Cabot Trail

After Louisbourg we based ourselves in Baddeck - at a lovely little Passport America Campground - very inexpensive - quiet and tranquil!  Picked the right day to travel the Cabot Trail - without the trailer thank goodness.  We were warned not to pull our rig over the trail - and for once listened to the knowledgeable locals!  Enjoyed the views and many stops along the way to soak up the scenery.  Stopped at an out of the way little Chowder House for lunch - on the advice of the lady at the information center - the info centers are every where out here and very very helpful for us flat landers! 

Needs no caption!

Pleasant Bay on the Gulf of St. Lawrence side

More views on the Gulf side

The Gulf was like 'glass'

Cape Breton Highlands

Alexander Graham Bell (R) with Sir Wilfred Grenfell (we toured the Grenfell home in St. Anthony, Nfl) - Grenfell is likely visiting with a view to raising funds for his hospital missions in Nfl.  Bell's wife Mabel was wealthy in her own right plus for a wedding gift Bell gave her 90% of the shares of his telephone invention!  What an exciting time this must have been, all these active and inventing minds!

Sailing time!  Our Captain inherited this sail boat that his Father built.  He runs tours out of Baddeck in the summer and in winters takes her down into the Caribbean!  His first mate was a young fellow just graduated with a business degree and bound for Korea to teach English as a 2nd Language. 

The nickname for this island on Bras D'or Lake (Arm of Gold) is "Bird Shit Island" according to the locals - the 'protected' Coumarant Birds are literally destroying the Island - their excrement is killing all the vegetation (it used to be forested).  They predict that in two years time  the Island will be all but gone!

At the suggestion of this photo shoot Sandra thought the deck hand was CRAZY - but it was safe and kind of fun!

Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel's summer home (Castle) - Beinn Bhreash - meaning something like beautiful Island or Mountain.  They cherished this 'get away' from the maddening crowds in Boston.  There are many pictures of their 'family time' taken here - he was a devoted family man.  He also had a laboratory on the property for his many experiments.  He built the house for $25,000 in 1886 and bought all 852 Acres surrounding his property for around $3,000!  Family descendants still live here.  The home is used only for family reunions and special parties / occasions.  A caretaker also lives on the estate - can't remember, but the cost of maintaining this 125 year old property is astronomical!  But it is only decimal points right?

Full sail as we head back for the dock!  A perfect day for a sail!

We were sitting on the down side!  Sandra wasn't getting out on that bow now!

The next day was perfect for our choice of activity - first a tour of the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site - very well done and we learned that he was renowned for far more than inventing the telephone (1876), among other things the iron lung (he had two Brothers die of TB and 2 sons die of respiratory problems at age 2 days!).  He was passionate over his work with teaching the deaf to speak and in fact married one of his students (Mabel Hubbard) - they shared a lifetime of devotion to each other.  After the Bell Museum we took a sail boat tour of Bras D'Or Lake which included passing by the peninula where Alexander Bell and his wife Mabel built their summer home (aka Castle) (winters they lived in Boston - and we heard his history while visiting there also).  So it seems both the USA and Canada lay claim to his fame!  We finished off the evening with a Ceilidh (Kaylee) at the local St. Andrews Parish Hall (it was packed) - a good revenue source for the Church I am sure and very entertaining Cape Breton music.  Love it!

Fortress Louisbourg

The National Historic Site of Fortress Louisbourg is a definite 10 out of 10.  We planned to spend a full half day there and had to go back for a couple more hours the next day - not a problem as we bought the Ntl. Park pass before leaving on this trip - and it has pretty much paid for itself already.

Our tour guide using Barry and his good looking calves (well developed and strong calves were an object of admiration on men in this era) to demonstrate the Minuet dance!  For women, the  object of beauty was a tiny waist and apparently they started corseting the young girls at age  3 to achieve this!!!

Dipping and bowing during the dance.  Our guide was awesome!

Women's work - lace making

Looking down toward the Frederic Gate in Louisbourg

The Soldiers' quarters in the Kings Bastion in Louisbourg

Soldier's bed and foot locker - they had to sleep 3 to a bed but worked 24 hr. shifts with 48 hrs off, so there was only 2 in the bed at any given time.  The Soldiers life was brutal.

Cod Liver Oil lamp hanging from the ceiling in the Soldier's quarters.

Standing guard on the rampart behind the Kings Bastion

A resident soldier flirting with the ladies - there  were  7 - 8  soldiers for every woman - but soldiers' were lower class so the women preferred fishermen who were more  wealthy!

Interpreter in period dress playing the harpsichord - Barry asked - 'can you play a tune?' and he did!

