Aug 20-24 Cape Breton, NS

Have been sitting here in Baddeck waiting for the dreaded Hurricane Bill to hit. Is a little disconcerting when we have never experienced a hurricane before and have no basement to hold up in. As it turned out, Bill slipped right by us almost unnoticed-had a heavy downpour for part of Sunday afternoon and a few gusts of wind after dark on Sunday, but not enough to even call it a storm !! Went next door to our new friends' coach for a "Hunker Down" party they are Laura & Patrick, from Cape Canaveral, FL so are quite acquainted with these incidents. They were a bit surprised at our version of a hurricane !!! Spent one day out at the Louisbourg Fortress, enjoying the re-enactments of life in the early 1700s and our18th century Colonial history. It was built to protect France's interests in the new world and to serve as the center of its massive fishing industry. Salted dried cod was traded to France and England in exchange for all material things in the fortress including foods, spices, kitchenware, willow branches for basketmaking and all construction materials and tools.

We spent another busy day at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site at Baddeck. This man was a phenominal inventer as well as a teacher of the deaf-he had taught Hellen Kellar in her young years-he taught deaf people to speak through a language he created. He is remembered for inventing the telephone, the telegraph, the iron lung, X-ray, flying machines and the hydrofoil. Very interesting day.

We are now about to board the ferry to Port aux Basques, Nfld

Aug 18-19 Pictou, Nova Scotia

Back across the Confederation Bridge minus $63.50 for toll. Entered NS at Amherst, a town founded in 1764 following the expulsion of the Acadians when the New England settlers were invited to settle. It became a busy railway town in the 1880s. In 1887, the Rhodes Curry Co was founded as a construction company, which built many of the large red sandstone buildings which are still in use today. In 1908, rich industrial tycoons built large Victorian homes. Drove through Pugwash-world famous for peace. Birthplace of Cyrus Eaton, an industrialist, financier and philanthropist. During the 1950-60s, he became an advocate of nuclear disarmament and improved relations between the USA-Russia at the height of the cold war. On through Malagash, salt mining town - 70,000 tons of salt were mined annually under the sea. And finally to Pictou, which was the beginning of "New Scotland" when on Sept 15, 1733 200 Scots arrived aboard the "boot ship" Hector after an arduous 3 months at sea. 18 children died of scurvy and dysentry on the crossing. On reading the Manifesto, I discovered several MacKays were aboard, of interest as that is my family name. Now my curiosity is really picqued !! We did find our family plaid and coat of arms on at lamp standard directly across from the Salt Water Cafe, a waterfront diner where we enjoyed delicious shrimp baskets. We also enjoyed the pipes at an outdoor venue as well as a man & woman team singing folk music at the park. Next day, we toured the Hector Historic site and boarded the replica ship. Also caught a glimps of Norm in his first kilt !!!

Aug 13-17 Charlottetown, PEI

We checked into the Harrington RV park on Passport America (half price = $12.50 per night) which is 6 miles North of Charlottetown. Very quiet and almost vacant which is good because our power system has failed us so we need to run on generator twice a day. Norm has been in touch with several RV people but so far everybody is coming up blank. We went to the Homecoming Fair which is equivalent to our fall fairs, but much smaller. Toured one day to the northwest point of the island on the North Cape Coastal Drive, and a second day to the northeast point on the Points East Coastal Drive so feel that we have seen a good cross section of the lifestyles and history here. Went through the haunted mansion at Summerside. Stopped for a great seafood lunch at the Spinaker Mall in Summerside. Busy place as the Canada Summer Games are on presently in several venues throughout the province. Ended up near Cavendish at North Rustico for another seafood dinner. Drove through Georgetown and Souris on the east coast.

Golfed today at the Rustico Golf & Country Club (after 2 PM $69 for 2 with power cart) then hit a Lobster supper at the Lobster Claw, a very small restaurant on our way home.

Aug 11-13 Moncton, NB.

