travel diary – Two Wild Tides

St. Pierre & Miquelon: What To Do and What To See

August 22, 2019 | Leave a Comment

St. Pierre & Miquelon is a fascinating place. It is a slice of France off the continent of North America. More precisely, it is an archipelago (a group of islands), about 20 km off the southern coast of Newfoundland. St. Pierre is the smaller, more densely populated island, while Miquelon and Langlade are larger, more sparsely populated islands. St. Pierre and Miquelon can be reached by plane or ferry. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it out to Miquelon or Langlade on my trip there, so it’s on the list for next time. Keep reading to find out some of the best sites and attractions in St. Pierre that you won’t want to miss!

First thing’s first: grab a tourist map. The small ones offered by the tourism office are ideal (you can grab them on the ferry)– they helped us get around the island, find where to eat and grab a drink, and they have a handy list of all the popular historical sites, monuments, and museums.

The must-sees:

The Graveyard — St. Pierre’s Graveyard is rich with history and fascinating to stroll through. Some of the graves, most of which are above-ground, are quite unique and unusual. Learn the stories of the people who lived in St. Pierre and the tragedies that sometimes cost them their lives. The operation of the graveyard itself is also interesting to learn about, especially the events that caused the entire cemetary to be relocated several times. Be respectful and ask lots of questions.

War Memorials — St. Pierre has quite a few war memorials and monuments due to the many battles, revolutions, and wars France was part of throughout history. St. Pierre’s geographical distance did not immunize them from often being conscripted to fight and defend their country.

Point aux Canons Lighthouse & Fishing Village — Only a couple-minute stroll from the town centre, the lighthouse is worth wandering out to. Also, take a walk through the colourful fishing port and chat with locals about the island’s fishing heritage. Perhaps a good activity to do while you drink your morning coffee?

Arche Museum — Even if you’re not a museum person, I would still recommend checking this one out. It recounts the entire history of the island on easy-to-read interpretation boards and has the coolest artifacts to look at. You’ll even find a real guillotine on display– it really gave me the creeps. The architecture of the museum itself is very interesting. Don’t miss reading about the prohibition history and Al Capone’s role!

Strolling the streets of St. Pierre — This community is absolutely beautiful and for Newfoundlander’s, so reminiscent of home. Have a stroll through the narrow streets of St. Pierre and soak up the vibrant colours, unique shops, and foreign cars. Stop into a patisserie for a delicious snack and wander into the church– you’ll be surprised by the rough contrast of fine architecture and dilapidation.

Frenchi’s — I highly recommend booking Frenchi’s Tours in order to see the sights outside of the town centre. Steve, the main tour guide, was so friendly, knowledgeable, and absolutely hilarious. He spoke great English and could answer all of the questions we had about St. Pierre & Miquelon– and we had lots. We booked the ‘Island Tour’ which took us to all of the breathtaking viewpoints on the eastern side of the island.

You also HAVE to check out l’île aux Marins. Roughly translated to Mariner’s Island, this tiny island was once home to around 600 people. Today, the only inhabitants left are people with cabins and summer homes. On the island, you’ll find the immaculate remains of this community which have been transformed into interactive exhibits where visitors can roam free in and out of the buildings. Read all about it here!

Where to grab a drink and a bite to eat:

The restaurants we loved were Les Délices de Joséphine for coffee and lunch; Les P’tits Graviers and Le Feu de Braise for supper; and Crêperie du Vieux Port was our favourite because they had amazing French and Canadian food and unforgettable traditional crêpes.

We stopped by a few bars, but our absolute favourite was Le Rustique. It had the coolest vibes and it was definitely the busiest.

Let us know what you get up to on your trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon! What was your favourite thing to do or see there? What did we miss? Was there anything you’d do differently? Let us know by commenting below or commenting on our social media, @twowildtides!

Still planning your trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon? Check out our other article: Know Before You Go.

The Hike of My Life: Mt. Batur

February 18, 2019 | 4 Comments

I have woken up at 2am many times in my life– usually, it’s to catch an early morning flight. This time, however, I was getting up at 2am for a sunrise hike up Mt. Batur in Bali. I had no idea what I was in for but I was excited, tired and ready for this incredible adventure.

