Old and New England with Green Gables.

[drron]

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[drron]

The Finance Ministry building.
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I didn't cheat going back down to the hotel-I took the stairs.On reaching the lower street I was tempted by this T shirt but it was a little too close to home.
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[drron]

That night we chose a restaurant that was no more than 50 metres from our hotel for 2 reasons.First it was threatening to rain.The second reason was my right hip.It had been playing up a bit on this trip but tonight it really hit hard.Usually it gets better when I walk around but not tonight.
The restaurant was Matto.An Italian restaurant.Another Italian pinot grigio.
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Mrsdrron had the calamari to start and I the Carpaccio.Both very good.
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For mains she had the veal marsala and I the prawns with sambucca.Again both very good.
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We are on a roll.Another recommendation.
It just started to sprinkle as we left the restaurant.By the time we were back in our room it was pouring.

 

[drron]

On waking on Thursday morning we had a new view.
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Time for brekkie.A couple of pics of the buffet.
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There were extra items but they were instead of the buffet.On this our last morning I decided to try the duck eggs benedict.Not too bad but different.
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Just one last pic as I had not taken a photo that showed the Japanese style bathroom separate to the basins etc.
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So our assessment of the Auberge Saint-Antoine.A bit disappointing.A great position if leaving or embarking on a cruise from here.But expensive and we felt they were not really wanting to be part of the Virtuoso program.OK with no upgrade but getting the lowest of the river view rooms which we booked wasn't great.Then on the next couple of days we noticed the cleaners when making up a room for new guests were leaving some cakes and a bottle of champagne in the rooms.We got the cakes but no champagne.
We did though enjoy our stay in Quebec City despite the Quebecois.

 

[drron]

So now it was time to take off for PEI.It was just too far to go in one day especially as I relied on Google maps which labelled the part of the Trans Canada h'way we were to take as 2 when all the signs were for 85.So got to see a bit more of the Quebec countryside and a lot of it quite striking though not a great day weatherwise with light rain all the way.Some pics.
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On every road we saw these signs.
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But we never saw a moose!
It also shows again the arrogance of the French.Once we crossed into New Brunswick the signs were bilingual.
Also in Quebec many places flew the Quebec flag.A few flew the maple leaf as well but it was rare to see the maple leaf flag flown by itself.
Again in the Quebec papers one of the main items was Air Canada being sued again for not being French enough.

 

[drron]

So that night we stayed at the Delta Hotel Fredericton.A large probably not too old but undergoing renovations to the restaurant.Upgraded to the Club floor-ie same room we booked just on a higher floor.We are finding with Delta hotels that the rooms are of a good size but they miss some important features for us.First only a shower and in this room more water came out of the tubing than the shower head.As well despite shower only no shower cap for mrsdrron.
Second no in room safe.So pics of the room and view.
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As you can see the weather was terrible so we didn't fell like going out to dinner-for nostagia reasons I wanted to go to the Sam Snead restaurant.
They were serving meals in the bar so there we went there.Mrsdrron was happy they had a Monkey Bay SB so we had a bottle.She had the lobster roll which was very good.I had the haddock and chips which was just OK.
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[drron]

Friday we awoke to completely different weather.Sunshine.
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Travel was down the highway so not much chance of pictures.This was just before we crossed the Federation bridge onto PEI.
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Then onto the bridge and our first sight of PEI.
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[drron]

We are spending 4 nights at the Delta hotel,Charlottetown.
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The view.
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[drron]

The check in guy was really nice.Didn't even try to tell us that the room on a higher floor was an upgrade.But also chatted about some local info as well as Aussies he had worked with in Banff.On his recommendation we went here for dinner.
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The Water Street Corner Store.Doesn't look much but we had to share a table outside as all inside was booked.A good sign.Supposedly a Canadian pinot grigio but on the back says grapes may be sourced from around the world.
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We both had a lobster roll but added a side of scallops,a side of fried oysters,fries and a cup of chowder.
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Everthing was very good and we can definitely recommend.We are booked again for tomorrow night.

 

[drron]

We walked back to the hotel along the waterfront.
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Even some live music.
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[Matt_01]

This is the part that MrsM has been waiting for as we have decided that PEI is back on the radar for next year. We are planning a slightly different route through Portland to Nova Scotia via ferry and the ferry at the other end to PEI.

One of the reasons I like looking at trip reports is seeing places at different times of the year. These 2 photos taken in April 17 are from similar locations as you posted in 266 and 279, the weather and colours are certainly different.

 

[drron]

We are taking the ferry from PEI to Nova Scotia.This year the Nova Scotia to Maine ferry is out of action due to the terminal in Maine being rebuilt so driving all the way to Maine.