Went through Miramichi, Canada's Irish Capital. Picked up new VHS radio antenna in Dieppe, next door to Moncton. Knocked ours off going through a snowshed near Revelstoke. Played 18 holes of golf at Country Meadows GC for $60 for 2 with power cart, then were allowed to stay in the parking lot overnight at no charge.Played again next day on our golf card so was $30 for 2 with powercart. Went for a fantastic scallop/fries/salad dinner at clubhouse for $9.95 per and fancy coffees 3 for $10. Doesn't get ant better than this and another free night thrown in.

Next morning we drove out to the Hopewell Rocks near the Bay of Fundy and caught a fairly low tide so we were able to actually walk on the ocean floor. The Chocolate River, which drains into the bay, is aptly named as it almost dries up on the low tides. Picture a melted Cadbury's Milk Chocolate bar and you have the picture. After the low tide the bay takes 6 hours and 13 minutes to fill up again.

Then off to PEI. across the Confederation Bridge, 8 miles across and takes 12 minutes !!

Aug 6 -Aug 9 Acadia Penninsula, NB

400 year Acadia Congress in progress through the month of August. Deported from France in the early 1600s, these families settled in this part of NB, then 4 years later in Quebec and eventually in Louisianna. Thousands of visitors from all over the world have come to attend family reunions, and the homes and businesses are decorated more than our Christmas. The Acadian flag is blue, white & red with a large yellow star in the top left corner. Everything here is decorated in these colours -lawn furniture, telephone poles, streamers & yard art. We drove to the end of the road of the Miscou Isles, then climbed the 96 stairs of the Miscou lighthouse, which is no longer being used because the light was suspended in Mercury and deemed unsafe to the public. Has now been rebuilt and painted so Mercury is no longer a hazard. Art & Anita have now caught up so we are travelling together. Spent the better part of a day at the Acadian Historical Center near Caraquet, where everything is happening in the 1800s and later the 1900s. This was a real hands on experience to the way they lived in those years and the trades -blacksmithing, broom-making, hat making, tinsmithing, farming, baking, fishing, barrel making, etc. Another day of info overload. Stayed 2 nights at Neguac, lobster clubhouse lunch at Tracadia-Sheila, golfed amongst swarms of mosquitoes at Tabusintac. Lobster and crab fishing is finished for now so hundreds of boats and thousands of lobster cages and crab pots are sitting on land.

Aug 3 - 6 Gaspe Penninsula

Followed the St Lawrence River on the south shore all the way out to the Gulf of St Lawrence. Very flat land, major farming area, lots of huge dairy farms. Went through Le Bic,a quaint town with tiny, very colourful houses, beautiful flower gardens - even flower planters under the windows on the cow barnsw !! Rimouski, another tourist town full of cyclists, walk/bike ways all along the water through town. Grass medians and flower planters EVERYWHERE. Camped at Cap-Chat on the water, which was also featuring "Homard (lobster) Fest" so of course we had to attend.

Went to the lighthouse at Cap Madeline and followed the coastline along to Perce. Very steep up & down roads with inclines of up to 17% - the steepest this coach has seen !! Drove through Forillon National Park -lovely drive along the water, lighthouses and churches in every little town. Steeples can be seen for miles. Camped in Perce -famous for the Perce Rock which we could see from our site. Spent most of a day looking around the town, full of boutiques, eateries, museums, galleries and all things TOURIST.

July 31 -Aug 2 -Quebec City

We took the 10 minute ferry across the St.Lawrence River from Levis to Quebec City. Spent the day wandering through the narrow streets with quaint shops and a huge variety of eateries, many of them outdoors, in the lower town. Then took the funiculaire, a gondola on tracks, from lower town to upper town. Watched the street entertainers and buskers, went for a cooling cucumber cocktail on the upper patio of the famous Chateau Frontenac then took a horse and buggy tour around the Parliament area and the Citadel -so many buildings and churches, some from the 1600s.

Took a shuttle bus out to the falls at Montmorency where we watched theLoto Quebec International Fireworks competition (Italy night) set against the falls to the music of Celine Dion & Andrea Boccelli, Frank Sinatra and several other noteable Italian musicians. Really spectacular !! Caught the ferry back to Levis at midnight after a very busy but funfilled day with Sam & Connie. We need to come back here as there is SO much more to see.