We got off the ferry at New Sydney in Nova Scotia around 6 or 7 am in the morning and made a beeline for Dartmouth where we again stayed at Shubie Park campground. We parked there a couple days in order to again see our friends who live not far from Halifax.

We also wanted go to the Halifax Public Gardens which we missed during our previous stay there, but unfortunately we spent so much time with our friends that we again missed the experience. Judging from photos on the web this is a must-see thing to do in Halifax.

We stayed here before, but I had forgotten a few things that I noticed earlier. A lot of the slots are hard for big fifth-wheels to get into; they are parallel to each other rather than being at an angle to provides easier access. The site they originally scheduled for us (# 12) had a large tree on the corner which made it very hard for our rig to turn into without hitting the tree. So I asked for and got a different site. I also scraped some overhanging branches of a big pine tree trying to make a turn on the way in. Why can't these people think of these things?

There's no sewer hookup but the dump station on the way out is very convenient. They charge for the showers.

The Confederation Bridge to PEI is a thing to behold. It is about 13 km long and takes around 12 minutes to cross. Each way is two-lane, and lane changing is not premitted. Speed limit is 80 kph. It is interesting that it is the longest bridge in the world which crosses ice-covered water (in winter). We found this bridge reminiscent of the 7-mile bridge in the Florida Keys between Marathon and Big Pine Key, but the 7-mile bridge is basically flat while the Confederation Bridge is arched.

This is a toll bridge, but you only pay on the way off the island; the trip onto PEI is free. We paid 63 C$ for our truck and 2-axle RV. Pedestrians and cyclists are not permitted to cross the bridge, but a shuttle service is available.

Although I took a couple quick photos from the truck, it was impossible to get good shots of the whole majesty of the bridge while driving. Hence, I lifted a few photos from this website just so you can see just how magnificent the bridge really is. I hope they won't mind.

This is a pleasant, heavily wooded campground. There are cabins nestled in the woods, along with some areas for tents and RVs. Some sites are pull-thru and some are back-in. We had site # 42 and it was an easy back-in with 30/50 amp, water and sewer. Unfortunately the trees didn't allow our roof-mounted DirecTV to work, but that's ok. The site was dead level when we unhooked.

The wi-fi signal was strong but very slow, even though there was almost no one else in the campground. Things aren't so nice there when it rains, however. The ground is made up of some kind of red clayish material much like you find in the state of Georgia. When you take your dogs out for a walk it is quite a job to clean them before you come in. Same for the soles of your shoes. It would be nice if the roads were graveled.

This town seems to be oriented toward tourism, with amusement parks and lots of restaurants.

We ate at the Blue Mussel Cafe in North Rustico Harbour [902.963.2152]. Phyllis and I both had lobster for the first time during our trip. They were good but expensive. The meal, PEI mussels appetizer and drinks ran $162.84 C$. This place was actually a nice surprise. The ambience was in character with what you might expect for a harbor seafood eatery. I highly recommend it. Everything we had was superb and the staff were very friendly and helpful. One even went to the trouble to draw a map to the place where they were having the Ceilidh that night. Although we had no trouble getting in late in the season, it was almost to capacity and they said there is usually a 1-2 hour wait during high season. There are other restaurants in the marina area as well as many scattered through and around town. I understand that PEI mussels are somewhat of a theme throughout the island.

We went to the Ceilidh that same night and were pleasantly surprised. Ceilidh, pronounced "kay-lee", is a Gaelic term for a gathering, meeting or visit. In traditional Ceilidhs there can be song, dance, story telling, poetry reading and so on. The Ross family performed Scottish music and dance, along with some other surprises thrown in. They are quite talented. They have a new facility that used to be an old dairy barn. It has been completely refurbished and looks great. There is also a bar that serves alcohol and soft drinks. I have placed some clips of their music in the photos gallery. Here is a link to their info. Make sure to call to see what nights and times they play, as well as directions - you won't find it on your own without gps.

You will undoubtedly be surprised by the numerous red cliffs in the area of Cavendish. They are reminiscent of the red clay found all over north Georgia, something we are intimately familiar with as that is where my wife and I grew up.

I understand there is a potato museum in Cavendish. This might be interesting since the potato has been a mainstay of the area for a long time.

My wife Phyllis is a long time fan of the Anne of Green Gables book and movie. We looked forward to seeing the original farm and house for a long time, and were hence a bit disappointed to be told that the place was basically a tourist trap. We understand that there is a play there, but we didn't go so we have nothing to report.

If you still want to go they do have some activities there. There are interpretive trails, picnics and games, and you can talk with a red-haired Anne about her history and adventures. There is also a ceilidh where you can sing and dance to Irish and Scotish music.

Since we didn't go to Green Gables, I looked around for something else to do and ran across Ft. Amherst. It sounded interesting so I took a look at Google Photos and liked what I saw. While there I had a chance to have a nice conversation with a woman of original Mik'mac heritage. Turns out they hate that pronunciation and say it's supposed to be pronounced like Mig-maug. The Mik'mac pronunciation is actually a bastardization by the Europeans, but I will continue to use the term Mik'mac due to its widespread acceptance.

They also have an exhibit at the museum, with beautiful Mik'mac regalia (costumes) which they make themselves. Each is quite different, very colorful, and very personal to the creator. Each one tells a story about the creator's tribe, family, culture and so on. Indoors they are also building a replica of a real birch bark canoe, and outdoors they have a realistic replica of a wigwam that the indigenous people have been using for thousands of years. The fort itself is gone and the grounds aren't particularly exciting, but if you want to learn about authentic Mik'mak culture and history, this is a good place to go.