8.10.18 Fast in the USA

At 9.30h we left our house, stopped briefly to refuel before following Route 114 through Fundy National Park. If you just drive through here, you don't have to pay an entrance fee. Above the park, in Sussex, is the next supermarket for Alma - about 45km away. We want to stock up on supplies as we have a vacation rental in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea for the next 3 nights and have to realize that on this Thanksgiving holiday (Monday!) even the usual supermarkets like WalMart and Sobeys are closed. The weather is fantastic, the foliage is breathtaking. There are huge blueberry fields next to us, which are now red and green in autumn. Like carpets. Shortly after, we discover the first pumpkin field. Actually, we expected to see many, but this will be the first and last field we see. The temperature on this sunny day remains at 12°C.

Our first destination today is St. Martins. A place that was recommended to us by the Australians we met yesterday at our breakfast café. Behind St. Martins, the Fundy Trail Provincial Park begins and there are caves in the cliffs here and the place is supposed to be lovely.

We drive through the small town with its colorful wooden houses and ultimately come to a small covered bridge, next to which 1 bakery and 1 junk/souvenir shop in small wooden stalls are actually open. What we have missed throughout this trip in Canada are toilets at larger parking lots near attractions. The bakery is our salvation and I buy a cookie to make it less embarrassing. We hear a bald eagle screaming here, but unfortunately it doesn't show itself. At the end of the road - behind the old covered bridge, which cannot be crossed by car - is the entrance to this Provincial Park. But since we don't have time for hiking, we turn off and briefly stop at the Fundy Caves. Here too, the bay (possibly called Beach) is completely rocky and there's no sand in sight. Due to the tide, the caves can only be seen a little. The small restaurant with a terrace overlooking the bay is closed.

In St. Martins, we stop at a booth and eat lobster rolls in the sun. The medium size is not really cheap at $17.99 for take away, but quite delicious - although the soft bun can be skipped.

We now drive parallel to the coast of the Bay of Fundy to the west, passing St. John, where some industrial chimneys emit heavy clouds, and here we are on the well-developed Hwy 101, where we are allowed to drive at 110 km/h. Although we have only traveled about 250km, we reach St. Andrews in almost 6 hours in the afternoon due to country roads and stops. We are only a stone's throw away from Maine/USA.

Our apartment is great. It is one of those typical houses with gray-brown wooden shingles, a deck in front of the door, and a view of the bay. The tide is low below us. With a 7m tide hub in St. Andrews, you can already feel that you are further along the Atlantic and at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy, where the slope is not as pronounced. 6m less tide hub than yesterday at the Flowerpot Rocks. However, we are also in a bay next to the Bay of Fundy with the almost unpronounceable name: Pasamaquoddy Bay.

Two rooms branch off from the living room with kitchenette. One with a window facing the bay, the other more like a closet with a window the size of 1.5 A4 sheets. Unfolding my suitcase is only possible to a limited extent, and when I get out of bed, I have one foot in the suitcase ;-). The living room is glazed on 2 sides and here you can watch the water above it and look to the right at the jetty with colorful boats.

The bathroom is spacious, heated, and has many towels and a hairdryer. The kitchen is also well equipped. The complex is almost empty, which amazes us immensely considering it's a holiday week.

We walk along Water Street (which is the main street here) to the end, stand on the jetty and watch the water, the boats, and seagulls. There are some nice shops on Water Street, but of course, they are all closed until we stop at the Gables restaurant and have a delicious meal. We are looking forward to eating other things from the menu tomorrow and at the cash register, we learn that it will be 'closed for the season' from tomorrow. The place is really crowded today. It seems that no one really cares about this. Let's see what we can find tomorrow... The supermarket is still open and we buy a few things, which ultimately means that we will be self-catering tomorrow.

The history of St. Andrews is remarkable in a way. It was founded at the end of the 18th century and is one of the oldest places in Canada. Displaced loyalists who fled here from the American Civil War along with their houses have significantly shaped the townscape. That's why there are a large number of historic houses everywhere in the town, all of which are occupied. Due to its location at the mouth of the St. Croix River, St. Andrews was an important trading hub in ancient times for trade with the West Indies, which - as we all know - are located in the Caribbean. At the end of the 19th century, a tourist gem developed here, which was used by wealthy citizens from both America and Canada. St. Andrews now calls itself St. Andrews-by-the-Sea to give even more importance to its holiday focus. It's just a pity that this already prompts many shops to close until spring, especially at the beginning of October around Thanksgiving.

We return to our accommodation in the dark and only find the way to our door without falling with the flashlight app, because the parking lot of the complex is completely in the dark behind the houses.