New World Exploration II

Crossing the English Channel from continental Europe to Great Britain, the first view of England is the milky-white strip of land called the White Cliffs of Dover. As you get closer, the coastline unfolds before you in all its striking beauty. White chalk cliffs with streaks of black flint rise straight from the sea to a height of 350’ (110 m).

Numerous archaeological finds reveal people were present in the area during the Stone Age. Yet the first record of Dover is from Romans, who valued its close proximity to the mainland. A mere 21 miles (33 km) separate Dover from the closest point in France. A Roman-built lighthouse in the area is the tallest Roman structure still standing in Britain. The remains of a Roman villa with the only preserved Roman wall mural outside of Italy are another unique survivor from ancient times which make Dover one of a kind.

Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry.

Belfast, Northern Ireland’s largest urban area is situated on Ireland’s eastern coast. To the northwest, the city is flanked by hills, including Cavehill, thought to be Jonathan Swift’s inspiration for his novel, “Gulliver’s Travels.” Belfast’s location is ideal for the shipbuilding industry that once made it famous. The Titanic was built here in 1912, at the largest shipyard in the world. Until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 was reached, the worst of Ireland’s “troubles” was experienced in Belfast, which suffered almost half the conflict’s resulting deaths. Since that time, however, Belfast’s city center has emerged into an attractive pedestrian-oriented environment with street musicians and the like, and a revitalized river front.

Cut into the northwestern shore of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland’s Argyll and Bute, Holy Loch gets its name from its long association with Christian churches. In Kilmun the 19th century church stands on a site where earlier ones are believed to date to the 6th or 7th Century. At Sandbank, the Robertson’s Yard built famous wooden 12- and 15-meter racing yachts from the late 19th through the mid-20th Century, including several America’s Cup challengers. In World War II, Holy Loch was used by the Royal Navy as a submarine base, and during the Cold War from the 1960s until the 1990s the United States also used it as a base for its nuclear submarines. Nearby Dunoon, and its now-ruined castle, was the seat of Clan Campbell, later the Earls of Argyll, until they moved inland to build the castle at Inveraray. In fact, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, was an occasional guest there. Popular attractions around Holy Loch include the Benmore Botanic Gardens, Inveraray Castle and Scotland’s second-largest city, Glasgow.

The tiny island of Staffa, part of the Inner Hebrides, is celebrated for its stunning geology. Vikings named it Stafyi-øy meaning ‘stave island,’ as its rock formations reminded them of the vertically placed logs used to construct their houses. Staffa is made up completely of hexagonal columnar basalt. Sixty-five million years ago, erupting lava cooled quickly, forming these distinctive shapes. Hexagons are most often associated with honeycombs in beehives, however, they are also characteristic in volcanic formations. Over time, a weakness in the rock was eroded by fierce Atlantic waves, creating legendary Fingal’s Cave. It was once known as ‘The Musical Cave’ for the wonderful sounds of the sea water reverberating against the sides of its large cavern.

The island was first promoted by Sir Joseph Banks, who was Captain James Cook’s naturalist in 1772. In the 19th century, Jules Verne, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, the artist JMW Turner and 19-year old Felix Mendelssohn also visited Staffa

Tiny, tidy Tobermory welcomes you to the Isle of Mull, largest of the Inner Hebrides. The colorful town is curved around its harbor, and the Mull Museum is a good place to start discovering more about the island, as well as its maritime and crofting background. Iona Abbey is an atmospheric relic of ancient times, with a Gothic and Romanesque nave. Nearby Duart Castle is one of the oldest inhabited castle in Ireland, the seat of Clan MacClean. The central keep was built in 1360. Glengorm Castle is scenically situated overlooking the sea and the distant Outer Hebrides. Retire to the small Tobermory Distillery, one of Scotland’s earliest, for a taste of single malt whisky, then keep an eye out for a glimpse of the magnificent white-tailed sea eagles recently re-introduced on the island.

Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, was founded by Vikings in the 9th century. But the Hebridean culture goes back much further, as testified by the circles of standing stones that are found on the island, and shards of pottery dated from at least 5,000 years in the past. There are remnants of various historic periods to be seen here, including traditional blackhouses, an ancient design, some of which were incredibly still in use into the 1970s. Lews Castle, which overlooks the town, is a more modern copy of a Tudor manse, which was built by a former owner of the island. Latta’s Mill, a 19th century overshot water mill, has been reconstructed and operates as an attraction. The main occupations on Lewis are fishing, farming, and production of Harris Tweed, a traditional cloth named for another nearby Hebrides isle.

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 Westfjords in northwest Iceland is a remote and sparsely populated peninsula of steep, tall mountains cut by dozens of fjords. The lack of flat lowlands suitable for farming played a key role in keeping this region wild and sparsely populated. The raw and untamed natural landscape around Ísafjörður is characterized by a subarctic environment. A colorful show of blooming tundra wildflowers carpets the mountain slopes and valleys during the short, cool summer.

Vigur Island, second largest island in the Westfjords region, is one of the most renowned areas in Iceland for viewing nesting birds en masse. The area’s cliffs host an astonishing wealth of nesting birdlife, while the occasional arctic fox can be spotted patrolling the edges of the bird colonies in hope of an easy meal.

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.

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.

St. John’s is the most easterly point in North America and closest point of land to Europe. Due to it strategic location, St. John’s has been vitally important for centuries to explorers, adventurers, merchants, soldiers, pirates, and all manner of seafarers, who provided the foundation for this thriving modern day city. Explore this, one of the oldest cities in North America, and a city unlike any other. This “City of Legends” is cradled in a harbor carved from granite, and surrounded by hills running down to the ocean. Quaint side streets of a thousand colors are home to friendly faces that wait to greet you.

The tiny archipelago of St. Pierre et Miquelon is a territorial overseas collectivity of France, just 16 miles from the coast of Newfoundland, but nearly 2,400 miles from continental France. The islands were unoccupied when a Portuguese explorer stumbled on them in 1520. But by the time Jacques Cartier claimed them for France in 1536 they were already being visited by Basque and Breton fisherman exploiting the fertile fishing grounds of the Grand Banks. The intermittent dominion and tenuous but tenacious history of the islands is explained at L’Arche Museum in St. Pierre. Suffice it to say that the British and the French quarreled over and ceded control between themselves for centuries. However the population remains mostly descendants of Basque, Breton and Norman fishermen. They speak a metropolitan, rather than Canadian form of French, and their customs, foodways and personalities are firmly Gallic. Stroll the sloping streets, marveling at the vividly colored houses with bright, contrasting trim. The economy of the islands has traced the roller-coaster path of the fishing industry, with a healthy surge during the American era of Prohibition, when whisky and wine smuggling thrived. Lashed by the North Atlantic winds and chilled by the cold Labrador Current, the islands have a severe beauty enhanced by panoramic seascapes.

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.

Trois-Rivières is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. The riverfront Boréalis museum traces the history of the local paper industry. Nearby, the Centre d’exposition Raymond-Lasnier displays contemporary art. Quebec Museum of Folk Culture explores the cultural life of the Québécois. Adjacent is the Old Prison, dating from 1822. The Forges du Saint-Maurice has artifacts from Canada’s first iron-working community.

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.

Trois-Rivières is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. The riverfront Boréalis museum traces the history of the local paper industry. Nearby, the Centre d’exposition Raymond-Lasnier displays contemporary art. Quebec Museum of Folk Culture explores the cultural life of the Québécois. Adjacent is the Old Prison, dating from 1822. The Forges du Saint-Maurice has artifacts from Canada’s first iron-working community.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.