Halfway August 2002, we (Henry Jonker and Marcel Jonker) made a holiday trip through the southeast part of Canada. By rental car, we went through the Canadian states of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the southern and middle parts of Quebec en Ontario. From saturday 10 until sunday 25 august 2002 (two weeks), we followed the route as indicated on the map (about 6200 km). After this trip, I (Henry) stayed for one more week in Toronto to attend a congres. In preparation for this holiday, I made use of the Lannoo's travelguide Canada East, the Hildebrand's Road Atlas Canada the East (1:1500.000) and various travel booklets

We leave saturday early in the morning from Epe to be in time at Schiphol airport for our flight to London. From London we fly on to the starting point of our journey, Halifax. It is a day with a lot of waiting, passport checks and luggage control. The travel goes well, and after we got our luggage and rental car (a red Ford Focus with only 10.000 km on the clock) we can look for supplies for the first days. We find Campingaz for our Coleman burners at Eric Reel Shop in Dartmouth. It is already late, but the friendly owner opens the shop (in a barn behind the house) especially for us. He shows us the way to a nice campingplace; Shubie Campground. There we put down the tent en we organize the luggage. Then we have time to relax from the long and tiring day.

Sunday 11 august, we wake up early. We drive along Halifax and visit Peggy's Cove. The old village is surrounded by impressive rocks. As we arrive, the village is veiled in a fairylike mist. Slowly the mist disappears. At the coast, we visit the most well known lighthouse of Canada, that is also used as a postoffice. We drive further along the southern coastline and than we go inlands in the direction of Minas Basin; one of the offshoots of the Bay of Fundy. When driving on the 215, one can see the red colored water. By highway 104 we drive to Cape Breton Island. At the coast along the Ceilidh's trail we find a campingplace.

Monday, we drive the beautifull Cabot Trail along the St. Lawrence Bay. The Cape Breton Highlands National Park is nearly uninhabited and has a splendid steeb and waving coastline. At Cape North, we make a drive to Meat Cove, a small fishing port. Just before that, on the side of the sand road, we find a nice picnicplace. On the eastern coast one has a nice view form the 366 meters high Cape Smokey. Finally, we drive highway 103 back to the main land of Nova Scotia, where we find a campingplace again.

Tuesday, we drive to New Brunswick. The Petitcodiac river at Moncton clearly shows the enormous differences in movements of the tides of the Bay of Fundy. Two times a day, the river fills up with water. As we drive along, we mainly see a red-brown mudd. We drive to Chignecto Bay, where the movement in tides is most extreme. The sea level can go up and down for as much as 15 meters. At Hopewell, we have a look at the Flowerpot Rocks. Further along the 915 we visit the lighthouse at Cape Enrage. In the National park of Fundy we find a very nice camping place at Chignecto South, that reminds us of free-camping.

Wednesday morning, we go for a walk to Matthews head at Point Wolve. On the way to Point Wolve, one drives through a nice historical covered bridge; one of the symbols of the state of New Brunswick. We make another trip to the Dickson Falls. Then we leave the national park on the North side and go inlands of New Brunswick to Newcastle. From there we continue along the Acadic coast. This is really disappointing; instead of a nice coastline, we only see houses and again more houses of the extremely nationalistic French speaking inhabitants. There is a lot of flag ostentiation on the houses as well as on their cars. At Pokeshaw we see at least a nice rock Island with an uncommonly high cliff face. At Nigado, we put down our tent at camping Haché.

