Canada, to have a
places grow on you, but it was love at first sight for us when we arrived in eastern Canada’s New Brunswick.
The capital, Fredericton, is a beautiful town with a great vibe. Home for the night was Quartermain B&B, a stunning chocolate-box building dating from the 1840s.
The owner, Debra, makes beautiful homemade cookies for her guests. Delicious. A short walk into town found us at Gahan House, a local oyster bar, where we enjoyed a cocktail before heading to 11th Mile restaurant for dinner.
It was packed with locals, which is always a good sign. The lady at the next table was working her way through the menu and hadn’t found anything she didn’t like – we had to agree!
Next morning, we were treated to freshly-baked warm rhubarb and strawberry bread, followed by cinnamonpoached pears, then vegetable frittata, possibly the best breakfast we’ve ever had. It’s probably what earned the Quartermain a Best B&B in North America accolade.
Still dreaming of breakfast, we headed into town to visit the weekly farmers’ market, which is as much a social as functional event for the locals, who say it’s the perfect excuse to meet up for coffee. Half indoor, and half outdoor, the market hosts dozens of stalls selling all kinds of farm produce as well as homemade fudge, craft jewellery and knick-knacks.
It’s the perfect place to pick up a spot of lunch and some prezzies to take back home. The Beaverbrook Art Gallery came highly recommended, so we spent a pleasant couple of hours there, taking in a selection of local artwork as well as famous pieces by the likes of Turner and Constable before we entered the Dali exhibition.
The sight of his huge Santiago el Grande took my breath away. I could have stood for hours in awe. Every time I looked at it, I saw something else within. Around two hours’ drive away, the Algonquin resort at St. Andrews by-the-sea was home for the next three nights.
The Algonquin is a beautiful, five-star resort boasting pools, restaurants and bars, a golf course, and health spa, all set in acres of beautiful gardens.
We arrived in glorious sunshine and walked into town, where we were struck by the colourful buildings. As it was almost Canada Day, most homes, shops and bars were adorned with national flags making the town even more vibrant.