 

[VPS]

Air Canada fined for not using French language

A French-speaking couple say the airline violated their "linguistic rights" under Canadian law.

www.bbc.com

I'm also very keen to go to PEI - some friends were just there on a cruise so following along with interest

 

[drron]

So our first full day on PEI.We had studied the booklets and websites from PEI Tourism-yes they will still mail you a brochure to Australia.We have 3 full days in Charlottetown so the program was to do the 3 featured drives-North Cape Coastal drive,Central Coastal drive and the Points East Coastal drive.For the first day we set off on the North Cape drive.Now if you do the whole drive from Charlottetown it would be very nearly a 500Km round trip.We decided to cut part of it off based on what they said were highlights such as the Potato museum and the Stompin' Tom centre.So we did a little under 400Km.
Now we had figured that as these are designated tourist drives that there would be a fair bit of scenery.Mostly it was along country roads and although you may only be a couple of hundred metres from the water all you see is the trees and road like this-
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To see most of the attractions or parks on the drive you had to turn off to go to them.Obviously driving that far it is impossible to see most of the sights.There was another little problem with the PEI signage for the drives like this for the North Cape drive-
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were situated after an intersection and not before to warn you of a change in direction.So you had to know the route number you were following.Many of those though are obscured by trees so we became adept at doing a U turn if we didn't see the Coastal Drive sign soon after an intersection.Though sometimes those signs were obscured by foliage.
However we still enjoyed the drive.A couple of pics coming through Summerside the second largest town on PEI.
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Yes the water surrounding the Northumberland Strait coast has red/brown dirt cliffs which naturally erode hence the water colour.
Our first real stop was at the Region Evangeline-an Arcadian settlement.A huge Roman Catholic church with very few houses around.
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[OZDUCK]

So our first full day on PEI.We had studied the booklets and websites from PEI Tourism-yes they will still mail you a brochure to Australia.We have 3 full days in Charlottetown so the program was to do the 3 featured drives-North Cape Coastal drive,Central Coastal drive and the Points East Coastal drive.For the first day we set off on the North Cape drive.Now if you do the whole drive from Charlottetown it would be very nearly a 500Km round trip.We decided to cut part of it off based on what they said were highlights such as the Potato museum and the Stompin' Tom centre.So we did a little under 400Km.
Now we had figured that as these are designated tourist drives that there would be a fair bit of scenery.Mostly it was along country roads and although you may only be a couple of hundred metres from the water all you see is the trees and road like this-
View attachment 185277.
To see most of the attractions or parks on the drive you had to turn off to go to them.Obviously driving that far it is impossible to see most of the sights.There was another little problem with the PEI signage for the drives like this for the North Cape drive-
View attachment 185278.
were situated after an intersection and not before to warn you of a change in direction.So you had to know the route number you were following.Many of those though are obscured by trees so we became adept at doing a U turn if we didn't see the Coastal Drive sign soon after an intersection.Though sometimes those signs were obscured by foliage.
However we still enjoyed the drive.A couple of pics coming through Summerside the second largest town on PEI.
View attachment 185279.View attachment 185280.
Yes the water surrounding the Northumberland Strait coast has red/brown dirt cliffs which naturally erode hence the water colour.
Our first real stop was at the Region Evangeline-an Arcadian settlement.A huge Roman Catholic church with very few houses around.
View attachment 185281.View attachment 185282.


View attachment 185283.View attachment 185284.

View attachment 185285.

You obviously had same sort of lovely day to drive through the Region Evangeline as we did. I can only tell that they are not my photos of Église Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel because there is no 1960's convertible Mustang in the photos.

 

[drron]

It had a fascinating large cemetery beside it.50% of the headstones were either the name Gallant or coughnault.Many of the others buried had son or daughter of either of those families.As always fascinating and at times sad.One headstone had 3 children-1,3 and 7 dying over a 5 year period.A year after the last child died the mother died in her early thirties.Another had a couple dying in their late 70s and on the same headstone 3 children all under 3 of the same surname dying within the next 12 months.Grandchildren or great grandchildren perhaps but why did they die?
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The last photo is the coughnault mausoleum.In the next photo the board has the names of those who it is known are buried here but the graves have not been identified.It includes 1 woman from 2001.
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One thing that stands out when in a French area is the number of homes flying the Arcadian flag.Basically the French flag with a golden star at the top of the blue stripe.

 

[drron]

Driving further north you pass lots of waterways.
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The GPS was a bit worried when we got to the North Cape.
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The lighthouse.
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A bit of excitement here during WW2.
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[drron]

There was a small sand island covered in birds.
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Lots of cormorants.
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And North Cape.
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Extremely windy so a large windfarm here.
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Became operational in 1991.Here is one that neede replacement.
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Massive but that is a small one.

 

[drron]

Just a couple of photos on the way back.
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And a small fishing port.
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So close to Charlottetown we stopped and visited the Green Gables chocolate store and had a Cow's ice cream.Sorry I don't think it is Canada's best.
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For dinner we just went to the wharf next door.Now it is a tourist place so expectations not high.We had a lobster roll from Dave's lobster.Just OK and not recommended.The best thing was the beer and wine was not overpriced.Only 2 wines but the white was a Kim Crawford pinot grigio.I had a Good Day IPA.
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Mrsdrron had already had a couple of sips of the wine so a decent pour for $C7.

 

[drron]

Sunday as they say is a day of rest.Well the morning we spent looking at the shops and the markets they have every Sunday in summer.Not like at home as they start at 1100.
But first brekkie at the Delta.Not the best by a long way but better than some.
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Now one of the hot items was a cinnamon roll in an egg bake.WTF.
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We set off to walk to the top of the rise in Queen street where the market is.Whilst mrsdrron went into the Anne of Green Gables shop and the As Cool as a Moose shop I looked out for some interesting buildings.
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That last one needs a little TLC.
Then the markets.
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