Churchill Manitoba

Train Station Greeting

One of the best places to see Polar Bears in the wild is Churchill Manitoba Canada. Churchill is one of the lowest latitudes that polar bears congregate in early November each year before leaving the land to spend the winter hunting for ringneck seals on the ice.

Churchill is a small town around 900 hundred people in 2016. Tourism is one of the main sources of income. With Polar Bear viewing in November, Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis during February, Beluga Whales in summer as well as birding and wildflower tours.

You can get to Churchill which is located on the Hudson Bay in Northern Manitoba by air or train. The train ride from Winnepeg will take two to three days depending on the freight trains using the same tracks. The flight from Winnepeg can be very expensive and is currently run by Calm Air or  Air North. You just might be on a plane that has cargo since this is one of the ways supplies can get to the northern communities when there is no water access.

The town of Churchill has several stores for souvenirs, a grocery store, a few places to stay and a variety of restaurants. The hospital, recreation center, library, and school are all connected at one end of town parallel to the Hudson Bay.

Rocket launch 1965

We stayed at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre https://churchillscience.ca/. This area was once used by the U.S. Army as a sounding rocket test station. The Army left Churchill in 1970 and the  Canadian National Research Council to support the Canadian Upper Atmosphere Research Program during the '70s and '80s but was deserted by 1985.

Churchill Northern Studies Centre New Building

We spent a week at the center learning about the polar bears, climate change, local vegetation, and landscape.

Hudson Bay before the ice

Cross Fox

The Arctic Fox use to be the only fox in the area. With the Red Fox moving into the area there is now a black fox with to white tip tail from cross-breeding of the Arctic and Red Fox.

Tree Island

Our main goal was to see Polar Bears so we spent two days traveling in Tundra Buggies in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. We were not disappointed as we saw numerous large male bears waiting for the ice to form so they could get out on the ice to hunt for ringneck seals their primary food source. For these bears, it has been a long time since they ate their last seal when the ice disappears in June on the Hudson Bay. Here are a few pictures that we took of the bears.

Who is Stronger?

We also had a dog sledding ride. This experience gave us an idea of what it would be like to travel this way. The experience was only a mile long but that was cold enough for most of our group.

The last experience was the 45-minute helicopter ride over the Hudson Bay rugged coastline. Everyone has a window seat during the helicopter ride with groups being no longer than four people.

Ice Forming on the Hudson Bay

If you plan on going you need to book early. We booked in early January the year we wanted to go in November. We also booked our flight as soon as possible. If you wait the price goes up and there is limited space so you may need to take the train. We heard that the train was an interesting experience but we wanted to get there faster. The train also only runs on certain days so you might have to book an extra night in town at a hotel or B&B.  Here is the current website for the tour we took.

https://churchillscience.ca/event/lords-of-the-arctic-i/

This was definitely a wonderful experience that I would not have wanted to miss. If you plan to fly in and out in a day you take your chances with the weather and polar bear sightings might be limited. Some tours only take you around town and along the road system not out onto the tundra in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. The Churchill Wildlife Management Area is not Wapusk National Park which is farther away from town.

Ring of Kerry

Muckross House

Muckross House is a beautiful victorian home in Killarney National Park. Located overlooking Muckross Lake. The grounds are beautifully maintained with a wonderful garden close to the house.

This house is the best preserved victorian house that we have visited. The draperies in the house are the original.

The house was used as a hunting lodge and therefore the grounds were protected from being logged. Some of the trees are very large.

Tree in the park

While at Muckross House you can also visit the Muckross Farm. This area shows farm life in a small, medium and large farm. Irish soda bread is baked over a fire either is a pot using peat or on a griddle over an open fire. In one area you can see the Irish Wolfhounds.

Care for a ride

Large Farm House

Irish Wolfhound

While driving the Ring of Kerry there are wonderful views.

