New Brunswick does not show the best face to people entering from the US, and Saint John, as viewed from the pot-holed freeway, was a complete turn-off. We no doubt missed the best parts, but choices must be made; time is running short, it's off to PEI. The Confederation Bridge is looooong, costs $42.50 to traverse (do I seem at all cost-conscious?) and is only 2 lanes! However, considering that it was nearly empty, other than the guy tail-gaiting me, even two lanes seems extravagant. BTW, you only pay to LEAVE PEI, and the ferry is $73, so entering from NS (ferrry) and leaving by NB (bridge) will save you $25.
The main roads on PEI will jar your fillings loose, and Summerside was disappointing until we found our beds, which we chose only for the 'best rates'. What a great little place! The friendly owners of Clark's Sunny Isle Motel insisted on showing us their newest renovated room, and it was every bit as nice as anything we've found in hotels costing many times more. Very tastefully decorated, with every convenience, even a 'History of Summerside' on the bedtable that made for great reading. A walk through the lush grounds leads to a path to the ocean, along which I found a pair of jays building a nest, and tasty fiddlehead greens pushing through the earth. Which was fortunate, because the only seafood place in town closed at 6PM, the big hotel restaurant staff ignored us until we left, and the only other choices were every fast food joint you can name. What a let-down! The historical photos showed what this place used to be, and it's clearly lost its way. Even Steveston has done a better job, and I'm not a big Steveston fan.
But out in the countryside, PEI comes to life! We seem to have chased spring everywhere we've been on this trip, and the fields were full of plows, turning the low hills into red and green quilts. They really do grow potatoes from one end of PEI to the other! The coastline is heavily convoluted, and every hilltop offers hugely satisfying vistas. And the roads are smoother, even the dirt ones. It's a place made for happy meandering, if you're not being chased by a large propane truck.
At 5PM we sailed to NS; the ferry is freaky, because they open a big hole in the main deck, and have you drive DOWN into the hold below. With night closing in, we barreled our way north to Cape Breton. Again, Tim Horton's everywhere, but not a seafood restaurant to be found! What's with this place?? We finally caught up to a lobster dinner in our hotel, that sent me into a deep sleep, but left Robbi with big, painful, itchy welts all over her body, poor thing.
The main roads on PEI will jar your fillings loose, and Summerside was disappointing until we found our beds, which we chose only for the 'best rates'. What a great little place! The friendly owners of Clark's Sunny Isle Motel insisted on showing us their newest renovated room, and it was every bit as nice as anything we've found in hotels costing many times more. Very tastefully decorated, with every convenience, even a 'History of Summerside' on the bedtable that made for great reading. A walk through the lush grounds leads to a path to the ocean, along which I found a pair of jays building a nest, and tasty fiddlehead greens pushing through the earth. Which was fortunate, because the only seafood place in town closed at 6PM, the big hotel restaurant staff ignored us until we left, and the only other choices were every fast food joint you can name. What a let-down! The historical photos showed what this place used to be, and it's clearly lost its way. Even Steveston has done a better job, and I'm not a big Steveston fan.
But out in the countryside, PEI comes to life! We seem to have chased spring everywhere we've been on this trip, and the fields were full of plows, turning the low hills into red and green quilts. They really do grow potatoes from one end of PEI to the other! The coastline is heavily convoluted, and every hilltop offers hugely satisfying vistas. And the roads are smoother, even the dirt ones. It's a place made for happy meandering, if you're not being chased by a large propane truck.
At 5PM we sailed to NS; the ferry is freaky, because they open a big hole in the main deck, and have you drive DOWN into the hold below. With night closing in, we barreled our way north to Cape Breton. Again, Tim Horton's everywhere, but not a seafood restaurant to be found! What's with this place?? We finally caught up to a lobster dinner in our hotel, that sent me into a deep sleep, but left Robbi with big, painful, itchy welts all over her body, poor thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment