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We wanted to be very sure of not wearing out our welcome in one fell swoop. So, after 2 nights with Gilbert, it was time to go bother someone else. We had arranged to spend a few days with Diane & Adam in P.E.I. We drove over to their house (yes, they live in Halifax) and then we convoyed to PEI. We drove across the Confederation Bridge and then stopped at the tourist trap at the end. Actually more fun than we expected. The kids played in the giant playground. I admired the giant portion of bridge on display. We visited Cows and posed. Then we drove north to our motel, the Cladagh Breagh Cottages. Diane & Adam, former PEI residents and our guides navigated... We made it there regardless. A quick dash out for dinner and then we spent the evening at Spithead, a big amusement park which had sprung up in response to the huge tourist industry which is Anne Of Green Gables. Spithead catered to kids of just the right age. We stayed well past the kid's bedtime. The next day we headed out to Cavendish Beach. Famous for its red sand, it didn't disappoint. Neither did the weather. It was hot (but not too hot) and sunny. Sandy and Diane wore matching swimsuits. Keiran gathered rocks and we all built sand castles. Keiran did well, having sliced his toe open on the bottom of a door in the changing rooms... Then on to Rainbow Valley. Yet another amusement park, waiting to ambush tourists. This one had more of a story book theme and a bunch of water park activities. The kids were in swimsuits and the adults were sort of in swimsuits... As night fell, we found somewhere for dinner, and then hit Cows one more time. Morning came and we dawdled around our motel. Weather was nice, no rush. Eventually, we were all packed up and headed into Cavendish to see the main attraction, Anne Of Green Gables. As soon as we got out of the cars, it started to rain. Not a gentle sprinkle or shower. It POURED. So, we got wet. We toured the buildings and were amused by the group of motorcyclists walking around with their rain gear and helmets on. The we walked through the flower gardens and did the forest walks. Apparently all of these things mean a great deal to Anne Of Green Gables fans... We went to Cows and then drove to The Dunes Art Gallery. It was pretty much on our route to the ferry and well worth the visit. A unique building, lots of wood carvings and dramatic gardening. The ferry ride was an adventure. A violent storm blew up as we were loading. Lots of lightning, winds and a dramatic downpour. I took photos on deck while the others hid inside. The kids had a chance to play in the puddles when the weather cleared. Then, as we were pulling up to one of the channels, something happened to the ferry, and we slewed around in a sharp u-turn. We continued in the wrong direction for 10 minutes or so, then another u-turn got us back on course. We were never told what had happened. I watched the captain on the bridge for clues but didn't observe any panic. That made us an hour later than expected. This was MUCH worsened by my missing an exit. By the time we noticed, we were stuck on a major highway, and had to continue for 45 minutes in the wrong direction before finding an exit. After the u-turn, I had to beg at the toll plaza to get let back through without paying. I was already sulking about driving an extra 2.5 hours and didn't feel like paying for a drive I hadn't intended to do. We pulled into Gilbert's place VERY late. |
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