Fire & Ice Passage & Canadas Fall Foliage

Warmed by the Gulf Stream as well as by highly active thermal hot springs and volcanoes, Iceland is somewhat misnamed. While it is a stark and barren country with three huge areas of glaciers, one theory is that early Norsemen sought to mislead other potential settlers by giving a pleasant name to fierce, inhospitable Greenland, and a forbidding name to the imminently habitable Iceland. Irish monks and hermits established themselves here in the 8th century, but left a century later when the pagan Norsemen arrived. Europe’s first Parliament of General Assembly, the Althing, was established in the year 930 and still functions as the legislative body, although it was suspended by the Danes at the end of the 18th century and not reconvened until 1843. Reykjavik was the site picked by the island’s first permanent resident, Ingolfur Arnarson in 874, and is home to more than half of the island’s total population. The world’s northernmost capital, Reykjavik is proud of its virtual lack of air pollution. Both electrical power and home heating are derived from the geothermal activity on the island. The city’s large swimming pools are always warm, and in the countryside exotic fruits such as grapes and bananas are cultivated in greenhouses made cozy with the help of underground hot springs.

The charming small fishing village of Grundarfjörður is located in the middle of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and thus provides easy access to Stykkishólmur, Snæfellsbær and the Snæfellsnes National Park. Its best-known landmark is undoubtedly the peak of Mt. Kirkjufell. Translated as ‘church mountain,’ Kirkjufell is the most easily recognizable peak, and one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland. During summer months a Viking Village is built in the center of town where Viking re-enactments occur quite regularly. During the Á góðri stund town festival in July, the town’s 900 residents decorate their houses in red, blue, yellow, and green, transforming the town into a spinning kaleidoscope of color. The town first began trade in 1786, and around 1800, French merchants came to Iceland and settled in Grundarfjörður, where they constructed a church and a hospital. The town has prospered through the fishing industry for a long time. The surrounding sea is rich with birdlife & marine life throughout the year.

Like most Icelandic towns, this one on the northwest coast was started by fisherman and whalers. The name means ice-fjord. It is a perfect place from which to explore the cultural and economic staples of Iceland. An excursion to Sudavik reveals a town started by whalers and nearly destroyed by an avalanche in 1995, now rebuilt out of the path of further slides. Its lovely church was donated by whalers, as well. The own also holds a center for the study of the indigenous arctic foxes. The Maritime Museum in Isafjordur illustrates the lifestyles of the early inhabitants, including many implements of their trades, and also a wall of accordions, one of the few forms of entertainment on bygone days. Another option is a boat ride to nearby Vigur island, a nesting site for many species of seabirds, including eider ducks, whose down is yet another example of local economy based on the surrounding seas.

Akureyri is the second largest urban area in Iceland with a population of around 18,000. Nicknamed ‘The Capital of the North,’ it is situated at the head of Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland, only 62 miles (100 km) from the Arctic Circle. Surrounded by snow-streaked mountains, the Akureyri hills flourish in summer with a profusion of arctic wildflowers. Mt. Kerling is the highest peak visible from town, at 5,064’ (1,538 m). Often cloudy, with a mild climate, Akureyri has much less precipitation than its southern counterpart Reykjavik. It is a cultured city, with a university, numerous galleries, museums, art exhibitions, and live theater performances. Nearby Hrísey Island is a spectacularly beautiful and peaceful island often called ‘The Pearl of Eyjafjörður,’ with an atmosphere of calm and settled tranquility. Numerous Atlantic puffins fly overhead, and the occasional whale is seen traversing the fjord.

The largest town in South Greenland with over 3,500 citizens, Qaqortoq was founded in 1775 and still reveals some examples of colonial-period architecture. There is not infrastructure to support shore excursions here, but guests can explore the town and its museum, or possibly arrange a visit to a nearby hot springs. Like other towns in Greenland, there are also possibilities to buy examples of traditional Inuit arts and crafts, including items crafted of bone, soapstone and wild-harvested furs.

The immense scale of the peaks around this village dwarfs anything built there. Still, the tall white steeple of the church juts up with a spirit of endurance and perseverance that matches the character of those who make this arctic outpost their home. It also echoes the shape of icebergs floating in the surrounding seas, shed from the immense icefields that cover much of the island.

Located at the most northerly tip of Newfoundland, L’Anse aux Meadows is nestled near the fishing village of St. Anthony. It is the site of the first European settlement in the New World, approximately 500 years before Columbus’ arrival. Other Norse groups had relocated from their homelands to the New World. In 1961, explorer and writer Helge Instad discovered a group of large mounds in the countryside. These mounds were excavated revealing the remains of a Norse settlement. This site became L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Park in 1977 and is noted on the UNESCO World Heritage List of important cultural properties. The site at L’Anse aux Meadows has been completely excavated allowing visitors to see the remains of the homes, a smithy, and various worksheds. The park’s interpretive center displays Norse artifacts from the excavation which include iron rivets, a flywheel and the floorboard of a boat. Researchers still debate as to whether the site at L’Anse aux Meadows is Leif Eriksson’s ‘Vinland,’ a lush, beautiful area where he settled in for the winter around the year 1000. Parks Canada will greet you on disembarking the ship and you may explore at leisure this first settlement of the New World.

