Random Observations

During our travels in Canada, we've made the following observations:

Sweet N Low is unavailable in Canada. So are grits and Rose's Lime Juice, essential for making a gimlet. A pound of butter, unquartered, is $2 less than butter that is cut into quarters. Also, milk is not sold in gallon jugs. It is sold in a 4 liter "bladder" that needs to be put into a special pitcher, sold separately of course. Milk is sold in either a 1/2 gallon wax carton or plastic jug. The plastic jug is $1 more! On the plus side, the bakery selections have been outstanding.

Be careful in the meat aisle: ground beef is right next to the ground bison and ground HORSE and it all looks the same and the descriptions are in French (in Quebec)!

Water temperature varies greatly. In the St. Lawrence River, at Quebec City, 63 degrees; only 110 miles away, near Tadoussac (whale feeding grounds), it was 39 degrees; in Bras d'Or, 70 degrees; at Halifax Nova Scotia, 54 degrees. Since we are traveling on the water, we really feel the difference in water temps. In town, off of the water, it is warm (72 degrees) but on the water, not so. Hard to know how to dress.

Fuel is very expensive here. Gas is about $1.03 per liter for regular. Diesel, our fuel of choice, is about the same. We burn 40 gallon an hour at cruising speed ( 20 knts )

A 65 ft boat is about the largest that could do this trip, if you expect to stay at any marinas. Docks are pretty small here and marinas are few and far between.

American country music is BIG here. We hear it all the time!

Main observation: you could not ask for nicer people on the face of the planet. We have not met a rude person on our travels. Even when unable to satisfy our needs or to speak our language, each person has been polite beyond measure and wishing to help. What a delight!