Mount Batur is an active volcano that can be found in Batur Village in the Kintamani District in Bali, Indonesia. It’s located 1717m above sea-level and usually takes about 2 hours to reach the top by physically fit individuals. I highly recommend doing this hike at sunrise for the stunning views. You won’t believe your eyes!

The shuttle picked us up right at our hostel and proceeded to take us to a restaurant for a 3am breakfast. Unfortunately, it was not gluten free so there was no breaky for me. Then we piled back into the shuttle and drove about 45 minutes to the base of the mountain. As I stood outside in the pitch black light of the early morning I realized how chilly it was but I warmed up real quick.

Our guide, Bagawata was young, full of energy and extremely knowledgeable. It’s important to note that it’s prohibited to hike the mountain without a guide. There are plenty of guides and tours set up– we loved ours because of the small size (there were only 7 of us). We begun our hike up the mountain with Bagawata in the pitch black, only with the light of small flashlights. It was disorienting hiking in the pitch black but it was also really cool! Near the beginning of our hike, our guide stopped to talk to us about the mountain. It’s very sacred land to the Balinese people and there were some basic rules of respect that he asked us to follow. It was important to under no circumstance litter or leave garbage behind and to avoid cursing at all costs. He taught us a blessing that we could recite to show our respect for the land. This little talk was extremely interesting and gave us all some wonderful insight about the culture.

Our group was comprised of young, athletic adults and therefore we were cruising along at an incredibly fast past. We quite literally flew past other groups of hikers but the hike itself was gruelling. While it wasn’t a super long hike– it was pretty much straight up, entirely up the side of this mountain. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done– trust me we were cooking. In the darkness of the early morning all I could think about was putting one foot in front of the other. Many of us ran out of water quite early on (oops) and our clothes were drenched in sweat. By the time we made it to the top our guide said we made it up 30 minutes faster than normal to give you a little perspective. Reaching the summit of that mountain was one of the most exhilarating feelings in the world. We were all above the clouds, watching the sunrise and night time disappear. It was the highlight of the entire trip for me but also one of the best experiences of my life. Witnessing the beauty of the world around us will never get old.

We stayed at the top for a solid amount of time just taking it all in. Our guide brought a guitar and serenaded us with some songs as we watched the sun rise in awe. We took photos and chatted. Don’t forget to bring layers because the top is much colder plus all of your sweat dries! Chilly! Our guide took us on a tour to see some of the giant craters, views from different sides of the mountain. We walked a lot and even saw some monkeys!

The hike back down was almost harder because it was so steep and hard on the knees. But we did it! This was an experience I will never forget. It was the toughest hike I’ve ever done and I’m so grateful seen that part of Bali.

When’s the last time you saw a sunrise? It doesn’t have to be from the top of a mountain but I promise it will give you some perspective. Our planet is beautiful.

xoxo,
linds

Check out the next leg of the adventure: Ubud

Sri Lanka Diaries: 24 Hours in Colombo

July 17, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Colombo is Sri Lanka’s capital city and most populated area with 5.6 million residents. Its skyline is distinctive with the stunning Lotus Tower and eye-catching Altair Towers. It is the most commercial area of Sri Lanka and has lots of shopping, restaurants, and hotels. There is a strong colonial vibe and is also very modernized, however, in some parts of the city you can still experience some local flair.

I stayed at the Pearl Grand Hotel, a 4-star luxury hotel in the heart of the city. It boasts a rooftop pool and cafe and beautiful, comfortable rooms. The rates are really affordable, as they are nationwide and across most of Southeast Asia. Sleeping in style won’t cost you a fortune in Sri Lanka, and with the Pearl Grand, you certainly aren’t sacrificing comfort or cleanliness for affordability. I highly recommend it if you find yourself in Colombo.

In the evening, we went out for dinner and drinks at 41Sugar and the food was to die for. So were the drinks. Get the mojito, you won’t be disappointed. The building also has a nightclub if you’re feeling like dancing all night!

