Could be any window but happens to be Anne Shirley's window at Green Gables.
Lobster dinner everywhere you go.
Comfy Adirondack chairs everywhere inviting one to rest a while.
And beautiful lupine, in full bloom right now and at least a foot of flower - vastly larger and more colourful than the Yukon variety.
The end of our tour took us to Cape Breton Island. We started driving the southern most road to Louisbourg. We found the road poor, scenery depressing and during a stop, a local advised us to use another road, so we did. We crossed over to the #4 and drove through Big Pond, home of Canada's famous Rita McNeil. When she is in town, she does frequent the Tea House. We didn't see her but her Oatcakes were delicious!
On to Baddeck. A town with lots and lots to do. One thing we did do was visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. I learned so much there. He not only invented the telephone (I knew that!) but the hydrofoil, air conditioning, was involved with genetics, speech therapy, was with the group that designed and flew the first aircraft, the Silver Dart, in Canada and and and... I was amazed. Why, in school, did they only teach me that he invented the phone?
On a drive north, we stopped by a scarecrow place.
Spent an afternoon in Cheticamp. They are famous for rug hooking in this Acadian town. And I had the best homemade potato and chicken soup ever. The weather was extremely windy but sunny and we had a most enjoyable day.
Drove the Confederation Bridge to enter the island. It was suggested that we rent a cottage in Cavendish which we did. Cavendish is lovely. Very Anne of Green Gable-y. You see Anne paraphernalia ALL over the place. If you ever watched CBC's Ann of Avonlea on TV, that is exactly what it looks like. There is a nice boardwalk along the shore by North Rustico with fishing huts and boats.
Took a drive to Charlottetown. This photo was taken from Province House, the birthplace of Confederation. Canada dates its birth from July 1, 1867 and its conception from September of 1864. The occasion was a conference to discuss the desirability of union of Britain's North American colonies. The place was Province House, in Charlottetown.
We hung out in the north. We took walks and enjoyed viewing the fishing villages with their small huts, lobster traps, and boats.
We drove from Cavendish attempting to get to East Point, where two currents meet in the ocean, but somehow arrived in Souris instead, so stopped for brunch. We continued down the southeast coast to the Ferry Terminal in the south. Before departing the island, we visited Rossignol Winery and discovered some great raspberry, blackberry and blueberry wine.
We departed Halifax and turned left. It didn't really matter which way we turned as we wanted to traverse all of Nova Scotia anyway. The first town to cross is Peggy's Cove which is just as quaint as all the photos you have seen of it.
A sad note around Peggy's Cove is the memorial to the Swiss Air flight that fell into the ocean just off the coast there in 1998.
The drive along the south east coast is amazing. There is a picture at every curve of the road. Our next stop was Shelburne, a town we knew nothing about but once there had trouble leaving. That is also where we discovered the Association of Unique Country Inns, the first of many that we slept in. If you are travelling Nova Scotia, these Inns are highly recommended (by me) and here is their website: click here 
We rounded the western most point of Nova Scotia and drove on to the Annapolis Valley. We stopped in Annapolis Royal, a lovely town on the west side of the valley. During our stay there we visited Port Royal, a Parks Canada site which is a reconstruction of early 17th- century buildings representing the former colony of the French who settled for a time along the Nova Scotia coast.
Our apartment was by Pier 21 on Barrington. It was a full two (large) bedroom with full kitchen and large living room - very spacious and conveniently located by the Nova Scotia Westin, of which we used their services more than once (computers, shuttle bus, luggage storage ...). Even though Richard scared me upon arrival to the apartment about the sewage problem they had, that apparently was a number of years ago, the problems were all solved and things were just fine for our stay!
The Roald Amundsen (he was an arctic explorer) was docked and lucky for us it was Ocean Day when Hilary & I passed it which meant we could tour the ship. They had a crew but did take on students on their sailings. The staff were very information and patient with our many questions. In fact the security guard at the gate said we were allowed on the ship much longer than anyone else that day ... perhaps they were trying to recruit us (?)
Late one afternoon, the fog rolled in and shrouded the water in white. Very east coast-ish.