At the tip of Quebec’s southern peninsula, in the heart of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Gaspé is like a remnant of Brittany marooned on the North American continent. Charming fishing villages, lighthouses and marine vistas abound. Nearby Percé Rock is a huge stone arch stuck into the sea, and offshore, Bonaventure Island hosts the largest nesting colony of gannets in the world.

This island in the archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence offers scenic fishing villages and wind- and water-sculpted coastlines of eerie beauty. The church of St. Pierre at Laverniere was constructed from the wreckage of ships that foundered on the offshore shoals. A lighthouse now warns others away.

The coast of Cape Breton Island is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Northumberland Strait. Its land mass encloses the Bras dOr, an inland sea with perhaps the least polluted salt water in the world. The island was claimed for England by John Cabot in 1497. The early settlers, predominately from the Highlands of Scotland, were reminded of their homeland by the rugged hills near Baddeck. The islands topography is characterized by massive rolling hills, picturesque valleys and craggy coasts. Gaelic was the language spoken then and it is still quite common today in the central part of the island. In the 18th century, the French dominated this area and Acadian French is the first language in many villages today. They gave the name of Cape Breton to this desolate headland that juts far out into the Atlantic Ocean.

With its exceptionally delightful harbor side setting, early Europeans were first attracted to Halifax in 1749 with the establishment here of a military outpost by Colonel Cornwallis. The ports natural advantages of a well-protected harbor and close proximity to major fishing grounds resulted in its growth into a major military base and sea port. The peninsula has had several major immigrations during its history; English, French, German, Irish and Scottish have come in substantial numbers at various times. Travelers familiar with the South Pacific will find it interesting to know that Captain James Cook, whose explorations defined most of the Pacific Basin for Europeans, also spent four years in Halifax charting Nova Scotia and the waters of the St. Lawrence. A college town, Halifax has an exhilarating and youthful air about it, as evidenced by many bicyclists and skateboarders. The heart of Halifax offers wonderful restaurants and shopping, galleries, museums, and sites of historic interest including the Naval Dockyard, which dates from 1757, and St. Paul’s Church. Heading out of town, the wonders of nature are to be found in the form of the sea, with the smell of salty air, cool ocean breezes, and the powerful force of waves crashing against the rugged shoreline.

Although it was first colonized by French Acadians in the late 17th century, Shelburne’s real expansion began during the American Revolution, when it was a haven for British Loyalists fleeing the mainland colonies. In 1783, these included a large number of escaped African-American slaves who founded Birchtown, at that time the largest free black community in North America. A decade later, some 1,000 of them accepted a British offer to be relocated to the new African colony in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Learn about this, as well as Shelburne’s shipbuilding past and other historical eras in the town’s complex of three museums, including the Dory Shop Museum where boats are still built.

Welcome to the cultural and commercial center of the state of Maine. Although it is only one-tenth the size of Boston, Portland is the most populous city in the state. Some say Portland is a city “too good to be true.” Mainers boast about the quality of their lives and on today’s call you see why. Perhaps it’s the spectacular coastline, the restored waterfront buildings, a ferry boat ride, the delicious Maine lobster, a view from the rocks at Portland Head Light, or simply the smell of the clean fresh Maine air. However you choose to spend your day here in Portland, you are sure to enjoy your stay as the gracious Mainers welcome you to their handsome maritime city.

Abundant with history, Boston is a pure delight for any visitor. Independent explorers can trace the past 200 years of American history by walking the “Freedom Trail.” Winding its way past old brick buildings, glazed high-rises, green parks and the famous Charles River, the path enables followers to discover some of Boston’s historic events. The fiercely independent early citizens who resisted British rule and taxation without representation carved their story in the minds of all Americans. This pride is ever present today as Bostonians tout their many institutional and cultural treasures, such as Harvard and MIT, Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, Fenway Park, as well as such refined diversions as Symphony Hall and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Merely sailing into the harbor of New York past its world-famous skyline is sure to win a special place in your travel diary. Although it will be quite early in the morning, this fabulous experience is well worth getting up for. Be sure to have your camera ready for a picture of the legendary Statue of Liberty, once the first welcome sight for millions of arriving immigrants. New York is rich in history, from its early Dutch settlers to the swearing-in of George Washington as the first U.S. president, on to its status as the capital of finance, fashion, art, publishing, broadcasting, theater and advertising. Truly, The Big Apple has something to offer everyone.

Sail into Narragansett Bay, passing the expansive lawns of some of the town’s “summer cottages” built by the Captains of Industry in an age before income taxes. Some of these opulent mansions are open to visitors, or you can view them from the famous Cliff Walk. The town also hosts the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Vintage 12-meter America’s Cup yachts are available for sailing excursions on the bay, or stroll the town’s oldest section, which boasts the largest collection of original colonial-period homes in the country.