The next day, after a wonderful nights sleep, my friends and I had breakfast at the hotel cafe– a bountiful plate of fresh fruit and omelets and fresh juice all around. We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool, reading and taking an occasional dip to cool off. The view from the pool was phenomenal. I really enjoyed it.

Later that day we went to a bakery that was recommended to us for their delicious cakes, Butter Boutique. The sweets were divine and the decor was too cute! We walked from there to Vihara Maha Devi Park, a lovely green space in the middle of the city. It was Poya Day (a national celebration of the full moon) so many of the locals were out enjoying activities with their families such as paddleboats and pony rides. It was a perfect day for people-watching.

After a few hours in the park, we took a PickMe (Sri Lankan Uber) to the Old Dutch Hospital area for dinner. Surprisingly, most of the restaurants were closed for the holiday! So we grabbed a coffee and ordered a PickMe back to our homestay. Colombo is a really fun city. It’s not the most memorable itself, but depending on how you spend your time there and who you’re with, Colombo can be the perfect place to have some fun and make lifelong memories.

Have you been to Colombo? What did you do there? Let us know in the comments, we love hearing from our readers!

xoxo,
char

Sri Lanka Video Diary

June 28, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Just over a week ago I returned from a four-week volunteering adventure in Sri Lanka. I worked at various projects throughout the week, providing community-based mental health care and teaching English. Though I worked hard during the week, the weekend was my time to let loose, travel, and explore the beautiful and exotic sights the country has to offer. Check out my video diary below for a quick look at my adventures.

Although over the next few weeks we will be releasing more detailed articles about the different places I went during my trip, I’d like to quickly recap the things in the video, as they are some of the major highlights. Keep in mind that this is a highlights reel. It wasn’t all hiking and sunrises, cute trains and elephants. Our group put in very hard work and seen some upsetting situations unfold. That said, I’m glad there is a highlight reel to share and I truly hope you’ve enjoyed it and became inspired to see a beautiful country.

Featured in the video diary is Udawalawe National Park, where we saw elephants, monkeys, buffalo, parrots, and more; Mulgirigala Rock Temple near Tangalle where I gave an offering to Buddha, received a blessing, and learned about Buddhism; Pidurangala Rock where I hiked in the dark to watch the sunrise from the top; Sigiriya Lion Rock, an ancient empire on top of a giant rock protruding from the Earth; Ella Rock, with one of the best views in Sri Lanka; 9 Arches Bridge in Ella; and the cute blue train from Ella to Colombo, which we sat on for 13 hours but didn’t complain (until it got dark).

I can never truly describe how educational and life-altering this trip was. It has made me a better, more humble and passionate person and I am so grateful for that. What would you guys like to know about my trip? Stay tuned for articles about the volunteer organization I worked with, detailed accounts on each excursion listed above, and the airports I traveled through. I would love to answer any questions you have, so please send them to us by email, social media (@twowildtides), or in the comments below.

Thanks for watching!

xoxo,
char

Hiking to the Edge of the World: Cape Split

June 12, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Getting outside is one of my top priorities. I love hanging out in nature and unplugging from the stress of every day life. With Spring in full swing, I’ve been so eager to get outside in the Valley. There are some trails that I love to hit up every summer. One of my favourites is Cape Split.Cape Split is the classic Annapolis Valley summer hike and to me it signifies home. Plus, the drive there is stunning. It’s about a 20-25 minute drive to the entrance from Wolfville, NS and close to 90 minutes from Halifax. The trail itself is located in Scot’s Bay and is about 6km each way. It’s a moderate hike with some hilly sections. I would argue it’s one of the best hikes in Nova Scotia.At the top, the trail just opens up. It’s breath-taking. The ocean is all you can see for miles. I always find the top of Cape Split to be extremely humbling and refreshing. When you’re up there, nothing else matters. The top of Cape Split always puts things into perspective for me and makes my worries a little smaller. It was pretty windy up there the other day but that didn’t stop us from taking it all in. Bring some yummy snacks and have a little picnic at the top. The top of a mountain, the ocean and the forrest always remind me of how lucky we are to live on such a beautiful planet. We need to take care of our world so that we can keep hiking for years and years to come. What are your favourite summer hikes? Any trails that we must check out? Let us know in the comments below. xoxo,