The weather was cloudy and misty so it was difficult to see the Skelket Island where the monks lived and the site of The Last Jedi filming took place. We did see the island better from he Dingle Penisula.  Ireland has had several movies and shows filmed in various locations throughout the island and there are frequent references to the sites.

One of the many lakes in the area.

On Valentia Island, we stopped at the site where the transatlantic cable came to from Newfoundland in 1858 on August 5th.  The cable connected Canada to Europe.

Telegraph Field

Monument identifying where the cable came ashore from Canada.

There are also some fossilized prints from the tetrapod trackway which is believed to be created by one of the first animals that walked on land. The tracks are believed to be 385 million years old.

Footprints

New Ross Ireland

New Ross was the main port where many Irish Emigrants left. This included the families who left on the famine ships. The ship on display is a reconstruction.

Dunbrody Famine Ship transported families to Quebec which took 50 days.

We visited the Dunbrody Famine Ship to learn more about what was happening in Ireland during the potato famine. Many landowners paid the passage fair to get the peasants off their land so that they would not have to feed them when the potato crop was failing due to the fungus brought to Ireland from the bird dropping imported from South America to make ammunition.

Families of 5 to 7 shared on birth and had to remain below deck except for one person who could do on deck once each day to prepare food for the family as long as it was not storming. Cooking was on a wood fire held in an iron grate. 

First-class passengers shared a small cabin but had access to the deck and regular meals.

The Irish National Heritage Park

The heritage park is 35 acres of recreated Irish history starting from the hunter and gathers who came to Ireland across a land bridge as the Glaciers receded. Gradually the land bridge disappeared as the water level rose and separated Ireland from the rest of Europe. The park is an interesting way to learn about the history of Ireland.

Middle Stone Age Campsite

New Stone Age Farmstead

Ogham is an early form of writing invented in Ireland and is done on stone. The ogham stones are the first evidence of the Celtic language.

Stone Circle believed to worship the heavens.

Early Medieval Ringfort

Building in the ring fort.

Early Christian Monastery

Celtic Cross was carved and painted.

Norman Castle

 As we travel around Ireland we will see the evidence of some of these historical remains.

Glendalough Monastic Settlement

South of Dublin is Glendalough and this site can be done as a day trip from Dublin. If you are driving be sure to pay the toll fee at a gas station within the 24 hours or the rental car company will charge you an additional fee.

Glendalough is the most impressive monastic settlement. Founded in the 6th century by St Kevin it flourished until England destroyed it in 1398.

Tower with Celtic Cross

The tower was used as a bell tower, storage, beacons for pilgrims and refuge from Viking invaders. The door is located high above ground level with a pull-up ladder.

Glendalough means valley of two lakes. This is a wonderful wooded area that you can walk around.

This deer was taking shelter in the trees during the rain. Even with numerous tourists taking pictures the deer did not appear to be disturbed by all the attention.

Ireland Dublin

Clayton Ballsbridge

We stayed at the Clayton Ballsbridge in south Dublin. The hotel was converted from an all-girls school and was a lovely hotel with a great breakfast buffet.  The Ballsbridge community is where the Embassies are located. Each day we walked by the United States of America Embassy. It was a good 40 min. walk into the centre of town. The bus service was frequent but the disadvantage is you pay every time you get on a different bus, there is no transfer. We spent the time in Dublin getting used to the time difference and seeing the sights before picking up the car at the airport. We used Aircoach to get to and from the airport and this was very convenient and economical.

In Dublin, we saw Trinity College, St Stephens Green, Merron Square, browsed along Grafton Street, and saw the GPO Witness History exhibit as well as the National Museum of Archaeology. One evening we went to a Celtic show at the Arlington Hotel. The first evening we had dinner at the Hairy Lemon Pub which was recommended by our travel book. The Pub was packed and expensive. Everything in Dublin is expensive so be prepared to spend a little more.

We took the tour of the Kilmainham Gaol (jail) which was very interesting. Check out the height of the wall compared to Bill. He was not sure how anyone could ever escape. We heard on the tour that the only prisoners too escape had help from a guard. Prisoners were held here before being shipped to the penal colony in Australia. 