Abundant with history, Boston is a pure delight for any visitor. Independent explorers can trace the past 200 years of American history by walking the “Freedom Trail.” Winding its way past old brick buildings, glazed high-rises, green parks and the famous Charles River, the path enables followers to discover some of Boston’s historic events. The fiercely independent early citizens who resisted British rule and taxation without representation carved their story in the minds of all Americans. This pride is ever present today as Bostonians tout their many institutional and cultural treasures, such as Harvard and MIT, Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, Fenway Park, as well as such refined diversions as Symphony Hall and the Museum of Fine Arts.

As the state of Maine stands apart from the rest of New England, so does Mount Desert Island stand apart from the rest of Maine. When French explorer Samuel de Champlain first dropped anchor here in 1604 he was so impressed by the outline of its towering peaks that he named it “the island of wilderness mountains” – Isle des Monts Deserts. Locals call it the place where the mountains meet the sea. Pink granite mountains give way to pristine freshwater lakes on one side and the mighty Atlantic on the other. Mount Desert’s largest town, Bar Harbor, existed for decades as a small local resort and farming community. By the turn of the century, Bar Harbor had gained a reputation as a playground for the rich. In 1916, some of the more conservation-minded residents got together and purchased some 33,000 acres of land and donated it to the government as Acadia National Park, the only national park in the New England states.

With its exceptionally delightful harbor side setting, early Europeans were first attracted to Halifax in 1749 with the establishment here of a military outpost by Colonel Cornwallis. The ports natural advantages of a well-protected harbor and close proximity to major fishing grounds resulted in its growth into a major military base and sea port. The peninsula has had several major immigrations during its history; English, French, German, Irish and Scottish have come in substantial numbers at various times. Travelers familiar with the South Pacific will find it interesting to know that Captain James Cook, whose explorations defined most of the Pacific Basin for Europeans, also spent four years in Halifax charting Nova Scotia and the waters of the St. Lawrence. A college town, Halifax has an exhilarating and youthful air about it, as evidenced by many bicyclists and skateboarders. The heart of Halifax offers wonderful restaurants and shopping, galleries, museums, and sites of historic interest including the Naval Dockyard, which dates from 1757, and St. Paul’s Church. Heading out of town, the wonders of nature are to be found in the form of the sea, with the smell of salty air, cool ocean breezes, and the powerful force of waves crashing against the rugged shoreline.

A city firmly dedicated to nostalgia, PEI’s capital is full of period buildings recalling a past that strongly informs the present. The City Hall is a National Historic Site of Canada, and the city proudly proclaims its history as the Birthplace of Confederation. Wander the well-maintained waterfront and the atmospheric downtown streets, or cross the island’s pastoral fields to Summerside or the red rock North Cape.

The great fjord of Saguenay cuts deep into the slopes of the Laurentian Shield, cited as the oldest rocks on earth. On either side, domes of rock are furred with forests of conifer and hardwoods whose fallen foliage gives the fjord its tea-colored hue. At the head of this spectacular waterway, the newly-created Port Saguenay provides easy access to the natural splendors of the Laurentian forests, a favorite year-round playground of the Quebecois.

Founded in 1608 as a fur-trading base by Samuel de Champlain, Québec has a long and exciting history. In 1759, the English defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham and helped determine the outcome of the French and Indian Wars, which under the Treaty of 1763, established British supremacy in Canada. The joie de vivre and panache, however are totally French, as are the cuisine, language and heritage. The first buildings were close to the St. Lawrence waterfront and are known as Lower Town. Most hotels are on a hill that rises steeply from the river in what today is called Upper Town. Québec is still North America’s only walled city north of Mexico. Handsome old structures throughout the city are fine examples of classical French architecture. The towers and spire of the imposing Château Frontenac Hotel, built by the Canadian and Pacific Railway in 1892, lend the city an aura of the Belle Epoque.

Founded in 1608 as a fur-trading base by Samuel de Champlain, Québec has a long and exciting history. In 1759, the English defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham and helped determine the outcome of the French and Indian Wars, which under the Treaty of 1763, established British supremacy in Canada. The joie de vivre and panache, however are totally French, as are the cuisine, language and heritage. The first buildings were close to the St. Lawrence waterfront and are known as Lower Town. Most hotels are on a hill that rises steeply from the river in what today is called Upper Town. Québec is still North America’s only walled city north of Mexico. Handsome old structures throughout the city are fine examples of classical French architecture. The towers and spire of the imposing Château Frontenac Hotel, built by the Canadian and Pacific Railway in 1892, lend the city an aura of the Belle Epoque.

Montreal, an island city of approximately three million people, claims to be the largest French-speaking city outside of Paris. It was here in 1535 that Jacques Cartier, the first European to explore the St. Lawrence River, founded a small settlement on the island. This settlement failed, so the official founding date of the city is May 1642. In modern days, Expo ’67 and the Summer Olympics of 1976 brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to Montreal. Major conventions, film festivals and cultural events are held in Montreal, attracted by the city’s extensive facilities, fine hotels and excellent dining.