Harbour Passage, Saint John, NB, Canada

This is Saint John’s Waterfront and Inner Harbour, where the St. John River meets the Bay of Fundy and the water can be wild and mesmerizing to watch. Saint John is a working port, so huge and fascinating ships are constantly gliding in and out across the water.

Small or large craft right in the middle of the City

Saint John’s waterfront walk way, known as “Harbour Passage”; is an interconnected system of walking, biking, running, skating trails, lookouts, and heritage sites. Breath taking views are everywhere.

Kinda like the Wizard of Oz, cept - the yellow brick road is PINK :)

It’s actually a series of paths that connect parks, recreation sites, heritage places, scenic views and is part of the Trans Canada Trail. (Trans Canada Trail – an approx 18,078 kilometre (11,233 mi) multi –use corridor across Canada.  (hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders, skiers, all terrain vehicles, snowmobilers)

Take a ride on the Pony Express

The trail has lots of historic sites and signs explaining the history and geology of the area and there are numerous gazebos, benches and observation platforms located along the passage.

Cruise ships galore...

Saint John City Market

Queen Mary II docked in Port, nice shady spot to stop n read...

 Follow the “PINK PATH” and enjoy spectacular views of Saint John Harbour, visiting Cruise Ships, shop n dine in vibrant UPTOWN and FAMED “ Multi-cultural City Market” area. This is the City I grew up in and I can only say "Come Play in My City By The Bay".

You've never tasted better fish n chips, lobster rolls, or certain multi-cultural delicacies -
this and soooo much more in the City Market

Song For The Mira

The Mira River is located in southeastern Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia,Canada

With a meander length of approximately 55 km (34 mi), the Mira has a very slow flow rate. The river's source is traced to a series of lakes clustered round n aboot (about) Victoria Bridge, Nova Scotia.

Flowing past the communities of Marion Bridge and Albert Bridge, the river discharges through the “Mira Gut” at the community of the same name into the Mira Bay.

Mira Gut Beach

The river's width and calm waters make it ideal for boating, swimming, fishing and other recreational activities. Several campgrounds and parks, along with the Mira Boat Club at Albert Bridge make the Mira River a great vacation destination. Popular swimming spots include Marion Bridge, Mira Gut Beach, Sanagree Island, Mira Water Park, and Albert Bridge.

The Mira region is also home to the Two Rivers Wildlife Park.

Wagon Ride

Ski in Winter, hike in Summer past Wildlife

The Mira River was the inspiration for local songwriter Allister MacGillivray’s “Song for the Mira”. Over the years, it has become a renowned folk song, that has been recorded by many artists and translated into several different languages.

 

High Flight

On 3 September 1941, Pilot John G. Magee flew a high altitude (30,000 feet) - on a test flight in a newer model of the Spitfire V. As he orbited and climbed upward, he was struck with the inspiration of a poem — "To touch the face of God."

Once back on the ground, he wrote a letter to his parents. In it he commented, "I am enclosing a verse I wrote the other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed." On the back of the letter, he jotted down his poem, 'High Flight.'

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

John Gillespie Magee, Jr. was born in Shanghai, China to an American Father and a British Mother, who worked as Anglican Missionaries. He attended schools in Nanking and Britain.

Magee and his family visited the United States in 1939. Due to the outbreak of the war, he was unable to return to Britain, lived with his Aunt in Pittsburg and attended school in Avon, Ct. He earned a scholarship to Yale, where his Father was a chaplain in July 1940. He chose not to enrol to Yale;  choosing instead to enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force in October of that year.

He was awarded his WINGS and promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer and sent to Britain. He was posted to No. 53 Operational Training Unit ( OTU) in RAF Liandow, Wales to train on the Supermarine Spitfire. As stated above, it was on this flight he was inspired to write this poem. He had flown up to 33,000 feet in a Spitfire Mk 1, his seventh flight in a Spitfire. John graduated from No. 53 OTU and was assigned to No 412 Fighter Squadron, RCAF in June, 1941. He was killed at the age of 19, while flying Spitfire VZ-H, in a mid-air collision. 

John's funeral took place at Scopwick Cemetery, Near Digby Aerodrome, Lincolnshire UK. He was given full Service Honours; his coffin being carried by pilots of his own Squadron.

A biography, "Sunward I've Climbed", The Story of John Magee, Poet and Soldier, 1922-1941 was written by Hermann Hagedorn in 1942.

Sunshine Award

I've been awarded the Sunshine Award by Red Nomad OZ, Amazing Australian Adventures over there in Aussie Land because - Quote - "What fun it always is to pay a visit to SaucyKod and Puppy Jack (PJ) ! Seeing Canada - and life - through their eyes makes every virtual trip worthwhile.....".

Thankyou Red, I graciously accept the award, eh - yeah, yahoo, all right then, we're walking on sunshine.

"Buddy, wasisname(nice maritime slang)" (NJAMB), who gave the award to Red originally, mentioned that with the great power of accepting this prestigious award come certain great responsibilities.

OK, here goes:

First, response to Award Questions:

Fav Colour - Green

Fav Animal - Why, Puppy Jack, of course

Fav Number - 00, called double zero or ought, ought ( smarty pants)

Fav Drink - Tall Glass of COLD milk !

Facebook or Twitter - Bloggette

My passion - Collecting socks :)

Giving or getting presents - Whole lotta givin' goin' on.....

Fav Day - ...... e v e r y day?

Fav Flower - Why....Lily of course.

OK now, with that out of the way, I am asked to choose ONLY 10 fabulous bloggers who have "inspired ME or the blogosphere with their creativity and positivity" (that is a word in CANADA). Now, here's the situation - I do not know 10 bloggers that actually BLOG - I have followers that read my BLOG, however, I know only a handful that actually BLOG, so I choose YOU, for these reasons.

"SUNSHINE AWARD"...........goes to -

DJAN -DJan-ity - You inspire me with your Mountains, valleys, Hills n Dales. I love the relationship you have with Mother Nature and all she has to offer and quite enjoy the photography and knowledge you present to us in your hikes and walks.

Genie -Climbing the Digital Mountain One Step at a Time - I know that when I sign into Genie's Blog - it's rather like opening a box of chocolates - ya never quite know what you are going to find. Genie, you can take a photo of a simple fire hydrant and make it beautiful - thank you for all the beauty you pass to us.

KT - Out of My Mind - Girl, you should be on stage - Even though you have had some tragic moments, you are one heck of a story teller. If I couldn't take my fav book with me into the wilderness, I would definitely make sure you were along, to sit around the log fire in the evenings and spin a tale or two, in only the FASHION that you can.

So, that is it - I pass the torch.........or perhaps I should say "SUNSHINE" AWARD to each of you and all the elegance, pomp and glory with which it comes.

Cheers.....