Thursday Travels: Prince Edward Island

I had to post at least one photo of the Canadian flag since I took several while we were touring the Canadian Maritimes.  This one is from Fundy National Park, taken after we hiked to Laverty Falls and visited Laverty Lake.

Pond. Taken on our way out of Fundy National Park.

Our hike to Laverty Falls was our last in New Brunswick.  The next day we took care of some laundry…

This is where I learned what a Loonie is, not to be confused with a Twoonie.

… and hit the road.  So to speak.

We were on our way to Prince Edward Island.  As you can see, the weather was rather dreary.  If you have to spend most of the day on the road, a dreary day isn’t such a bad thing.  It’s better than feeling you’ve wasted a perfectly good hiking day.

Going over the Confederation Bridge.

I am not sure how long the drive was, but it seems like almost every drive from one vacation spot to the next was about six hours.  It was somewhere in that vicinity.  To get to Prince Edward Island from New Brunswick, we chose to go over the Confederation Bridge.  It is an 8-mile long bridge, the longest in the world that goes over ice-covered water (in the winter, of course).  It was not a good day to take photos of it.   I tried.  Let’s leave it at that.

A rest stop along the way

When we left the Bogs for our vacation (June 1st), summer had arrived early and spring was long gone.  Spring was just getting started on Prince Edward Island.

Lilacs in bloom at the rest stop.

Coming over the bridge brought us to the southwestern part of PEI.  Our B&B (The Graham Inn) is located north, in Cavendish (“the heart of the Green Gables shores”).  It should be noted that I’ve heard of Anne of Green Gables but have never read the books or seen the series.  We picked this area because it looked interesting in other ways.  To be honest, we planned our trip far enough in advance that I wasn’t sure why we picked Prince Edward Island.  No matter.  Not remembering meant I’d be surprised.

It was a very pretty drive, from the southern end of the island to the north.  We went through the middle rather than take the coastal route.  It was the quickest way to get there.

Potato field

Did you know they grow a lot of potatoes on PEI?  I didn’t until we drove through the interior of the island and I read the little guide book we had with us.  It’s also a major producer of seed potatoes, exporting to twenty countries around the world.  The island’s landscape is described as pastoral, which I think describes it well.  I wish I could have gotten a few more shots of the potato fields.  The red dirt contrasting with the bright green plants is lovely.

Somewhere along the Central Coastal Drive

We arrived at The Graham Inn around 4pm.  That didn’t leave us much time for hiking, seeing the sights, etc., because it was off season, and most of the restaurants that were open closed at 8pm.  We had a talk with the lovely ladies who own The Graham Inn.  They recommended a quick trip out to the beach, and a good place to eat.

Looking out at the Gulf of St. Lawrence

We headed out to the Central Coastal Drive to see the red cliffs.  You can read more about our day here, posted that evening.  I’m so glad I have those posts to go back to.  It all seems so far away now.

A few more photos, and then we’ll have to leave PEI for today.

The windy, gray weather made for a dramatic scene.

Okay, it’s time to leave us standing near the edge of the red cliffs and come back to the Bogs for now.

The weather here in the Bogs today is perfect for hiking or walking or doing just about anything outdoors.  It was 29 degrees early this morning, but warmed up into the upper 40s quickly.  There is a brisk wind.  I love it.

Early morning visitors

A small group of geese stopped by for a little while.  They were gone by the time I had my tea, bundled up, and went out for my walk so I didn’t have to chase them off.  That’s good.  I usually end up just moving them from one side of the pond to the other anyhow.  It’s good exercise for me, but it doesn’t get rid of the geese.

The maples and oaks still have leaves, and they’re in the midst of changing their colors.  Other trees, ahead of the maples and oaks, are almost bare now due to the brisk winds of the past few days.  You can start to see the bones of the trees in the woods.

That’s it from the Bogs for today.  Thank you for visiting and once again joining me on my travels.  This is a good day to hike back to the woods.  The ground is dry enough that getting down the hills can be done without sliding.  The golden light and color in the woods is stunning.

Have a sweet day, evening, or night… wherever and whenever you are on the spectrum of time.

P.S.  Don’t forget the group walk.  Leave a link here when you have your blog post ready.  If you need extra time, let me know.  I’ll be glad to extend the date another week or so.

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