Inside Goal, this has been used in movies.

Front Gate for Kilmainham Goal

Northern Luzon Philippines

The last part of our trip was touring on Northern Luzon. We arrived at the domestic terminal and picked up our rental car. The rental car was located close to the International terminal so we had to wait for the van to transfer us. Getting the rental car took a lot of time and our flight was late arriving. Trying to get through the traffic in Manila was also very time consuming so we did not start driving on the toll road until several hours later than expected. The drive was five hours to Baguio and it was dark by the time we left the toll road. Grant had to maneuver the narrow twisty mountain road to reach Baguio. Google maps helped us get through the cities but did not always choose the easiest routes to drive.

Baguio is a large city with a huge student population. There is not much to see in Baguio and it is spread out over a vast area on the sides of the mountains. When walking in the city you are either going up or down a hill. Parking is also very difficult to find but there are lots of Jeepneys if you know where you want to go.

Older Jeepneys will soon not be allowed to operate.

From Baguio we had another long day of driving towards Sagada which is only 146 km away but is a five hour drive. Sagada is located in the Cordillera Mountain range. The road is two lanes and extremely twisty.

Arriving safely we checked into our hotel. Parking is an issue in Sagada so we had to pay for parking at the local church. Sagada is a tourist town. To stay in Sagada you have to pay for a national park pass. There are several tourist offices where you can book guides to take you to see the sights. This is the are were most people do spelunking adventures. There are a few sights that do not require using ropes and ladders.

Hanging Coffins

Our first tour was to see the hanging coffins from the road in  Echo valley and walked to Lumiang cave where there multiple coffins are stacked at the entrance had been placed for centuries.

Lumiang Cave

Our second tour we walked to the Hanging Coffins, past coffee trees, through a cave to the rice fields and a small waterfall and swimming pool.

Hanging Coffins

 The practice of placing the coffins in Echo Valley is gradually being eliminated.

Following the path

Before entering the cave

Looking back inside the cave

Exiting the Cave

Following the river

Farmers Fields

Swimming Pool near Sagada

Sagada Rice Field

Working in the rice field

Farming Area from road

From Sagada we drove to Banaue along the Cordillera Mountain road. This drive was only 83 km and took about three hours.  Here we stayed at Banue Greenfields Hotel which is located out of the town center. The hotel was very nice and you could get meals. We booked our guide Irene at the hotel for our tour of the UNESCO rice fields.

UNESCO Rice Fields on the road to Banaue

Map of Sagada and Banaue Area

The drive from Sagada to Banaue was not far so we decided to walk down to the Bangaan.

Town of Bangaan from the start of the trail

Lots of stairs

Once at the town of Bangaan we had to climb back up to the road. The next day our guide took us to Battad too walk around the rice fields. This was a great experience as you had to walk into the area. There are several places that tourists can stay over night in very basic accommodation. Once you reach the main center of Battad you still need to walk farther down actually experience the narrow walkways and stone steps protruding from the walls to climb between terraces.

Looking down from our restaurant

Walls of the rice fields all the way up the mountain.

Walking the walls

Rice

The group

Bananas

We survived

 After Banue we drove back to Baguio before continuing on to Lingayen.

We choose this area so we could spend some time on the beach and visit the Hundred Islands National Park.

Boat tour of the Hundred Islands

One of the Islands we visited

View from the tower

Private Boat and driver

The beach at Lyngayen is more of a grey colour and is long and flat which was very easy to walk along. Lyngayen is located in the Gulf of Lyngayen. The town has lots of services and caters to Philippians over North Americans. If you are looking for a white sand beach you need to go to Patar which is another 2 hour drive from Lyngayen. There are some hotels in this area but services are limited. At the beach in Patar you can rent a sun shelter for the day.

From here we drove back to Manila the day before our flight which took about four hours with a slight detour through a market street.