Upper class dining  in the fortified village - the boughs mean the soldiers can get rum - they were illiterate - so signs had to be with symbols.

Drummers and flute players in Louisbourg

Preparing to fire the canon - Sandra did get a picture of the firing but JUMPED - so had to delete the pic!

Quality time in the evening with Buddy after a day of touring!  Belly scratch please!

Fisherman's  wife in period costume explaining the cod fishing line

Fisherman in period costume

Fisherman's Schloop (3 to a boat went out and they each manned two lines.  They'd catch 2000 lb of cod a day) and fish flakes for drying.  In a year in this area they'd catch and process 30,000 lb of cod a season.

Original floor in the soldier barracks where they were housed before being shipped back to France

Bottom 3/4 is the original wall in the Powder Magazine

Canons in the wall of the fortification

Inn Keeper in period costume

Kings Bastion - the Governor's quarters were on the right along with his officers, the soldier's quarters (700 +) were on the right.

Civilian part of the restored colonial town

Soldier demonstrating the musket firing - she surprised herself because it worked!

Taking the 1.5 km hike through the 3/4 of the historic site that has not been restored.  Lots of foundations etc are visible.  This was the site of a 100 bed hospital!

More hiking

Rugged coast along the spit that was part of the fortified town.  The Island in the background was the site of a battery fortification.

Rugged trail to walk on!

More quality time with Buddy around the campfire

We learned that a Fortress - as opposed to a Fort is a fortified town with civilians and military whereas a Fort is military only.  Never understood that distinction before.  Louisbourg is a reconstructed French colonial town of the era 1744 - and is the largest 18th century historic reconstruction in North America.  The French came to Louisbourg in 1713 after ceding their holdings in Nfl to the British with the exception of St. Pierre & Miquelon.  Louisbourg was a strategic choice because of its protected deep  harbor and its closeness to the Grand Banks for the lucrative and productive cod fishing and the high demand in Europe for the salted/dried fish - as 2 days a week (Fri. and Sat.) it was fish only for the millions of Roman Catholics - something else we didn't know - thought it had always been Friday only.

Louisbourg was one of the busiest ports in New France - and at this time was the 3rd busiest port in North America after New York and Boston.  Frances' policy at the time was to retain absolute control over its colonies - shipping all supplies to meet the needs of the civilians and soldiers - a fact that proved to be a weakness in defence - as in 1745 after a harsh winter and diminishing supplies, the British blockaded the harbour - cutting off the French supply ships then attacked overland at the rear of the fortified town - the British also had 3 times as many military.  So Britain gained control, but the French won Louisbourg back through the terms of a later treaty only to lose it again to the British in 1758.  The British abandoned the site in 1760 - and there still remains a treasure chest of artifacts under what would have been 3/4 of the fortified town.  1/4 of the fortified colonial town has been reconstructed based on evidence gleaned from archaeological digs, millions of recovered artifacts, and numerous records and documents (copies) retrieved from Archives in France, Britain and Canada (Acadia).  The French kept absolutely impeccable records - so this has been invaluable for the reconstruction.

The reconstruction started in 1961 - Cape Breton miners who had been laid off from the mines at that time were retrained in the necessary trades to accomplish this massive reconstruction project.  A wonderful make work project for these men who suddenly were without work to support their families.  Something else we didn't know or had forgotten!

St. Johns, Nfl

We spent 4 nights near the most Easterly point of Canada -  St. Johns, Nfl - the oldest city in Canada - dating back to the 1500's - right up there with Old Que. City.  Amazingly the city is only slightly over 100,000 people and the entire Province of Nfl is only slightly over 500,000 (so about half the population of Edmonton).  When you consider the number of moose (100,000) in the province - there is 1 moose for every 5 people!!!!  Crazy!  We were told that there have been as many as 900 moose / vehicle encounters a year in Nfl - and this year is particularly bad apparently.  Currently there is a class action suit against the Gov't because of the nuisance moose and damage/injury to people and property.  We visited St. Johns over the Labour Day weekend and had glorious weather.  The city is for 'walking' - there are scads of trails every where and all linking up.  Actually the entire Province is phenomenal for its trail systems.  We asked and I guess it is a make work project for those on UI - build trails and keep them in shape - and they are in very good shape.

