Gentle Friendly Canadian Maritimes

Two weeks of exploring Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec City

 Yes, there is driving involved, and indeed we had spectacular weather in August which equaled a glorious two weeks in the Maritimes and Quebec with our friends the Searles.

First night in little Lubec Maine, just to the south of the bridge to Campobello, New Brunswick. It is the eastern most city in the US.


Nice way to end the long day of driving at our room in Lubec

 
This is Campobello where FDR and Eleanor would vacation.
There are nice trails, Eleanor's tea house where she served tea at 3:00 in the afternoon to guests and local residents and a well preserved mansion.

Ferry to New Brunswick

While we didn't spend much time in New Brunswick except on the highways, the ferry ride was delightful. We went on a big car ferry and weren't we surprised to have the boat make an unexpected stop on the beach and have a car drive off!


This is the house that the car below is headed to.


Halifax

Halifax is a very Canadian friendly city of 800,000 people where cars stop whenever you attempt to cross the street! It was the port of entry for all immigrants coming from Europe to Canada.

Canada is still part of the British Commonwealth

Award winning architectural and ecological library

Walk on the waterfront demonstrated the clever use of containers for small shops.



 
Night of Acadian music. This was a jam session with flutes, fiddles, guitars and bagpipes.
South of Halifax is Penny's Cove and Blue Rocks Beach



Very unique beach at Peggy's Cove. Simply rocks.

Plenty of old elemental architecture



While this is a new house, it is in keeping with the three sided dormer windows that are prevalent on many of the houses in Lunenburg, a UNESCO city.

North to Cape Breton and the Cabot Trail



Acadian flag that is displayed proudly everywhere.
Memorable performance by the Barra MacNeil family and the step dancers. We were about the only tourists there.

Chetticamp harbor

Dinner at the famous Red Shoe Pub in Mabou featuring live music nightly. So many of the musicians were related to each other. Generations of families performed together. Don't know what you would do if you were born into one of these families and weren't musically inclined. Scottish, Irish and Acadian music combined.




One experience was our Inn in Mabou. Beautiful place and very religious hosts.


Peter's desire to visit the Scotch distillery, Glenora. It is the only distillary in North America.  The least expensive bottles sell for $365.

Cabot Trail coastline. Spectacular!



Next stop the rolling farmlands and warm coastal waters of Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown, the small capital city on the southern coast of the island.



Harbor walk and unique playground in town.



This old building in town was built during prohibition. All liquor was confiscated from citizens and stored here. However, Charlottetown continued to export liquor abroad. It was so securely built that it is in great condition 100 years later.



Red sand beaches and porous red rock is emblematic of PEI.







Architecture, simple and comforting.



At one of the Provincial parks were three members of a First Nation Family talking about life then and now.



Probably one of the best visuals for me, of PEI, are the carpeted rolling farmlands. Fresh cut wheat, green soy beans and brilliant mustard seed cascading to the sea or horizon.




Last stop, Quebec City

Old Quebec City is a treasure. Wander through street scenes of buildings from the 1700s to early 1800. See the seasonal scenes on amazing murals.



Yes, this is a flat surface!!


Couldn't leave the city without seeing a changing of the guard. Quite the half hour event with the decorated goat as the most unique attraction. The hats worn by the soldiers are made of bear fur. Queen Elizabeth ordered them for the British soldiers and Canada too.




All good things come to an end. It was a relaxed yet culturally interesting trip. Like the US, Canada had its period of the British persecuting the French and Indian citizens, sending them in droves back to Europe, down the US coast and to Quebec. Those remaining are fiercely Acadian with the flag, their music traditions and their heritage.

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