Continuing our Halifax tour, we visited St Paul's Church which, as you can see above, did get stabbed by a piece of flying something or other during the Explosion of 1917. Don't know about the explosion ? Click Here. While in the church, we chatted with a church member whose last name was "Lord" ... a coincidence ??
Spent some time in Baddeck on Cape Breton. Took a hike to a waterfall and despite the attacking coyotes, we made it there and back. Were advised to carry a stick tho for protection. Half way to the water fall we met two men coming in the opposite direction. They looked at our sticks and gave us theirs instead. They actually brought these sticks from Ottawa, apparently beaver chewed (but I couldn't see evidence of that) and shelaced to a smooth finish. Mine also had a leather handle complete with beads - and they just GAVE the sticks to us. They did come in handy though as the trail was quite rocky. The waterfall was lovely. We hiked back and the men were gone. Later that night we searched the town to return the walking sticks and luckily found them although they were surprised that we were returning them.
Made it to Cape Breton. Was told NOT to miss the Fortress Louisbourg. It is the largest reconstructed Fortress in North America. I asked how they know what was there in 1744 and apparently the French left a zillion detailed records back in France, so they could recreate the fortress quite accurately. At the gate, you are accosted by a uniformed soldier bearing a weapon who asks who you are, where you come from and why you are here. He wants to know how you could be of use to the fort. Hilary played along with him, but grumpy me just wanted to enter. Another soldier came to listen to theirconversations and as Hilary and the first soldier were talking, I was looking at their heavy uniforms and thinking come summer (oh yeah, it is summer, I meant come hot weather) they are going to swelter so, wanting to enter I said that what I would do for the fortress was, come hot weather, rip off their uniforms so they would be comfortable. The new soldier said "Madame, don't wait for the hot weather, enter and rip off our uniforms now!" And that is how I entered the fortress.
Now back in PEI and speaking of Anne Shirley, here is her house. The have constructed her house, barn, yard, just everything Green Gably. It is quite something to see.
As I said in my last post, I am getting these all mixed up but at least I am getting them on the blog. Travelling to PEI we traversed the Fundy Coast. This coast has the highest and lowest tides in the world. Below you can see what happens at low tide. We happened upon a town called Parrsboro and much to our surprise (considering the other towns we passed along the way) is was a lovely little town of about 1200 people. We have been staying in the Unique Country Inns of Nova Scotia and was lucky to find one in this town. Above is the Inn we stayed at and as it was low season, we had our choice of rooms, so chose the suite. We have been very lucky with our accommodation. As you can see the weather has improved so I am keeping my fingers crossed that our weather luck has changed.
This is not in order, but if you knew the problems I am having with the Apple computer ... Above is PEI. We crossed Confederation Bridge - the longest bridge I have ever been on. Most of the time you cannot see over the sides, so your view is just the road, which is probably good as it is difficult to drive a straight line when you are constantly looking sideways! Arrived into PEI and were talked into renting a cottage in Cavendish - Anne Shirley's country. So we did. The land is just as one would picture it with lush rolling hills, lots of farms including beef and dairy farming. The soil is as red as I have heard is was. Of course Cavendish is Lucy Maude Montgomery land and Anne of Green Gables is EVERYWHERE. The cottage we rented was great with two bedrooms and full kitchen and living room and full deck. Drove down to Charlottetown for a day (esp to watch England play USA). (Don't tell PEI'ers, but I think I prefer Halifax over Charlottetown).
Hit Lunenberg (sp?? I'm embarrassed to say). I have never been in such a quiet town .. you could hear a pin drop in the street. Our Inn, the oldest tavern in Nova Scotia, was so quiet it was like being in a sound proof room. Beautifully restored houses.
Here we are in a Victorian garden. Some nice man offered to take our photos. Spent most of the day in Halifax wandering around then at the end of the day took a drive out to Peggy's Cove. 
Ahhh, Mother's Day once again and for once, my offspring was in town and did celebrate the day with me. First, the RUN FOR MOM. Took place by the SS Klondike and was a 5 km fun run which saw about 300 people active. I saw you there Sue R. and you Debbie M. with your family and , and, and... The weather held, although it looked like rain and it was a very satisfying way to celebrate Mother's Day.
I was escorted today in a truck so high "I needed a ladder just to get me up". It was sure fun and on a day like today it was sure fun being a mother!