We parked our RV at the Pippy RV Park right in the middle of the city and decided to take a hike up one of the trails to the Botanical Gardens - whew!!!!  That was about an 8 km round trip hike with much of it including 300 steps straight up.  The Garden was lovely and thank goodness the hike back was mostly down hill.  We toured Signal Hill at night and in the day - and had a breathtaking view of the Narrows, St. Johns Harbor and the city.  Hardier souls hiked the trails up and down and around the Hill - but we passed due to the big hike we'd done the day before.  Cape Spear was awesome and the scenery is absolutely astounding.  A trip to St. Johns would not be complete with out a stroll down George St. - and we - along with a bus tour of 44 Seniors (well I guess we are Seniors too) were well entertained by a local performer and a Step (tap) Dancer who had to be pushing 80 - pretty impressive!

Our last day we toured the Battery (houses literally clinging to the cliffs over St. Johns Harbor) and Quidi Vidi Village - another old fishing village that is recreating itself and has the very successful Quidi Vidi Brewery which we toured.  An example of diversifying the economy since the decline of the Cod Fishing Industry - the facility the brewery was  originally intended to be a fish processing plant, then in 1992 the Cod embargo was in force - so the building sat empty for a few years till a group came along with a business plan in place for a Brewery - and the building fit their plan perfectly.

Enjoying the Botanical garden

Don't Pick the Grapes!

Cosmos

Neat Archway in the garden - putting all that cut wood to good use

View of the protected St. Johns Harbor and the Narrows from Signal Hill

Jelly Bean Houses along an old street in St. Johns - classic - originally the brightly painted houses were for the fishermen to more easily recognize their home as they came home from the sea - now it is classic St. Johns.

Gun at Fr. Waldergrove - guarding the Narrows

The Shaw's at Cape Spear - the most Easterly point of Canada.  We are closer to points in Europe that Westerly points in Canada!

Disappearing Gun (they could drop it down into a trench to service and/or load it - and it could not be seen by the enemy)  on display at Cape Spear - a natural fortification that was manned by Canadian and American troops during WWII starting in 1941 to guard against attacks on North America and especially from the deadly German U Boats!

Part of a reconstructed fortification tunnel system built into the craggy rocks at Cape Spear.  It must have been pretty damp and gloomy in bad weather - we were there on a bright sunny day!

Cape Spear Light House - built in 1836 - oldest one built along the Nfl coast - like the Bonavista Light House - the family home surrounds the tower.  Looks like the same 'plan'.

A wee bit of vertigo - peering down the cliff side from the Cape Spear Lighthouse.  Sandra likes to get close to the edge to get a good picture - this drives Barry crazy!

Looking across Quidi Vidi Lake in Quidi Vidi Village.  They are rebuilding buildings that were literally smashed into match sticks by a surge storm in Feb. 2010.

Murals depicting the Fisherman lifestyle in days gone by along the narrow roadway leading to the Battery Village.

Brightly colored Battery homes - which literally cling to the side of the cliffs overlooking St. Johns Harbor.  They mold the houses around the craggy rocks along the cliff side.  It would be interesting to view the interior floor plans!

These very visible signs are posted in areas of high moose contact (certain travel areas favored by the moose).  This year is a bad year for moose accidents apparently.  We only saw one, thank goodness and he was not on the road!

An interesting rock garden display at the Botanical Garden - vertical slabs of slate with the alpine plants planted in between.  Kind of replicating nature!

Part of the series of 300 steps along the walking trail leading up to the Botanical Garden.  Glad we didn't forget our water that day!

Right in the city - nice park.

Established communications companies at the time sabotaged Marconi's efforts to establish a facility to continue his experiments - but he was welcomed with open arms over in Nova Scotia where he continued his experiments and succeeded in sending the first successful transmission a year later.  Amazing where wireless has gone in 110 years!

Directional signs at Signal Hill

Cabot Tour at Signal Hill commemorating the 400th Anniversary of John Cabots' landing on Nfl soil (rock!)

Parked (packed) like sardines in the Belly of the Nfl Ferry.  Buddy had to stay in the trailer but he was fine for the 5 - 6 hour trip.  But he did enjoy being fussed over once we docked and retrieved him from his berth.

Another storm system was moving in when we left St. Johns - 2 more hurricane systems are working their way up the Eastern Seaboard - so we decided we should maybe vamoose.  We left St. Johns en route back to Port Aux Basques (900 km) to catch the Ferry (a 5-6 Ferry ride was better for Buddy than the Argentia 14 hr. Ferry ride leaving from near St. Johns), stopping overnight in Clarenville to visit some people we met in Alaska 3 years ago and enjoyed a wonderful evening - seafood dinner along with the sharing of all our travel stories etc.

We crossed back over to North Sydney, NS on Friday Sept. 9 - and will now plan the balance of our Eastern Canada tour.   We don't plan anything in advance - just one or two days ahead of time.  I guess at this time of the year one can get away with that - no reservations anywhere - and no problem!  Awesome trip so far!