Saint-Malo, France

Up in the North-West of France, in the Province of Brittany, we found this awesome coastal city. Fortresses, stone walls, beaches as far as the eye can see, beautiful homes, all the boats and even a few casinos - this place has it all. This is where we spent the first day of 2017!

Just over an hour drive North of Rennes is the fortress city of Saint-Malo. Known as the "walled city', its origins date back to the 1st Century B.C. with cathedrals and chateaus dating back many centuries.

Saint-Malo Tourism!

Mont Saint-Michel, France

"A magical island topped by a gravity-defying medieval monastery/ For centuries, the dreamscape of gothic Mont Saint-Michel has lifted the spirits of visitors."

Europe and castles - we've all seen those incredible pictures on Instagram or heard about the amazing stories in history and the castles that just always seem to be in the background. Well, with Alex in Rennes for a study abroad semester, we found ourselves in some pretty unreal settings.

Exhibit A: Mont Saint-Michel.

We drove north (just over an hour by car) from the provincial (Brittany) capital city of Rennes through some dreary fog and into the farmlands of France. If you're ever in the country you'll notice a lot of the dairy products (milk, eggs, cheese) will have the Bretagne (Brittany) mark on them. This meant some lush fields, lots of animals in the pasture and some beautiful old farmhouses - you wouldn't have to twist an arm or a leg to convince me to live in one.

Momentum

Dec 24, 2016 snowshoeing

It's been just over a year now since I tore my ACL & MCL ligaments in my knee during Winter training with my club, Feildians. If you've been following along, you know it's been a difficult and long process both mentally and physically. Well, this week was another huge step forward - I was fully discharged from the ortho clinic and told to live in the gym! A clean bill of health and belief from my surgeon that I was well on the way to a full recovery and return to sport!

Action

It's now nearly 6 months since my successful ACL surgery back in May - it's been an extremely challenging and even at times, rewarding experience. As I'm sure you can gather from the previous posts, the entire situation was painful and even depressing at times, as it changed every single aspect of my day-to-day life as it had been. All of a sudden I was transformed into a bed ridden crank - I'll admit I was pretty sour and disappointed for a spell. BUT, as with any setback or negative situation, it's important to find the good, the positive aspects of it and create opportunities. This includes setting realistic and achievable goals, both in the short and long term. These are especially important when the ultimate end seems to be at the top of a mountain. 

Torbay Point, Newfoundland & Labrador

It's been a while since the last post but don't worry, we've been busy exploring and taking pictures! One of our favourite, shorter hikes, is definitely a close-to-home portion of the East Coast Trail (ECT) called Torbay Point which is actually only a section of the Cobbler's Path segment. 

In total, Cobbler's Path is 8.2km and suggested time is 3-4 hours. For this smaller section it is only about 15-30 mins depending on your pace from parking on a local road to the beautiful, scenic point. The trail first takes you through the woods all the while heading toward the ocean and this long, narrow jutting bit of land - stairs included. 

Twillingate, Newfoundland & Labrador

Everything from fresh fish & chips straight off the boat to icebergs, whales, puffins and breathtaking views. 

The beautiful, yet unassuming islands of Twillingate are well worth the drive, wherever you find yourself. 

About a 5hour drive from St. John's and 1.5hours from Gander, make a day trip at the very least to experience this beautiful tourist getaway. 

Heads-up, book those boat tours and excursions well ahead of time if you're visiting during peak season in the Summer months...this place may be small but it's incredibly busy with tourists. 

Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland & Labrador

Roughly 4.5 hours from St. John's, we found our own kind of paradise! White sandy beaches, incredible sunsets and more icebergs than you've ever seen!

A close family friend had mentioned the Old Saltbox Company to us and their unique concept. They've taken a number of, well, old saltbox houses and made one wall entirely windows to capture the stunning beauty of their locations. Alex's birthday was coming up so it was a perfect little surprise getaway weekend for us.