On July 8 we were In Hermon, Maine and joined an Adventure Caravan group for a tour of the Maritimes. The third movement of our Summer Symphony is a lilting dance. It is very different in cadence to the first two movements. One day flowed into another, with arrangements for tours, travel, camp sites and some meals taken care of by the company. We simply followed instructions, just as the woman follows the man’s lead in a dance. We had nothing to worry about for 31 days, except keeping up with the beat and following the lead. On our trip we visited Québec, Gaspé, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island with 20 other RVs.
We traveled a lot - We ate a lot - We talked a lot - We learned a lot
Here is a quick summary of our caravan adventures: (A poem I shared with the group at the end of our trip)
Light houses, bus trips, pretty flowers, history
Cod Fishing, gannets and Anne with an E
Range lights, battles, Montmorency Falls,
Farming mussels, potatoes and oysters, we saw it all.
The French, Brits and Scots came, but first were Mi’kmaqs
Settlements, deportation, treaties and attacks.
Cathedrals, basilicas, churches and forts and
Rough roads, tight turns and where’s a Tim Hortons?
Tour guides, bus drivers, docents, and rangers
"Explain us", describe, teach, and sing to us strangers.
Museums, restaurants, a pancake breakfast at eight,
Movies, musicals, drivers' meetings - don’t be late.
Bag pipes, fancy footwork, what’s under the kilt?
See how rugs are hooked and barrels are built.
Boats, ships and steamers, on land and at sea:
Those for lobster, for tours, for fishing and sailing.
Lunches, lobsters, and fresh fish ‘n chips
Salmon, crab, mussels and scallops - delish.
Irvings, Sobeys, Canadian Tire and cute towns,
Visitor centers, optional stops and ice cream at COWS.
Souvenirs, t-shirts, hats, pins, tiny shops.
Distilleries, wineries, Alexander Keith’s brewery, with hops.
Memorials, gravestones, tributes to those who have passed,
Pick your card, get on the bus, find your seat, don’t be last.
Walking tours, historic places, National parks, scenic sights,
It’s been a great trip, good-bye and good night.
Here are some pictures showing highlights from our Maritime Minuet - in no particular order!
We didn't know that Ketchup Potato Chips were a thing in Canada!
The goats at Acadian Village wanted extra attention!
The "Arm of Gold" campground in North Sydney
had wonderful walking trails with interesting objects
In Charlottetown, PEI
A modern lighthouse in Pointe-au-Père, QC
On the water in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia
Snow Crab near No Sydney - can't get much fresher than this!
Chateau Frontenac from Old Town
From the courtyard of the Chateau
Yummmm... lobster!
Percé Rock
College of Piping on PEI
Narrow streets in old town, Quebec City
A trip to Europe without jet lag!
Cute covered bridge near Metis Sur Mer
A visit to the recreated Port Royal settlement near Annapolis Royal
A section of the historic needlepoint in Annapolis Royal
Cute (Quebec)
Roosting Northern Gannets on Bonaventure Island, near Perce
Sainte-Anne Beaupre Basilica near Quebec
(The Pope was expected to visit in three weeks)
Tour Guide in Charlottetown, PEI
Hypnotized lobsters in Percé
(I learned to do this from my dad - folks on the
trip were intrigued!!)
The guard at the gate to the fort in Halifax
There were so many amazing churches in the villages we traveled through -
this one was actually at the Acadien Village.
Old building in the old town of Quebec
Another street scene in Quebec
The funicular to the upper part of the city is in the center
Our tour guide in Annapolis Royal
Another viewpoint from a trail at Arm of Gold campground in North Sydney
One section of the fresco carved by William deGarthe in Peggy's Cove
On the beach on PEI
Along the road, heading to Quebec
Halifax experienced a huge explosion in 1917 when a ship caught fire and explosives she was carrying detonated. Damage was extensive. The clock stopped at the time of the explosion, and this side of the City clock has been left at the position in which it stopped so many years ago.
I loved the colorful buildings we saw throughout our trip.
This was a cove on PEI
And so the dance came to an end. 31 days of touring with Adventure Caravans. The third movement of our Summer Symphony came to an end, but the sweet sounds linger and bring a smile to my face.
