Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

October 16, 2013

I remember studying about the Gaspe Peninsula in elementary school.  Today, we visited there.  This is a very rugged part of Canada, which includes a section of the International Appalachian Trail.  Yes, that’s the same Appalachian Trail that runs through Tennessee.  The peninsula extends into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.  There are high cliffs and mountains that border the area.  This is also a prime spot to see migrating whales and beautiful landscapes.  We didn’t see any whales today because most of them have already started their migration south into warmer waters.

This area is devoted to fishing, agriculture and forestry.  However, because of the number of tourists to the area, it is moving toward the tourism and service industries. 

We chose to stay in the little city of Gaspe today, rather than take a shore excursion to Perce, about an hour across the peninsula.  All of the shore excursions were by school buses, and we just weren’t up to riding that distance on that type of bus.  Had we gone, however, we would have seen the northeast tip where Forillon National Parks, the first national park in Quebec, is located, and is home to seals and moose. 

Just strolling the main street of Gaspe was like visiting Skagway, Alaska.  Very few shops, a number of restaurants, a Tim Horton’s (Canada’s version of Starbucks), and very friendly people who wanted us to enjoy their little piece of North America.

Tomorrow and Friday are sea days before we arrive back in Bayonne, NJ, on Saturday morning and return home from a much needed vacation.