We go to the state of Québec and shift the time an hour. We do not go along the Gaspé coast, but take instead route 299 through the Notre Dame mountains, the national park of Gaspésie and the Chic-choc reserve. During a walking trip to the animal-lake (Lac des Animaux), it sudenly starts to shower and thunder. Wet soaked we arrive at the car; next time we take an umbrella with us. Some further, we are standing at an abyss where we overlook a spectacular lightning show. The coastline from Mont St-Pierre till St-Anne-des-Monts is beautifull. Steeb walls and waterfalls. Just after Fellicité we find a simple camping at the St. Lawrence rivier. On Friday 16 august we cross the St. Lawrence river. We take the ferryboat form Matane to Baie-Comeau. Unfortunately we don't see any whales during the 2.5 hours passage. We continue our trip on the north bank in the direction of Québec. Some parts are worthwile, but generally the landscape is not very special. After the ferry at Tadousac, we take the 170 inland. At Petit Saguenay, we find a campingplace at the Saguenay 'fjord'.

Saturday we go further linland. At Chicoutimi it is a bit difficult to find the right road. The landscape is just like Sweden. We see swamps, streams and many lakes. Also over here we don't see good opportunities to go for free-camping, as we used to do in Scandinavia. Officially it is also forbidden over here. So we go to the Opèmisca lake to a camping, where we get a nice spot.

Sunday, we drive on through the north of Québec on highway 113. The landscape does not vary a lot. By the 117/66 we drive again to the english speaking region; we arrive in the state of Ontario. At the Sesekinika, just after Kirkland, we find a suitable camping. By Timmins, we drive over the 101 further to the west to Lake Superior. The area that we cross, shows a lot of mining and wood industry. We see many ore-mines and sawmills. The landscape is more varied; more rocky and differences in height. It starts to look more like Norway over here. Especially around the village Wawa it is very beautifull. We go to the Lake Superior Provincial Park and see the immense fresh water lake. We put up our tent at the camping Rabbit Blanket Lake.

Tuesday 20 august we visit the park. We drive a sandroad (14 km) to the coast, but it turns out to be a place just for canoeing and not very special. Some further, we follow a lovely trail along rappids and waterfalls. We leave the park on the south side and follow highway 17 along Sault Ste. Marie en North Channel. Just before the exit to Eliot Lake (that we also visit), we find a campingplace.

We visit Manitoulin Island on wednesday; to the indian reserve. It is not what it seems to be. The inhabitants all live in normal houses en there is not much left of their old culture. Except for the waterfall at Kagawong and the 'historical' buildings at Wikwemikong, there is not much to see. The landscape is also not very special. After we have visited some villages, we go to South Baymouth. There we have to wait for 2.5 hours for the ferryboat. At Tobermory we find a campingplace again. The Bruce Peninsula National Park is nice, but not really special. The third road we drive in towards the Georgian Bay offers a nice view over the steeb cliff face. The remaining day we make a boring trip to the south of Ontario. Just after Cambridge, we find with difficulty a campingplace. We have dinner in the dark today.

Friday 23 august we visit the impressive Niagara Falls. Particularly the Canadian Horseshoe falls are imposing. A trip to the USA side is not so easy. After filling in many forms for Visa and payment of 6 dollar pp. we can go in. The view from this side is less, but one is closer to the falls. The way back to Canada is easier. At the Erie lake we find a campingplace just after Pont Colborne.

Saturday 24 august we go to Toronto. Driving in Toronto turns out to be easier than expected in this big city. We visit the city center to see where "The Residence" and the "Royal York Hotel" are located. I (Henry) will stay at those places the coming week for a congres.

We walk through the city center and visit the Skydome. A beautifull stadium with an unique roof construction, in which the panels are able to turn around in order to open the roof. We go to the "Pearson" airport and Herz car-rental to see how everything has to be arranged the next day. North of Toronto we find our last campingplace.

The holiday has come to an end on sunday. After I have been brought to The Residence in Toronto, Marcel drives further to the airport and goes back to The Netherlands. Almost a week later I will also fly back.

I (Henry) stay for almost a week in Toronto to attend and NMR congres (ICMRBS). Luckely there is enough time to see some more of the city. A visit to the Toronto Islands, from where one has a splendid view over the skyline of the city. Furthermore I visit the CN tower, University, Chinatown, etc. At last, saturday 31 august is my flight back to The Netherlands.