7: Prince Edward Island (9/16-9/17)

Another rainy Monday discouraged us from traveling around the island, so we stuck close to home this morning.  We had a good Skype with Holm, always a bonus for us. 

We then headed to Charlottetown in the afternoon for some retail therapy.  Tried poutine for the first time, and good advice would be the last, as the delicious combo of fries, cheese curds, and savory gravy is a heart attack special.

I toured the inside of Province House, where the PEI legislature meets and where the founders of the Confederation held their first meeting in 1864.  Big excitement as next year is the sesquicentennial.  The University of PEI student group also touring at the same time was the most polite group of people I’ve seen in ages.  They were actively listening to the page providing the tour, asked pertinent questions, were respectful…I dunno.  Just so well-behaved, unexpectedly, somehow.

A visit to the PEI art museum taught me about the Mi’qmak First Nations on PEI.  What most impressed me is that they’ve always been a matriarchal society, as they feel there is no more nobler calling than bearing and raising children.  Their story is pretty much that of the Native Americans – removed from their lands, herded into undesirable reservations, now recognized and honored, but shadows of what they were.

The Queen is everywhere, on money, portraits on the wall, here a bust at the entrance to the museum.

Evening found us at another wonderful dining experience, the Claddagh Oyster House.  Mark, the owners’ son, grew up in the restaurant, just won the PEI Seafood Festival’s oyster shucking contest, and was personable, friendly, fun!  We sampled six different PEI oysters, each with a quite unique taste.  I’m not a fan, but maybe could be.  Dinner was smashing – seafood stew and whole grilled halibut.  Good people to talk with all around.

Tuesday was a stunning autumn day and also a business day, as I had a hair appointment and our cracked windshield was due to be replaced.  The wrong windshield was delivered, so Allen strolled the C-town harbor while I beautified.  Two cruise ships were in port today; downtown was hopping.

 Saw a quite tame fox in a residential neighborhood near our campground.

We cooked our own dinner on the campfire on an almost-full-moon night, cold and clear, and shared our leftover t-bone with the campground owner’s dog.  The owners live in Newfoundland working for the federal government, but spend summers on PEI running this place, which closes for the winter at the end of October.  Allen talked with a surfer couple from New Zealand camping here who are in Canada on a one-year work visa, trying to surf everywhere.   From here they’re headed to Labrador for work and surfing.