It was the May 24th long weekend this past weekend, so, on Friday evening after work we hopped on plane and made our way out East to visit Rebecca, Andy and Floyd in Saint John, New Brunswick!
After a short flight we arrived late Friday night in the pitch black, and were greeted by our hosts right at the gate (there's only one in the Saint John airport). When we arrived at Rebecca and Andy's it was already quite late, but we stayed up a bit later to acquaint ourselves with their cat Floyd - an animal we had heard much about, and possibly the cutest/friendliest/neediest of all cats. Needless to say, many Floyd pics were taken over the course of the weekend, on account of his tendencies to strike model poses for the camera.
After a much needed lie-in, and a couple of fully loaded breakfast sandwiches, our first spot of tourism was an afternoon trip out to St. Martin's Sea Caves. The sun was out when we arrived, and the scenery was beautiful. We weren't the only ones out enjoying the day though - Andy spotted the local biker gang hanging out on the beach, leather jackets and all.
We set off across the beach to the cliffs and caves ahead of us, only to be thwarted by a stream carving its way down the beach. Luke and Andy hopped across, suffering only mild wetness of foot. Elizabeth and Rebecca continued their search for a narrow section of stream in vain, and eventually accepted the inevitable wet feet. Luckily it was a warm sunny day.
We set off across the beach to the cliffs and caves ahead of us, only to be thwarted by a stream carving its way down the beach. Luke and Andy hopped across, suffering only mild wetness of foot. Elizabeth and Rebecca continued their search for a narrow section of stream in vain, and eventually accepted the inevitable wet feet. Luckily it was a warm sunny day.
The cliffs were stunning, and exploring along the coast while the tide was low revealed a secluded beach carved into the rock. We continued to clamber and explore for a while before making our way slowly back to the car, ending with a little picnic on the beach. San Pelegrino and Oreos for all!
We spent the afternoon relaxing back at the apartment before setting out off for dinner in uptown (i.e. downtown) Saint John. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Thandi, before stopping by at the nearby Picaroon's brewery for a beer. In a competition to see who could read the prices on the wall (don't ask why), Rebecca and Luke discovered just how bad their eyesight was. The night ended with a few more drinks at the apartment and a few games on Jackbox.
Sunday started with another lie-in and some pancakes, and of course taking more cat-model shots of Floyd. Our plan for the day was a mini road trip out to explore more of the area surrounding Saint John. Our route took us by Rebecca and Andy's workplace, as well as the community they're hoping to move to soon, before finally made our way to Welsford for a hike. It was a nice drive, and great to get to know the area a bit better.
Parking the truck on a gravel road, we set off into the woods on our hike in search of Welsford Falls (a waterfall... in Welsford). It didn't take too long to hear the sound of rushing water, and after descending some precarious pathways we found ourselves at the bottom of a big 'ol waterfall! We also found ourselves swarmed by black flies, so after we took a few photos and Luke had the chance to throw a couple of rocks in the stream, we clambered back up and out of the woods to the truck where the breeze blew the little buggers away. Sat in the back of the truck, we cracked open a few more San Pelegrinos for another little picnic.
Parking the truck on a gravel road, we set off into the woods on our hike in search of Welsford Falls (a waterfall... in Welsford). It didn't take too long to hear the sound of rushing water, and after descending some precarious pathways we found ourselves at the bottom of a big 'ol waterfall! We also found ourselves swarmed by black flies, so after we took a few photos and Luke had the chance to throw a couple of rocks in the stream, we clambered back up and out of the woods to the truck where the breeze blew the little buggers away. Sat in the back of the truck, we cracked open a few more San Pelegrinos for another little picnic.
Dinner on Sunday was at the nearby golf club, in the recently renovated Britt's pub. It was a really nice spot, and we all struggled to choose something from the delicious menu. In the end though, we all enjoyed our meals and even had a few leftovers to take with us. Luke also enjoyed a couple of their own Britt's Brew, which reminded him a lot of London Pride. Tired from all the fresh air, we spent the evening relaxing with a few drinks, and playing a few more games on Jackbox with a couple of Rebecca and Andy's friends.
Our final day in Saint John started much like the other two, but we eventually made our way back uptown (downtown) for a late brunch at the Cask and Kettle, a new Irish pub. Once again, we enjoyed perhaps a bit too much delicious food, so we decided a post-lunch stroll at a nearby Rockwood Park would be a good idea.
It was a nice stroll around the lake and through the trees, and thanks to a few information boards and our resident tree expert Andy, we also did a bit of learning about the local flora. We also learned how much of a tree snob Andy is, which we suppose is to be expected from the son of a forest engineer.
Our final day in Saint John started much like the other two, but we eventually made our way back uptown (downtown) for a late brunch at the Cask and Kettle, a new Irish pub. Once again, we enjoyed perhaps a bit too much delicious food, so we decided a post-lunch stroll at a nearby Rockwood Park would be a good idea.
It was a nice stroll around the lake and through the trees, and thanks to a few information boards and our resident tree expert Andy, we also did a bit of learning about the local flora. We also learned how much of a tree snob Andy is, which we suppose is to be expected from the son of a forest engineer.
Heading back to the apartment it wasn't long until we had to set off for the airport and make our way home. We enjoyed a bit more time hanging with Mr. Floyd, and a couple of quick games of Codenames before it was time for our trip to Saint John to come to an end. We had an awesome weekend hanging out in New Brunswick, and no doubt we'll be back for a few more adventures, and a bit more Floyd time.
(SLIDESHOW)
This time last year we were checking out the CBC Music Festival, and two years ago we were enjoying a weekend of camping in Terra Nova National Park.
