several options in term on scenic drives, the most popular being of course, the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island. Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to explore that beautiful part of NS yet. Ditto for the Louisbourg Fortress. My latest trip to the Maritimes was pretty strenuous and I didn't have any energy left after my journey to NewFoundland to visit NS, not to mention I was accompanied by someone who doesn't care much about military or war history and is afraid of heights. I have been told that Cape Breton Island has an incredible amount of waterfalls and awesome hiking trails. Lobsterpalooza is a lobster festival held in the Cabot Trail that begins at the end of May and features several lobster-related and unrelated events such as Puffin boat tours, Acadian village visits, live entertainment, lobster suppers, etc. Sounds fun.

Halifax is an exciting city. Perhaps the most recognizable monument of the city, the Town Clock was erected in 1800 by Prince Edward, commandant of the British army in NS, who apparently regarded punctuality as a very important asset. From what I recall from my last visit, Argyle Street, Citadel hill, the Province House and Point Pleasant Park are not to be missed. The best view of the skyline is from Dartmouth.

I'm going to skip PEI since I've never been there and I don't know much about it.

NewFoundland and Labrador -- NewFoundland is just awesome, picturesque, bucolic, incredible. And Labrador is even better! I know you might not have enough time to make it to Labrador, but NewFoundland is mandatory. I've been there in 2006. You can take the ferry from North Sydney, NS to Port-aux-Basques, NFL. Once you're on the island, don't follow all the tourists who will head west to get to Gros Morne. Go east instead on highway 470. You'll come accross some of the most picturesque fishermen villages I've ever seen : Burnt Island, Diamond Cove and Rose Blanche. Rose Blanche has the most charming tiny granite lighthouse. The landscape is incredible. I took several postcard shots down there. You need to pay a small fee to get on the site (3$!). The road eventually ends and you have to go back. On your way back, stop at the Barachois Falls sign. It's only a short walk to the waterfalls. Just watch your step on the wooden sidewalks, there are a lot of rotten planks. Pay attention to the flora : moss, flowers, tiny trees (tuckamore). BTW, if I'm not mistaken, Barachois means salted swamp in English.

Port aux Basques was our only bad lodging experience for the whole trip so I won't recommend any place. The drive from Port aux Basques is pretty but extremely windy. I've heard of truck drivers whose loaded trucks flipped on the side on that very highway so watch yourself! Gros Morne NP and the Tablelands are absolutely stunning. There is no word to describe the beauty of such a geological transformation. It is said that the colorful rocks of the Tablelands were once part of the Earth's mantle. It just makes you feel as if you are in Utah or Arizona...but colder. In areas of high grass, if you watch and listen carefully, you'll detect the presence of animals : birds, hares, porcupines, etc. Moose are to Newfies what dogs are to some of us. They don't even slow down when they see one hanging on the side of the road. Watch out they're everywhere.

We stayed at Shears House in Rocky Harbour : a very pleasant experience. Newfies are famous for their friendliness. They also have peculiar accents. Every B&B in NewFoundland offers homemade bread and jams : squash berries, indigenous blackberries, partridge berries, blueberries, bake apple. Delicious. Actually, there's a company named Dark Tickle that specializes in making jams, teas, drinks and chocolates out of NF's unique wild berries. You can visit their factory and store in Lunaire-Griquet on the Northern Peninsula.

The Arches Provincial Park is another beautiful place to visit. In addition to its wonderful 3 natural arches, it has a strange-looking birch forest that looks like an enchanted (or haunted?) forest. Port au Choix is a point of interest that has nasty and muddy roads but great views. Look for the weird bent trees along the road and the seaside.

A little further north, St. Barbe is the Gateway to Labrador. The ferry ride is only 1,5 hour long and you usually get to see some whales. A short detour from the Viking Trail will bring you to the town of St. Anthony's. While being panoramic, this middle-sized community has also the advantage of offering a few practical services such as grocery stores, hospital and a few restaurant chains. Fill up on groceries while you're there. Make a few quick stop at the hospital to take a look at Jordi Bonet's mural about the everyday life of different inhabitants of Newfoundland : Inuits and caucasian fishermen among others and also at the town hall where you'll be welcomed by a huge polar bear that has once been wandering around in the village and accidentaly fell over a cliff -- that's what they told us anyway. There is also a park called Fishing Point which is perfect for a campfire, a picnic, reading or just enjoying the quietness and the view.

The road along the northern peninsula is also known as the Viking Trail. The history behind this designation is to be discovered at L'Anse-aux-Meadows N.H.S., an intriguing park with educated and polite young people who can entertain you as they guide you through this adventure through time and archeological research.

Okay, enough for tonight. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to help you to the best of my knowledge.

Gen